微小的传单飞往地球的边缘：探索大气前沿

新的阳光供电的传单将彻底改变我们对地球中层的理解，从而弥合大气数据收集的差距。

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

微小的传单飞往地球的边缘：探索大气前沿

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.

想象一下，用仅由阳光和大约硬币的大小供电的设备解锁地球最无法接近的大气层的秘密。这就是对旨在探索大气前沿的微型超光线传单的新研究的希望。

The Ignorosphere No More

忽视不再

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.

由于难以到达，米索层是地球上50至85公里之间的区域，长期以来一直被称为“无知球”。对于飞机和天气气球而言，该区域太高了，但对于卫星来说太低了，该区域仍未得到探索。但是，哈佛工程师正在使用利用光照的陶瓷传单来改变游戏 - 使用轻型燃料。

Riding the Light Fantastic

骑灯很棒

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.

这些巧妙的传单利用了光电学的力量，在那里，传单的一侧比另一侧加热更多，从而产生推力。该设计具有超薄的，穿孔的陶瓷膜，带有铬层以吸收阳光。研究人员Ben Schafer表示，穿孔甚至通过热蒸腾来增强升力，从而产生“小喷头”。

Small Flyers, Big Impact

小传单，影响很大

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.

潜在的应用是巨大的。 Schafer的启动，稀有技术计划在2026年计划进行初始测试飞行。扩展版本可以携带基本传感器，无线电天线和太阳能系统。想象一下，这些传单群徘徊在地球上方，收集数据或充当通信继电器。

Eyes on Mars

注视着火星

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.

这些传单不仅是针对地球。火星呈薄的气氛，为这些设备提供了理想的环境。他们可以监视气候，追踪风或观察沙尘暴，而无需引擎或燃料。它可能是行星际探索的游戏规则改变者。

Filling the Data Void

填充数据空隙

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，这些传单可以填补中层和较低热层的关键数据差距。该区域在太阳风暴相互作用和极光活动中起着关键作用。实时测量可以显着改善气候模型和对极端天气事件的预​​测。

The Sky's the Limit

天空是极限

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.

从解锁我们自己气氛的秘密到探索火星天空，这些微小的传单可以彻底改变我们对大气前沿的理解。谁知道？也许有一天，我们所有人都会抬头看这些小家伙，默默地收集数据并扩大我们对世界及以后的知识。