Distribution of angular separation in latitude between pairs of closest transequatorial active regions with Δϕ ≲ 5°. Panel (a) to (c) consider active regions present during nearly the entire solar cycle 24 (Carrington rotations 2098-2201), the rising phase (Carrington rotations 2098-2149) and the decaying phase (Carrington rotations 2150-2201), respectively. The time intervals approximately correspond to those indicated by the vertical black dashed lines in Figure 2. The vertical dashed lines indicate the distribution means.