Ukuqonda Ukusetshenziswa Kweziphuphutheki Zesimo Sezulu Ku-Astronomy
Lapho abantu abaningi bezwa igama elithi i-satellite yesimo sezulu, bacabanga ngokushesha ngezibikezelo zemvula, iziphepho, noma izixwayiso zakuqala zesimo sezulu esibi kakhulu. Kodwa-ke, indima yama-satellite yesimo sezulu idlulela ngale kwe-meteorology. Empeleni, idatha eqoqwe ama-satellite yesimo sezulu nayo iwusizo kakhulu ku-astronomy—kokubili ekuhleleni ukubuka, ukukhethwa kwezindawo ze-telescope, kanye nokusekela ukubonwa kwezenzakalo zasezulwini ezidinga izimo ezithile zomkhathi. Lesi sihloko sizoxoxa ngokuthi ama-satellite yesimo sezulu anikela kanjani emhlabeni we-astronomy nokuthi kungani idatha yomkhathi evela ku-orbit "iyisihluthulelo esingabonakali" sekhwalithi yokubonwa kwesibhakabhaka.
Iyini isathelayithi yesimo sezulu?
Amasathelayithi esimo sezulu angamasathelayithi okwenziwa aklanyelwe ukuqapha ukuguquguquka komkhathi woMhlaba. Lawa masathelayithi aphethe izinsimbi zokuzwa ezikude ezifana namakhamera amaningi, ama-radiometer e-infrared, izinzwa ze-microwave, kanye ne-water vapor kanye ne-cloud detectors. Ngalawa mathuluzi, amasathelayithi esimo sezulu angakwazi ukumaka isembozo samafu, izinga lokushisa eliphezulu lamafu, umswakama womkhathi, ukusatshalaliswa kwe-aerosol, ngisho nesivinini somoya ngezendlalelo ezithile.
Ngokuvamile, amasathelayithi esimo sezulu ahlukaniswe izinhlobo ezimbili eziyinhloko. Okokuqala, amasathelayithi e-geostationary, asendaweni ephakeme ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-36.000 futhi "amile" uma kuqhathaniswa nephuzu elilodwa ebusweni boMhlaba. Inzuzo yawo ukuqapha okuqhubekayo kwendawo efanayo, okuwusizo kakhulu ekubukeni ukunyakaza kwamafu ngesikhathi sangempela. Okwesibili, amasathelayithi e-polar orbit, azungeza uMhlaba kusukela endulwini kuya endulwini endaweni ephakeme ephansi. Lolu hlobo luhlinzeka ngesembozo somhlaba wonke ngesisombululo esingcono, ngenxa yokusondela kwawo eduze kobuso.
Kungani isayensi yezinkanyezi idinga idatha yesimo sezulu?
I-astronomy, ikakhulukazi i-optical kanye ne-infrared astronomy evela ebusweni boMhlaba, ithonywa kakhulu yizimo zomkhathi. Umkhathi usebenza njengesihlungi, kokubili okuwusizo (isibonelo, ukuvikela emisebeni eyingozi) kanye nokuphazamisa (isibonelo, ukufiphaza izithombe zezinkanyezi). Ukuphazamiseka okukhulu kufaka phakathi amafu, ukuxokozela komoya, okuqukethwe komhwamuko wamanzi, uthuli/ama-aerosol, kanye nokungcola kokukhanya okusakazeke yizinhlayiya zomkhathi.
Ngenxa yokuthi amateleskopu asemhlabeni adinga isibhakabhaka esicacile nesizinzile, izazi zezinkanyezi ezingochwepheshe kanye nezazi ezisafufusa zihlala zidinga ulwazi oluthile lwesimo sezulu ukuze zibone. Ngokungafani nezibikezelo zesimo sezulu zansuku zonke, ezigxile emisebenzini yabantu, izinkanyezi zidinga izinkomba ezifana nokumbozwa kwamafu ebusuku, ukubonakala komoya, ukuzinza kwengqimba yomoya (ukubona), kanye nokuqukethwe komhwamuko wamanzi (i-PWV), ikakhulukazi ekubonweni kwe-infrared.
