Ukubheka emkhathini omkhulu we isikhala, siyazibuza ukuthi kukhona yini ukuphila ngale kweplanethi yethu. Enye yezindawo ezithakazelisa kakhulu ongazihlola i-Titan, inyanga enkulu ye-Saturn. Ngomkhathi wayo owugqinsi kanye nendawo embozwe amachibi nezilwandle ze-methane ewuketshezi ne-ethane, i-Titan ibilokhu ihlaba umxhwele ososayensi iminyaka eminingi.
Ngokubukeka kwayo okuhlukile kanye namakhemikhali ayingqayizivele, i-Titan imele okuphoqelekile okuhlosiwe kososayensi abafuna ukuqonda ukusebenza kwesimiso sethu sonozungezilanga kanye nokwenzeka ukuphila ngale koMhlaba. Ngokuhlola inyanga nokucwaninga amakhemikhali ayo, singase sikwazi ukukhanyisa ezinye zezimfihlakalo ezinkulu zendawo yonke, kuhlanganise nemvelaphi yokuphila ngokwako.
I-Titan, inyanga enkulu ye-Saturn
I-Titan ingenye yezinyanga ezithakazelisayo nezithakazelisa kakhulu esimiso sethu sonozungezilanga. Kutholwe isazi sezinkanyezi sase-Dutch Christiaan Huygens ngo-1655, iyinyanga enkulu kunazo zonke yeSaturn kanye nenyanga yesibili ngobukhulu ohlelweni lwethu sonozungezilanga. I-Titan iyizwe eliyingqayizivele futhi inezici eziningi ezibalulekile eziyenza ihluke kwezinye izinyanga esimiso sethu sonozungezilanga.
Esinye sezici ezihluke kakhulu ze-Titan umoya wayo. Umkhathi we-Titan wakhiwe kakhulu yi-nitrogen, efana neyoMhlaba, kodwa futhi iqukethe inani elikhulu le-methane. Lokhu kwenza i-Titan kube ukuphela kwento eyaziwayo ohlelweni lwethu sonozungezilanga, ngaphandle koMhlaba, ukuba nemizimba ezinzile yoketshezi endaweni yayo. Lezi zindikimba eziwuketshezi zakha amachibi nezilwandle, kodwa azenziwanga ngamanzi. Kunalokho, zenziwe nge-methane ewuketshezi kanye ne-ethane, okuyisici esiyingqayizivele se-Titan.
Esinye isici esibalulekile se-Titan indlela yayo yesimo sezulu. Inyanga ihlangabezana nezimo zesimo sezulu ezifana nezasemhlabeni, kodwa ngokusonteka okuyingqayizivele ngenxa yomkhathi wayo ocebile nge-methane. I-Titan inezinkathi zonyaka, futhi izimo zayo zesimo sezulu ziyashintsha ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Amafu e-methane akheka, bese kunetha imvula, kudaleke imifula namachibi phezulu. Lawa maphethini wesimo sezulu enza i-Titan ibe indawo ethokozisayo yokufunda nokuhlola.
Ukuqhathanisa i-Titan nezinye izindikimba zasezulwini
I-Titan ingamakhilomitha angu-5,149.46 (3,199.73 miles) ububanzi, izikhathi ezingu-1.06 kolweplanethi iMercury, 1.48 okwenyanga, kanye no-0.40 koMhlaba. Iwukuphela kwenyanga esimisweni sethu sonozungezilanga esinomkhathi omkhulu. Umkhathi ngokuvamile une-nitrogen ene-methane namanye amagesi alandela umkhondo. Lokhu kwenza i-Titan ifane kakhulu neplanethi kunenyanga.
Eqinisweni, i-Titan inokufana okuningi noMhlaba. Inesimiso sezulu esinamafu, imvula, ngisho namachibi nezilwandle. Nokho, uketshezi olungaphezulu kwe-Titan aluwona amanzi kodwa kunalokho i-methane ewuketshezi ne-ethane ngenxa yamazinga okushisa abandayo. Ingaphezulu liphinde limbozwe ngama-molecule ezinto eziphilayo, okuyizinto zokwakha ukuphila.
Uma siqhathanisa i-Titan nezinye izinyanga ezisesimisweni sethu sonozungezilanga, siyabona ukuthi iyona yodwa enomoya omningi noketshezi endaweni yayo. Lokhu kuyenza ihluke kwezinye izinyanga njenge Europa futhi Enceladus, ezinolwandle olungaphansi komhlaba kodwa ezingenawo umkhathi.
