Great powers create miracles in China Sensitivity | Pulsar | China
Recently, the new discovery of the Chinese celestial eye has once again attracted attention - the Chinese pulsar timing array research team has used the Chinese celestial eye FAST to detect key evidence of the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves. This major breakthrough has made us feel that a great power does not disappoint expectations, and fully demonstrates China's enormous potential for technological innovation.
The potential for technological innovation is enormous, reflected in the catch-up of latecomers, first movers.
The breakthrough in gravitational wave detection was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics twice in 1993 and 2017, and its importance is evident. Nanohertz gravitational waves are a type of gravitational wave, and their detection helps astronomers understand the origin of the structure of the universe. However, detection is difficult and has a high threshold, making it one of the competition focuses in the international physics and astronomy fields. The only known detection method currently is to use a large radio telescope to observe a batch of millisecond pulsars with extremely regular rotation for long-term time measurement. Three international research teams from the United States, Europe, and Australia have been conducting a 20 year search for nanohertz gravitational waves using their respective large radio telescopes.
In the field of nanohertz gravitational wave detection, China is a latecomer, with a much shorter observation time span than the international teams of the United States, Europe, and Australia. This breakthrough only used data from China's celestial eye measuring 57 millisecond pulsars over a period of 3 years and 5 months. The CPTA team fully utilizes the advantages of high sensitivity of the Chinese celestial eye, a large number of detectable pulsars, and higher measurement accuracy. With the advantages of data accuracy, pulsar quantity, and data processing algorithms, they have filled the time gap and made China's sensitivity in detecting nanohertz gravitational waves reach a level comparable to that of the United States, Europe, and Australia. The gap of 20 years can be equalized in just a few short years, changing from "following" to "running together". This amazing catching up speed also indicates that with the passage of time, we will soon be in the leading position.
The enormous potential for technological innovation is rooted in the confidence of self-reliance and self-improvement.
To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools. The Chinese Tianyan can give Chinese scientific research teams wings like a tiger because it is a powerful tool with independent intellectual property rights in China. FAST is a 500 meter spherical radio telescope, which is the world's largest single aperture and most sensitive radio telescope. Its comprehensive performance is about 10 times higher than that of the American Arecibo telescope, and it can receive electromagnetic signals beyond 13.7 billion light-years. Nowadays, the Chinese celestial eye has discovered over 780 pulsars, making it the largest astronomical observation scientific device in the world to discover pulsars; In addition, the first sustained active repeated rapid radio burst and the shortest orbital period pulsar binary system to date have been discovered
China Tianyan proposed its concept in 1994, started construction in March 2011, completed construction in September 2016, passed national acceptance in January 2020, and was officially put into operation. The long preparation period has condensed the lofty aspirations, unique vision, and selfless dedication of the older generation of Chinese scientific and technological workers; The efficient construction period has created multiple world records and obtained 59 invention patents, highlighting China's independent innovation ability and a landmark achievement of Made in China; The operating period of a bountiful harvest demonstrates the crucial role of major players in promoting the reshaping of the technological competition pattern in the field of basic research.
Currently, changes in the world, times, and history are prominent in the field of technology, and the integration of technological competition and national security is constantly deepening. Not only the Chinese Eye, but also major technological infrastructure such as China's Spallation Neutron Source, Dongfang Super Ring, and Shanghai Light Source have become important tools for accelerating the realization of high-level technological self-reliance and self-improvement. Although major countries invest heavily in heavy equipment and have a long construction time, making it difficult to obtain direct economic benefits in the short term, it is essential to bravely climb the technological peak and build a strong technological country. Looking forward to more major powers and creating more miracles in China.
