Kenneth Hicks, For The Columbus Dispatch

While Congress stumbles its way through another budget battle that has the potential to cut drastically NASAs funding, China continues to invest in the pursuit of new knowledge.

China recently launched the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope, or HXMT. A hard X-ray has higher energy than a soft X-ray, presumably because it makes a harder collision when it hits an atom. Also, the telescope can detect a multitude of X-ray energies in objects.

The purpose of the HMXT is to search for new compact stellar objects, such as neutron stars or black holes.

Because of the immense gravity surrounding these objects, in-falling gas gets heated to high temperatures, causing the gas to emit X-rays. By studying the X-ray spectrum, astronomers can compare observations to theoretical predictions from a physical model, thus deducing what kind of compact object it is.

There are all-sky surveys in the optical and radio wavelengths, but there has not yet been such a survey at X-ray wavelengths. This is partly because X-rays from space do not penetrate our atmosphere and partly because previous X-ray space telescopes had small angular coverage so that it would take forever to do the whole sky.

The HXMT has a different design than previous X-ray space telescopes, using a different technique to filter out X-rays that are not parallel to the viewing direction. This allows the X-ray detector to increase its angular coverage. An all-sky survey has the potential to find many new neutron stars and black holes, as well as the potential for finding new objects.

This new telescope is yet another indication that China is catching up to, and in some ways, exceeding the science programs in the United States and Europe. This is good for science in general, which today is a global effort, but I do find myself wondering why China has invested so heavily in science when the U.S. government seems to be cutting back?

I can only speculate the reasons, but my guess is that China understands the connection between basic research and a robust economy. Advances in science lead to advances in technology, which in turn provides the basis of electronic gadgets (and other things) to sell.

Another reason to invest in science, including astronomy, is that the search for new knowledge stimulates the imagination of young students. These students can see themselves making new discoveries. This both motivates and gets them thinking in creative ways.

Some of these students will go on to academic careers, but most go to work for companies that develop new products. In the process, their innovative skills have been honed, which is good for industry.

There might be another reason why China is so interested in developing a space program. China sent a few other smaller satellites up with the HXMT.

One was an Earth-observing (optical and infrared) satellite from Argentina, which can provide high-resolutions images of the ground for public viewing.

Two other satellites are operated by Zhuhai Orbita Control Engineering, which is based in China. They also are high-resolutions optical Earth-pointing devices with good enough resolution to see any object on the ground larger than 6 feet.

So dont look now, but a Chinese satellite might be watching you as you drive around in your car.

Meanwhile, the American company SpaceX, which has a spotty record, just delayed its planned launch of a Bulgarian satellite. Maybe the Bulgarians will go to China for their next launch.

Kenneth Hicks is a professor of physics and astronomy at Ohio University in Athens.

hicks@ohio.edu

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Astronomy: Chinese telescope illustrates that country's science investment - The Columbus Dispatch