Mayelana namaplanethi, i-Titan inokuningi okufanayo noMhlaba, kodwa ibanda kakhulu ngezinga lokushisa eliphakathi kuka -290°F (-179°C). Lokhu kwenza ifane kakhulu ne Mashi noma ngisho nomdondoshiya wegesi Neptune.
Ngokuphawulekayo, ukuqhathanisa i-Titan nezinye izindikimba zasezulwini kusisiza ukuba siqonde ukuthi yini eyenza ihluke nokuthi ingakwazi yini ukusekela ukuphila. Nakuba kungase kungabi ukuqhathanisa okuphelele, kusinika umbono ongcono wezinto ezingaba khona ekuphileni kule nyanga ethakazelisayo.
Amathuba okuphila ku-Titan
I-Titan ihlukile ngoba iwukuphela kwento esimisweni sethu sonozungezilanga ngaphandle koMhlaba ukuba nemizimba ezinzile yoketshezi endaweni yayo. Nakuba imizimba yoketshezi esemhlabeni isekelwe emanzini, i-Titan's isekelwe ku-methane, okuye kwaholela ososayensi bazibuze ukuthi kungenzeka yini ukuthi ukuphila kube khona enyangeni. Nakuba lezi ziphuzo zibanda kakhulu ukuphila njengoba sikwazi, kunobufakazi bokuthi zingasekela i-chemistry edingekayo ekuthuthukisweni kokuphila okusekelwe ezinqubweni zamakhemikhali ezahlukene kunalezo esizijwayele.
Ukwengeza, ucwaningo lwakamuva luphakamise ukuthi kungase kube nezilwandle ezingaphansi komhlaba zamanzi awuketshezi ku-Titan, ezingase zisekele ukuphila okufana nalokho esikubona eMhlabeni. Lezi zilwandle zizoba ngaphansi koqweqwe lwenyanga oluneqhwa futhi zizogcinwa ziwuketshezi ngokushisa okukhiqizwa amandla olwandle avela kuSaturn. Nakuba ukuba khona kwempilo ku-Titan kusewukuqagela nje, amandla okuba khona kunethuba elimangalisayo eliqhubeka nokuthatha umcabango wososayensi nomphakathi ngokufanayo.
Ngakho-ke, kuye kwathunyelwa izithunywa eziningi zokuhlola inyanga ngethemba lokuthola ubufakazi bokuphila. Njengoba siqhubeka nokuhlola le nyanga ethakazelisayo, ekugcineni singase sivule izimfihlo zemisebenzi yayo engaba khona yezinto eziphilayo futhi sithole ukuthi ukuphila kukhona ngempela yini ngale kweplanethi yethu.
Ucwaningo lwamanje kanye nokutholakele
Eminyakeni yamuva nje, kuye kwaba nesithakazelo esikhulayo sokuhlola ukuthi kungenzeka yini ukuphila ku-Titan, inyanga enkulu kunazo zonke ye-Saturn. I Umsebenzi weCassini-Huygens, ibhizinisi elihlanganyelwe phakathi kwe-NASA kanye ne-European Space Agency, yethulwa ngo-1997 futhi yafika eSaturn ngo-2004, uphenyo lwe-Huygens lwehlela phezu kwe-Titan ngo-2005. Idatha eqoqwe kule mishini inikeze ukuqonda okubalulekile emkhathini wenyanga. , indawo, namandla okuphila.
Okunye okubaluleke kakhulu okutholwe kumishini yeCassini-Huygens ukuba khona kwe-methane ewuketshezi kanye ne-ethane ebusweni be-Titan. Lokhu kusikisela ukuthi inyanga inomjikelezo we-hydrologic ofana nomjikelezo wamanzi oMhlaba. Kukhona futhi izinkomba zolwandle olungaphansi komhlaba olunamanzi aluketshezi, olungase lube nempilo.
Okunye okutholakele okubalulekile ubukhona be ama-molecule ayinkimbinkimbi e-Titan. La ma- molecule ayizisekelo zokwakha ukuphila njengoba sikwazi, futhi ukuba khona kwawo kuphakamisa ithuba lokuthi ukuphila kungaba khona enyangeni.
