微小的傳單飛往地球的邊緣：探索大氣前沿

新的陽光供電的傳單將徹底改變我們對地球中層的理解，從而彌合大氣數據收集的差距。

Tiny Flyers Soar to Earth's Edge: Exploring the Atmospheric Frontier

微小的傳單飛往地球的邊緣：探索大氣前沿

Imagine unlocking the secrets of Earth's most inaccessible atmospheric layer with a device powered only by sunlight and about the size of a coin. That's the promise of new research into tiny, ultra-light flyers designed to explore the atmospheric frontier.

想像一下，用僅由陽光和大約硬幣的大小供電的設備解鎖地球最無法接近的大氣層的秘密。這就是對旨在探索大氣前沿的微型超光線傳單的新研究的希望。

The Ignorosphere No More

忽視不再

The mesosphere, a region between 50 and 85 kilometers above Earth, has long been dubbed the "ignorosphere" due to the difficulty in reaching it. Too high for airplanes and weather balloons, yet too low for satellites, this zone has remained largely unexplored. But Harvard engineers are changing the game with ceramic flyers that harness photophoresis – using light as fuel.

由於難以到達，米索層是地球上50至85公里之間的區域，長期以來一直被稱為“無知球”。對於飛機和天氣氣球而言，該區域太高了，但對於衛星來說太低了，該區域仍未得到探索。但是，哈佛工程師正在使用利用光照的陶瓷傳單來改變遊戲 - 使用輕型燃料。

Riding the Light Fantastic

騎燈很棒

These ingenious flyers leverage the power of photophoresis, where one side of the flyer heats up more than the other, creating thrust. The design features ultrathin, perforated ceramic membranes with a chromium layer to absorb sunlight. The perforations even enhance lift through thermal transpiration, creating “little jets,” according to researcher Ben Schafer.

這些巧妙的傳單利用了光電學的力量，在那裡，傳單的一側比另一側加熱更多，從而產生推力。該設計具有超薄的，穿孔的陶瓷膜，帶有鉻層以吸收陽光。研究人員Ben Schafer表示，穿孔甚至通過熱蒸騰來增強升力，從而產生“小噴頭”。

Small Flyers, Big Impact

小傳單，影響很大

The potential applications are vast. Schafer's startup, Rarefied Technologies, plans initial test flights in 2026. Scaled-up versions could carry basic sensors, radio antennas, and solar power systems. Imagine swarms of these flyers hovering high above Earth, collecting data or acting as communication relays.

潛在的應用是巨大的。 Schafer的啟動，稀有技術計劃在2026年計劃進行初始測試飛行。擴展版本可以攜帶基本傳感器，無線電天線和太陽能係統。想像一下，這些傳單群徘徊在地球上方，收集數據或充當通信繼電器。

Eyes on Mars

注視著火星

These flyers aren't just for Earth. Mars, with its thin atmosphere, presents an ideal environment for these devices. They could monitor climate, track winds, or observe dust storms without needing engines or fuel. It could be a game changer for interplanetary exploration.

這些傳單不僅是針對地球。火星呈薄的氣氛，為這些設備提供了理想的環境。他們可以監視氣候，追踪風或觀察沙塵暴，而無需引擎或燃料。它可能是行星際探索的遊戲規則改變者。

Filling the Data Void

填充數據空隙

Back on Earth, these flyers could fill critical data gaps in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. This region plays a key role in solar storm interactions and auroral activity. Real-time measurements could significantly improve climate models and forecasting of extreme space weather events.

回到地球上，這些傳單可以填補中層和較低熱層的關鍵數據差距。該區域在太陽風暴相互作用和極光活動中起著關鍵作用。實時測量可以顯著改善氣候模型和對極端天氣事件的預​​測。

The Sky's the Limit

天空是極限

From unlocking the secrets of our own atmosphere to exploring the Martian skies, these tiny flyers are poised to revolutionize our understanding of the atmospheric frontier. Who knows? Maybe one day, we'll all be looking up at swarms of these little guys, silently collecting data and expanding our knowledge of the world – and beyond.

從解鎖我們自己氣氛的秘密到探索火星天空，這些微小的傳單可以徹底改變我們對大氣前沿的理解。誰知道？也許有一天，我們所有人都會抬頭看這些小傢伙，默默地收集數據並擴大我們對世界及以後的知識。