Yilapho amasathelayithi esimo sezulu eba khona amathuluzi ayigugu: ahlinzeka ngedatha ebanzi, ehambisanayo, futhi evame ukuba khona ngesikhathi sangempela emoyeni.
1. Khetha isikhathi esingcono kakhulu sokubuka
Enye yezindlela ezisetshenziswa ngokushesha ukusiza ekunqumeni "ifasitela lokubuka" elihle kakhulu. Ama-satellite e-geostationary angabonisa ukuthuthukiswa kwamafu kusukela ntambama kuze kube kusihlwa, okuvumela abaphathi bezindawo zokubuka ukuthi banqume ukuthi bazoyivula nini i-dome yesibonakude, ukuthi bazoyivala nini ukuze kuphephe imishini, noma ukuthi bazohlela kabusha nini ukubuka.
Ku-astronomy yanamuhla, isikhathi se-telescope siwumthombo oyigugu. Izindawo zokubuka ezinkulu zinezikhathi eziqinile; ukwehluleka kwesimo sezulu kungathinta izinhlelo eziningi zocwaningo. Idatha yesathelayithi iyasiza ekuthuthukiseni izibikezelo eziqondene nokubuka: lapho amafu encipha, lapho iziphepho zothuli zisondela, noma lapho amazinga omswakama ephezulu kakhulu ukuba angabeka engcupheni yokuminyana ezibukweni.
Kwabahloli bezinkanyezi abasafufusa, ulwazi oluvela ezithombeni zesathelayithi—kanye nedatha yemodeli yesimo sezulu—lusiza ekunqumeni ukuthi ubusuku bufanele yini ukuthwebula izithombe zezinkanyezi, ukubuka amaplanethi, noma ukuzingela izinto ezingabonakali esibhakabhakeni njenge-nebulae kanye nemithala.
2. Nquma ikhwalithi "yokubona" ngokungaqondile
"Ukubona" igama elibhekisela ekubukhalini kwezithombe zezinkanyezi ngenxa yokuxokozela komoya. Ukuxokozela kubangela izinkanyezi zibonakale "zicwayiza" futhi isithombe sinwebeke, okunciphisa ukucaca kwesibonakude. Nakuba amasathelayithi esimo sezulu engalingani ukubona ngqo njengezinto ezikhethekile ezindaweni zokubuka (isib. ama-DIMM), idatha yesathelayithi inganikeza inkomba esekelayo.
Isibonelo, ukumaka amazinga okushisa aphezulu emafwini, ama-gradient okushisa, kanye namaphethini okunyakaza komoya kungasiza ekulinganiseni ukuzinza komoya. Izindawo ezibhekene nokuguquguquka okunamandla ngokuvamile zine-turbulence ephezulu futhi azilungele kangako ukubonwa okunesinqumo esiphezulu, njengokuthwebula izithombe zezindawo zamaplanethi noma ukulinganisa ngokunembile izikhundla zezinkanyezi.
3. Ukulinganisa umhwamuko wamanzi wesayensi yezinkanyezi ye-infrared
Ukubonwa kwe-infrared kuzwela kakhulu emusini wamanzi womkhathi. Umhwamuko wamanzi umunca amaza amaningi e-infrared futhi wengeza umsindo wangemuva. Ngakho-ke, izazi zezinkanyezi ze-infrared zinaka kakhulu amanani e-PWV. Amanye amasathelayithi esimo sezulu aphethe izinzwa ezingalinganisa okuqukethwe komhwamuko wamanzi kwekholomu yomkhathi endaweni ethile.
