SOLAR HOT-SPOTS ARE STILL HOT

Longitude distributions of solar flares are not random but show evidence for active zones (or "hot spots") where flares are concentrated. According to my previous study, two hot spots in the northern hemisphere, which rotate with a synodic period of about 26.72 days, produced the majority of major flares, during solar cycles 20 and 21. The more prominent of these two hot spots is found to be still active during the rising part of cycle 22, producing the majority of northern hemisphere major flares. The synodic rotation period of this hot spot is 26.727 + 0.007 days. There is also evidence for hot spots in the southern hemisphere. Two hot spots separated by 180° are found to rotate with a period of 29.407 days, with one of them having persisted in the same locations during cycles 19-22 and the other, during cycles 20-22. From analysis of the southern hemisphere flare distribution for cycles 19-21, one hot spot with a rotation period of 27.99 days was found. This hot spot is found to be still active during cycle 22. However, we have a hint that another hot spot rotating at this period is emerging in cycle 22.