An analogy between magnetospheric substorms and solar flares

The known analogy between magnetospheric substorms and solar flares is based on magnetic reconnection inside the active solar region as a main content for both phenomena. A new scenario takes into account, as an additional element, the reconnection on the active region boundary which promotes the energy input to this region from outside. So, a flare, like a substorm, is not only the unloading but the driven process too. It is emphasized that efficiency of the above energy input increases as LT2 ∼h2 where LT is the length of the closed magnetospheric tail, and h is height of arcades. The osbervational tests of the model are suggested. (author). 20 refs.; 7 figs