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The north-south distribution of major solar flare events, sunspot magnetic classes and sunspot areas (1955–1974)

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Abstract

The north-south incidence has been studied of 31 white-light flares observed since 1859 and of 1669 events meeting the criteria for ‘major flares’ of Dodson and Hedeman (1971) for the period 1955–1974. The asymmetry in favor of the northern hemisphere increases strikingly with the importance of the events. Similarly, magnetically complex sunspot groups (Mt. Wilson classesβγ,γ andδ) display a more pronounced asymmetry in favor of the north than non-complex groups for 1962–1970. Contrary to the flare asymmetry, the spottedness asymmetry is independent of the size of sunspots.

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Roy, J.R. The north-south distribution of major solar flare events, sunspot magnetic classes and sunspot areas (1955–1974). Sol Phys 52, 53–61 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00935789

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00935789

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