Large flares (M1 - X7) in solar cycle 24

Abstract

The large (X-ray class > M1) and very large (X-ray class >X1) flares (according to the observations of GOES-15 and Preliminary data from Current Catalog of Flare Events) in solar activity cycle 24 were analyzed. The monthly average values of optical Flare Index for 2010 - 2016 were calculated. The values of the total energy of the flare E (J m-2) in the 0.1 -- 0.8 nm range at the level of the earth's atmosphere were estimated. The energy spectrum (the dependence of the number of flares with the full energy E from the value of this full energy) for 115 flares of M5 - X7 classes was built. The comparative study of monthly averaged values of several indices of solar activity in current cycle 24: the relative sunspot numbers (SSN), the 10.7 cm radio flux, the radiation flux in the Lyman-alpha line, the solar constant (TSI) and the Flare Index (FI) was made.