TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THE CONTEXT: SVOM satellite jointly developed by China and France was launched into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province on Saturday (June 22).
EXPLANATION:
Sino-French satellite or SVOM
- The Sino-French satellite, known as the Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM), represents a significant milestone in astronomical exploration.
- It is jointly developed by China and France.
- This powerful satellite aims to detect and study gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the most energetic and explosive events in the universe, providing valuable insights into the cosmos.
- The satellite will measure the electromagnetic radiation properties of these bursts, helping scientists unlock mysteries about the evolution of the universe and the nature of gravitational waves.
- Observations of GRBs can reveal information about the early universe and the formation of heavy elements.
- SVOM was successfully launched into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province on June 22.
- This powerful satellite aims to study gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the most energetic and explosive events in the universe, providing valuable insights into the cosmos.
Features of the SVOM Satellite
- SVOM is a 930-kg satellite equipped with four advanced payloads, two developed by France and two by China.
- French Payloads
- ECLAIRs Telescope: Detects and captures GRBs.
- MXT Telescope: Assists in the detection and capture of GRBs.
- Chinese Payloads
- Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GRBM): Measures the spectrum of GRBs, providing detailed data on their properties.
- Visible Telescope (VT): Detects and observes visible emissions produced immediately after a GRB, enabling comprehensive studies of these events.
- The SVOM satellite has been placed in a low Earth orbit at an altitude of 625 km, with an orbital period of 96 minutes.
- This positioning allows for optimal observation of GRBs and other celestial phenomena.
- French Payloads
Importance of Studying Gamma-Ray Bursts
- Gamma-ray bursts are intense bursts of gamma rays, lasting from less than a second to several minutes.
- They are among the most luminous events in the universe, capable of releasing a quintillion times the luminosity of the Sun.
- GRBs occur in distant parts of the universe and are classified into two types: short GRBs and long GRBs.
- Short GRBs
- Short GRBs result from the collision of two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole, leading to the formation of a black hole.
- These bursts last for less than two seconds and can be followed by kilonovas, which are blasts of electromagnetic radiation produced by the radioactive decay of heavy elements like gold, silver, and platinum.
- Long GRBs
- Long GRBs are produced by the explosive deaths of massive stars and can last for two seconds or longer.
- These bursts provide crucial information about violent cosmic events, including the end of massive stars’ lives and the formation of black holes in distant galaxies.
- Short GRBs
Detection and Transmission Process
- SVOM is designed to quickly identify traces of GRBs and transmit this information to ground control within about one minute.
- Ground control then notifies observation stations worldwide to conduct integrated detection with the satellite, enhancing the scope and accuracy of GRB observations.
Potential contribution
- Satellite’s potential to observe the earliest GRBs from the farthest parts of the universe will contribute to our understanding of the universe’s early stages and its evolution.
- SVOM is also capable of searching for kilonovas, which are significant for studying stellar evolution and understanding the origins of heavy elements like gold and silver in the universe.
- Detecting kilonovas will provide valuable data on the life cycles of stars and the formation of elements.