Kodwa-ke, izimo ezinzima ku-Titan zenza kube nzima ukuthi ukuphila, njengoba sazi, kungasinda. Izinga lokushisa enyangeni licishe libe ngu-290 degrees Fahrenheit, futhi umkhathi wakhiwe ngokuyinhloko nge-nitrogen ne-methane, ezinobuthi kubantu. Noma kunjalo, ukutholakala kwama-molecule ezinto eziphilayo kanye namandla olwandle olungaphansi komhlaba kwenza i-Titan ibe ithagethi ethakazelisayo yokuhlola nokucwaninga kwesikhathi esizayo.
Amandla okuhlola okuzayo
Amandla okuhlolwa kwesikhathi esizayo kwe-Titan makhulu, futhi iyithemba elijabulisayo kososayensi nabathandi bomkhathi ngokufanayo. I-Cassini mission isinikeze ulwazi olubalulekile nemininingwane ngale nyanga eyingqayizivele, futhi kunezinhlelo eziqhubekayo zemishini yesikhathi esizayo eya ku-Titan, njenge-Dragonfly mission ehlelelwe ukwethulwa ngoJuni 2027 (ehleliwe).
I-Dragonfly iyimishini ye-NASA ehlose ukuthumela i-rotorcraft lander endaweni ye-Titan ukuze ihlole futhi ifunde indawo yayo. Lo msebenzi uzovumela ososayensi ukuthi baphenye inyanga eduze kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili futhi bangase bathole ubufakazi obuningi bempilo noma izimo ezivumela ukuphila.
Kukhona futhi iziphakamiso ze-Titan Saturn System Mission, ezingahlanganisa ukuthumela ama-probe ukuze kuhlolwe amachibi nezilwandle ze-Titan, kanye nokufunda ukusebenzisana phakathi kwe-Titan ne-Saturn. Ngokuthuthuka kwezobuchwepheshe kanye nezinhlelo ze-propulsion, amandla okuhlola okwengeziwe nokutholwa ku-Titan makhulu kakhulu.
Amathuba okuthola impilo ku-Titan akukaqinisekwa, kodwa amandla okuthola okwengeziwe mayelana nomkhathi oyingqayizivele wenyanga, indawo, namandla okusingatha impilo makhulu. Imisebenzi yesikhathi esizayo eya ku-Titan iphethe isithembiso sokutholwa okujabulisayo nokuqonda okujulile kwesistimu yethu sonozungezilanga namandla okuphila ngale koMhlaba.
Izinselelo zokuhlola i-Titan
Ukuhlola i-Titan, inyanga enkulu ye-Saturn, kuyithuba elijabulisayo kososayensi nabathandi bomkhathi ngokufanayo. Nokho, iza nesethi yayo yezinselelo. I-Titan imbozwe umoya owugqinsi, onenkungu ofihla ubuso ukuthi bungabonakali. Lokhu kusho ukuthi izindlela ezivamile zokuhlola, njengokusebenzisa amakhamera noma izibonakude, azinakwenzeka.
Ukuze unqobe le nselele, umkhumbi-mkhathi we-NASA u-Cassini wasebenzisa i-radar ukuze wenze imephu ebusweni be-Titan phakathi nomsebenzi wawo. I-radar yakwazi ukungena emkhathini owugqinsi, yanikeza ososayensi umbono oningiliziwe wezinto ezingaphezulu kwenyanga.
Enye inselele yokuhlola i-Titan izinga lokushisa eliphansi kakhulu, okuyenza ibe enye yezindawo ezibanda kakhulu ohlelweni lwethu sonozungezilanga. Lokhu kubanda okudlulele kwenza kube nzima ukuklama imishini ekwazi ukumelana nezimo ezinzima futhi isasebenza ngempumelelo.
Ukwengeza, ibanga eliphakathi koMhlaba ne-Titan linikeza izinselele zokuhlela zemishini. Kuthatha cishe iminyaka engu-7 ukuze umkhumbi-mkhathi ufinyelele ku-Titan, futhi ukubambezeleka kokuxhumana kusho ukuthi ukulawula kwesikhathi sangempela akunakwenzeka. Lokhu kudinga ukuthi amaqembu ahlele ngokucophelela futhi alungiselele isigaba ngasinye semishini, njengoba noma imaphi amaphutha angeke alungiswe ngokushesha.
Naphezu kwalezi zinselele, amandla okuthola impilo ku-Titan yisizathu esinamandla sokuqhubeka nokuhlola. Umkhathi wenyanga uqukethe izinto eziphilayo, futhi kunobufakazi bama-hydrocarbon awuketshezi endaweni yayo. Lezi zici zenza i-Titan ibe yimpokophelo ethakazelisayo yocwaningo lwesayensi yezinkanyezi futhi ingase iholele ekutholweni okusha mayelana nomsuka wokuphila esimisweni sethu sonozungezilanga.
