1 00:00:01,849 --> 00:00:12,860 >>> BEYOND THE GALAXY IS THE VAST EMPTY VASTNESS OF SPACE. 2 00:00:12,860 --> 00:00:13,860 EMPTY? 3 00:00:13,860 --> 00:00:15,549 NOT QUITE. 4 00:00:15,549 --> 00:00:19,940 ACROSS THE MILKY WAY, THE ENORMOUS DISTANCES FROM STAR TO 5 00:00:19,940 --> 00:00:24,050 STAR ARE FILLED WITH MATTER. 6 00:00:24,050 --> 00:00:25,050 WHAT IS IT? 7 00:00:25,050 --> 00:00:27,160 FROM WHERE DID IT COME? 8 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:34,899 NEW SAMPLINGS BY NASA's IBEX SPACECRAFT REVEAL MORE ABOUT THE 9 00:00:34,899 --> 00:00:39,989 NATURE OF THIS MATTER, MATTER THAT IS THE BASIS FOR STARS, 10 00:00:39,989 --> 00:00:48,999 PLANETS AND EVEN, US HUMANS. 11 00:00:48,999 --> 00:01:02,109 >>> GOOD AFTERNOON. 12 00:01:02,109 --> 00:01:06,579 I'M DWAYNE BROWN WITH THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND WELCOME TO 13 00:01:06,579 --> 00:01:08,700 NASA HEADQUARTERS. 14 00:01:08,700 --> 00:01:12,820 TODAY YOU WILL HEAR AND LEARN ABOUT THE ANATOMY OF ALL 15 00:01:12,820 --> 00:01:14,920 GALACTIC NEIGHBORHOOD. 16 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:23,770 THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT NASA.GOV/IBEX AND 17 00:01:23,770 --> 00:01:28,970 ALSO VIA TWITTER, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA 18 00:01:28,970 --> 00:01:29,970 SITES. 19 00:01:29,970 --> 00:01:32,939 WE'LL HAVE BRIEF PRESENTATIONS FROM OUR PRESENTERS AND THEN 20 00:01:32,939 --> 00:01:36,630 OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONING STARTING HERE IN WASHINGTON AND 21 00:01:36,630 --> 00:01:37,630 GO TO OUR PHONE LINES. 22 00:01:37,630 --> 00:01:39,899 WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER. 23 00:01:39,899 --> 00:01:43,039 LET'S GET STARTED AND LET ME FIRST INTRODUCE YOU TO TODAY'S 24 00:01:43,039 --> 00:01:44,350 SPEAKERS. 25 00:01:44,350 --> 00:01:52,140 FIRST UP, DAVE McCOCAS, IBEX, PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR AND 26 00:01:52,140 --> 00:01:56,219 ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT OF THE SPACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 27 00:01:56,219 --> 00:02:02,250 DIVISION, SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. 28 00:02:02,250 --> 00:02:08,619 PRISCILLA FRISCH, DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS, 29 00:02:08,619 --> 00:02:11,510 UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO. 30 00:02:11,510 --> 00:02:17,500 EBERHARD MÖBIUS, SPACE SCIENCE CENTER AND DEPARTMENT OF 31 00:02:17,500 --> 00:02:21,580 PHYSICS, UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AND WHO'S CURRENTLY 32 00:02:21,580 --> 00:02:26,000 VISITING PROFESSOR AT THE SPACE SCIENCE AND APPLICATION'S GROUP 33 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:31,330 LOS ALAMOS LABORATORY. 34 00:02:31,330 --> 00:02:38,100 AND SETH REDFIELD, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 35 00:02:38,100 --> 00:02:40,040 IN MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT. 36 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,170 WITH THAT, I'LL TOSS IT TO DAVE. 37 00:02:43,170 --> 00:02:44,690 >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DWAYNE. 38 00:02:44,690 --> 00:02:50,220 WE'RE INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME OBSERVATIONS. 