The Intermediate-Term Quasi-Cycles of Wolf Number and Group Sunspot Number Fluctuations

I apply spectral and auto-correlation analyses to the monthly Wolf number fluctuations for 22 solar cycles and to the group sunspot number fluctuations for 18 solar cycles and find the existence of an 11-month quasi-periodicity in these data. Its strength correlates very well (ρ ⑈ 0.8) with the variance of fluctuations. Moreover, for both Wolf and group sunspot indexes I divide a stationary version of fluctuation time series into two parts: those from periods of low and high solar activity. I find statistically significant quasi-periodicity (9 months) in both high- and low-activity data sets. I also find the quasi-period of about 15 months in the time series of high-activity periods.     

Recovering Joy’s Law as a Function of Solar Cycle, Hemisphere, and Longitude

Bipolar active regions in both hemispheres tend to be tilted with respect to the East–West Equator of the Sun in accordance with Joy’s law, which describes the average tilt angle as a function of latitude. Mt. Wilson Observatory data from 1917?–?1985 are used to analyze the active-region tilt angle as a function of solar cycle, hemisphere, and longitude, in addition to the more common dependence on latitude. Our main results are as follows: i) We recommend a revision of Joy’s law towards a weaker dependence on latitude (slope of 0.13?–?0.26) and without forcing the tilt to zero at the Equator. ii) We determine that the hemispheric mean tilt value of active regions varies with each solar cycle, although the noise from a stochastic process dominates and does not allow for a determination of the slope of Joy’s law on an 11-year time scale. iii) The hemispheric difference in mean tilt angles, 1.1^°±0.27, over Cycles 16 to 21 was significant to a three-σ level, with average tilt angles in the Northern and Southern hemispheres of 4.7^°±0.26 and 3.6^°±0.27, respectively. iv) Area-weighted mean tilt angles normalized by latitude for Cycles 15 to 21 anticorrelate with cycle strength for the southern hemisphere and whole-Sun data, confirming previous results by Dasi-Espuig et al. (Astron. Astrophys. 518, A7, 2010). The Northern Hemispheric mean tilt angles do not show a dependence on cycle strength. v) Mean tilt angles do not show a dependence on longitude for any hemisphere or cycle. In addition, the standard deviation of the mean tilt is 29?–?31^° for all cycles and hemispheres, indicating that the scatter is due to the same consistent process even if the mean tilt angles vary.     

Forecasting the Maxima of Solar Cycle 24 with Coronal Fe xiv Emission

The onset of the “Rush to the Poles” of polar-crown prominences and their associated coronal emission is a harbinger of solar maximum. Altrock (Solar Phys. 216, 343, 2003) showed that the “Rush” was well observed at 1.15 R _o in the Fe xiv corona at the Sacramento Peak site of the National Solar Observatory prior to the maxima of Cycles 21 to 23. The data show that solar maximum in those cycles occurred when the center line of the Rush reached a critical latitude of 76^°±2^°. Furthermore, in the previous three cycles solar maximum occurred when the highest number of Fe xiv emission features per day (averaged over 365 days and both hemispheres) first reached latitudes 20^°±1.7^°. Applying the above conclusions to Cycle 24 is difficult due to the unusual nature of this cycle. Cycle 24 displays an intermittent Rush that is only well-defined in the northern hemisphere. In 2009 an initial slope of 4.6^°?year^?1 was found in the north, compared to an average of 9.4±1.7^°?year^?1 in the previous cycles. An early fit to the Rush would have reached 76^° at 2014.6. However, in 2010 the slope increased to 7.5^°?year^?1 (an increase did not occur in the previous three cycles). Extending that rate to 76^°±2^° indicates that the solar maximum in the northern hemisphere already occurred at 2011.6±0.3. In the southern hemisphere the Rush to the Poles, if it exists, is very poorly defined. A linear fit to several maxima would reach 76^° in the south at 2014.2. In 1999, persistent Fe xiv coronal emission known as the “extended solar cycle” appeared near 70^° in the North and began migrating towards the equator at a rate 40 % slower than the previous two solar cycles. However, in 2009 and 2010 an acceleration occurred. Currently the greatest number of emission features is at 21^° in the North and 24^° in the South. This indicates that solar maximum is occurring now in the North but not yet in the South.     

Changes in Quasi-periodic Variations of Solar Photospheric Fields: Precursor to the Deep Solar Minimum in Cycle 23?

