Chapter 123 The mysterious Betelgeuse, the two groups have huge diameter differences
【889.00712721D⊙】
【67.456799134D⊙】
Xu Chuan was a little confused by the huge difference between the two sets of numbers on the manuscript paper.
What he was calculating this time was the diameter of Betelgeuse, not something else. Why were there two numbers?
Even if the two sets of different boundary values and eigenvalues are substituted, there should not be such a big problem.
The first group is close to 890 times the diameter of D⊙, which is normal and fully consistent with the current calculations of Betelgeuse in the astronomical community.
But the second group is only 67.5 times the D⊙ diameter, which is completely inconsistent with the historical observation data of the diameter of Betelgeuse.
It cannot be that so many observational data and calculation data in the past astronomy are wrong, nor can the laws of universal gravitation, gravitational redshift, and photometric calculations be wrong.
This is not scientific.
For a star, two sets of diameter data were calculated.
This outrageous Xu Chuan immediately suspected that there was something wrong with his calculation process or the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem derived from the transformation.
One planet, two diameters, this is impossible.
This is just like 1+1 is not equal to 2. The obvious truth has been broken, so the first person to be doubted is naturally the person who broke the truth.
Xu Chuan was the same. The first thing he suspected was whether there was something wrong with his calculation formula and calculation process.
This is normal. In physics, if something challenges people's familiar common sense, then there is a high probability that there is something wrong with it.
Just like no matter how wrong the mathematics is, the universal truth of 1+1=2 cannot be overturned.
But after he carefully checked his calculation process and calculation formula, he raised his head in confusion.
Judging from repeated checks, there were no problems with his calculations, and there were no errors in the data entered before and after.
But the calculation results turned out to be two.
There is no problem with the calculation process, and there is no problem with the calculation formula. It is impossible for a planet to have two diameters. So is the problem caused by the collected Betelgeuse data?
After confirming that there was no problem with his calculations, Xu Chuan immediately turned his suspicious eyes on Betelgeuse's various information data.
After the calculation process, calculation speed and other factors are eliminated, the observation data of Betelgeuse is the most doubtful.
He didn't think that the seniors in the astronomy department gave him a batch of problematic or falsified data. The probability was still quite small.
After all, there is no need to bother to fake the data information that can be obtained through various astronomical equipment.
Moreover, falsifying data in a scientific research project is a very serious matter. If he falsifies data in his scientific research experiments, and if he finds out about it and others find out about it, it will not be as simple as being unable to graduate.
The year before last, in 2014, a fraud incident that shocked the world broke out in the small island country next door.
In January 2014, a research team led by Haruko Obokata, who was called a "national treasure" and "Marie Curie of the island nation" by the small island nation, announced that it had successfully produced a new "universal cell" STAP cell.
The production method is very simple. Cells removed from mouse spleens are soaked in a weakly acidic solution with a pH similar to that of black tea for 25 minutes. New cells appear after a few days of culture.
This new cell was called a universal cell by Obokata Haruko.
What are universal cells?
That is, combined with cloning technology, universal cells can be developed into cells, tissues or organs whose genetic characteristics exactly match those of the patient.
Such as heart, kidneys, lungs, liver, skin, eyes, etc.
If such cells could be produced, it would be tantamount to having a new life for those suffering from various cancers or diseases.
After all, cells taken from one's own body can evolve into various organs after reverse culture. If transplanted to one's own body, it can be said that there will be no rejection reaction.
Therefore, at the time, this achievement was considered an epoch-making achievement that subverted the common sense of life sciences. Many people even believed that the next Nobel Prize in Biology must be awarded to Haruko Obokata.
After all, this achievement is more than Nobel Prize-level. If it comes true, it will benefit the whole world.
Subsequently, on January 29, 2014, the research results were published in the electronic version of the scientific journal Nature, which further confirmed the authenticity of the experiment.
Hence the cheers on the island both at home and abroad.
After the paper was published, it quickly caused a huge sensation. Such a great achievement naturally attracted the attention of all parties, and major media reported on it. The scientific community in other countries also had expectations for the huge potential brought by this achievement. The value generated is even more imaginative.
But soon, external experts pointed out that the images in the paper published by Obokata Haruko were unnatural and suspected to have been processed.
