Sunspot groups with high flare activity: Specific features of magnetic configuration, morphology, and dynamics

Specific features of the magnetic configuration, morphological structure, dynamics, and evolution of sunspot groups of the current (24th) cycle of solar activity with high flare activity are considered. The gradients of longitudinal magnetic fields at places of δ-configuration are calculated. The main finding is a time delay of 24–30 h between the time when the magnetic field gradient reaches a critical level of 0.1 G/km and the time when the first of powerful flares occurs in the active region. The study is based on data from the SDO and GOES-15 spacecrafts and ground-based solar telescopes (TST-2 at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the 150-foot telescope at the Mount Wilson Observatory).