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cover of episode Beyond the Visible: Infrared Astronomy & The Mysteries Of The Universe With Dr. Gary Melnick

Beyond the Visible: Infrared Astronomy & The Mysteries Of The Universe With Dr. Gary Melnick

2025/3/26
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Gary Milnick: 我从小就对太空和天文感兴趣，并在研究生阶段对红外和远红外波段的观测产生了兴趣，因为这些波段能帮助解决一些地面观测无法解决的问题。地球大气层会阻挡红外光，因此要进行远红外观测，需要将望远镜放置到大气层之上，例如通过高空飞机或太空望远镜。为了避免大气阻力导致轨道衰减，地球轨道望远镜的最低高度至少需要100公里以上。 我目前最参与的项目是SPHEREx，这是一个旨在探索宇宙学、星系演化和行星形成的太空任务。SPHEREx任务的三个主要科学目标是宇宙学、星系演化和行星形成中关键成分的获取。SPHEREx的宇宙学目标是探究驱动宇宙大爆炸的物理规律，例如宇宙暴胀理论。我们目前能够观测到的宇宙历史大概可以追溯到距离大爆炸后10^-32秒到10^-42秒之间。宇宙暴胀理论可以解释宇宙微波背景辐射的温度均匀性以及宇宙的平坦性。 SPHEREx任务将在两年内对整个天空进行至少四次观测，以研究星际物质，特别是星际介质中水、二氧化碳和一氧化碳等生命关键成分的丰度和分布。星际物质会被吸入恒星形成过程中，并参与行星的形成。在恒星和行星形成过程中，既有物质的吸积，也有物质的喷射。行星的形成并非依次进行，而是大致同时发生的。 Richard Jacobs: 作为访谈者，我没有提出具体的观点，而是通过提问引导Gary Milnick阐述其研究和观点。我的问题涵盖了望远镜的轨道高度、SPHEREx任务的具体目标、宇宙大爆炸的细节、星际物质的演化以及行星系统的形成等方面。这些问题促进了对Gary Milnick研究工作的更深入理解。

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This chapter explores the challenges and rewards of far-infrared astronomy. It explains why Earth's atmosphere hinders observations and how airborne telescopes overcome this barrier, leading to significant discoveries in previously unexplored wavelengths.
  • Earth's atmosphere blocks infrared light, necessitating high-altitude observation.
  • Airborne telescopes in the 1970s opened up the far-infrared range for study.
  • Early far-infrared observations yielded frequent new discoveries.

Shownotes Transcript

In this discussion, we explore the vast world of astrophysics and astronomy with Dr. Gary Melnick, a Principal Investigator at the Center for Astrophysics) and a SPHEREx) science team member. Founded in 1973, the Center for Astrophysics is an ongoing collaboration between Harvard University and the Smithsonian designed to ask some of humanity’s most unresolved questions about the nature of the universe.

How have Dr. Melnick’s infrared observations contributed to the innovation and discoveries in the fields of fundamental physics and geophysics? What happens when we look beyond the capabilities of the human eye? Join in to learn more…

This episode covers:

The ways in which Earth’s atmosphere filters out infrared lights, and what happens when we are able to observe past this barrier.  What far infrared astronomy is, how Dr. Melnick has helped develop this technology.  Where telescopes must be positioned above the Earth in order to view far away objects.  The three main themes of the SPHEREx mission. 

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9)

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