EVIDENCE FOR A FUNDAMENTAL PERIOD OF THE SUN AND ITS RELATION TO THE 154 DAY COMPLEX OF PERIODICITIES

We have analyzed the longitude distributions of major flares observed in the 1955-1991 interval, referring them to coordinate systems rotati ng about axes tilted with respect to the rotation axis of the solar en velope. We find that the longitude distribution exhibits the largest m odulation in the coordinate system with the following parameters: rota tion period, 25.50 days; tilt angle of the rotation axis, 40-degrees; tilt direction, toward the position of the Earth on December 4 in its orbit around the Sun. We interpret this as being due to an obliquely r otating structure (or a wave pattern rotating about an oblique axis) w hich has two exciters. We identify the period of 25.50 days as the fun damental period of the hypothetical ''clock'' proposed by Bai & Sturro ck (1991). The periods of the subharmonics are 51.0, 76.5, 102.0, 127. 5, and 153.0 days, in agreement with periodicities found from analysis of flare occurrence times.