Izimiso zokuziphatha zokuhlola impilo yangaphandle komhlaba
Njengoba sihlola ukuthi kungenzeka yini ukuthola ukuphila kwangaphandle komhlaba ku-Titan, kunokucatshangelwa okuthile kokuziphatha okufanele kucatshangelwe. Uma sithola impilo ku-Titan, ithini imiphumela? Kuyowuthinta kanjani umbono wethu ngokuphila nendawo yonke?
Enye yezinto ezikhathaza kakhulu ngokuziphatha ingozi yokutheleleka. Uma sithola impilo ku-Titan, kufanele siqinisekise ukuthi asiyingcolisi ngama-microorganisms omhlaba lapho siqoqa amasampula. Kudingeka siqinisekise ukuthi sithatha zonke izinyathelo zokuphepha ezidingekayo ukuze sigweme noma yikuphi ukungcoliswa okuyingozi okungabeka engcupheni amathuba okuthola ukuphila ku-Titan.
Okunye ukucatshangelwa kwezimiso zokuziphatha umthelela ukuhlola kwethu okungase kube nawo ezinhlotsheni zempilo ezingaba khona ku-Titan. Uma sikuthola ukuphila, kudingeka siqiniseke ukuthi asikulimazi nganoma iyiphi indlela. Kudingeka siqinisekise ukuthi ukuhlola nophenyo lwethu akunawo umthelela omubi endaweni ezungezile kanye nezindlela zokuphila ezingaba khona esingase sizithole.
Ngamanye amazwi, sidinga ukusondela ekuhloleni ukuphila kwangaphandle komhlaba ngokunakekela okukhulu nokucabangela umthelela ongaba khona kanye nemithelela. Kufanele sibeke phambili ukuphepha kwanoma yiziphi izindlela zokuphila ezingaba khona futhi sithathe zonke izinyathelo zokuphepha ezidingekayo ukuze sigweme noma yikuphi ukulimala noma ukungcoliswa.
Isiphetho: Imicabango yokugcina mayelana nokwenzeka kokuphila ku-Titan
Ngemva kokuhlola izici ezihlukahlukene ezingase zisekele ukuba khona kokuphila ku-Titan, kuyacaca ukuthi kungenzeka ngeke kukhishwe ngokuphelele. Ukuba khona kwamanzi, ama-organic molecule, kanye nolwandle olungaphansi komhlaba kubonisa ukuthi kungase kube nezimo ku-Titan ezingase zisekele ukuphila okufana nalokho esikwaziyo eMhlabeni. Nokho, amazinga okushisa abandayo kakhulu, ukuntuleka kokukhanya kwelanga, namazinga aphezulu emisebe kwenza kube indawo eyinselele yokuphila ukuze kuthuthuke (nakuba kungenakwenzeka).
Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuhlola kwethu i-Titan kusesezigabeni zakho zokuqala, futhi kuningi esingakakutholi mayelana nale nyanga engaqondakali. Imisebenzi yesikhathi esizayo nocwaningo kungase kuvumbule ubufakazi obusha obusekela noma obuphikisa ukuba nokwenzeka kwempilo ku-Titan.
Sengiphetha, nakuba singenakusho ngokuqinisekile ukuthi ingabe kukhona ukuphila ku-Titan, ubufakazi nokucwaninga kwesayensi kuze kube manje kusikisela ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi kubhekwe kabanzi. Ukutholwa kokuphila ngale koMhlaba kungaba enye yentuthuko yesayensi ebaluleke kakhulu emlandweni wesintu futhi kunganikeza ukuqonda okubalulekile ngemvelaphi yokuphila kanye namandla okuba ukuphila kube khona ngale kweplanethi yethu.
Okokugcina, ungakhohlwa ukuthi izilwandle zimboza cishe amaphesenti angama-70 obuso bomhlaba ngakho-ke akufanele kumangaze ukuthi uma kuziwa ekuhloleni, sisanda kunwaya phezulu. Kuze kube manje, amehlo abantu abone cishe amaphesenti angu-5 kuphela olwandle - kusho ukuthi amaphesenti angu-95 namanje awakahlolisiswa. Ngakho, ngubani owaziyo ukuthi yini efufusa ekujuleni olwandle lwe-Titan?
