Astronomers in China plan to use the Moon as a “shield” to investigate the cosmic “dark ages” without the interference of radio signals from human activity on Earth. The Dark Ages lasted about 200 million years after the Big Bang and have not yet been touched by humans.
Reported South China Morning PostThe Discovering the Sky at the Longest Wavelength (DSL) mission, also known as Hongmeng in Chinese mythology, will send 10 satellites to the Moon to capture the ultra-long radio waves emitted by hydrogen atoms before the first stars are born and illuminate the universe. This ancient radio signal holds a million secrets about the beginning of the creation of the universe, but is difficult to collect because it is blocked by radio interference from Earth.
Of the 10 satellites, nine of them will function as “child” satellites orbiting the far side of the Moon, while the parent satellite is in charge of relaying information to Earth. These satellites are designed to be able to counteract radio signals emitted from human activities. A team of astronomers who are members of the DSL . mission decipher their plans in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A 2020 edition.
Chen Xuelei, the National Astronomical Observatory professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences involved in the project, said the mission could provide “a first glimpse into the era of cosmic darkness”, as well as “potentially for great discoveries” in other fields, such as research on the Sun, planets and planets. , exoplanets, or radio signals from other galaxies.
“It’s time we consider carrying out a space mission that explores and solves the mysteries surrounding this band of waves,” reads the study proposing DSL. “As the first rover mission, the main goals of DSL were (1) to open a new observation window by mapping the sky and cataloging major sources at these wavelengths, uncovering new astrophysical phenomena at these wavelengths, and discovering the unknown; (2) explore the cosmic dark ages by performing high-precision global spectrum measurements.”
The DSL mission began feasibility testing in 2015, and is still waiting for the green light from China’s space program. If approved, Chen and his fellow researchers will make preparations for the mission to launch in the mid-2020s. They only need one rocket to send 10 satellites to the Moon.
“Radio signals with ultra-long wavelengths have the potential to make major scientific breakthroughs, especially for research studying the cosmic dark ages and the early period of star formation in the universe,” Chen’s team concludes. “A lunar orbital arrangement such as DSL could kickstart its efforts in the next decade.”
–
