Volume 3: Dance of the Aurora Introduction to the Solar Wind
The solar wind is the breath of the sun.
The difference between the breathing of a planet and the breathing of carbon-based organisms is that the sun exhales not gas molecules, but splashes of high-energy plasma, which cut through space like beams of light arrows, sending light and heat to the depths of the universe.
Most stars are huge nuclear fusion reactors. The outer corona can reach a temperature of several million degrees, which is enough to ionize the electrons of light atoms such as hydrogen and helium.
Their atomic nuclei and electrons are torn apart by the high temperature, and after breaking free from each other's constraints, their speed increases greatly, allowing them to escape the sun's gravity and be thrown into space. This is the solar wind.
In fact, in human science, the boundary of the solar system is defined by the farthest distance that the solar wind can reach.
For humans, these particle jets flying at hundreds of kilometers per second are not the gentle whisper of the sun, but a rain of death that is enough to destroy the earth. It will take away the atmosphere on the surface of the planet, violently bombard the soil, and evaporate the oceans and lakes, completely exterminating all life on the surface.
The energy of the particles in the solar wind is not high, which is only in the single- digit electron volts. The speed of the particles in it is far lower than the speed that human accelerators can reach. However, a solar wind can throw out 10 to the thirty-sixth power of particles, which is one trillion trillion trillion trillion. The Arabic numerals are 10000,0000,0000,0000,0000,0000,0000,0000,0000,0000.
If the high-energy gamma rays in the universe are like bullets, then the solar wind is a slowly approaching truck that sends all creatures in its way to another world.
The particle streams thrown out by various cosmic processes are everywhere in the universe, just like electromagnetic waves are everywhere on the earth. These rays are also the main reason why metal civilizations need space roaming bodies. After all, it is extremely dangerous for the brain with delicate structures to be directly exposed to them.
In the impoverished imagination of mankind, the laser firing of interstellar warships is almost the ultimate form of cosmic war. In fact, the weak laser photons are not even waves in the gorgeous sea of waves in the universe. In the strongest cosmic rays, the energy of the particles is 100 million times that of the energy that can be stimulated by particle accelerators on Earth. If irradiated by it, the human body will evaporate directly.
Although the density of extremely high-energy rays is very low in the area near the Earth, long-term space travel almost inevitably makes encounters with them inevitable.
For a metal civilization that could roam in space in the primitive period, cosmic rays were like fire, an indispensable part of civilization development. The first batch of navigators used these jets as the propulsion force of spacecraft. They used solar sails to bind the plasma that permeated the space and created the most primitive working fluid propulsion spacecraft.
Relying on the momentum of the cosmic rays themselves, their aircraft can reach very high speeds in a very short time, and even achieve sharp turns and instantaneous stops.
Another use of these particle flows is for primitive communications. By adjusting the density and frequency of the solar wind, signals can be transmitted to far away places with minimal interference. This is a beacon tower in the universe.
In addition, the magnetic field characteristics of the particle flow are also used by them to block meteorites, dust and other space threats. The plasma cloud surrounding the spacecraft after being captured is also recognized by historians as the first generation of space barriers, and its invention opened the prelude to the arms race in the universe.
Naturally, from ancient times to the end of ancient society, metal civilizations have been using the natural particle waves in the universe to wage war. High-energy particles are bound and bent by magnetic fields, and after accumulating extremely high energy, they are fired at enemy ships, similar to the principle of human bows and arrows.
This primitive war lasted for quite a long time until the first great technological revolution. After that, the form underwent a fundamental change, but that is another story.
Thinking of this, observer No. 2 looked at the blazing sun. This not-so-big star was pulsating. The corona was roaring in the ocean of light, and the hot waves composed of protons were splashing everywhere.
He enjoyed the light and heat of the stars, while his thoughts drifted along the long river of time into the depths of history.
The dawn and dusk in this vast universe often made him stare into the distance in a trance.