Possible precursor signatures in the quasi-periodic variations of solar photospheric fields were investigated in the build-up to one of the deepest solar minima experienced in the past 100 years. This unusual and deep solar minimum occurred between Solar Cycles 23 and 24. We used both wavelet and Fourier analysis to study the changes in the quasi-periodic variations of solar photospheric fields. Photospheric fields were derived using ground-based synoptic magnetograms spanning the period 1975.14 to 2009.86 and covering Solar Cycles 21, 22, and 23. A hemispheric asymmetry in the periodicities of the photospheric fields was seen only at latitudes above ±?45^° when the data were divided into two parts based on a wavelet analysis: one prior to 1996 and the other after 1996. Furthermore, the hemispheric asymmetry was observed to be confined to the latitude range of 45^° to 60^°. This can be attributed to the variations in polar surges that primarily depend on both the emergence of surface magnetic flux and varying solar-surface flows. The observed asymmetry along with the fact that both solar fields above ±?45^° and micro-turbulence levels in the inner-heliosphere have been decreasing since the early- to mid-nineties (Janardhan et al. in Geophys. Res. Lett. 382, 20108, 2011) suggest that around this time active changes occurred in the solar dynamo that governs the underlying basic processes in the Sun. These changes in turn probably initiated the build-up to the very deep solar minimum at the end of Cycle 23. The decline in fields above ±?45^°, for well over a solar cycle, would imply that weak polar fields have been generated in the past two successive solar cycles, viz. Cycles 22 and 23. A continuation of this declining trend beyond 22 years, if it occurs, will have serious implications for our current understanding of the solar dynamo.     

Subsurface Meridional Flow from HMI Using the Ring-Diagram Pipeline

We have determined the meridional flows in subsurface layers for 18 Carrington rotations (CR 2097 to 2114) analyzing high-resolution Dopplergrams obtained with the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instrument onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We are especially interested in flows at high latitudes up to 75^° in order to address the question whether the meridional flow remains poleward or reverses direction (so-called counter cells). The flows have been determined in depth from near-surface layers to about 16 Mm using the HMI ring-diagram pipeline. The measured meridional flows show systematic effects, such as a variation with the B ₀-angle and a variation with central meridian distance (CMD). These variations have been taken into account to lead to more reliable flow estimates at high latitudes. The corrected average meridional flow is poleward at most depths and latitudes with a maximum amplitude of about $20~\mathrm{m\,s}^{-1}$ near 37.5^° latitude. The flows are more poleward on the equatorward side of the mean latitude of magnetic activity at 22^° and less poleward on the poleward side, which can be interpreted as convergent flows near the mean latitude of activity. The corrected meridional flow is poleward at all depths within ±?67.5^° latitude. The corrected flow is equatorward only at 75^° latitude in the southern hemisphere at depths between about 4 and 8 Mm and at 75^° latitude in the northern hemisphere only when the B ₀ angle is barely large enough to measure flows at this latitude. These counter cells are most likely the remains of an insufficiently corrected B ₀-angle variation and not of solar origin. Flow measurements and B ₀-angle corrections are difficult at the highest latitude because these flows are only determined during limited periods when the B ₀ angle is sufficiently large.     

Giant longitude zones on the sun

Regularities in the longitudinal distribution of high-flare-activity active regions during 1964–1979 have been examined. The Fourier spectrum for each 30°-wide longitude strip in northern and southern hemispheres has been obtained. It is seen that there exist two giant longitude zones in each hemisphere and solar activity remains concentrated in one of the giant zones. It also appears that the leading edge of a giant zone is more active as compared to its following edge.     

Can the low-Activity sun Become Dimmer at Maximum?

After analysing the ratio of sunspot to facular areas along the cycle for solar cycles 12 to 20 we propose two possibilities. One indicates a non-linear behaviour for low-activity cycles and a closer-to-linear behaviour for high-activity cycles, the other one presents a non-linear behaviour for both low- and high-activity cycles and a closer-to-linear behaviour for moderate-activity cycles. Furthermore, we also find within the cycle that during low-activity cycles the Sun becomes brighter as their magnetic activity level increases while for high-activity cycles the opposite occurs, in agreement with previous studies of solar-type stars; another possibility, however, is that when evolving from minimum to maximum both the low- and high-activity Sun may become fainter while the moderate-activity Sun brightens.     

