Solar Math: A Bird’s-Eye Look at the Sun-Earth System

Solar flares are powerful releases of energy in the tangled A_magnetic fields of the sun, thousands of kilometers above certain sunspots. Within a few minutes, these B________ attempt to reconnect themselves into simpler shapes, releasing their stored energy. 

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This energy heats the local C______ to millions of degrees, producing tremendous blasts of x-ray and gamma ray energy. Within 8.5 minutes, this D_______ energy can reach Earth and disrupt the ionosphere. The E_________ is the region of our atmosphere where radio waves can be reflected back to the ground so that we can send radio programs and messages around the world.