China commissions world’s first mid-infrared solar magnetic-field telescope

China has officially commissioned the world's first solar magnetic-field telescope operating in the mid-infrared wavelength, the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced Friday.

The telescope fills the gap in the world in mid-infrared solar magnetic field observations, and is expected to provide important support for the monitoring and forecasting of disastrous space weather caused by solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

The telescope, known as the Accurate Infrared Magnetic Field Measurements of the Sun or AIMS, is located in the Lenghu township in northwest China's Qinghai Province, at an average altitude of about 4,000 meters.

Since its development began in 2015, the project has made several key technological breakthroughs. The research team has achieved the direct measurement method of the solar magnetic field through observations in the 12.3-micron mid-infrared wavelength, improving the magnetic field measurement accuracy to exceed the 10 Gauss level, addressing a bottleneck issue in the century-long history of solar magnetic-field measurement.

The telescope adopts an off-axis optical system design, with its infrared spectroscopy and imaging terminals, including core components such as detector chips and vacuum cooling systems, all developed domestically, further enhancing China's independent innovation capability in astronomical instruments.

"The same magnetic field intensity has a stronger response in the mid-infrared waveband. Therefore, we can take advantage of this characteristic to enhance the precision of magnetic field measurements," said Deng Yuanyong, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories, in an interview with China Central Television.

During the debugging and trial period after the AIMS telescope was completed in 2023, researchers achieved routine observations of solar spectra and imaging in the mid-infrared wavelength, obtaining data on multiple solar flares in the wavelength. The results provide crucial data support for studying the mechanisms of material and energy transfer and investigating the accumulation and release of magnetic energy during intense solar eruptions.

"The magnetic field is extremely important for us to understand many key scientific issues in solar physics. Flares and coronal mass ejections are both disastrous space weather conditions dominated by magnetic field interactions, which have an impact on national economy and high-tech technologies on Earth. Therefore, this telescope can promote the monitoring and forecasting of disastrous space weather," said Deng.

China commissions world’s first mid-infrared solar magnetic-field telescope

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's official visit to China signals a policy shift towards building a more pragmatic relationship between the two countries, according to a Canadian researcher.

Carney arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to begin an official visit to China through Saturday, which marks the first trip by a Canadian Prime Minister to the country in eight years.

Robert Hanlon, director and principal investigator of Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project (CAPPP) at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) that Carney's visit indicates Canada is recalibrating its strategic perception of China, which could cement the foundation for the country's economic diversification efforts and boost the development of bilateral cooperation.

"I think it's a clear message that he has moved Canada's strategy to a much more pragmatic, interest-based, -focused relationship with our trading partners, moving away from values-based narratives that we might have heard on previous governments. Canada has spoken about moving from what the Prime Minister's Office is calling "from reliance to resilience", and that means diversifying our economies and our trade everywhere in the world. And so China being our second largest trading partner, it makes perfect sense for our PM to head to Beijing," he said.

The scholar also noted the huge cooperation potential between the two sides in economic and trade fields, citing Canada's efforts to step up shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the planned construction of an oil pipeline in Alberta which aims to increase export access to Asian markets. "Canada and China both share tremendous economic opportunities together and so finding ways to enhance our exports. Canada specifically looking to build out its LNG and oil, kind of export market. We know Canada is a major producer of critical minerals and China is a buyer. And so there's a lot of synergy between that kind of those kind of markets," he said.

Canadian PM's visit to China paves way for more pragmatic trade ties: scholar