Relationship between magnetic structures of small and large sunspot groups

Abstract

Using the data on sunspot groups of life span (T, in days) 2-12day during 1874-1981 we find: (i) the average area (A, in millionth of solar hemisphere) of a spot group increase with T as A(T) = 15.24 exp (T/4.48); and (ii) the number of spot groups (N) seems to decrease with T as N (T) ~ 2824 exp(-T /5.38). From these and the relations found earlier among Sun’s fractional radius (T) of spot groups living 2-12day, we draw the following inferences: (a) magnetic structures with magnetic flux Ф ≥ 10/sup22 Mx might be generated near base of the convection zone, (b) many of the magnetic structures may be fragmenting or branching into smaller structures while rising through the solar convection zone, and (c) magnetic structures with Ф < 10/sup22 Mx might be fragmented or branched parts of the larger magnetic structures. These interferences are consistent with the proposals of some theoretical models.