Scientists have shed new light on one
of the infuriating reasons why our mobile phones can be abruptly
cut-off when we are midway through a sentence.
Instead of blaming our network provider for offering a shoddy service, it seems much of the problem might be due to the immense power generated by solar storms on the surface of the sun instead.
The storms - eruptions of hot gas - produce shock waves so powerful that they are sent shooting through space at millions of miles per hour.
According to the results of a joint study by Trinity College Dublin, University
College
London and the University of Hawaii, the energy causes electrons to
create radio waves that eventually reach the earth's atmosphere.
These waves disrupt satellite and terrestrial communication systems on an almost daily basis, said University of Hawaii scientist Dr Jason Byrne, who contributed to the research that has made the link between radio waves and solar storms for the first time.
Dr Byrne told the Huffington Post: 'A direct link has now been made between solar storms and radio waves.
'If we can pinpoint the source, we can get a better idea of what caused the particles to come from the sun at a specific time, which allows us to possibly predict future storm arrivals at earth.'
Researchers used a combination of high-resolution photography from two spacecrafts with radio burst detections from antennas that were located in Ireland.
In doing so they were able pinpoint where exactly solar storms originated on the sun and their exact impact time on earth.
While it was already know that radio waves would peak due to solar activity, what cause the peaks and why was a mystery.
They now hope the breakthrough could prevent communications' disruptions, such as disconnected calls, radio blackout and signal-less GPS devices.
The largest disruption caused by a solar storm recorded in recent memory was when the Province of Quebec in Canada experienced a massive powercut in 1989.
Last week a burst of energy from a solar flare caused the Northern Lights to be seen across the Ireland sky.
Instead of blaming our network provider for offering a shoddy service, it seems much of the problem might be due to the immense power generated by solar storms on the surface of the sun instead.
The storms - eruptions of hot gas - produce shock waves so powerful that they are sent shooting through space at millions of miles per hour.
Explosion: Solar flares erupting on the earth's surface send powerful shockwaves shooting through space
According to the results of a joint study by Trinity College Dublin, University
These waves disrupt satellite and terrestrial communication systems on an almost daily basis, said University of Hawaii scientist Dr Jason Byrne, who contributed to the research that has made the link between radio waves and solar storms for the first time.
Dr Byrne told the Huffington Post: 'A direct link has now been made between solar storms and radio waves.
'If we can pinpoint the source, we can get a better idea of what caused the particles to come from the sun at a specific time, which allows us to possibly predict future storm arrivals at earth.'
Waves: The solar flares send energy shooting towards the earth, which interfere with communications
Researchers used a combination of high-resolution photography from two spacecrafts with radio burst detections from antennas that were located in Ireland.
In doing so they were able pinpoint where exactly solar storms originated on the sun and their exact impact time on earth.
While it was already know that radio waves would peak due to solar activity, what cause the peaks and why was a mystery.
They now hope the breakthrough could prevent communications' disruptions, such as disconnected calls, radio blackout and signal-less GPS devices.
The largest disruption caused by a solar storm recorded in recent memory was when the Province of Quebec in Canada experienced a massive powercut in 1989.
Last week a burst of energy from a solar flare caused the Northern Lights to be seen across the Ireland sky.
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