The Optical Characteristics of the Solar White-Light Flare on Jan. 18,1989

A White-Light flare (hereafter WLF) appeared on solar disc on Jan. 18, 1989. We obtained the photographic data of two-dimensional multi-band spectral scanning, the synchronous Hα filtergrams and the quasi-synchronous photospheric sunspot of the flare. The analyses for a part of data show that the WLF presents the structure of the multiple patch which is (1.5-4)×l0¹⁷cm² in size. Some of the patches last only for a few minute while others last over 40 min. The primary patches locate over or near a neutral line of the longitudinal fields of magnetic fields in the photosphere (which is δ configuration). The patches originally appear between the umbra and the penumbra, or between the penumbra and the background of the photosphere, as well as between the penumbra fibers, or on the large light bridge. The WLF bears closely relation to the plage that is near a small active filament and is affected by a mini-flare and its burst. This mini-flare could cause a WLF, and evolves along chromospheric fibers in position, dimension and brightness.