Long-Term Variations of Solar Differential Rotation and Sunspot Activity: Revisited

Long-term variations of solar differential rotation and sunspot activity are investigated through re-analyzing the data on parameters of the differential-rotation law obtained by Makarov, Tlatov, and Callebaut (Solar Phys. 170, 373, 1997), Javaraiah, Bertello, and Ulrich (Astrophys. J. 626, 579, 2005a; Solar Phys. 232, 25, 2005b), and Javaraiah et al. (Solar Phys. 257, 61, 2009). Our results indicate that the solar-surface-rotation rate at the Equator (indicated by the A-parameter of the standard solar-rotation law) shows a secular decrease since Cycle 12 onwards, given by about 1?–?1.5×10^?3 (deg?day^?1?year^?1). The B-parameter of the standard differential-rotation law seems to also show a secular decrease since Cycle 12 onwards, but of weak statistical significance. The rotation rate averaged over latitudes 0^°?–?40^° does not show a secular trend of statistical significance. Moreover, the average sunspot area shows a secular increase of statistical significance since Cycle 12 onwards, while a negative correlation is found between the level of sunspot activity (indicated by the average sunspot area) and the solar equatorial rotation on long-term scales.     

Equatorwards Expansion of Unperturbed, High-Latitude Fast Solar Wind

We use dual-site radio observations of interplanetary scintillation (IPS) with extremely long baselines (ELB) to examine meridional flow characteristics of the ambient fast solar wind at plane-of-sky heliocentric distances of 24?–?85 solar radii (R _⊙). Our results demonstrate an equatorwards deviation of 3?–?4^° in the bulk fast solar wind flow direction over both northern and southern solar hemispheres during different times in the declining phase of Solar Cycle 23.     

> 25 MeV Proton Events Observed by the High Energy Telescopes on the STEREO A and B Spacecraft and/or at Earth During the First ∼ Seven Years of the STEREO Mission

Using observations from the High Energy Telescopes (HETs) on the STEREO A and B spacecraft and similar observations from near-Earth spacecraft, we summarize the properties of more than 200 individual >?25 MeV solar proton events, some detected by multiple spacecraft, that occurred from the beginning of the STEREO mission in October 2006 to December 2013, and provide a catalog of these events and their solar sources and associations. Longitudinal dependencies of the electron and proton peak intensities and delays to onset and peak intensity relative to the solar event have been examined for 25 three-spacecraft particle events. Expressed as Gaussians, peak intensities fall off with longitude with σ=47±14^° for 0.7?–?4 MeV electrons, and σ=43±13^° for 14?–?24 MeV protons. Several particle events are discussed in more detail, including one on 3 November 2011, in which ～?25 MeV protons filled the inner heliosphere within 90 minutes of the solar event, and another on 7 March 2012, in which we demonstrate that the first of two coronal mass ejections that erupted from an active region within ～?1 hour was associated with particle acceleration. Comparing the current Solar Cycle 24 with the previous cycle, the first >?25 MeV proton event was detected at Earth in the current solar cycle around one year after smoothed sunspot minimum, compared with a delay of only two months in Cycle 23. Otherwise, solar energetic particle event occurrence rates were reasonably similar during the rising phases of Cycles 23 and 24. However, the rate declined in 2013, reflecting the decline in sunspot number since the peak in the northern-hemisphere sunspot number in November 2011. Observations in late 2013 suggest that the rate may be rising again in association with an increase in the southern sunspot number.     

Rieger quasi-periodicity in solar indices

Using wavelet analysis and Fourier analysis, the temporal behavior of ??156-day quasi-periodicity (Rieger quasi-periodicity, RQ) is investigated for series of daily solar indices: Wolf numbers W for 161 years (from 1849), the flux F_10.7 of the Sun??s radio emission at a frequency of 2800 MHz for 63 years (from 1947), the number of X-ray flares N _X for 29 years (from 1981), and the number of optical flares N _?? for 11 years in cycle 21. The N _?? series are studied for four quadrants of the solar disk. It is found for the W series that there is no stable dependence of the amplitude RQ on the cycle phase and the W value. It is associated with the fact that, corresponding to a period of around eight years, in the power spectrum changes in the amplitude of the Rieger quasiperiodicity of the index W are dominated by the peak. Moreover, the peaks corresponding to the 11-year cyclicity are also significant. The comparative study of the temporal behavior of the Rieger quasi-periodicity amplitude of the indices W, F_10.7, and N _X has shown that the quasi-periodicity covers the processes, occurring in active regions on the Sun at different altitudes, almost simultaneously. It is found that for N _??, the lag of variations of the Rieger quasi-periodicity amplitude for series of the Sun??s western hemisphere, relative to those for series of the eastern hemisphere, is on average less than for the flare series. Thus, if the flare occurrence is modulated by the Rieger quasi-periodicity process as a wave propagating over the Sun??s disc, then the wave is not a retrograde one. Different interpretations of the nature of the Rieger quasi-periodicity are discussed including the hypothesis of Rossby waves.     

