  We use helioseismic holography to study the association of shallow flows with
solar flare activity in about 250 large sunspot groups observed between 2010
and 2014 with the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on the Solar Dynamics
Observatory. Four basic flow parameters: horizontal speed, horizontal component
of divergence, vertical component of vorticity, and a vertical kinetic helicity
proxy, are mapped for each active region during its passage across the solar
disk. Flow indices are derived representing the mean and standard deviation of
these parameters over magnetic masks and compared with contemporary measures of
flare X-ray flux. A correlation exists for several of the flow indices,
especially those based on the speed and the standard deviation of all flow
parameters. However, their correlation with X-ray flux is similar to that
observed with the mean unsigned magnetic flux density over the same masks. The
temporal variation of the flow indices are studied, and a superposed epoch
analysis with respect to the occurrence to 70 M and X-class flares is made.
While flows evolve with the passage of the active regions across the disk, no
discernible precursors or other temporal changes specifically associated with
flares are detected.
