The Probe on a Mission To Touch the Sun | Nour E. Rawafi | TED

翻译人员: Sue Lu 校对人员: Yip Yan Yeung

Allow me to introduce you to the celestial body

请允许我 向你们介绍一个天体，

that holds the most significance for us all.

对人类至关重要的天体——

The Sun.

太阳。

You might say, I already know the Sun.

你大概会说，我知道太阳，

I've seen it every day for my entire life.

我这辈子每天都能看到它。

Yes.

是啊，

Earth’s star is our lifelong companion.

地球的恒星是我们终身的陪伴。

It is our mood booster, our plant grower,

它是我们的情绪提升器，植物助长器，

our sometimes too-much- of-a-good-thing skin scorcher.

有时也是“过犹不及”的皮肤灼伤器。

We all know, love and admire the Sun.

我们都熟知、喜爱和仰慕太阳。

I'm an astrophysicist.

我是一名天体物理学家。

I live for studying the Sun, its complexity,

我的生活就是 研究太阳及其复杂性，

and the weird and powerful weather system it creates.

以及它创造的 奇异而强大的天气系统。

Sometimes when I get so into it, which is most of the time anyway,

当我沉迷其中时—— 我其实大多数时候都那样，

my wife will ask,

我妻子会问：

"Are you also married to the Sun?"

“你和太阳也结合了吗？”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And I say, “Technically no ...

我就说：“从技术层面讲， 没有……

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But if it doesn't upset you too much, yes."

但如果你不介意的话，就算是吧。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Now, having said that, I'm not sure where I'm going to sleep tonight.

话虽如此，我担心今晚没地方睡觉了。

So I can confirm that we know the Sun better than any stellar system

言归正传，比起任何恒星系统， 我们更了解太阳，

in the whole universe.

哪怕是在整个宇宙之中。

But I'm going to let you in on a little secret.

但我要告诉你一个小秘密。

Sometimes I feel like we don't know the Sun at all.

有时候我觉得 我们根本不了解太阳。

As a child, I was captivated by the sky glittering with stars,

小时候，我被闪闪发光的星空吸引，

which are nothing but distant suns.

那些星星不过是遥远的太阳。

Lie on your back on a summer night,

在夏日的夜晚仰卧着，

look up at the heavens.

望向天堂般的夜空，

And there you have it.

你就能欣赏到那一切。

Whichever direction you look,

无论你往哪个方向看去，

there is a star shining at you.

总有一颗星星照耀着你。

Another Sun.

又一个太阳。

That was the start of the journey of wonder and curiosity.

那就是我奇妙和好奇之旅的开始。

Stars come in all sizes and flavors, from monsters to dwarfs.

恒星有各种大小和类型， 从巨星到矮星。

If we were to draw up the largest known star in the universe

如果我们绘制出 宇宙中已知的最大恒星，

into our solar system,

将它放到太阳系里，

it would extend well beyond the orbit of Jupiter.

它的尺寸将远超木星轨道。

The smallest is about the same size as the planet Saturn.

最小的行星与土星大小差不多。

But no matter the size and type,

但是，无论大小和类型如何，

stars hold great significance for us.

恒星对我们至关重要。

We are all made of stardust.

我们都是星尘造就的，

Star babies.

星辰的孩子。

Yet no star holds greater significance for our past,

然而，没有哪颗恒星 比太阳更重要的了，

无论是对于我们的过去、现在还是未来。

our present, and our future than our very own.

The Sun is responsible for life on Earth, powering photosynthesis,

太阳是地球上生命的源泉， 为光合作用提供能量，

warming the planet,

温暖着地球，

providing clean and free energy.

提供清洁且免费的能源。

But it is also violent, explosive and unpredictable.

但它也充满暴力、 爆炸性且难以预测。

Here's what I mean.

我的意思是，

The Northern Lights are beautiful and mesmerizing, right?

北极光美丽迷人，对吧？

On September 1, 1859,

1859 年 9 月 1 日，

people could see Aurora even in daytime

即使在白天，人们也能看到极光，

around the entire globe.

无论从地球何处。

Turns out,

原来，

that was the result of the most intense geomagnetic storm in recorded history.

这是有记载以来 最强烈的地磁风暴的结果，

This was the Carrington event.

这就是卡灵顿事件。

It was likely a giant coronal mass ejection, or CME,

那很可能是一次巨大的 日冕物质抛射（CME）

that disrupted telegraph lines and sparked fires at their stations.

扰乱了电报线路 并引发了电报站的火灾。

Can you imagine the repercussions of such a storm today?

能想象这样的风暴 在今天会产生什么后果吗？

It could shut down the entire power grid not for hours,

它可能关闭整个电网， 不是几个小时，

but weeks and months or even years.

