Yunseon Lee Science Columnist
Planning/Composition = Reporter Oh Joo-bi
What comes to mind when you think of a ‘science laboratory’? You will picture a space filled with various chemicals and laboratory tools such as beakers and flasks. But have you ever thought about laboratories being in the sky or on the ground? A laboratory floating in the sky, a laboratory built deep underground. It may seem like a lie, but these laboratories actually exist on Earth.
Graphics = Yoo Jae-il
Flying Laboratory, DC-8
What if the plane you take when traveling turns into a science laboratory? The main character is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s research aircraft ‘DC-8′. The DC-8 is an air quality observation aircraft with a length of approximately 48 meters. It can carry 13 tons of observation equipment and 45 crew members and fly for up to 12 hours. Introduced by NASA in 1986, this aircraft has flown around the world to analyze air quality.
Normally, airplanes are packed with seats for people, but the DC-8 contains a variety of scientific equipment. There are sensors that detect fine dust and cans that store the collected air samples. There are also measuring devices that analyze the mass, concentration, and composition of substances found in air samples. There is also communication equipment that downloads data from satellites in space and communicates with ground observatories. The entire process of air quality research, from air collection to analysis, is carried out at once in a flying laboratory.
Last February, the flying laboratory DC-8 came to Korea. This is my second visit since 2016, when I first visited our country. This visit is part of the ‘Asia Air Quality Joint Survey’ project conducted by Korea’s National Institute of Environmental Research and NASA. The DC-8 flew over Korea for about a week starting February 19th. Starting from Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, we flew through Seongbuk-gu, Seodaemun-gu, and Gangseo-gu in Seoul to Incheon, collected air, and analyzed air quality.
In Korea, air pollution is the worst between February and March. Additionally, the amount of ultrafine dust increases rapidly the closer you get to the West Sea, and it is known that half of this is pollutants made in China and brought in by westerly winds. In order to find the causes of pollutants and solutions, the National Institute of Environmental Research and NASA plan to analyze the DC-8 research results and announce them next year.
Yemi Lab, a deep underground laboratory in Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do
There are laboratories even deep underground. This is the underground laboratory ‘Yemi Lab’ located on Yemisan Mountain in Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do. Originally, this place was a mine for iron ore. So there is a ‘shaft’ that allowed miners to move deep underground. For this reason, scientists came up with the idea of building a laboratory on Mt. Yemisan where they could conduct research deep underground.
What scientists want to study in underground laboratories are ‘dark matter’ and ‘neutrinos’. Dark matter makes up 85% of the universe but is invisible to the eye. Its identity has not yet been revealed. However, the scientific community believes that dark matter has the power to bind matter together. Matter that aggregates like this grows into a ‘star’. Neutrinos are the basic particles that make up everything in the universe. There are a total of three types of neutrinos discovered so far, but scientists believe there may be more types of neutrinos. By studying dark matter and neutrinos, we can understand everything from the birth of stars to the origin of the universe.
Scientists identify the existence of dark matter through ‘photons (light particles)’ that are emitted when dark matter collides with other matter. The characteristics of neutrinos can also be known through the process of decay of various substances. However, this process is interrupted by ‘cosmic rays’, which are various particles and radiation that rain down on Earth from space. An underground laboratory was needed to minimize interference from spacecraft.
The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) went deep underground along an already existing tunnel and then created a new tunnel in a horizontal direction. We are also building several laboratories in the tunnel and installing experimental equipment. Currently, scientists are conducting preliminary experiments with the installed equipment. Once all laboratories are completed, research on dark matter and neutrinos will begin in earnest.
Mars exploration labs in desert and volcanic areas
Scientists dreaming of migrating to Mars headed to the desert to practice life on Mars in advance. In 2018, a Mars exploration base was created in Oman’s Dhofar Desert. Mars is very dry, making it difficult for life to survive. The Dhofar Desert is also so hot and dry that the maximum temperature rises to 51 degrees, making it difficult for plants and animals to inhabit it. Because the environment is very similar to Mars, you can conduct activities and conduct research as if you were on Mars without going to Mars.
About 200 scientists from 25 countries around the world participated in this experiment. The experiment lasted about 3 weeks. Scientists walked through the desert wearing 50kg spacesuits and carrying geological radar as if they were exploring Mars. They also conducted scientific experiments related to geophysics, space radiation, and communications in a separate living space built in the desert.
‘Volcano’ is also a good place to simulate the situation on Mars. Volcanic areas are made up of basalt, which is made from the hardening of erupted lava. The surface of Mars is also basically basalt. So, scientists built a dome-shaped building to simulate Mars exploration on Mount Mauna Loa, a volcanic area in Hawaii, USA. Scientists have stayed here for a year since 2015 and trained as if they were actually on Mars. Electricity was produced using solar energy and tomatoes were grown using the surrounding soil. I got to experience in advance the life of Mark Watney, the main character of the movie ‘The Martian’, who was left alone on Mars and struggling.
