On the possibility of detecting solar flare effects in the zodiacal light

To evaluate possible effects of solar flares on the brightness of the inner zodiacal light, it is necessary to consider the brightness contribution along the line of sight and as a function of Sun-particle distance. For this purpose, models of the brightness contribution along the line of sight are presented for both dielectric and metallic particles with a spatial distribution of the form rsup(-ν), ν=0, 1, 2. These models are discussed in terms of the geometry of shock front interaction. A reported zodiacal light enhancement following a solar flare (Blackwell and Ingham (Mon. Not. R. Astr. Soc.; 122:143 (1961)) is analysed on the basis of the shock front geometry. (auhtor)