Earth Era

Chapter 8: Solar Environment Simulator

At around 7 o'clock in the morning, Zhao Huasheng came to the familiar stellar physics institute. He had spent three years here. There were many people and things that Zhao Huasheng was familiar with here, but everything looked strange at the moment.

Most of the colleagues were here. As the main institution for stellar physics research, everyone here carried a heavy responsibility. It was obvious that they had been working from yesterday to today.

The atmosphere in the institute was somewhat heavy and oppressive. Zhao Huasheng briefly greeted a few people, and then he and Meng Zhuo went to another building.

The building looked very tall, but it was hollow inside. A large machine was installed inside, and Zhao Huasheng had used it himself.

That was a set of equipment built by Li Qi about two years ago, whose main function was to simulate the physical operation mechanism inside the sun. Since it was built, many research topics have been broken through.

However, one of the instruments in this set of equipment is very special. No one except Li Qi has used it, and no data has been obtained from it. At the beginning, the research institute had rumors that Li Qi was doing a big project, and in order to keep it confidential, it was necessary to prohibit others from accessing it, and it was not known whether it was true or not.

But now Zhao Huasheng is going to verify this question. Zhao Huasheng wants to know what Li Qi has been busy with in the past period of time. Perhaps this matter has something to do with the obscure words left by Zhao Huasheng.

There were still many people coming and going here, and everyone seemed extremely busy. Zhao Huasheng knew that at this moment, a lot data were being generated, and then tangled, analyzed in the minds of these researchers. They were trying their best to find something out of these data.

If it weren't for Li Qi's legacy, Zhao Huasheng would probably be busy here at this moment, trying to figure out what happened on the sun.

With some thoughts in his heart, Zhao Huasheng came to the door of Li Qi's office. As expected, guards from the department stopped Zhao Huasheng and told him that the place was sealed and entry was not allowed for the time being.

Meng Zhuo took something out that looked like a document and showed it. After exchanging glances with each other, the guards silently stepped aside.

Zhao Huasheng walked into the office and realized that it was more like an operating room than an office. In the middle of the room was a computer, and above it was a large screen mounted on the wall. The screen showed a much larger hall, with many instruments and wires crisscrossing the hall. In the center of the hall was a mechanical device whose name Zhao Huasheng could not recall.

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At the center of the device was a thick pillar, on which was mounted a round machine that looked like a tire. The pillar went right through the center of the tire-like ring.

Some researchers Zhao Huasheng did not recognize were busy in the hall on the screen and in the room here. After the people had been busy for a while and reported something, everyone left the hall. Then a strange air fluctuation appeared in the hall, which could even be seen with the naked eye. Zhao Huasheng knew it was the vacuum cleaner working, and the fluctuation was caused by the rapid flow of air disturbing the light.

Zhao Huasheng felt a little puzzled as to why they were vacuuming the hall. But Zhao Huasheng kept quiet and just watched. Meng Zhuo stood beside him without saying a word. Nobody in the room paid any attention to them, as if they didn't exist.

After the vacuum had been running for a while, it stopped. Another researcher checked the air readings in the hall and then typed something on the computer in the room. Zhao Huasheng saw the ring mounted on the pole start to rotate on the screen. Its speed kept increasing until it was almost too fast to see with the naked eye.

"The speed of this must be faster than that of a helicopter rotor, right?" Zhao Huasheng asked.

Meng Zhuo replied faintly, "A helicopter rotor usually rotates at around 600 revolutions per minute, while this machine is at least spinning at 1000 revolutions per second."

Zhao Huasheng was somewhat shocked when he heard, "One thousand revolutions per second!" Even though he was not too familiar with material science, Zhao Huasheng knew that under such a high rotation speed, the ring-shaped structure had to bear an enormous centrifugal force. What kind of toughness would be required for the material to withstand such a huge centrifugal force and yet remain intact?

"What topic is Li Qi working on with such a machine?" Zhao Huasheng had another question in his mind.