而是几周、几个月甚至几年。

The potential for human distress in the affected areas

受影响地区可能发生的人类灾难，

is well beyond our scale of comprehension.

远远超出我们的理解范围。

The economic impact alone could be in the trillions of dollars.

仅经济影响就可能达到数万亿美元。

So learning about the one star in the universe

因此，了解宇宙中这颗恒星，

that humans cannot do without, is vital.

人类生存离不开的恒星，至关重要。

And that's what physicists like me are trying to do.

这就是我这样的物理学家正在研究的。

So what do we know already?

那么我们已经了解到什么？

The Sun holds over 99.8 percent of the solar system's total mass.

太阳占太阳系 总质量的 99.8％ 以上。

Its sheer size is mind-boggling,

它的庞大令人难以置信，

requiring more than 1.3 million Earths to fill its volume.

130 多万个地球才能填满其体积。

All of that mass is in the form of plasma,

所有这些质量都是 以等离子体形式存在，

a glowing soup of electrically charged particles.

像一团由带电粒子组成的发光“汤”。

At the solar core, gravity is exceedingly high,

在太阳核心，重力极高，

producing temperatures in excess of 15 million degrees Celsius.

产生的温度超过 1500 万摄氏度。

The extreme pressure forces the protons to come together

极端压力迫使质子聚集在一起

and fuse into helium,

并融合成氦气，

while releasing a burst of energy.

同时释放出一股能量。

This is nuclear fusion,

这就是核聚变。

and if we can replicate this process sustainably on Earth,

如果我们能在地球上 持续地复制这一过程，

it would provide almost limitless clean energy

就能提供近乎无限的清洁能源，

to power the entire globe.

为整个地球提供动力。

Many of us have witnessed total solar eclipse like the one in 2024.

很多人都目睹过日全食， 2024 年就有过一次。

This fascinating celestial spectacle has captivated humans for millennia,

几千年来，这种天体奇观 一直吸引着人类，

as the moon gracefully positioned itself between us and the Sun,

当月亮优雅地置身于 我们和太阳之间，

the solar corona burst forth in all its majestic splendor.

日冕迸发出绚丽的光芒。

But the corona also harbors some of the most perplexing phenomena.

但是日冕也存在一些 最令人困惑的现象。

The solar surface is plenty hot,

太阳表面已经够热了，

6,000 degrees.

6,000 度，

Hot enough to melt anything we know.

足以融化我们所知的任何东西。

But in the corona,

但是在日冕内部，

we're talking millions of degrees Celsius.

温度竟高达数百万摄氏度！

How can it be over 300 times hotter despite being the Sun's outermost layer?

尽管日冕是太阳最外层， 温度怎么会高出 300 多倍？

Physicists have suggested since the '50s

自 50 年代以来，物理学家一直提出

that all of that heat must generate a constant flow of particles.

所有热量一定会产生恒定的粒子流动，

This is a solar wind.

这就是太阳风。

It speeds away at up to three million kilometers per hour.

它以高达每小时 300 万公里的速度飞驰而去。

At that speed,

以这种速度，

you can get from the Earth to the moon in under 20 minutes.

你能用不到 20 分钟 从地球飞到月球。

This cosmic stream is like celestial rapids.

这条宇宙流就像天体急流，

And that's where we live.

而这就是我们生活的地方。

Behind all this is the Sun's magnetism.

所有这一切的背后是太阳的磁力。

As solar magnetic fields twist, bend and tangle,

当太阳磁场扭曲、弯折和缠结时，

they store enormous amounts of energy.

它们会储存巨大的能量。

And when they snap,

当它们断裂时，

huge explosions like flares and coronal mass ejections,

产生的巨大爆炸， 如耀斑和日冕物质抛射，

release this energy

就会释放这些能量，

and turn it into heat and accelerating the plasma.

并将其转化为热量， 从而加速等离子体的产生。

It takes only a handful of these strong events

只需少数几个这种强有力的事件，

to fulfill our current energy needs for some 200,000 years.

就能满足我们 约 20 万年的能源需求，

That is the whole span of modern human existence.

覆盖现代人类生存的整个时期。

The Sun does that in minutes to a few hours.

太阳在几分钟 到几个小时内就能做到这点。

These same explosions propel particles to nearly the speed of light

同样的爆炸驱使粒子接近光速，

and turn them into formidable hazards to spacecrafts and to humans in space.

并将其转化为巨大威胁， 危及航天器和太空人。

Does the loss of 40 SpaceX satellites ring a bell?

还记得损失的 40 颗 SpaceX 卫星吧？

A moderate solar storm knocked them out.

一场中等强度的太阳风暴将它们击落。

Our power grid can fall victim like in March 1989,

我们的电网也可能成为受害者， 例如，1989 年 3 月，

in the northeast of the US-Canada,

在美国-加拿大东北部发生的事件，

when a succession of solar storms caused an intense geomagnetic storm.

