Solar Latitudinal Distribution of Solar Flares of Different Importances around the Sun

Abstract

Solar flare events (853) have been utilized to study the solar. latitudinal frequency distribution pattern of the solar flares of different importances in northern and southern hemispheres of the sun. It has been found that the peaks are located in the interval 10-20° in both the hemispheres. The frequency distribution indicates that out of 853 flares about 64% occur in the northern hemisphere and 36% in the southern hemisphere. The north-south asymmetry has been observed for the period 1957-78. The asymmetry in favour of the northern hemisphere increases with the importance of the flares. It is noted that during the entire period (1957-78) the number of flares occurred in the northern hemisphere is significantly large as compared to that in the southern hemisphere except during 1971-74, when the frequency distribution pattern .is reversed and the number is more in the southern hemisphere than that in the northern hemisphere. The relation between the occurrence of flares and the polarity of the solar magnetic field has also been discussed.