Exploration of the Plateau "Sun Watcher" and "Thousand Eyes Tianzhu" officially completed

Tech 2023-10-09 22:40:19 Source: Network

A distant view of the circular array solar radio imaging telescope. Photographed by Huang Shuai, a journalist from China Youth Daily and China Youth NetworkCircular array solar radio imaging telescope (distant)

A distant view of the circular array solar radio imaging telescope. Photographed by Huang Shuai, a journalist from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network

Circular array solar radio imaging telescope (distant). Wu Junwei/Photo (Courtesy of National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Circular array solar radio imaging telescope (close range). Wu Junwei/Photo (Courtesy of National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Drive south from the "highest altitude in the world" Sichuan Daocheng Yading Civil Airport, bypass the mountains and pass through the county seat of Daocheng, and you can see a huge circle surrounded by 313 "big pot covers" on an open grassland.

If viewed from an electronic map, it looks like a string of silver white necklaces quietly hanging among the mountains, as if it is integrated with the mountains and rivers, with a mysterious atmosphere. When visitors come to the scene in person, they will be shocked by the grand scene -313 parabolic antennas with a diameter of 6 meters are facing the 100 meter calibration tower at the center of the circular ring on a land of 1 square kilometer.

This is the Circular Array Solar Radio Imaging Telescope (hereinafter referred to as the "Circular Array"). It is located in the Aden Space Weather Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is one of the landmark equipment of the national major scientific and technological infrastructure "Space Environment Ground Comprehensive Monitoring Network" (the second phase of the Meridian Project), and is another important tool for scientists to observe solar activities.

On September 27th, the circular array successfully passed the process test and will continue to conduct scientific observations of solar activity, playing an important role in various fields such as space weather and radio astronomy. The 'sun watchers' here will continuously monitor the signals of solar activity, thereby helping us' understand' the sun.

313 'Sunflowers'

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313 'Sunflowers'202211137

Perhaps many people will be curious: does observing solar activity require such "effort"? Is it necessary to build a large-scale facility like the "Thousand Eyes Tianzhu"? If people use a high-power astronomical telescope to observe the sun, moon, and stars, of course, they can also "feast their eyes". But for high-precision and cutting-edge research in space science, relying solely on small equipment and micro experiments in the past can no longer meet the needs. It can be said that the "Thousand Eyed Tianzhu" is a "sharp tool" that has emerged with the development of astronomical research.

The importance of monitoring solar activity cannot be underestimated. In most cases, the light and heat of the sun provide basic energy for life on Earth, but there is a certain degree of uncertainty in solar activity. Once the solar activity is too intense, such as a sudden solar storm, it will interfere with human communication activities. More intense solar activities, such as strong solar eruptions, can generate energy similar to the explosion of 10 billion million ton nuclear bombs, have a destructive impact on high-tech systems such as space satellites and ground power transmission networks, and may also endanger the lives and health of astronauts and aircraft passengers. Therefore, if humans can timely capture information on solar activity, they can do a good job in early warning and minimize the danger of solar activity.

The circular array is helping humanity solve this problem. As Yan Jingye, a researcher at the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and head of the circular array project, said, "Look at the sun every day to see when it 'sneezes'".

The technical level of the circular array is currently at the forefront of the world. It is worth mentioning that the circular array is independently developed by Chinese researchers, using a unique circular array configuration and original single channel multi ring absolute phase calibration technology. From the moment it was born, it has been closely linked to China's solar observation and astronomical research undertakings.

A hard-earned "sungazing artifact"

It is not easy to prepare for solar monitoring, as the "Thousand Eyes Tianzhu" can be born on the plateau of Daocheng due to various factors. Yan Jingye told Zhongqing Daily/Zhongqing Net that the performance of observing the sun is better in places with lower latitudes. Moreover, the observation site needs to select a relatively flat piece of land in the mountainous area to block external electromagnetic interference, similar to a basin in a group of mountains. The position of the circular array meets these advantageous conditions.

The reason why the "Thousand Eyes Tianzhu" was built into a circular shape has also been carefully considered in science. Yan Jingye said, "The circular structure loses less information during spatial sampling, and it can achieve the goal of reducing noise

The circular array can also be used for space weather forecasting, making it more accurate. Even when constructing the circular array, the designer also considered that in the future, the circular array could drive the development of the cultural and tourism industry in Daocheng County.

Both the mysterious appearance of the circular array and its wonderful functions can arouse strong interest among many tourists. On some video websites, young netizens are quite curious about the Circle Formation, saying, "What kind of mysterious base is this?" "Good guy, it's another important weapon of a great country"

Arriving at the scene may weaken the sense of mystery, but the admiration will become stronger. The more you know about circular arrays, the more you admire their designers, builders, and maintainers. Especially after the completion of the circular array, maintaining high-intensity monitoring activities also relies on the daily maintenance of staff.

Wu Lin, associate researcher of the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and deputy director designer of the circular array project, has deeply participated in the construction and scientific research activities of the circular array, and is proud of its performance. According to him, although the circular position is located on a plateau and has a harsh climate, the general rainy and snowy weather will not affect its quality and monitoring effectiveness. However, if the wind is too strong, it may affect the monitoring effect.