As the huge ring started to rotate rapidly, a change appeared on the huge screen in the operating room. A new picture appeared on the screen that shoked Zhao Huasheng with just a glance.

Zhao Huasheng was very familiar with the picture. During the past three years of work, he had seen it countless times.

The picture displayed shows something that looks like lava, and just one look is enough to feel the tremendous heat it carries. The picture is undoubtedly dimmed, so it looks like a yellowish color with a dark red hue, and something that looks like gas rises from it. At some times, what seems to be gas forms a circular shape in midair, and then it is torn apart by a force that seems to be air currents, and the cycle keeps going.

This is clearly a picture of the surface of the sun! But why is it here now?

"The real-time rotation speed is 1,135 rpm, the real-time temperature is 5,867 degrees Celsius," the researcher operating the computer said as he took a puff of his cigarette and looked at Zhao Huasheng.

Zhao Huasheng now understood what was going on, so he nodded to the scientist.

"working on with such a machine?" Zhao Huasheng had another question in his mind.

"Zhao Huasheng...I know about your situation," the scientist said. "I'm a member of the research division of the Crisis Coordination Centre; my name is Wang Tang, and I was borrowed by the psychology team specifically studying Li Qi to help them figure some things out."

"So have you figured it out?" Zhao Huasheng asked.

"We have figured it out," Wang Tang gestured towards the huge rapidly spinning ring on the screen and the photo of the sun's surface in the lower right corner of the screen, "it's these."

"Li Qi has been studying this for the past period of time? But how does simulating the environment on the surface of the sun and...Li Qi's last words have anything to do with each other?"

This peculiar instrument is designed to simulate the environment on the surface of the sun. Through its extremely high rotational speed, a centrifugal force is generated inside the instrument, creating a gravity that is comparable to that on the surface of the sun. This is then combined with an external electromagnetic heating system and a magnetic field simulator to simulate the temperature and magnetic field of the sun's surface. With adjustments to gravity, temperature, and the magnetic field, plus some other adjustments to the instrument, a realism of at least 95% can be achieved.

Without a doubt, this instrument has immense utility. With this instrument, scientists can measure the properties of materials on a surface that is similar to the real sun, simulate solar activity, and even study the internal structure of the sun. Its use is indeed great. Before his death, Li Qi operated this instrument alone for more than a year. It can be said that all of Li Qi's energy before his death was devoted to this instrument. But... what does this have to do with Li Qi's last words?

Wang Tang shook his head and said, "I don't know. This is a question for the psychology team to study. I'm only responsible for telling them what the instrument is used for and what the data it produces means to a stellar physicist."

Zhao Huasheng was silent. After a while, Zhao Huasheng asked, "Can I get a copy of your assessment results?"

Wang Tang replied firmly, "Yes. I have received notice to give you the fullest support within my power. If you need me to help you with your research on the physical environment of the sun's surface, I can report to you immediately."

"No, no need," Zhao Huasheng shook his head. "I just want to know what Li Qi is doing and why he is doing it..."

"We all want to know," Wang Tang said, pausing for a moment before continuing, "Young man, the fate of mankind is at least partially in your hands. Your work is important."

Zhao Huasheng forced a smile. This was not a feeling he enjoyed. Everyone knew Zhao Huasheng was important, and Zhao Huasheng knew he was important, but what was the importance of it all? What was the key to unlocking all the mysteries?

Turning to the computer display behind Wang Tang, Zhao Huasheng looked at the numbers jumping around on the screen. He was familiar with these numbers, which measured some physical quantity on the surface of the sun.

After glancing for a moment, Zhao Huasheng found something strange. So Zhao Huasheng pointed to one of the data and asked, "High-precision light intensity detector? ...... Why is the precision so high? Is it necessary to have such a high precision?"

"It's not necessary," Wang Tang said directly, "but this is what Li Qi asked to be installed at the beginning. As for why, we don't know either."