The 27-Day Cosmic Ray Intensity Variations During Solar Minimum 23/24

We have studied the 27-day variations and their harmonics in Galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity, solar wind velocity, and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) components during the recent prolonged solar minimum 23/24. The time evolution of the quasi-periodicity in these parameters connected with the Sun’s rotation reveals that the synodic period of these variations is ≈?26?–?27 days and is stable. This means that the changes in the solar wind speed and the IMF are related to the Sun’s near-equatorial regions in considering the differential rotation of the Sun. However, the solar wind parameters observed near the Earth’s orbit provide only the conditions in the limited local vicinity of the equatorial region in the heliosphere (within ±?7^° in latitude). We also demonstrate that the observed period of the GCR intensity connected with the Sun’s rotation increased up to ≈?33?–?36 days in 2009. This means that the process that drives the 27-day GCR intensity variations takes place not only in the limited local surroundings of the equatorial region but in the global 3-D space of the heliosphere, covering also higher latitude regions. A relatively long period (≈?34 days) found for 2009 in the GCR intensity gives possible evidence of the onset of cycle 24 due to active regions at higher latitudes and rotating slowly because of the Sun’s differential rotation. We also discuss the effect of differential rotation on the theoretical model of the 27-day GCR intensity variations.     

Periodic Appearance of Coronal Holes and the Related Variation of Solar Wind Parameters

We compared the variability of coronal hole (CH) areas (determined from daily GOES/SXI images) with solar wind (daily ACE data) and geomagnetic parameters for the time span 25 January 2005 until 11 September 2005 (late declining phase of solar cycle 23). Applying wavelet spectral analysis, a clear 9-day period is found in the CH time series. The GOES/SXI image sequence suggests that this periodic variation is caused by a mutual triangular distribution of CHs ∼120° apart in longitude. From solar wind parameters a 9-day periodicity was obtained as well, simultaneously with the 9-day period in the CH area time series. These findings provide strong evidence that the 9-day period in solar wind parameters, showing up as higher harmonic of the solar rotation frequency, is caused by the “periodic” longitudinal distribution of CHs on the Sun recurring for several solar rotations. The shape of the wavelet spectrum from the Dst index matches only weakly with that from the CH areas and is more similar to the wavelet spectrum of the solar wind magnetic field magnitude. The distinct 9-day period does not show up in sunspot group areas which gives further evidence that the solar wind modulation is strongly related to CH areas but not to active region complexes. The wavelet power spectra for the whole ACE data range (∼1998 – 2006) suggest that the 9-day period is not a singular phenomenon occurring only during a specific time range close to solar minimum but is occasionally also present during the maximum and decay phase of solar cycle 23. The main periods correspond to the solar rotation (27^d) as well as to the second (13.5^d) and third (9^d) harmonic. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article () contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Near-Sun Flux-Rope Structure of CMEs

We have used the Krall flux-rope model (Krall and St. Cyr, Astrophys. J. 2006, 657, 1740) (KFR) to fit 23 magnetic cloud (MC)-CMEs and 30 non-cloud ejecta (EJ)-CMEs in the Living With a Star (LWS) Coordinated Data Analysis Workshop (CDAW) 2011 list. The KFR-fit results shows that the CMEs associated with MCs (EJs) have been deflected closer to (away from) the solar disk center (DC), likely by both the intrinsic magnetic structures inside an active region (AR) and ambient magnetic structures (e.g. nearby ARs, coronal holes, and streamers, etc.). The mean absolute propagation latitudes and longitudes of the EJ-CMEs (18^°, 11^°) were larger than those of the MC-CMEs (11^°, 6^°) by 7^° and 5^°, respectively. Furthermore, the KFR-fit widths showed that the MC-CMEs are wider than the EJ-CMEs. The mean fitting face-on width and edge-on width of the MC-CMEs (EJ-CMEs) were 87 (85)^° and 70 (63)^°, respectively. The deflection away from DC and narrower angular widths of the EJ-CMEs have caused the observing spacecraft to pass over only their flanks and miss the central flux-rope structures. The results of this work support the idea that all CMEs have a flux-rope structure.     

