STATISTICAL-ANALYSIS OF THE X-RAY FLARES (M-GREATER-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-1) DURING THE MAXIMUM PERIOD OF SOLAR-CYCLE-22

The data of the X-ray flare events of class M greater than or equal to 1 during the interval of 1987 to 1992 corresponding to the maximum pe riod of the 22nd solar cycle have been investigated to study the North -South (N-S) and West-East (W-E) asymmetries. During that period it ha s been shown the existence of a real N-S asymmetry. That confirms rece nt studies done by using other indicators, such as sunspot areas (Oliv er & Ballester 1994). The E-W asymmetry during that period is not sign ificant but a non uniform flare distribution in longitude has been evi denced. That result is also in good agreement with the work made by Jo shi (1995) using H alpha flares for the same time period. We have show n that the behaviour of the reverse tendency of Solar Cycle 21 to exhi bit a predominance of the southern hemisphere in the N-S asymmetry com pared to the previous Solar Cycles (19 and 20) is maintained for Solar Cycle 22. A long period cycle of the N-S asymmetry could be suspected .