Why is the original American "Eye of the Sky" radio telescope now like an "abandoned garbage dump"?

Before 216, the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico, which is called the eye of the world, has a diameter of 35 meters and is also built on karst landforms, which can greatly reduce the engineering quantity and funds. Someone said: Why did humans build such a big telescope? What can you do with it? The eyes are the windows of the soul. For the naked eye, standing high can see far, but there is a limit. If you want to see further, you need a telescope, and if you want to see the scene in space, you need an astronomical telescope. There are many kinds of astronomical telescopes, and radio telescopes are one of them. In addition, there are visible light telescopes, X-ray telescopes, infrared telescopes, ultraviolet telescopes, etc. In short, we can engage in telescopes of whatever band is needed.

For a telescope, if you want to see smaller objects clearly, it depends on the resolution of the telescope. If you want to see weaker light and receive weaker information, it depends on the sensitivity of the telescope. In short, the higher the resolution and sensitivity, the better, which means that you can see the more distant world and understand their stories.

Arecibo telescope

The Arecibo telescope was founded in 1963, and the design concept was taken care of by Cornell University in the United States. In the following decades, the telescope was rebuilt several times, and its observation ability was greatly improved. Arecibo telescope mainly observes pulsars, quasars and distant radio sources in the universe. Because of its high sensitivity, even if the radio source is weak, it can be observed. Some students may not have much idea about being very weak. How weak is it? Actually, it's like this in astronomy. It's incredibly weak, powerful and incredible. For example, the total energy of all radio sources received by all radio telescopes in the world in 6 years is only equivalent to the energy released when a few raindrops hit the ground. It is conceivable how weak the received energy is for a single observation by a single telescope. For a telescope with higher sensitivity, it is conceivable how weak the radio signal will be.

The academic contribution of Arecibo telescope

Less than ten years after the Arecibo telescope was built, in 1974, two scientists, hoels and Taylor, observed the distant radio pulse binary star system PSR191316 with the help of Arecibo telescope, which is a double neutron star system. The two neutron stars orbit each other with an orbital period of 7.75 hours. Taylor made thousands of observations with Arecibo telescope. Mastering their periodic data and using it to verify the prediction of strong gravity system in general relativity, the observed data are consistent with the theoretical prediction, which is the victory of general relativity and the victory of the two scientists. In 1993, the two scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics.

In p>1991, two scientists, Foehrer and Voszan, first observed the extrasolar planetary system PSR125712 with the help of Arecibo telescope, which also caused a great sensation to the astronomical community at that time.

Arecibo telescope is a multifunctional radio telescope. In its working life, radio astronomical observation is the most important, accounting for 8% of working time, earth atmosphere research accounting for 15%, and radar astronomy accounting for 5%. Scientists equipped it with a transmitter with a wavelength of 12.6cm and a sensitive receiver, so the Arecibo telescope has turned into a super sensitive radar, which can be used for radar research, and can detect planets, satellites, asteroids and comets in the solar system. Because the Arecibo telescope has achieved a lot in radar astronomy research, I won't go into details here.

Why did the Arecibo telescope fall like an elephant? Abandoned dump? To the same extent?

the reason is simple, it's always that sentence? Insufficient funds? . Puerto Rico is a small island surrounded by the sea. There are many strong winds and heavy rains, and it is often baptized by storms. The Arecibo telescope has been established for half a century, and its components are seriously aging. Coupled with the research in radio astronomy, there are substitutes in the United States, so the Arecibo telescope gradually fades out of the stage. Although Arecibo telescope was in disrepair for a long time, it could still work before it was damaged on August 1, 22. On August 1, 22, the cable of Arecibo telescope fell and hit the reflecting surface, and the reflecting surface broke a big hole with a crack exceeding 3 meters and many damages. Therefore, Arecibo telescope had to stop working and wait for funds. I don't think it will be repaired for a while.