We have been working hard on technical breakthroughs to enhance the performance of the equipment, "said Wulin. Daily maintenance of the circular array is necessary, as there are 313 parabolic antennas. If any equipment malfunctions, timely maintenance will be provided.

At present, the circular array not only has the ability to monitor solar activity with high quality, but also preliminarily verifies radio astronomical observation capabilities such as pulsar imaging. Moreover, the circular array effectively solves the amplitude and phase consistency issues of 626 links, achieving real-time high-resolution radio hyperspectral imaging function. In solar physics and space weather research, it can provide high-quality autonomous monitoring data.

Behind these achievements is the long-term perseverance, hard work, and dedication of a large number of scientific researchers. On the oxygen deficient plateau, brave people can only see more magnificent mountain and river scenery.

The warriors of the Circle Formation are resolutely advancing on this path of seeking beauty.

Sow the scientific "barley seeds"

In Daocheng, there is a touching legend circulating. According to legend among local Tibetan compatriots, in ancient times, a brave prince led dozens of warriors to the Snake King to beg for barley seeds in order to solve the food problem for the people. However, the journey was full of difficulties and obstacles, crossing ninety-nine mountains and ninety-nine rivers. The others either left the team or sacrificed halfway, and in the end, only the prince successfully obtained the barley seeds. The local people no longer had to endure hunger.

Nowadays, Daocheng has also welcomed dozens of brave warriors. They overcame numerous difficulties and persisted in the construction base of the circular array for a long time. On the journey of searching for "barley seeds", everyone is a true warrior. When working at an altitude of over 4000 meters, one must first face the problem of altitude sickness. In interviews, many researchers stated that high levels of resistance are common and will not be completely avoided due to long working hours in the local area. They can only try their best to adapt to the environment.

Before arriving at the Circular Array, many researchers had no experience of living on high altitudes. Due to the heavy scientific research tasks, they are unable to travel to the western Sichuan Plateau by train or car like "donkey friends" and gradually adapt to the environment of Daocheng. They usually take a plane to Daocheng Airport and then take a car to the circular formation. During this time, dizziness, swelling of the brain, and accelerated heartbeat are common occurrences, and some people may even be unable to fall asleep due to high altitude. In the office of Daocheng, everyone must also turn on the oxygen supply equipment to ensure sufficient indoor oxygen, otherwise it is easy to feel strong discomfort when speaking loudly.

Many young people do not hesitate when facing difficulties. Ma Qun, a senior engineer at the 16th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, is currently mainly engaged in equipment research and development for the Circular Array. According to her introduction, the work requirements in the circular array are very high. Due to the large temperature difference between day and night in the local area, a lot of temperature control work needs to be done, especially in terms of technology, which requires overcoming many difficulties.

Achieving technological progress and achieving experimental success in a circular array does not rely on luck. Repeated experiments and failures are common occurrences. In the experiment, it is necessary to constantly explore and optimize parameters. We will first simulate the scene in the laboratory, then go to the scene for testing, and finally obtain good experimental results. "Ma Qun said that environmental changes on site, especially factors such as wind speed and heat, will be taken into account during the design and experimental stages.

Some of the researchers who came to the circular array came from Beijing and some came from Hefei. They usually stay here for at least a month to obtain experimental results closer to the natural environment. During this period, they faced difficulties not only in scientific research, but also in physical and daily life.

Lv Xuning, assistant engineer of the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is a young woman who participated in the ring array scientific research project. She graduated from graduate school in July this year, and although she has been working for a while, this is already her third time coming to the Circle of the Daocheng. She had strong altitude sickness during her previous two visits, but this time in Daocheng, she barely adapted. Sometimes she needs to work in a laboratory in Beijing, and sometimes she has to come to Daocheng.

My main task here is data analysis. Although I can also conduct experiments in Beijing, I can better communicate with team members and obtain better scientific research results on the spot of the circular array. "Lv Xuning told China Youth Daily and China Youth Network reporters that she is currently in a state of" learning while doing "and feels that the scientific research atmosphere here is very good. She sometimes encounters technical difficulties and consulted experienced teachers in the team, Being able to solve problems can be very rewarding.

Dozens of young people have gradually arrived at the circular array, sticking to the "front line" of scientific experiments. For them, when there is a conflict between their research career and lifestyle habits, it is inevitable to have some self sacrifice. For example, many people's concerns about eating cannot be as casual as in big cities. The lunch for the research team is usually 'eating boxed lunch', while the dinner time is not fixed. Sometimes, they only have dinner very late and need to complete the task of the day before 'going down the mountain' - going to the city of Daocheng County for dinner.

However, no one gave up halfway because of this. The young people who were able to come to the Circle are not only to complete some work tasks, but also have higher dreams in their hearts.

In the scientific research team, whether it is the "old leading the new" or the mutual communication between new people, young scientists have gained a rare experience. They not only have scientific breakthroughs, but also have unique life experiences. The circular array is becoming an important tool in the field of solar monitoring and astronomical research in China. Looking ahead, more young people will gather in the "Thousand Eyes Tianzhu" area to contribute to the country's space science cause.

9313 'Sunflowers'

Reporter Huang Shuai from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network

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Tag: Exploration of the Plateau Sun Watcher and Thousand Eyes