Magnetic shear in flaring regions: I. Quantitative evaluation of the change in shear

We have evaluated the shear angle of the neutral line of the non-potential magnetic field for one or two days prior to and after the flare event for 10 cases. We have used the Hα filament positions to evaluate the shear in the neutral line. We find from the samples we have studied that it is the change in the shear that occurs a day prior to the flare that can lead to the event. This change can be in either direction, i.e., it can be a large increase from a small value or a decrease from a large initial value. Thus it is the change in the shear angle that seems to be a deciding criterion for a flare to occur and not a large value for the shear angle itself