  Normal Stars  The intense heat in the atmosphere of stars like
the Sun frees some of the electrons from their atoms. Because of
this, the magnetic fields are dragged along with the rising and
falling gas. An additional complication is that the star is
rotating. The up-and-down motion, coupled with the round and
round motion of rotation, twists the magnetic field and
increases its strength. Twisted, magnetized tubes of gas rise
high above the surface of the star. There they unwind, releasing
stored energy. (Try twisting and untwisting a rubber band and
you get an idea of this process.)  The release of magnetic
energy can occur steadily and provide for the heating of the
tubes of hot gas which make up the stellar corona. Or it can
occur violently and produce flares. Flares can occur on the Sun
at any time, but their frequency tends to rise from a peak of
five to ten a day and fall to less than one per day in a cycle
of about eleven years. Solar flares can shower the Earth in
high-energy particles. A strong on