'Up to now, space borne remote sensing instruments have only been capable of separating either the vertically or horizontally polarized components of naturally occurring thermal emissions from gases in the earth's atmosphere -- but not both together at the same time,' he said.

'The invention of the new filter resolves this problem and will enable complex imaging of clouds to be undertaken for the first time at very short wavelengths,' Dickie said.

Global patent applications have already been filed for the filters which are constructed by ECIT engineers and research staff.