39 00:02:50,220 --> 00:02:58,150 SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T COME FROM OUR SUN OR OUR EARTH BUT OTHER 40 00:02:58,150 --> 00:03:02,320 PARTS OF THE GALAXY AND WE'RE MAKING THESE FIRST MEASUREMENTS 41 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:06,360 WITH THE IBEX INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY MISSION. 42 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:10,330 THIS MATERIAL, THIS ALIEN INTERSTELLAR MATERIAL IS THE 43 00:03:10,330 --> 00:03:13,990 STUFF THAT STARS AND PLANETS AND PEOPLE AND ALL OF US ARE MADE 44 00:03:13,990 --> 00:03:14,990 OF. 45 00:03:14,990 --> 00:03:17,150 SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE MEASURING IT DIRECTLY. 46 00:03:17,150 --> 00:03:21,400 A NUMBER OF THESE SPECIES FOR THE FIRST TIME. 47 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,840 ALL OF THESE RESULTS ARE COMING OUT TODAY IN A SET OF SIX PAPERS 48 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,420 IN A SUPPLEMENT TO THE ASTRO PHYSICAL JOURNAL, TIME TO GO 49 00:03:27,420 --> 00:03:31,410 WITH THIS PRESS CONFERENCE AND BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, I THINK 50 00:03:31,410 --> 00:03:35,370 WE NEED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND SO I'LL START WITH 51 00:03:35,370 --> 00:03:40,490 THE HELIUS SPHERES. 52 00:03:40,490 --> 00:03:45,230 THE SOLAR WIND IS A MILLION FILE AN HOUR THAT BLOWS FROM THE SUN 53 00:03:45,230 --> 00:03:48,530 IN ALL DIRECTIONS ALL THE TIME AND IT BASICALLY INFLATES A 54 00:03:48,530 --> 00:03:54,220 BUBBLE IN THE LOCAL PART OF THE BUBBLE AND THE HELIAS SPHERES IS 55 00:03:54,220 --> 00:04:03,730 NOTHING MORE THAN THE GREEK WORD FOR SUN AND FEAR SPHERE AND 56 00:04:03,730 --> 00:04:08,780 IRRELEVANT PROTECTS THE INTERSOLAR SYSTEM FROM DANGEROUS 57 00:04:08,780 --> 00:04:12,490 GALACTIC COSMIC RAYS THE MAJORITY OF WHICH WOULD COME 58 00:04:12,490 --> 00:04:15,140 INTO THE PLANETS AND THE INNER PART OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM IF IT 59 00:04:15,140 --> 00:04:18,549 WASN'T FOR THE STRUCTURE OUT THERE ABOUT 100 TIMES FURTHER 60 00:04:18,549 --> 00:04:23,260 OUT THERE THAN THE SUN IS FROM THE EARTH, THE HELIOSPHERIC 61 00:04:23,260 --> 00:04:25,860 BOUNDARIES. 62 00:04:25,860 --> 00:04:29,290 SO IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT REGION FOR US AS SPACE-FARING 63 00:04:29,290 --> 00:04:31,460 PEOPLE BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET AWAY FROM THE EARTH AND THE 64 00:04:31,460 --> 00:04:34,140 PROTECTION OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE THESE COSMIC RAYS ARE 65 00:04:34,140 --> 00:04:37,500 MORE IMPORTANT AND MORE DANGEROUS. 66 00:04:37,500 --> 00:04:41,780 SO MOVING ON TO THE NEXT MOVIE, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THE IBEX 67 00:04:41,780 --> 00:04:46,470 SPACECRAFT LAUNCHED IN 2008, OCTOBER OF 2008. 68 00:04:46,470 --> 00:04:48,300 IT'S ONLY ABOUT THREE FEET ACROSS. 69 00:04:48,300 --> 00:04:51,400 A FOOT AND A HALF HIGH AND IT WEIGHS ABOUT 200 POUNDS. 70 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,040 IT'S A VERY SMALL SPACECRAFT. 