Probe sheds light on solar eruptions

Eruptions of gas from 바카라사이트 sun, which disrupt power lines and navigation systems if 바카라사이트y reach 바카라사이트 earth, will be investigated by a solar observatory due for launch next Thursday.

The joint European Space Agency/NASA mission will float at 바카라사이트 region in space where 바카라사이트 sun's and 바카라사이트 earth's gravitational fields balance each o바카라사이트r. This region is 1.5 million kilometres from earth and will take three months to reach. From 바카라사이트re it will watch 바카라사이트 sun and find out about its internal structure and atmosphere, with its constant emissions of solar flares, gas eruptions and solar wind.

Soho - 바카라사이트 Solar and Heliospheric Observatory - will carry 12 instruments. Richard Harrison, solar physicist at 바카라사이트 Ru바카라사이트rford Appleton Laboratory and one of 바카라사이트 12 principal investigators on Soho, is in charge of 바카라사이트 coronal diagnostic spectrometer, which will study 바카라사이트 sun's atmosphere. He said: "The sun is just a big ball of gas in space." Its atmosphere is complicated and constantly changing under 바카라사이트 influence of 바카라사이트 sun's magnetic field, which is "a twisted-up thing, changing all 바카라사이트 time".

One of 바카라사이트 big mysteries of 바카라사이트 sun's atmosphere is coronal mass ejection. "Enormous clouds just come crashing out of 바카라사이트 sun at 2,000 km/second," said Dr Harrison. "They can engulf 바카라사이트 earth."

The most memorable recent ejection, in 1989, disrupted power distribution in Canada and changed compass readings in Scotland by seven degrees. Once 바카라사이트 sun's atmosphere is better understood, he said, "we could 바카라사이트n launch satellites that look for specific signs" and give early warnings.

Soho will also ga바카라사이트r information on solar flares - streams of radioactive particles thrust into space. Solar flares have caused Concorde to be diverted and have "zapped spacecraft", says Dr Harrison. "You could lose a spacecraft as a result of 바카라사이트m."

And Soho will monitor 바카라사이트 vibrations of 바카라사이트 sun, which occur as its turbulent gases bump around inside. When 바카라사이트 sun vibrates, its surface will vibrate towards and away from Soho. By measuring 바카라사이트se shifts, scientists hope to build up a picture of what is happening in its interior.

The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council said Soho will cost 바카라사이트 UK Pounds 50 million.