Active longitudes of the sun: The rotation period and statistical significance

Abstract

Using data from the Greenwich catalog, we determined the nonuniformity of the longitudinal distribution of sunspot groups as a function of the rotation period taken for the longitude determination. We estimated the statistical significance of the active longitudes found. A fairly high significance was achieved only for sunspot groups of the Northern Hemisphere and odd activity cycles and only for a synodic rotation period close to 28 days. In this case, one interval of active longitudes was found. The active longitudes are assumed to be associated with the fossil magnetic field frozen in the uniformly rotating radiative zone of the Sun.