当时一连串的太阳风暴 造成了强烈的地磁风暴。

Even deep seas can be affected.

即使是深海也可能受到影响。

In 1972,

1972 年，

dozens of sea mines spontaneously exploded.

有数十颗海上水雷自行爆炸。

The likely cause?

可能的原因？

You guessed it.

你猜对了，

A powerful coronal mass ejection.

是强大的日冕物质抛射导致的。

So we need to learn how the Sun does all this and more.

因此，我们需要了解 太阳如何产生所有这些影响。

Since the dawn of the space age,

自太空时代开始，

NASA has wanted to fly a spacecraft as close as possible to the Sun

美国宇航局 （NASA）一直 想让一艘航天器尽可能靠近太阳，

to solve these mysteries.

以解开这些谜团。

But getting very close to a star is extremely risky and really hard.

但是靠近恒星很危险且非常难。

How would we protect a probe from just melting?

我们如何保护探测器不被熔化？

How could it adjust for any problem on its own

遇到问题它如何自行调解，

when you cannot communicate with it?

尤其是无法联络我们的时侯？

Until recently, we simply didn't possess the technology.

直到最近，我们根本没有这些技术。

In 2018,

2018 年，

that all changed with the launch of Parker Solar Probe.

随着派克太阳探测器的发射， 一切都改变了，

Parker Solar Probe is the first spacecraft

它是有史以来第一艘航天器

to ever fly through the solar corona.

飞行穿越日冕。

It has revolutionized our understanding of the Sun.

它彻底改变了我们对太阳的理解。

In five-plus years, we've already learned so much.

在五年多里，我们学到很多东西。

We now know how the solar wind is generated at its source.

我们知道了太阳风 是如何从源头产生的。

We are the closest ever to understanding what heats and accelerates the plasma

我们前所未有地接近了解 是什么在加热和加速等离子体，

in the corona and the solar wind.

就是日冕和太阳风中的等离子体。

And we have the most detailed observation of coronal mass ejections.

我们还有对日冕物质抛射 最详细的观测记录。

Can you hear that?

你能听见吗？

(Wind-like sounds)

（类似风的声音）

This is one of the most powerful CMEs ever recorded.

这是记录到的史上 最强大的一次日冕物质抛射，

It erupted on September 5, 2022,

于 2022 年 9 月 5 日爆发。

and it was traveling at more than 2,500 kilometers per second

它当时以每秒 超过 2500 公里的速度行驶，

when it hit our brave probe very close to the Sun.

撞到了离太阳很近的勇敢的探测器。

For days,

好几天里，

we didn't know where the Parker Solar Probe made it or not,

我们都不知道 派克太阳探测器是否还完好，

because it was on the back side of the Sun.

因为它位于太阳的背面。

But once it emerged on the other side,

但它从太阳另一侧冒出来后，

it called back, saying everything is fine

即刻就回复报了平安。

and we have a ton of data for you

我们拥有大量的数据，

that will give you an unprecedented look

可以让你前所未有地了解

at how these events accelerate particles

这些事件是如何将粒子加速到

to almost the speed of light

几乎等同光速，

and sweep almost everything in their way,

并在此过程中席卷几乎所有一切，

leaving a near-perfect vacuum behind.

身后留下近乎完美的真空。

And that is just a sampling.

而这只是一个样本。

We cannot catch a breath with this mission.

这个任务让我们应接不暇。

Every three months,

每隔三个月，

we have a close approach to the Sun

我们就会近距离接触太阳，

and a new load of data to investigate.

然后得到一组新的数据来研究。

It's overwhelming at times,

有时感觉令人难以应付，

but this data will serve many generations to come.

但这些数据将惠及子孙后代。

Parker Solar Probe is a true mission for the ages.

派克太阳探测器 是一项真正的历史性使命。

So are you curious, how did we do it?

那么，你好奇我们是怎么做的吗？

Parker Solar Probe is not a large spacecraft.

派克太阳探测器不是大型航天器，

It could fit under a basketball hoop

它可以装在篮球架下，

and carries about half the weight of a compact car,

能承受半辆小型汽车的重量。

but it is a marvel of technology.

但它是一个科技奇迹。

The only thing standing between the probe and incineration

唯一阻止探测器被烧毁的

is an ingenious 11.5-centimeter thick,

是巧妙的 11.5 厘米厚、

2.3-meter wide carbon foam shield.

2.3 米宽的碳泡沫防护罩。

On Christmas Eve 2024,

在 2024 年圣诞除夕，

the shield's Sun-facing side will endure about 1,000 degrees Celsius.

防护罩朝阳的一面 将承受约 1,000 摄氏度；

About one meter behind,

但在其后约一米处，

it’s almost room temperature.

