Application of digital image processing techniques to faint solar flare phenomena

Digital image processing of eight solar flare events was performed using the Video Information Communication and Retrieval language in order to study moving emission fronts, flare halos, and Moreton waves. The techniques used include contrast enhancement, isointensity contouring, the differencing of images, spatial filtering, and geometrical registration. The spatial extent and temporal behavior of the faint phenomena is examined along with the relation of the three types of phenomena to one another. The image processing techniques make possible the detailed study of the history of the phenomena and provide clues to their physical nature