Detailed diagnostics of an X-ray flare in the single giant HR 9024

We analyze a 96 ks Chandra HETGS observation of the single G-type giant HR 9024. The high flux allows us to examine spectral line and continuum diagnostics at high temporal resolution, to derive plasma parameters. A time-dependent one-dimensional hydrodynamic model of a loop with half-length L 5 x 10(11) cm (similar to R-*/2) and cross-sectional radius r = 4: 3 x 10(10) cm, with a heat pulse of 15 ks and 2 x 10(11) ergs cm(-2) s(-1) deposited at the loop footpoints, satisfactorily reproduces the observed evolution of temperature and emission measure, derived from the analysis of the strong continuum emission. For the first time we can compare predictions from the hydrodynamic model with single spectral features, other than with global spectral properties. We find that the model closely matches the observed line emission, especially for the hot ( similar to 10(8) K) plasma emission of the Fe xxv complex at similar to 1.85 angstrom. The model loop has L/R-* similar to 1/2 and aspect ratio r/L similar to 0.1, as typically derived for flares observed in active stellar coronae, suggesting that the underlying physics is the same for these very dynamic and extreme phenomena in stellar coronae independently of stellar parameters and evolutionary stage.