温度只相当于室温。

How does Parker shed all that heat?

帕克如何散发这么多热量？

This special ceramic coating on top of the heat shield

隔热罩上的这种特殊陶瓷涂层

reflects as much light as possible.

反射掉尽可能多的光照。

The heat shield itself absorbs a huge amount of heat

隔热罩本身也会吸收大量热量

and radiates it elsewhere.

并将其辐射到其他地方。

Meanwhile,

同时，

a network of tiny pipes runs through the solar panels,

一个微小管道组成的网络 贯穿太阳能电池板，

extracting heat and expelling it through the radiators.

提取热量并通过散热器将其排出。

It uses a liquid-based cooling system.

它使用液基冷却系统。

The liquid? A simple gallon of water.

液体？只是一加仑的水。

Cheers.

干杯。

(Applause)

（掌声）

All this system will be operating on December 24, 2024,

所有这些系统将在 2024 年 12 月 24 日运行，

when Parker Solar Probe achieves humanity's closest-ever approach

届时派克太阳探测器 将实现人类历史上

最接近恒星的壮举。

to a star.

This will be a monumental and audacious achievement.

这将是一项划时代的、勇敢的壮举。

In '69, we landed humans on the moon.

1969 年，我们将人类送上月球。

In '24, we’re going to embrace the star.

2024 年，我们将拥抱太阳。

So all this is very cool,

所有这一切都很酷，

amazing science and really fun to geek out about.

令人惊叹的科学，让人乐于深入探究。

It also happens to be vitally important for your lives and to mine.

它也恰好对你我的生活至关重要。

Delving into the Sun's history,

深入研究太阳的历史，

we discover periods when it entered long,

让我们发现它曾进入漫长、

tranquil phases that lasted for decades.

宁静且持续数十年的时期。

During these times,

这些时期

called the [grand solar] minima,

被称为“大太阳极小期”，

solar activity diminished to the point of near nonexistence.

期间太阳活动减少到 几乎消失的程度，

Along with extreme climate conditions on Earth.

伴随着地球上的极端气候条件。

One such episode lasted for an astounding seven decades,

其中一次持续了惊人的 70 年，

from 1645 to 1715,

从 1645 年到 1715 年，

and it coincided with the Little Ice Age.

恰与小冰河时期吻合。

This episode seems to occur every 200 to 300 years or so.

这一现象似乎每隔大约 200 到 300 年发生一次。

Now here's the thrilling intrigue.

现在，激动人心的悬念来了，

We are overdue.

这一现象早该出现了。

Is the Sun about to enter a new and extended lull of minimal activity?

太阳是否即将进入 一个新的、长久的低活动期？

When will it happen?

什么时候会发生呢？

How long will it last?

又会持续多久？

How deep will it be?

影响会有多深？

We don't know.

我们不知道。

The most important thing, however,

但是，最重要的是

is what impact this phenomenon could have on our lives,

这种现象会如何影响我们的生活、

our movements, our energy,

活动、能量、

our food sources.

以及食物来源。

How will it affect our climate and our atmosphere?

它会如何影响我们的气候和大气层？

The Sun is not a driver in Earth's current changing climate.

太阳不是地球当前 气候变化的驱动力。

But if it enters an extended period of tranquility,

但是，如果它进入长久的平静期，

how much could it slow the pace?

能在多大程度上 减缓气候变化的步伐呢？

Again, we don't really know.

同样的，我们并不确定。

To answer all these critical questions that shape the fate of our society,

要回答所有这些关乎 我们社会命运的关键问题，

we must unlock the Sun's secret from its fiery core to its outer reaches.

我们必须从炽热的核心到外围， 解开太阳的秘密。

For our future,

为了我们的未来，

for the world we leave behind, for our children and theirs,

为了我们将遗留下的世界， 为了子孙后代，

we must transform the way we observe the Sun

我们必须改变观测太阳的方式，

and deepen our understanding of how it influences its surroundings.

加深对太阳的理解， 懂得它是如何影响周围环境，

In particular, our cherished planet Earth.

特别是影响我们珍爱的地球。

Without doubt,

毫无疑问，

this undertaking poses formidable challenges.

这项工作充满艰巨的挑战，

But it's another adventure unlike any we've been on before.

但又是一场前所未有的冒险。

Here lies yet again another opportunity to transcend ourselves

同时，这也是一个超越自我的机会，

and forge ahead with our epic journey of progress and prosperity.

勇往直前，开启我们 进步与繁荣的史诗之旅。

For better or worse,

无论是福是祸，

the Sun dictates our past, our present and our destiny.

太阳决定着我们的过去、 现在、以及我们的命运。

Thank you.

谢谢大家。

（掌声）

(Applause)