Superthermal plasma nodules and their relation to solar flares

We define superthermal plasma nodules as bright points (diameter 20), visible on high resolution X-ray heliograms. Flares appear to show a strong tendency to occur at the places of these nodules. There are indications that (part of) the hot plasma produced by consecutive flares is accumulated and confined in the superthermal plasma nodules, and that with increasing energy content of a nodule the probability for a drastic change of its magnetic structure increases, thus reducing the possibility for more flares to occur.