Energy balance in the flaring solar corona

Assuming only that flares derive their energy from a coronal source and tha t flaring is the dominant mechanism for depleting that source, the global c oronal response time (time for flares to remove available coronal energy) i s about 9 months. A detailed model for dynamic energy balance in the solar corona over the solar cycle is presented to describe how the magnetic free energy in the solar corona varies in response to changes in the supply of e nergy to the system and to changes in the flaring rate. The model predicts that both the flaring rate and the free energy of the system should lag beh ind the driving of the system because of the coronal response time (the det ailed model gives a lag of similar to 11 months). This effect may account f or hysteresis phenomena between certain solar activity indices. A specific example is presented in support of the model. Analysis of time series of mo nthly sunspot numbers and monthly numbers of soft X-ray flares over the yea rs 1976-1999 indicates a tendency for flare numbers to lag behind sunspot n umbers by similar to6 months.