Association of solar flares with magnetic complexity of the sunspot groups in solar active regions during solar cycles 23–25

The present study aims to investigate the association of X-ray solar flares with the magnetic complexity of sunspot groups in active regions for the period from 1996 to 2023 (solar cycles 23 to 24 and ascending phase of solar cycle 25). Statistically, we have found that (1) the total 37,166 sunspots are affiliated with the 5412 active regions. Following the Hale magnetic complexity categorization method, a total occurring sunspot groups, comprised of 31.01% α , 57.13% β , 0.01% γ , 0% δ , 0.027% γδ , 0.54% βδ , 8.45% βγ , and 2.83% βγδ magnetic groups. (2) We also found that a total of 44,667 solar flares were observed in selected time intervals. Out of that total of 44,667 solar flares, only 24,031 (60.40%) flares have their solar active region, remaining flares have an unknown solar origin. Further investigation also shows that, out of 24,031 solar flares only 23,531 solar flares are associated with sunspot groups of different magnetic complexity (according to Hale magnetic classification). These sunspot groups are affiliated with the 2499 active regions. The investigated flares (sunspot-associated) database consists of 34.11% B-, 57.87% C-, 7.36% M-, and 0.63% X-class flares. Finally, we found that a higher percentage of the intense flares (M- and X-Class) are associated with the βγδ type sunspot groups in solar cycles 23 and 24. We also observed that maximum X-class flares are associated with βγδ sunspot groups during the peak of solar cycles 23 and 24. Whereas maximum B- and C-class flares are associated with β sunspot groups during the ascending phase of each solar cycle.