Flare Observations With the NOAA GOES-12 Solar X-ray Imager

A new Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) was launched into geosynchronous orbit aboard the NOAA GOES-12 spacecraft on 23 July 2001. During the post-launch checkout period from late August through mid December 2001, an extensive set of flare observations was made by SXI. In this study we compare the SXI observations with the widely used GOES X-Ray Sensor (XRS) light curves to help us interpret GOES XRS data. In particular, we examine the location, brightness, and area of flares observed by SXI, and we investigate the statistical properties of these parameters, their time evolution, and their interrelationships with other flare parameters. We also consider the relationship of SXI flare parameters to other types of associated activity, such as coronal mass ejections.