Scrutinising the relationship between plage areas and sunspot areas and numbers

Studies and reconstructions of past solar activity require data on sunspots as well faculae/plage network. Such are also important for understanding the magnetic variability Sun Sun-like stars. The longest available direct datasets white-light facular Ca II K observations going back to 1874 1892, respectively. Prior that time, only sunspots. We reassess relationship between plage areas sunspot records (areas numbers) since allow facular/plage which can be employed studies further in i.e. over period when solely available. use derived from 38 consistently processed archives area composite based these archives. find numbers represented by a power law function. relationships depend bandwidth cycle strength. with good agreement original series, whereas employment cycle-strength-dependent improves marginally. Performing same analysis other previously published usually single archive diverse processing techniques, returns different results using time series. This highlights importance applying consistent various demonstrates uncertainties introduced Our have implications irradiance stellar studies, sometimes assume linear dependence areas.