  White light flares (WLFs) are observational rarities, making them
understudied events. However, optical emission is a significant contribution to
flare energy budgets and the emission mechanisms responsible could have
important implications for flare models. Using Hinode SOT optical continuum
data taken in broadband red, green and blue filters, we investigate white-light
emission from the X2.2 flare SOL2011-02-15T01:56:00. We develop a technique to
robustly identify enhanced flare pixels and, using a knowledge of the RGB
filter transmissions, determined the source color temperature and effective
temperature. We investigated two idealized models of WL emission - an optically
thick photospheric source, and an optically thin chromospheric slab. Under the
optically thick assumption, the color temperature and effective temperature of
flare sources in sunspot umbra and penumbra were determined as a function of
time and position. Values in the range of 5000-6000K were found, corresponding
to a blackbody temperature increase of a few hundred kelvin. The power emitted
in the optical was estimated at $\sim 10^{26}$ergs s$^{-1}$. In some of the
white-light sources the color and blackbody temperatures are the same within
uncertainties, consistent with a blackbody emitter. In other regions this is
not the case, suggesting that some other continuum emission process is
contributing. An optically thin slab model producing hydrogen recombination
radiation is also discussed as a potential source of WL emission; it requires
temperatures in the range 5,500 - 25,000K, and total energies of $\sim
10^{27}$ergs s$^{-1}$.
