North South Asymmetry of Different Solar Activity Features During Solar Cycle 23

A study on North South (NS) asymmetry of different solar activity features (DSAF) such as solar proton events, solar active prominences, H alpha flare index, soft X ray flares, monthly mean sunspot area and monthly mean sunspot number were carried out from 1996 to 2008. It is found in our result that solar cycle 23 is magnetically weak compared to solar cycle 22. Study shows the Southern dominance of DSAF during the time period of study. During the rising phase of the cycle the numbers of DSAF approximately equal on the North and South Hemisphere. However, these activities tend to shift from Northern Hemisphere to Southern Hemisphere in between year 1998 to 1999. The statistical significance of the asymmetry time series using a chi square test of goodness of fit indicates that in most of the cases the asymmetry is highly significant, i.e., the asymmetry is a real feature in the NS distribution of DSAF.