American Astronomical Society, Astrophysical Journal, 2(549), p. L261-L263, 2001
DOI: 10.1086/319179
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Applying the same methods we used in solar cycle 22, we study active region vector magnetograms, full-disk X-ray images, and full-disk line-of-sight magnetograms to derive the helicity of solar magnetic fields in the first 4 years of solar cycle 23. We find that these three data sets all exhibit the same two key tendencies-significant scatter and weak hemispheric asymmetry-as were observed in solar cycle 22. This supports the interpretation of these tendencies as signatures of the writhing of magnetic flux by turbulence in the convection zone.