US Air Force turns to UK University to protect Satellite Communications

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs), huge plasma clouds of hot gas that are emitted from the sun, travel at speeds of up to 1,000 kilometres per second. When these clouds hit the earth, they cause major disruption to radio communications systems, and in extreme cases can cause total loss of satellites.

With current military activities in the Middle East, the obvious advantage of being able to predict a potential impact from one of these clouds means that preparations can be made for the temporary loss of such a key method of contact between military bases and those on the front line.

At England's Birmingham University, the Astrophysics team - a world leader in solar and heliospheric physics has developed and built the Solar Mass Ejection Imager - SMEI, a purpose designed instrument that provides early detection, monitoring and images of these powerful masses of hot gas.

The team have successfully won a US Air Force contract to build this specialist equipment for Coriolis, a space mission launched in January 2003, to discover more about these huge plasma clouds.