Lolu lwazi lubalulekile ezindaweni zokubukela izinkanyezi ezintabeni eziphakeme nasezindaweni ezomile njengasenyakatho yeChile noma iHawaii. Ngisho nezinguquko ezincane emhwameni wamanzi zingathinta ikhwalithi yama-spectra noma ukuzwela kokubuka. Ngosizo lolwazi lwesathelayithi, izazi zezinkanyezi zingakhetha ubusuku obune-PWV ephansi ezinhlelweni ezidinga izimo ezomile kakhulu, njengokutadisha ukwakheka kwezinkanyezi emafwini ama-molecule noma ukuchaza isimo sezulu se-exoplanet.
4. Ukuqapha ama-aerosol, uthuli, kanye nentuthu yomlilo
Ukucaca komoya kungaphazanyiswa hhayi ngamafu kuphela kodwa futhi nangama-aerosol njengothuli lwasehlane, intuthu yomlilo wasendle, kanye nokungcola kwezimboni. Lezi zinhlayiya zisakaza ukukhanya futhi zimunce imisebe ethile, zikhanyise isibhakabhaka futhi zinciphise umehluko wezinto ezingabonakali.
Amasathelayithi esimo sezulu kanye namasathelayithi okubuka uMhlaba avame ukunikeza imingcele efana nokujula kwe-aerosol optical (AOD), okusiza ukulinganisa ukufiphala komkhathi. Lokhu kubalulekile ekufotheni izinkanyezi kanye nokuhlolwa kwesibhakabhaka, okudinga ukulinganiswa okunembile kokukhanya kwezinto (i-photometry). Ukwanda kothuli kungabangela izinkanyezi ukuthi zibonakale zifiphele kunalokho eziyikho ngempela, okudinga ukulungiswa kokulinganiswa noma ukuhlela kabusha ukubonwa.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, uthuli nomlotha nakho kungathinta ukuphepha kwemishini, njengezinhlelo zokupholisa noma izindawo ezibonakalayo. Izexwayiso zakuqala ezisekelwe kwisathelayithi zisiza ababukeli ukuthi bathathe izinyathelo zokunciphisa.
5. Thola indawo efanelekile yesikhungo sokuhlola
Ngaphambi kokwakha izindawo zokubukela ezinkulu, ososayensi benza izifundo zesikhathi eside ukuze bathole ukuthi isibhakabhaka sikhanya kangaki, ukuthi umswakama uphakeme kangakanani, ukuthi umkhathi uzinzile kangakanani, nokuthi kwenzeka ukuphazamiseka okuncane kangakanani kwesimo sezulu. Iminyaka eminingi yedatha yesathelayithi ingasetshenziswa ukukhiqiza izibalo mayelana nokumbozwa kwamafu, amaphethini esizini, kanye nokuvama kweziphepho nenkungu.
Ngokumbozwa komhlaba wonke, amasathelayithi avumela ukuqhathaniswa kwezindawo eziningi ezikude—isibonelo, amathafa asogwadule, iziqongo zezintaba, noma izifunda ezisemaphethelweni—ngaphandle kokusebenzisa amaqembu nezinsimbi yonke indawo ngesikhathi esisodwa. Izindawo ezithembisayo kakhulu bese zihlolwa ngokuningiliziwe ngezinsimbi ezisekelwe phansi.
Izifundo ezinjalo zibalulekile ezindaweni zesimanje zezinkanyezi ezibiza amakhulu ezigidi kuya ezigidini zamaRandi. Ukukhetha indawo okungekuhle kungathinta ikhwalithi yedatha amashumi eminyaka.
6. Isekela ukubonwa kwezenzakalo zasezulwini ezincike esimweni sezulu
Ezinye izenzakalo zezinkanyezi ziyadlula ngokushesha futhi "azibikezeleki," njengokufiphala kwelanga, ukuvela kwezinkanyezi ezikhanyayo, noma ukuqhuma okusha kwe-supernova okudinga ukubhekwa ngokushesha. Ezimweni ezinjalo, izazi zezinkanyezi zivame ukuhamba ngokushesha ukuze zithole indawo ecacile yesibhakabhaka ngaphakathi kwendlela yokubuka.
