Abstract:
Emergence of complex magnetic flux in the solar active regions lead to several observational effects such as a change in sunspot area
and flux embalance in photospheric magnetograms. The flux emergence also results in twisted magnetic field lines that add to free energy
content. The magnetic field configuration of these active regions relax to near potential-field configuration after energy release through
solar flares and coronal mass ejections. In this paper, we study the relation of flare productivity of active regions with their evolution of
magnetic flux emergence, flux imbalance and free energy content. We use the sunspot area and number for flux emergence study as they
contain most of the concentrated magnetic flux in the active region. The magnetic flux imbalance and the free energy are estimated using
the HMI/SDO magnetograms and Virial theorem method. We find that the active regions that undergo large changes in sunspot area are
most flare productive. The active regions become flary when the free energy content exceeds 50% of the total energy. Although, the flary
active regions show magnetic flux imbalance, it is hard to predict flare activity based on this parameter alone.
Ó 2013 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