Solar activity during first six years of solar cycle 24 and 23: a comparative study

Attempt to look into the nature of solar activity and variability have increased importance in recent days because of their terrestrial relationships. In the present work we have attempted to compare the solar activity events during first six years (2008–2013) of the ongoing solar cycle 24 with first six years (1996–2001) of solar cycle 23. To that end, we have considered sunspot numbers, F10.7 cm solar flux, halo CMEs and geomagnetic storms as comparison parameters. Sunspot number during the year 2008–2013 varied from 0 to 96.7 while during the year 1996 to 2001 it was observed from 0.9 to 170.1. Solar radio flux (F10.7 cm index) varied from 65 to 190 during the years 2008–2013 while it was observed from 65 to 283 during the years 1996–2001. 197 cases of halo CMEs (width=360^°) in solar cycle 23 (1996–2001) and 177 cases of halo CMEs (width=360^°) in solar cycle 24 (2008–2013) are investigated. 287 and 104 geomagnetic storm cases (Dst varies between ?50 and ?350 nT) are analysed during the half period of solar cycle 23 and 24 respectively. Comparative results indicate that solar cycle 23 was more pronounced in comparison of solar cycle 24.     

Evaluation of a Revised Interplanetary Shock Prediction Model: 1D CESE-HD-2 Solar-Wind Model

We modified the one-dimensional conservation element and solution element (CESE) hydrodynamic (HD) model into a new version [1D CESE-HD-2], by considering the direction of the shock propagation. The real-time performance of the 1D CESE-HD-2 model during Solar Cycle 23 (February 1997?–?December 2006) is investigated and compared with those of the Shock Time of Arrival Model (STOA), the Interplanetary-Shock-Propagation Model (ISPM), and the Hakamada–Akasofu–Fry version 2 (HAFv.2). Of the total of 584 flare events, 173 occurred during the rising phase, 166 events during the maximum phase, and 245 events during the declining phase. The statistical results show that the success rates of the predictions by the 1D CESE-HD-2 model for the rising, maximum, declining, and composite periods are 64 %, 62 %, 57 %, and 61 %, respectively, with a hit window of ±?24 hours. The results demonstrate that the 1D CESE-HD-2 model shows the highest success rates when the background solar-wind speed is relatively fast. Thus, when the background solar-wind speed at the time of shock initiation is enhanced, the forecasts will provide potential values to the customers. A high value (27.08) of χ ² and low p-value (<?0.0001) for the 1D CESE-HD-2 model give considerable confidence for real-time forecasts by using this new model. Furthermore, the effects of various shock characteristics (initial speed, shock duration, background solar wind, longitude, etc.) and background solar wind on the forecast are also investigated statistically.     

Cycling Changes in the Amplitudes of the 27-Day Variation of the Galactic Cosmic Ray Intensity

We study quasi-periodical changes in the amplitudes of the 27-day variation of the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity, and the parameters of solar wind and solar activity. We have recently found quasi-periodicity of three to four Carrington rotation periods (3?–?4 CRP) in the amplitudes of the 27-day variation of the GCR intensity (Gil and Alania in J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys. 73, 294, 2011). A similar recurrence is recognized in parameters of solar activity (sunspot number, solar radio flux) and solar wind (components of the interplanetary magnetic field, solar wind velocity). We believe that the 3?–?4 CRP periodicity, among other periodicities, observed in the amplitudes of the 27-day variation of the GCR intensity is caused by a specific cycling structure of the Sun’s magnetic field, which may originate from the turbulent nature of the solar dynamo.     

