Chinese scientists create "lobster eyes" to observe the universe

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 28 (Reporter Yu Fei, Yang Chunxue) Nature allows the lobster to evolve strange eyes, and then inspires scientists to design a special telescope, so that humans can observe the impermanence and fleeting mystery in the universe Phenomenon.

The National Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently introduced that a lobster -eye X -ray telescope developed by Chinese scientists has successfully obtained a group of celestial X -ray measured images and energy spectrum. This is the first international X -rays that have been obtained and released internationally.

Dr. Ling Zhixing, who is responsible for this project, introduced that the instrument was equipped with a new technical test satellite developed by the Institute of Innovation of the Academy of Teacher Satellite Innovation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and launched a launch on July 27 to launch at the end of 2023. Einstein probe satellite conducts a number of "road detectors" on track experiments and tests.

Experts introduced that most of the celestial bodies in the universe showed complex brightness changes in the X -ray band, which was hidden. Some celestial bodies that did not have X -ray radiation will suddenly produce X -ray radiation, such as black holes that are swallowing stars.

Ling Zhixing said that the X -ray photon has a very high energy and strong penetration. It is difficult to focus on refraction like visible light. It requires some special means, such as imitation of water drift to focus X -rays. "This is like throwing a stone in the water. The stone is too heavy to sink into the bottom of the water, but if you throw the stone out from a small angle, the stone can bounce on the surface."

Biologists have found that the eyes of lobsters are different from other animals. It is composed of many multi -square -shaped micro -pipelines. The pipeline is smooth and pointed at the same ball. Reflex convergence on the retina. In 1979, American scientists were inspired by it, and proposed to simulate lobster -eye manufacturing telescopes, allowing X -rays to focus on imaging through reflection.

However, after this idea was proposed, it could not be achieved for a long time. It was not until the improvement of the micro -processing technology that scientists gradually developed a microphilic lobster optical lenses, which were covered with small square holes with silk -like thickness.

The National Observatory X -ray Imaging Lab has started to develop lobster -eye X -ray imaging technology since 2010. After years of hard work, it has finally made a breakthrough.

Ling Zhixing said that the biggest benefit of lobster -eye telescope is that it can realize X -ray observations of large fields of fields, can efficiently monitor the X -ray changes of celestial bodies, and find that the possibility of random incidents that occur randomly.

"X -rays made by other methods before focusing on the field of view of telescope (ie, the field of view) are probably as large as the moon on the earth, and we can now cover about 1,000 moon as large as the big area of ​​1,000 moon. In the future, the Einstein probe satellite will install 12 such telescopes, and its field of view can reach about 10,000 months. "Ling Zhixing said.

He introduced that the micro -hole lobster spectrum on the telescope and CMOS (an image sensor) detector was independently developed by China.

"For the first time, we proposed to apply CMOS detectors to space X -ray astronomical observations and successfully implemented for the first time. This is an important innovation in X -ray astronomical detection technology." Ling Zhixing said.

Professor Paul Breane, a well -known expert in this field, and Professor Paul Breane of the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, said that the technology will bring change to the cosmic X -ray monitoring, and also shows the huge scientific potential of Einstein's probe.

Dr. Zhang Chen, the assistant scientist of Einstein probe, said: "After more than ten years of hard work, we finally successfully obtained the observation results of lobster -eye telescopes. We can be very proud of contributing advanced equipment for world astronomy research."

He said that the Einstein probe will temporarily carry out systemic celestial patrol monitoring of high energy in the universe; it is expected to discover the invisible silent black holes, and to measure the distribution of black holes in the universe to study it The X -ray signal of the wave event is also accurately located; it is also observed to observe celestial bodies and phenomena such as neutron stars, white dwarfs, super new stars, and early gamma storms in the universe.

According to reports, the Einstein probe plan has attracted widespread international concern. The European Space Administration, the German Institute of Outreach in Germany, and the French Aerospace Bureau participated in the plan.

【Edit: Zhou Chi】

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