Abstract

Extended abstractIn the solar atmosphere, the magnetic and current helicity have played an important role in the study of twisted magnetic field. Current helicity parameterh∥=B∥· (∇ ×B)∥and force free factorcan be used to analyze the distribution of twisted field (current helicity) in the photosphere (Seehafer 1990; Pevtsovet al.1995; Bao & Zhang 1998). Bao & Zhang (1998) and Zhang & Bao (1999) computed the photospheric current helicity parameterh∥for 422 active regions, including most of the large ones observed in the period of 1988–1997 at Huairou Solar Observing Station of Beijing Astronomical Observatory.The calculated results (Pevtsovet al.1995; Abramenkoet al.1996; Bao & Zhang 1998) show that most current helicities in sunspot groups in the northern hemisphere show negative sign in the northern hemisphere, while positive in the southern hemisphere, which is consistent with Seehafer’s result (Seehafer 1990). The distribution of current helicity parameterh∥in active regions also shows the butterfly pattern through the solar cycle. And, less than 30% of the active regions do not follow the general trend (Zhang & Bao 1998).

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