Reconstruction of Subdecadal Changes in Sunspot Numbers Based on the NGRIP 10Be Record

Sunspot observations since 1610 A.D. show that the solar magnetic activity displays long-term changes, from Maunder Minimum-like low-activity states to Modern Maximum-like high-activity episodes, as well as short-term variations, such as the pronounced 11-year periodicity. Information on changes in solar activity levels before 1610 relies on proxy records of solar activity stored in natural archives, such as ¹⁰Be in ice cores and ¹⁴C in tree rings. These cosmogenic radionuclides are produced by the interaction between Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) and atoms in the Earth’s atmosphere; their production rates are anti-correlated with the solar magnetic activity. The GCR intensity displays a distinct 11-year periodicity due to solar modulation of the GCRs in the heliosphere, which is inversely proportional to, but out of phase with, the 11-year solar cycle. This implies a time lag between the actual solar cycles and the GCR intensity, which is known as the hysteresis effect. In this study, we use the North Greenland Ice Core Project (NGRIP) records of the ¹⁰Be flux to reconstruct the solar modulation strength (Φ), which describes the modulation of GCRs throughout the heliosphere, to reconstruct both long-term and subdecadal changes in sunspot numbers (SSNs). We compare three different approaches for reconstructing subdecadal-scale changes in SSNs, including a linear approach and two approaches based on the hysteresis effect, i.e. models with ellipse–linear and ellipse relationships between Φ and SSNs. We find that the ellipse approach provides an amplitude-sensitive reconstruction and the highest cross-correlation coefficients in comparison with the ellipse–linear and linear approaches. The long-term trend in the reconstructed SSNs is computed using a physics-based model and agrees well with the other group SSN reconstructions. The new empirical approach, combining a physics-based model with ellipse-modeling of the 11-year cycle, therefore provides a method for reconstructing SSNs during individual solar cycles based on ¹⁰Be in ice cores. This, in turn, represents a new window for studying short-term changes in solar activity on unprecedented timescales, which may help improve our understanding of the solar dynamo.     

Modeling of local ionospheric time varying characteristics based on singular value decomposition over low-latitude GPS stations

Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) model is implemented to recognize the Total Electron Content (TEC) time series of daily, temporal as well as seasonal characteristics throughout the 24th solar cycle period of the year 2015 in the study. The Vertical (vTEC) analysis has been carried out with Global Positioning System (GPS) data sets collected from five stations from India namely GNT, Guntur (16.44^° N, 80.62^° E), and IISC, Bangalore (12.97^° N, 77.59^° E), LCK2, Lucknow (26.76^° N, 80.88^° E), one station from Thailand namely AITB, Bangkok (14.07^° N, 100.61^° E), and one station from South Andaman Island namely PBR, Port Blair (11.43^° N, 92.43^° E), located in low latitude region. The first five singular value modes constitute about 98% of the total variance, which are linearly transformed from the observed TEC data sets. So it is viable to decrease the number of modeling parameters. The Fourier Series Analysis (FSA) is carried out to characterize the solar-cycle, annual and semi-annual dependences through modulating the first three singular values by the solar (F10.7) and geomagnetic (Ap) indices. The positive correlation coefficient (0.75) of daily averaged GPS–TEC with daily averaged F10.7 strongly supports the temporal variations of the ionospheric features depends on the solar activity. Further, the significance and reliability of the SVD model is evaluated by comparing it with GPS–TEC data and the standard global model (Standard Plasma-Spherical Ionospheric Model, SPIM and International Reference Ionosphere, IRI 2016).     

Periodicities in the longitude distribution of sunspots

It is well known to the observer of sunspots that the spots seem not to be randomly distributed on the solar surface but rather occur at an increased rate at distances of 180° of each other on the same hemisphere while northern and southern hemispheres are independent. The following investigation - based on observational data of rotations No. 1457–1568 (1962–1970) shows four main results:

1. Northern and southern hemisphere behave independently.
2. Each hemisphere can be divided in longitude into sections of 45° so that successive sections alternatively show higher and lower spot occurrence. In other words: maximum spot occurrence is found in intervals of about 90° and 180°.
3. Second-order peaks can be found in intervals of 30° and multiples of it. The spot maxima explained above coincide with some of these second-order peaks.
4. Areas of minimal spot occurrence can be traced over a long period of time. These areas can be understood as the center of long-living magnetic areas along the borders of which we find the so-called ‘streets of prominences’ with its spots. This theory of Stanek (1971) explains the occurrence of prominences. Because of the steep magnetic gradient along these streets the theory is expected to hold true even for spots. This leads to a better understanding of the pattern already known and now being generalized to ‘streets of activity’.