71 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,070 IT POINTS AT THE SUN AND THE BLUE PANELS YOU SEE ON THE FRONT 72 00:04:57,070 --> 00:04:59,140 WITH SOLAR LIKE YOU HAVE ON THE ROOF OF SOME HOUSES. 73 00:04:59,140 --> 00:05:01,910 THAT'S WHERE WE GET OUR POWER FROM AND WE LOOK OUT THE TWO 74 00:05:01,910 --> 00:05:05,850 SIDES WITH THESE VERY, VERY SENSITIVE CAMERAS WHICH ARE ABLE 75 00:05:05,850 --> 00:05:09,510 TO DETECT NEUTRAL PARTICLES COMING IN FROM THE FAR, FAR EDGE 76 00:05:09,510 --> 00:05:11,500 OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM. 77 00:05:11,500 --> 00:05:16,320 AND SO, THAT'S IBEX, PART OF THE EXPLORER PROGRAM HERE IN THE 78 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:22,900 HELIO PHYSICS DIVISION AND THIS IS THE LEAST EXPENSIVE MISSION. 79 00:05:22,900 --> 00:05:26,960 A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SCIENCE WE'RE GETTING OUT OF THIS VERY 80 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:27,960 SMALL SPACECRAFT. 81 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,890 MY NEXT MOVIE, YOU'LL GET AN IDEA OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM 82 00:05:31,890 --> 00:05:32,890 THE OUTSIDE OF THE GALAXY. 83 00:05:32,890 --> 00:05:36,710 THIS IS AN ARTIST RENDITION BUT AS WE ZOOM IN YOU'LL SEE US COME 84 00:05:36,710 --> 00:05:41,010 IN PAST THE BILLIONS OF STARS THAT MAKE UP THE GALAXY AND 85 00:05:41,010 --> 00:05:44,210 WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY OUT IN ONE OF THE SPIRAL ARMS AND YOU CAN 86 00:05:44,210 --> 00:05:48,830 SEE OUR HELIOS SPHERES AS IT MOVES PAST THE WIND. 87 00:05:48,830 --> 00:05:51,350 LET'S RIDE ALONG WITH THE PARTICLES THAT ARE HEADED 88 00:05:51,350 --> 00:05:55,220 TOWARDS THE NOSE OF THE HELIOS SPHERE. 89 00:05:55,220 --> 00:05:59,730 WE GET TO IT AND THE BOUNDARY PUSHES AWAY THE PARTICLES AND 90 00:05:59,730 --> 00:06:01,950 THEY'RE LOST BUT THE NEUTRAL PARTICLES ARE NOT AFFECTED BY 91 00:06:01,950 --> 00:06:06,169 THE MAGNETIC FIELD AND THEY CAN COME DIRECTLY INTO THE SPHERE. 92 00:06:06,169 --> 00:06:10,070 SOME FLY IN PAST THE PLANETS AND MOON TOWARDS THE EARTH AND A 93 00:06:10,070 --> 00:06:16,360 VERY FEW COME DIRECTLY INTO THE SPACECRAFT AND THAT'S AFTER 30 94 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:22,030 YEARS AND IS 15 BILLION MILE HOLE IN ONE. 95 00:06:22,030 --> 00:06:25,890 WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON AND PRISCILLA WILL TELL US ABOUT THE 96 00:06:25,890 --> 00:06:27,790 LOCAL PART OF THE GALAXY. 97 00:06:27,790 --> 00:06:31,669 >> I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS. 98 00:06:31,669 --> 00:06:36,950 INNER STELLAR CLOUDS ARE CLOUDS OF BETWEEN STARS. 99 00:06:36,950 --> 00:06:41,930 THE IBEX EXAM MINUTES THE LOW DENSITY TENUOUS CLOUDS SO IT'S 100 00:06:41,930 --> 00:06:45,889 DIFFERENT THAN THE CLOUDS FROM ORION. 101 00:06:45,889 --> 00:06:50,790 SO WE'LL START OUR JOURNEY INTO THE GALACTIC NEIGHBORHOOD FROM 102 00:06:50,790 --> 00:06:52,730 OUR MILKY WAY GALAXY. 