Izithombe zesathelayithi ziyasiza ekuboneni izindawo ezinethuba elikhulu lokuba isibhakabhaka sicwebe ngezikhathi ezibucayi. Isibonelo, abagijimi bokusitheka kwelanga bangaqapha ukumbozwa kwamafu emahoreni angaphambi kokuba kugcwale yonke indawo bese benquma ukuthi bazohamba yini amakhulu amakhilomitha ukuze babambe isibhakabhaka sicwebe. Lezi zinqumo ezisheshayo zenziwa zisebenze kangcono ngedatha yesathelayithi ebuyekezwa njalo.
7. Siza ekulinganisweni nasekulungiseni idatha yezinkanyezi
I-astronomy enembile kakhulu—isibonelo, ukulinganisa ukukhanya kwezinkanyezi ukuze kutholakale ukuhamba kwe-exoplanet—kudinga ukulungiswa kwemiphumela yomkhathi. Idatha yesimo sezulu, kufaka phakathi umswakama kanye nama-aerosol, isiza ekuthuthukiseni amamodeli okulungisa. Ngenkathi ukulungiswa okuningi kusathembele ekubonweni kokulinganisa okusekelwe emhlabathini, ulwazi lwesathelayithi lunganikeza umongo owengeziwe, ikakhulukazi ezinhlolovo ezinkulu ezibona izindawo ezahlukene zesibhakabhaka ngobusuku obubodwa.
Kwamanye amaphrojekthi, idatha yasemkhathini evela kumasathelayithi isetshenziselwa ukuqinisekisa amamodeli okudlulisa emoyeni noma ukulungisa izilinganiso zangemuva ze-infrared. Lokhu kwenza imiphumela yesayensi ibe nokwethenjelwa kakhudlwana.
Imikhawulo ekusetshenzisweni kwamasathelayithi esimo sezulu kwezinkanyezi
Nakuba iwusizo, idatha yesathelayithi nayo inemikhawulo. Ukulungiswa kwayo kwendawo kungase kunganeli ukubonisa izimo ze-microclimate esiqongweni sentaba. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ezinye izilinganiso ezibalulekile, njengokubonakala, zilinganiswa ngokunembile ngqo kusuka ebusweni. Amafu e-Cirrus ngezinye izikhathi kunzima ukuwachaza ngokugcwele ngaphandle kwenhlanganisela ethile yeziteshi ze-spectral noma idatha eyengeziwe evela ku-radar yomoya.
Ngakho-ke, amasathelayithi esimo sezulu avame ukusetshenziswa kanye neminye imithombo: iziteshi zesimo sezulu zokubuka, izinzwa zomswakama zendawo, amakhamera asebenza esibhakabhakeni sonke, kanye namamodeli okubikezela ngezinombolo.
I-Penutup
Amasathelayithi esimo sezulu awawona nje kuphela "amehlo" okubikezela imvula nesiphepho, kodwa futhi amathuluzi abalulekile asekela izinkanyezi zanamuhla. Kusukela ekukhetheni izikhathi zokubuka, ukulinganisa ikhwalithi yesibhakabhaka, ukuqapha umhwamuko wamanzi kanye nama-aerosol, kuya ekusizeni endaweni yezindawo zokubuka, idatha yesathelayithi inikeza ulwazi olukhulu lwesimo sezulu okunzima ukuluthola phansi. Enkathini yezinkanyezi ethembele kakhulu ekubonweni okusebenzayo, okunembile, nokusheshayo kwezenzakalo zasezulwini, amasathelayithi esimo sezulu abe ngumlingani obalulekile ekufuneni kwesintu ukuqonda indawo yonke.
Uma uthanda, ngingangeza izibonelo zamasathelayithi athile (isib. i-GOES, i-Himawari, i-Meteosat) kanye nezinhlobo zedatha/iziteshi izazi zezinkanyezi ezivame ukuzisebenzisa ukuqapha amafu nomhwamuko wamanzi ebusuku.
