As
the days go by, I frequently show details of active region magnetograms
images and charts, and other data, for active regions I think may be
suspect of initiating the radio events we study.
I started studying solar radio emission in 1966, I am not finished yet :)
The degree of activity frequently varies much from day to day and is a complex subject studied for many decades.
Lidia van Driel-Gesztelyi and Lucie May Green have published last month a "Living Review of Solar Physics" titled:
"Evolution of Active Regions" , 98 pages, including 17 pages of references, free to download at:
http://solarphysics.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrsp-2015-1/http://solarphysics.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrsp-2015-1/download/lrsp-2015-1Color.pdfSection
6 studies the case of AR 7978, "...subjected to the most comprehensive
analysis of any AR..." as it evolved over a 6 month period.
Appendix A is a very good summary of Sunspot classifications, including the McIntosh and Hale methods.
I leave you repeating their quote from a poem by Laszlo Detre :
“ A Solar Physicist’s Lament ....
It looks as if many a sunny day
Will pass along on its way
Before we solve it all... "