Features of the Gnevyshev-Waldmeier Rule for Various Lifetimes and Areas of Sunspot Groups

Based on a sample of 7696 nonrecurrent and 566 recurrent sunspot groups, we have investigated the Gnevyshev-Waldmeier rule using the Catalogue of Solar Activity by R.S. Gnevysheva (1954-1978). The maximum recorded sunspot group lifetime is 160 days. The general Gnevyshev-Waldmeier rule for all lifetimes is A(max) = (12.1 +/- 0.70)LT (A(max) is the maximum sunspot group area during the lifetime and LT is the sunspot group lifetime). However, the general rule has turned out to deviate from the derived linear form for the population of small short-living sunspot groups (SSG): it has a significant nonlinear scaling form A(max) = (8.02 +/- 0.41)LT(1.105 +/- 0.022). For the population of large long-living sunspot groups (LLG) there is a linear form A(max) = (12.9 +/- 1.1)LT. Allowance only for recurrent sunspot groups with lifetimes more than 40 days gives A(max) = (13.93 +/- 0.41)LT.