A study of the decay phase of an X-ray flare on Algol.

The authors have re-analyzed the X-ray flare on Algol which was observed with EXOSAT (White et al., 1986). The common practice of estimating loop volume and length from the decay time of the flare is discussed extensively. The authors show that during the decay phase of the flare both scaling laws for coronal loops are valid. This implies a unique determination of loop volume and length and allows a check whether additional heating occurs in the decay phase of a flare.