The probe on a mission to touch the Sun | Nour E. Rawafi
2024/10/8
TED Talks Daily
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Noor E. Rawafi
Noor E. Rawafi: 我们对太阳的了解比宇宙中任何其他恒星系统都要多，但仍有很多未知之处。太阳对地球生命至关重要，但其剧烈活动也可能对地球造成灾难性影响，例如1859年的卡灵顿事件，以及近年来对卫星和电网的影响。为了深入了解太阳，NASA发射了帕克太阳探测器，这是人类历史上最接近太阳的探测器。该探测器克服了巨大的技术挑战，例如如何保护探测器免受极端高温的损害。帕克太阳探测器已经取得了显著成果，极大地提升了我们对太阳风的产生、日冕加热和日冕物质抛射的理解。它还发现了新的现象，例如“回旋”，这为我们理解太阳风提供了新的线索。然而，仍有许多未解之谜，例如日冕加热机制、太阳风加速机制以及太阳活动长期变化的规律。太阳活动存在长期平静期（太阳活动极小期），这与地球的气候变化有关，我们目前正处于下一个太阳活动极小期的临界点。为了更好地了解太阳，我们需要改进对太阳的观测方法，并加深对太阳如何影响其周围环境的理解，这对于人类社会的未来至关重要。
Deep Dive
The Sun, while life-sustaining, also presents unpredictable and violent characteristics, including geomagnetic storms that could have devastating consequences on Earth. The Parker Solar Probe, a marvel of technology, is designed to withstand extreme conditions and get closer to the Sun than any previous spacecraft, providing vital data about solar activity and its potential impact on our planet.
- The Sun's immense size and mass play a critical role in its function, containing over 99.8% of the solar system's total mass and requiring over 1.3 million Earths to fill its volume.
- The solar corona, despite being the outermost layer, is significantly hotter than the solar surface, reaching millions of degrees Celsius compared to 6,000 degrees.
- The Parker Solar Probe's heat shield, a critical component, protects it from the intense heat of the Sun, allowing it to operate in extreme conditions and gather crucial data.
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