Chapter 47: Tranquility Plain
The Moon?!
This immediately plunged even Jiang Yang into shock.
Before Jiang Yang could ask, Sun Changhe voiced that question: “How credible is this judgment?”
Lu Zhaoming gritted his teeth: “One hundred percent.
The Neutrino Telescope can determine the angle of the incoming neutrino, which in turn can determine the incoming direction of the neutrino.
If it were a single telescope, we could only determine the direction but not the distance, and with high error. But with multiple telescopes observing together, it’s different.
By simultaneously extending reverse lines in space from the neutrino incoming angles observed by eight telescopes, it’s clear that the point where these extended lines ultimately converge is the coordinates of the neutrino source.
And now, the data shows that this neutrino source is located on the Moon.
At the same time, the energy of this type of neutrino is extremely high, clearly distinct from neutrinos produced by the Sun, Earth’s interior, and man-made nuclear reactors.
This type of neutrino, we have only occasionally observed in the past in cosmic high-energy radiation.”
The words Moon and high-energy neutrino kept intertwining in Jiang Yang’s mind, making his thoughts chaotic.
“Professor Lu, do you think these high-energy neutrinos caused acute radiation sickness in the human body?”
“Our existing physics theory does not support this possibility at all. But in reality… I don’t know.
Our understanding of the physical world is still far too limited; perhaps high-energy neutrinos do possess certain characteristics we don’t know about?
Or perhaps, neutrinos also have properties similar to electromagnetic waves, where different frequencies have different natures, just like visible light is harmless to the human body, but lasers can injure it.
In this regard, I can only make some guesses. But this actually doesn’t matter.”
Professor Lu Zhaoming’s expression finally became resolute: “We don’t need to know what role neutrinos played in the apocalypse, or what unknown scientific principles were involved in this process.
We only need to know that the apocalypse is indeed related to neutrinos, and that the neutrino source is on the Moon.
If we can destroy that neutrino source…”
Jiang Yang’s heart jolted.
Indeed!
Just like a primitive man, he might completely not understand the principles of modern firearms, not know why the small things fired from firearms can kill him, and not think at all about how to block bullets.
There is only one thing he needs to do.
Smash that firearm with a stone.
In the current situation, as long as they find a way to destroy that neutrino source on the Moon, human civilization might survive this apocalypse!
Having figured this out, Jiang Yang’s heart instantly surged with excitement.
This was already his fifth cycle.
In this cycle, he had seen too many people who fought desperately against the apocalypse regardless of everything, persisting relentlessly even without any hope ahead and knowing clearly that they would die in this life.
Failure after failure, death after death, endlessly looping through these short ten days.
After repeated failures and deaths, in this life… has a glimmer of hope finally appeared?
Sun Changhe asked steadily: “Professor Lu, what are the precise coordinates of the neutrino source? Where on the Moon?”
“Limited by the short observation time, this data cannot determine overly precise coordinates.
What can currently be determined is that the location of the neutrino radiation source is within a sphere of about 10 kilometers radius in Mare Tranquillitatis on the Moon.”
“Sphere?”
“Yes. It may not be on the lunar surface; it could also be above the lunar surface or underground.”
“The top priority now is to figure out exactly what’s happening at the corresponding coordinates. Professor Lu, do we have this capability now?”
Lu Zhaoming lowered his head and conferred briefly with several colleagues beside him, then said: “If it’s on the ground or surface, yes.
Currently, our country’s Lunar Survey Satellite is steadily operating in lunar orbit, at an average distance of about 50 kilometers from the lunar surface.
Its resolution can reach about 0.4 meters, making it the highest-resolution among the only two visible-light band exploration satellites currently in lunar orbit.
If there are certain special objects on the surface in Tranquility Plain on the Moon, it can definitely capture them.
If it’s underground, then there’s no way.”
Sun Changhe decisively made the call: “Contact the satellite operations team and immediately target the corresponding coordinates for survey! Whether there’s anything or not, we’ll see after looking!”
“Yes.”
The secretary acknowledged and hurriedly left the meeting room where Sun Changhe was, clearly to contact the relevant team.
Moments later, Sun Changhe glanced at his mobile phone and said gravely: “I’ve received a reply from the satellite operations team. Including the time for maneuver orbit change, the first Tranquility Plain image can arrive in about two hours.
Professor Lu, prepare the analysis team.”
“Yes.”
Sun Changhe looked at Jiang Yang: “Commander Jiang, I suggest a temporary recess.”
At this stage, before clarifying the specific situation at the Tranquility Plain coordinates, it would be hard for them to make the next judgment or decision.
At the same time, the amount of information now is truly too great and too shocking. Except for Jiang Yang, everyone needs some time to digest and absorb it.
Jiang Yang nodded slightly: “Good.”
An electromagnetic wave was emitted from the Earth control console, crossing the 380,000 kilometers between Earth and Moon in about 1.27 seconds, smoothly entering a satellite the size of a small car, with large solar panels and a dish antenna.
The next moment, the long-dormant thruster ignited, and the hydrazine fuel stored inside the satellite began to burn, jetting out high-temperature, high-pressure gas.
Under the retro-thrust force, the Lunar Survey Satellite changed its flight direction, flying quickly over the dark gray, crater-filled Moon at about 50 kilometers altitude.
Gradually, it arrived above a vast lunar plain covered in dark gray basalt.
This was Mare Tranquillitatis.
Over three billion years ago, shortly after the Moon’s formation, its core had not yet cooled and solidified, and it still had relatively active geological activity.
An ancient lunar volcano erupted, with the erupted lava flowing freely, cooling slowly over the following tens of thousands of years, ultimately forming this vast plain about 900 kilometers in diameter and totaling about 420,000 square kilometers in area.
This plain is so huge that people on Earth can see it with the naked eye.
During full moon, the large dark area in the upper right part of the Moon is Tranquility Plain.
For a long time, people have conducted extensive detection of Tranquility Plain. But something like this—targeting a specific area of only about 300 square kilometers in Tranquility Plain with the highest resolution for detailed filming—is the first time.
