This volume is a collection of research articles on the subject of solar flares and flares on other cool stars, which are currently extensively studied using new ground- and space-based instruments, together with highly sophisticated numerical simulations. The collection memorializes the work of a pioneer in the study of solar physics, Professor Zdenek Švestka (1925 Prague – 2013 Bunschoten), a leading expert in the field of solar flares and the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Solar Physics. The book contains many contributions to the conference “Solar and Stellar Flares: Observations, simulations and synergies”, held in Prague during 23 – 27 June 2014, organised in honor and memory of Professor Švestka. Originally published as Topical Issue of Solar Physics, Vol. 290, Issue 12, 2015.

The authors explore solar flares by applying physics and theoretical investigations.

The Sun as a Guide to Stellar Physics illustrates the significance of the Sun in understanding stars through anexamination of the discoveries and insights gained from solar physics research. Ranging from theories to modelingand from numerical simulations to instrumentation and data processing, the book provides an overview of whatwe currently understand and how the Sun can be a model for gaining further knowledge about stellar physics.Providing both updates on recent developments in solar physics and applications to stellar physics, this bookstrengthens the solar–stellar connection and summarizes what we know about the Sun for the stellar, space, andgeophysics communities. - Applies observations, theoretical understanding, modeling capabilities and physical processes first revealed by the sun to the study of stellar physics - Illustrates how studies of Proxima Solaris have led to progress in space science, stellar physics and related fields - Uses characteristics of solar phenomena as a guide for understanding the physics of stars

This volume is a collection of research articles on the subject of solar flares and flares on other cool stars, which are currently extensively studied using new ground- and space-based instruments, together with highly sophisticated numerical simulations. The collection memorializes the work of a pioneer in the study of solar physics, Professor Zdenek Švestka (1925 Prague – 2013 Bunschoten), a leading expert in the field of solar flares and the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Solar Physics. The book contains many contributions to the conference “Solar and Stellar Flares: Observations, simulations and synergies”, held in Prague during 23 – 27 June 2014, organised in honor and memory of Professor Švestka. Originally published as Topical Issue of Solar Physics, Vol. 290, Issue 12, 2015.

This volume is dedicated to the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which was launched 11 February 2010. The articles focus on the spacecraft and its instruments: the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE), and the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI). Articles within also describe calibration results and data processing pipelines that are critical to understanding the data and products, concluding with a description of the successful Education and Public Outreach activities. This book is geared towards anyone interested in using the unprecedented data from SDO, whether for fundamental heliophysics research, space weather modeling and forecasting, or educational purposes. Previously published in Solar Physics journal, Vol. 275/1-2, 2012. Selected articles in this book are published open access under a CC BY-NC 2.5 license at link.springer.com. For further details, please see the license information in the chapters.

It turned out to be really a rare and happy occasion that we know exact1y when and how a new branch of space physics was born, namely, a physics of solar cosmic rays. It happened on February 28 and March 7, 1942 when the fIrst "cosmic ray bursts" were recorded on the Earth, and the Sun was unambiguously identifIed for the fIrst time as the source of high-velocity 10 particles with energies up to > 10 eV. Just due to such a high energy these relativistic particles have been called "solar cosmic rays" (SCR), in distinction from the "true" cosmic rays of galactic origin. Between 1942 and the beginning ofthe space era in 1957 only extremely high energy solar particle events could be occasionally recorded by cosmic ray ground-Ievel detectors and balloon borne sensors. Since then the detection techniques varied considerably and the study of SCR turned into essential part of solar and solar-terrestrial physics.

A thorough introduction to solar physics based on recent spacecraft observations. The author introduces the solar corona and sets it in the context of basic plasma physics before moving on to discuss plasma instabilities and plasma heating processes. The latest results on coronal heating and radiation are presented. Spectacular phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections are described in detail, together with their potential effects on the Earth.