In addition, some foreign colleagues repeated experiments using the methods introduced in the paper, but were unable to reproduce the results.
Including Obokata Haruko herself, no one can repeat the experiment to produce the results in the paper.
Then public opinions abounded, and the small island nation began to check for itself. The higher the profile, the more likely it is that problems will occur. The higher the status, the worse the fall.
In the end, the STAP cell incident, which caused a sensation in the academic world, was settled on Obokata Haruko’s academic fraud case on December 19, 2014. The inspector confirmed that Obokata Haruko had committed academic misconduct such as duplication of experimental data.
That is ‘fake’.
Obokata Haruko's doctoral supervisor believed too much in Obokata Haruko, and ultimately could not bear the blow of public opinion and committed suicide.
But before he died, he still believed in his students, and the suicide note he left behind was that he hoped Obokata Haruko could recreate STAP cells.
All I can say is that I was deceived terribly.
This fraud brought a devastating blow to the small island country's "Ambeinomics" and "Regenerative Cell Research" experiments.
Her mentor committed suicide, Obokata Haruko was revoked from her doctorate, the university fell into dust, and the status of Nature declined.
A series of impacts were brought about by Obokata Haruko’s fraud.
But the funny thing is that Obokata Haruko never thought that she was fake.
Although she admitted at the press conference that there were many "mistakes" in the paper, she emphasized that the STAP phenomenon is a fact that has been confirmed many times.
However, since the publication of the paper, she has never repeated the STAP experiment successfully.
Xu Chuan does not think that several PhD fellows in the Department of Astronomy gave him false data, but on this basis, there is indeed a problem with Betelgeuse's data.
So either astronomical experiments have collected problematic data, or Betelgeuse itself may have problems.
After thinking about it for a while, Xu Chuan couldn't determine where the problem was.
However, he can rule it out and use mathematical tools to make a calculated diagnosis.
Mathematics does not lie.
After sorting out the manuscript paper on the table, Xu Chuan started writing again, first isolating the problematic data, and then recalculating the observation data of Betelgeuse.
[Calculated from data calculated at 11:23 on March 26, 2016, the diameter of Betelgeuse is: 889.007127235D⊙]
[Calculated from data at 10:37 on March 27, 2016, the diameter of Betelgeuse is: 889.007127261D⊙]
[Calculated from data at 2:03 on March 27, 2016, the diameter of Betelgeuse is: 889.007127214D⊙]
[Calculated from data at 11:36 on March 28, 2016, the diameter of Betelgeuse is:.] [March 29, 2016.]
It took Xu Chuan more than six hours to complete the calculations with a total of sixteen rough data in his hand.
But except for the first time when the number [67.456799134D⊙] appeared, the diameter of Betelgeuse in the remaining fifteen points of data was all around 889D⊙.
There is a difference in the precise number at the end, but the difference is not big. This is caused by Betelgeuse's expansion or contraction every moment due to star activity.
At the same time, these data also confirm that the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem can calculate stellar data through eigenvalues and boundary values.
But this also made Xu Chuan even more confused. Is it really because there was something wrong with the set of data collected during the first calculation?
After thinking about it, Xu Chuan started writing again, substituted the values used in the first calculation into the calculation formula and calculated again.
As a result, two sets of solutions still emerged.
A group【889.00712721D⊙】
A group【67.456799134D⊙】
"What's going on?"
Staring at the calculated data again on the manuscript paper, Xu Chuan scratched his chin.
By now, he could rule out that there was a problem with his own calculations. He had also used more than a dozen sets of data to rule out problems with Betelgeuse and the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem. There was only one possibility left.
That means there is a problem with the experimental data during the first calculation. There may be measurement errors or other problems?
After thinking about it, Xu Chuan dragged the computer from the side and created a new execl table. He dragged the first set of calculated experimental data and the subsequent fifteen sets of experimental data into the table and compared them.
In this case, direct comparison is one of the quickest ways to find the problem.
With his sensitivity to numbers, as long as there is a problem with these values, he will definitely be able to find it.
Sure enough, after browsing through the values of each item, Xu Chuan's eyes were fixed on the execl table.
In the ninth line, there is a significant reduction in the amount of infrared radiation. Correspondingly, the brightness of Betelgeuse has increased by 1.5 visual magnitudes.
