In a New Year’s Eve event hosted by the Beijing Association for Science and Technology, Wang Jingxiu, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of the CAS (NAOC), underscored the perpetual challenge that the sun poses in the realm of human exploration.
Devoting an impressive 45 years to sun-related research, Wang shared his profound understanding of the sun’s pivotal role in the solar system. “The sun is the governor of the entire solar system. It created the Earth, which is the cradle of humanity. Studying the sun is studying the home of humanity,” Wang emphasized during the event.
Scientifically, the sun holds a unique position as the closest star to Earth, providing unparalleled opportunities for observation. Wang highlighted the significance of the sun in offering high temporal resolution, high spatial resolution, high spectral resolution, and high polarization measurement accuracy. The knowledge derived from studying the sun has guided humanity’s exploration of the universe.
China has made substantial strides in solar physics research, particularly in solar activity and solar magnetic fields. Since the creation of the world-class Huairou Solar Magnetic Field Telescope in the 1960s, China has become a global leader in ground-based solar magnetic field and velocity field imaging observations.
Wang reminisced about a groundbreaking achievement in 1999 when he, along with colleagues Deng Yuanyong and Ai Guoxiang, became the first in the world to measure the vector magnetic field in the solar polar region using the Huairou Solar Magnetic Field Telescope.
China elevated its solar exploration endeavors in 2021 with the successful launch of its first solar exploration scientific experimental satellite, Xihe. Named after the sun goddess in ancient Chinese mythology, Xihe facilitates detailed research on the sun’s rotation and the dynamics of solar eruption source regions. A year later, China launched its first comprehensive solar exploration satellite, Kuafu, named after a giant in Chinese mythology known for tirelessly chasing the sun.
Wang expressed optimism about the long-term study of the sun and emphasized the ambition for Chinese scientists to lead in observing the north and south poles of the sun, a territory yet uncharted in solar observations. He stressed the importance of developing scientific payloads for China’s probes to obtain more accurate data, crucial for advancing solar exploration.
“In solar observations, what has not been directly observed so far are the north and south poles of the sun. The importance of these poles goes beyond our imagination. Therefore, Chinese scholars want to do something that other countries have not done yet and assume a leading role in the study of the sun in the world,” Wang remarked, emphasizing the pioneering spirit driving China’s solar exploration initiatives.
Written by: Vaishali Verma
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