Parameters describing the spatial distribution of emerging BMRs in our model (red) and as originally derived by Jiang et al. (2011a) (black, only in panels a and b). (a) Mean latitude. (b) Latitude scatter of spot-containing LMRs as a function of the solar cycle phase. (c) Correction factor to the latitude scatter depending on the magnetic flux content of a BMR. (d) Tilt angle scatter as a function of the total magnetic flux enclosed by a BMR. The vertical dashed lines in panels a and b mark the formal beginning and the end of the solar cycle (that is cycle minima). The horizontal bars in panels c and d mark the magnetic flux intervals from the fit, with their y-value being the observational mean value within the flux range (see also Table 2).