  A statistical survey of 26 major electron events during the period 2002
February through the end of solar cycle 23 is presented. We have obtained
electron solar onset times and the peak flux spectra for each event by fitting
to a powerlaw spectrum truncated by an exponential high-energy tail. We also
derived the coronal magnetic configurations of the related solar active regions
(ARs) from the potential-field source-surface model. It is found that (1) 10 of
the 11 well-connected open field-line events are prompt events whose solar
onset times coincide with the maxima of flare emission and 13 of the 14 closed
field-line events are delayed events. (2) A not-wellconnected open field-line
event and one of the closed field-line events are prompt events, they are both
associated with large-scale coronal disturbances or dimming. (3)An averaged
harder spectrum is found in open field-line events compared with the closed
ones. Specifically, the averaged spectral index is of 1.6 +/- 0.3 in open
field-line events and of 2.0 +/- 0.4 in closed ones. The spectra of three
closed field-line events show infinite rollover energies E0. These correlations
clearly establish a significant link between the coronal magnetic field-line
topology and the escape of charged particles from the flaring ARs into
interplanetary space during the major solar energetic particle events.
