The recent solar cycles 23 and 24 are thought to be unusually quiet with more prolonged periods. Both sunspot groups and solar soft X-ray (SXR) flares show a decline in numbers comparable to cycles 21 and 22. In order to understand the periodic variations and distributions of solar flares with the sunspot group numbers in these cycles, this study investigates the periodicities and distributions of the solar SXR flares, 36354 in total (B (13351) 36.7%, C (20699) 56.9%, M (2141) 5.9%, and X (163) 0.45%) between 1996 July and 2016 December. The continuous wavelet transforms and cross-correlation methods were used to carry out the study. First, we found that the B- class flare number is asynchronous and negatively correlated with the sunspot group numbers. The flare class exhibits deviation when sunspot group numbers rise or fall around 100. The other class flares are in phase, synchronous with the sunspot group numbers. The C-class flares show the highest level of correlation of 0.868 with sunspot group numbers. A different number of short and intermediate periodicities was also noticed among the flare classes. Notable 256-day periodicity is found for B flares, 7, 64, and 300 days for C, 32, 64, and 256 days for M flares, and 40, 32, and 25 days for X flares. The difference in periodic variations of the flare classes could be attributed to the magnetic flux system of sunspot groups producing them.

Quasi-periodic fast propagating (QFP) waves are often excited by solar flares, and could be trapped in the coronal structure with low Alfvén speed, so they could be used as a tool for diagnosing both the flaring core and magnetic waveguide. As the periodicity of a QFP wave could originate from a periodic source or be dispersively waveguided, it is a key parameter for diagnosing the flaring core and waveguide. In this paper, we study two QFP waves excited by a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-class C1.3 solar flare occurring at active region NOAA 12734 on 2019 March 8. Two QFP waves were guided by two oppositely oriented coronal funnels. The periods of two QFP waves were identical and were roughly equal to the period of the oscillatory signal in the X-ray and 17 GHz radio emission released by the flaring core. It is very likely that the two QFP waves could be periodically excited by the flaring core. Many features of this QFP wave event are consistent with the magnetic tuning fork model. We also investigated the seismological application with QFP waves, and found that the magnetic field inferred with magnetohydrodynamic seismology was consistent with that obtained in the magnetic extrapolation model. Our study suggests that the QFP wave is a good tool for diagnosing both the flaring core and the magnetic waveguide.

The Sky Brightness Monitor (SBM) is an important instrument for measuring the brightness level for the sky condition, which is a critical parameter when judging a site for solar coronal observations. In this paper, we present an automatic method for processing SBM data in large quantities. This method can separate the regions of the Sun and the nearby sky, as well as recognizing the regions of the supporting arms in the field of view. These processes are implemented on the data acquired by more than one SBM instrument during our site survey project in western China. Applying the result from our processes, an analysis has been carried out for the assessment of the scattered-light levels by the instrument. These results are considerably significant for further investigations and studies, notably to derive a series of other atmospheric parameters, such as extinctions, aerosol content and precipitable water vapour content, that are important for candidate sites. Our processes also provide a possible way for full-disc solar telescopes to track the Sun without an extra guiding system.

About ten years ago, we established the first coronagraph that has been continuously operating on the high plateau of western China. This coronagraph is an internal occulting, 10 cm aperture instrument, installed at Lijiang Station through a collaboration with the Norikura Station of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. To ensure high efficiency in current and future coronal observations, developing integrated observation systems is essential for reliable, autonomous, and remote operation of coronagraphs. This paper introduces an advanced integrated observation and control system, based on the Lijiang 10 cm coronagraph. The coronagraph focuses on the observations for the solar inner corona, capturing the coronal green-line emission within a field range from $1.03R_{⨀}$ to $2.5R_{⨀}$. To enhance the observational precision and efficiency, a comprehensive integrated system has been designed, incorporating various subsystems, including precise pointing and tracking mechanisms, a multi-band filter system, a protective dome system, and a robust data storage infrastructure. This paper details the hardware architecture and software frameworks supporting each subsystem. Results from extended operational testing confirm the stability of the system, its capacity for autonomous and remote observations, and significant improvements in the automation and efficiency of coronal imaging. The automated observation system will be further improved and used for our future coronagraphs to be developed for coronal magnetism diagnosis.