Solar storms could disrupt 2012 Olympics, warn scientists, but new satellite could help predict what's coming

TVs around the world could go on the blink during the 2012 London Olympics, solar physicists warned last night.

They were speaking ahead of the launch of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which will blast off on February 9.

Nasa's latest space satellite will deliver high resolution images of the Sun ten times better than the average High-Definition television.

A picture of the Sun will be snapped every 0.75seconds using ultra-violet light. In just one day the satellite will transmit the equivalent amount of data as 500,000 song downloads. Over time it will produce more science data than any mission in Nasa history.

British scientists involved in the project said the observatory could help them predict solar storms that could disrupt communications on Earth.

This could prove crucial as solar activity is due to hit a peak in its eleven-year cycle during the Olympics in 2012.

via Solar storms could disrupt 2012 Olympics, warn scientists, but new satellite could help predict what's coming | Mail Online.