  We describe a new cooling algorithm for SU(2) lattice gauge theory. It has
any critical point of the energy or action functional as a fixed point. In
particular, any number of unstable modes may occur. We also provide insight in
the convergence of the cooling algorithms. A number of solutions will be
discussed, in particular the sphalerons for twisted and periodic boundary
conditions which are important for the low-energy dynamics of gauge theories.
For a unit cubic volume we find a sphaleron energy of resp. $\cE_s=34.148(2)$
and $\cE_s=72.605(2)$ for the twisted and periodic case. Remarkably, the
magnetic field for the periodic sphaleron satisfies at all points $\Tr
B_x^2=\Tr B_y^2=\Tr B_z^2$.
