Detonating Plasma Bombs May Boost Radio Signals

The US Air Force wants to detonate plasma bombs - clouds of ionised gas - in the sky using tiny satellites.

It is part of a plan to improve radio communications over long distances by tinkering with the ionosphere.


This layer of charged particles in the atmosphere allows radio signals to zigzag over great distances.
The ionosphere is more dense at night, which is why radio broadcasts, for example, are often clearer in the evening.

The US Air Force hopes to launch tiny satellites called cubesats into the skies, carrying large volumes of charged ionised gas - informally known as plasma bombs.
This would help to increase the range of radio signals, and potentially help it to smooth out the effects of solar winds which can knock out GPS systems.
There is also the possibility of adapting the technology to block communication from enemy satellites.

There are two big problems to overcome, however. The first is to create a plasma generator small enough to fit on the tiny satellites, and the second is to control how the plasma is dispersed.
Three teams have been contracted to develop the technology, and the best idea will get further funding and development.

But plasma engineering expert John Kline, from Research Support Instruments in Hopewell, New Jersey, warned that the technology is still in its early stages.
He told the New Scientist: "These are really early-stage projects, representing the boundaries of plasma research into ionosphere modification.
"It may be an insurmountable challenge."

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