Long term evolution of super active regions
Ram Ajor Maurya

Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad
E-mail: ramajor@prl.res.in, ramaurya98@gmail.com

Abstract. In the solar cycle 23, there were some active regions (ARs) which produced energetic events, e.g. flares, CMEs, of unprecedented magnitudes during their disc passes, termed as super active regions (SARs). For example, NOAA 10486 stood unrivaled as it produced flares of unprecedented magnitude, such as X17/4B, X10/2B and X28 in quick succession. Occurrence of flares of such magnitude at this rate evidently requires extremely rapid energy buildup mechanism. Therefore, from their energetic considerations, these SARs are expected to possess distinctly different sup-photospheric flows as compared to less productive ARs. Study of such SARs is expected to provide important insights in our understanding of flare productivity, characterization of ARs, and in space-weather predictions. We derived sup-photospheric flows beneath these SARs using ring diagram technique, one of the local helioseismic techniques. We found strong and largely twisted sub-photospheric flows in the interior of SARs as compared to ARs. We present maps of sub-photospheric flows beneath some SARs and their evolution from one to next Carrington rotation.