In the eleventh row, the original diameter also has an obvious gap in comparison, and the gap reaches nearly forty solar diameters.
In the fourteenth line, there is also a significant difference in the surface temperature of Betelgeuse, but this cannot be referenced.
Because the surface temperatures of the other fifteen groups also vary greatly. The highest surface temperature of Betelgeuse can reach 3,400 degrees, and the lowest is only 2,500 degrees.
This is caused by the frequent celestial activities of Betelgeuse, just like sunspots, flares, prominences and other activities on the sun.
It's just that the sun's activity is much weaker than that of Betelgeuse. If it were as violent as Betelgeuse, the earth would either turn into toast or a frozen world, and the two would reincarnate repeatedly.
Just like the weather in Star City, you experience spring, summer, autumn and winter one week, and winter, autumn, summer and spring again the next week.
In addition, there are some other subtle gaps on this form, but they are not as obvious as these three information-awareness features.
After thinking about it, Xu Chuan slightly modified the original values based on the original values in the ninth and eleventh rows, making them larger or smaller, and then reused this data for calculations.
Soon, a new set of data was calculated.
A group【908.767347901D⊙】
Group 2【131.319771313D⊙】
Two sets of completely different values came into Xu Chuan's eyes again.
"Is it such a big impact?"
Staring at the calculated value on the manuscript paper, Xu Chuan whispered to himself. The value he artificially created did not significantly adjust the original value. It could even be said that it only increased by about 5%.
But the answers of the second group soared more than twice on the original basis.
The diameter has increased directly from the original 67.45D⊙ to 171.31D⊙.
After thinking about it, Xu Chuan took out the phone from the table and called his doctoral student brother who was collecting Betelgeuse data for him in southern Yunnan.
After briefly introducing the situation on his side, Senior Brother Liu Xuan, who was leading the team on the other end of the phone, immediately screamed.
"What? Two diameters?"
"This is impossible. How can a star have two diameters, and the difference is so big? One group has nearly 900 D⊙ units, and the other group has less than 100."
"Junior brother, have you ever considered that there was a problem with your calculations?"
Xu Chuan could understand Liu Xuan's fierce rebuttal. He also couldn't believe it when he first calculated it, but he was more calm.
"I know this is unscientific, but the values calculated by the Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem are indeed like this."
"That may be a problem in the calculation process. A star, even a star with intense activity in its later years like Betelgeuse, will have different diameters, and the deviation cannot be so large."
On the other end of the phone, before Xu Chuan could say anything, Liu Xuan's retort came over.
Xu Chuan glanced at the manuscript paper on the table and said: "I have calculated all the sixteen sets of data I brought back. Fifteen of them have only one diameter, which is around 889D⊙ units. The numbers can be accurate to the first decimal place. Eight.”
"This is enough to prove that my Xu-Weyl-Berry theorem is correct and it can accurately calculate the diameter of Betelgeuse."
"But among these sixteen sets of data, one set of data calculated two answers"
Xu Chuan didn't finish his words, it was enough at this point.
"You mean there is a problem with a set of Betelgeuse data we observed?"
On the other end of the phone, Liu Xuan gradually calmed down and asked with a frown after listening to Xu Chuan's analysis.
He didn't really believe that there was something wrong with the observation data.
Because the data handed over to Xu Chuan had been checked by him personally, if there were any problems, they would have been discovered during the verification.
But since there is a problem, it must be solved.
So let’s see where the problem is first.
"Well, the preliminary judgment is this."
Xu Chuan responded without saying another sentence: "In addition to the possible problems with the data, there is another possibility, that is, when this set of observation data was recorded, some unknown changes may have occurred on Betelgeuse, thus affecting the data."
Hearing this, Liu Xuan frowned again. Has Betelgeuse undergone an unknown change?
What changes could cause such a large diameter difference?
After thinking for a while, Liu Xuan said: "Let's do this, you send that set of data to my email, and I will analyze it urgently tonight. I have all the original data of the observation data in my hand. If there are changes in Betelgeuse, Through that information, we should be able to analyze something.”
Xu Chuan nodded and said: "Then I'll bother Senior Brother Liu. I'll book a ticket for tomorrow to go to southern Yunnan."
(End of chapter)