ELECTRIC-CURRENT HELICITY IN 40 ACTIVE REGIONS IN THE MAXIMUM OF SOLAR-CYCLE-22

Using vector magnetograms of 40 active regions (ARs) of the maximum of solar cycle 22, we calculated the imbalance rho(h) (over the AR area) of the current helicity h(c) = B-z (del x B)(z) in the photosphere. I n 82.5% of the cases the predominant current helicity was negative (rh o(h) < 0) in the northern hemisphere and positive (rho(h) > 0) in the southern hemisphere. Thus, the predominance of counter-clockwise (cloc kwise) vortices in the northern (southern) hemisphere seems to be vali d not only for unipolar spots with obvious Vortex structure (Hale, 192 7; Richardson, 1941; McIntosh, 1979; Ding, Hong, and Wang, 1987) but a lso for ARs of different types. The forces of rotation of the Sun (Cor iolis force and/or differential rotation) seem to take effect in the t wisting of various magnetic structures.