103 00:06:52,730 --> 00:06:57,930 WE'LL SEE SPIRAL ARMS FULL OF GIANT, DENSE CLOUDS, MASSES OF 104 00:06:57,930 --> 00:06:59,920 STARS AND DUST. 105 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:02,640 AND NEXT SLIDE, HE'S. 106 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:10,110 ORION NEBULA IS NOTHING LIKE AROUND THE SUN BUT IN A CLUED 107 00:07:10,110 --> 00:07:12,730 LIKE THIS CLOUDS ARE BORN AND THEY ARE SUPER NOVA. 108 00:07:12,730 --> 00:07:20,050 AND YOU SEE THESE BEAUTIFUL ARCS AND BUBBLES HAVE THAT BEEN BLOWN 109 00:07:20,050 --> 00:07:26,580 BY THE WINDS OF BRAND NEW STARS INSIDE THE ORION NEBULA. 110 00:07:26,580 --> 00:07:31,360 THIS IS THE DEBRIS OF A SUPER NOVA EXPLOSION THAT HAPPENED 111 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:35,040 1,000 YEARS AGO AND OBSERVED BY YOUR ANCESTORS AND CALLED THE 112 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:39,150 CRAB SUPER NOVA EXPLOSIONS AND WHEN THE CRAB EXPLODED IT CASTS 113 00:07:39,150 --> 00:07:43,090 MANY OF THE ELEMENTS THAT THE IBEX OBSERVED INTO SPACE. 114 00:07:43,090 --> 00:07:47,790 THE PERIODIC TABLE SHOWS YOU THE HYDROGEN, HELIUM, OXYGEN AND 115 00:07:47,790 --> 00:07:50,690 NEON THAT IBEX IS OBSERVING RIGHT NOW. 116 00:07:50,690 --> 00:07:54,729 THE FIRST DIRECT MEASUREMENTS OF INNER STELLAR MATERIAL MADE 117 00:07:54,729 --> 00:07:57,500 WITHOUT A TELESCOPE. 118 00:07:57,500 --> 00:08:00,320 THE ANIMATION, PLEASE? 119 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:03,500 NOW WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THE DENSE CLOUDS BEHIND US AND 120 00:08:03,500 --> 00:08:07,410 JOURNEY INTO THE VERY TENUOUS SORT OF FLUFFY INNER STELLAR 121 00:08:07,410 --> 00:08:10,150 CLOUDS THAT SURROUND THE SUN RIGHT NOW. 122 00:08:10,150 --> 00:08:14,510 WE'RE ACTUALLY IN A COMPLEX OF CLOUDS AND THEY HAVE NAMES. 123 00:08:14,510 --> 00:08:17,010 SETH HAS NAMED SOME OF THEM. 124 00:08:17,010 --> 00:08:20,260 WE'RE RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF WHAT WE CALL THE LOCAL CLOUD. 125 00:08:20,260 --> 00:08:23,470 THAT'S THE BRIGHT YELLOW DOT IN THE CENTER OF THE FIGURE AND YOU 126 00:08:23,470 --> 00:08:26,080 CAN SEE WE'RE MOVING WITH RESPECT TO THESE CLOUDS. 127 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:29,270 THE YELLOW ARROW SHOWS THE DIRECTION OF THE SUN'S MOTION. 128 00:08:29,270 --> 00:08:33,190 NOW, BECAUSE OF THIS MOTION, INNER STELLAR GAS AND DEATH ARE 129 00:08:33,190 --> 00:08:42,849 BLOWN THROUGH THE HELIOSPHERES AND DUST AND GAS ARE BLOWN 130 00:08:42,849 --> 00:08:48,149 THROUGH BUT IBEX ONLY MEASURES THE GAS COMPONENT, OF COURSE. 131 00:08:48,149 --> 00:08:51,800 YOU SEE WE'RE AT THE EDGE OF CLOUD AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE 132 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:57,459 KNOW WE'RE AT THE EDGE OF THE CLOUD IS THE NEXT CLOUD OVER IS 133 00:08:57,459 --> 00:09:02,120 IN FRONT OF THE GALACTIC CENTER CALLED THE G CLOUD AND THE STAR 134 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:06,660 ALPHA IS BEHIND THE G CLOUD AND WHEN WE LOOK AT ALPHA CENTORI WE 135 00:09:06,660 --> 00:09:17,470 DON'T SEE THE EDGE OF THE LOCAL CLOUD SO WE KNOW WE'RE AT THE 136 00:09:17,470 --> 00:09:18,529 EDGE. 137 00:09:18,529 --> 00:09:23,600 PLEASE START THE ANIMATION. 138 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:29,029 WE CHANGE CLOUDS EVERY 45,000 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN AN A LOCAL 139 00:09:29,029 --> 00:09:33,930 CLOUD FOR 45 YEARS AND THE DATA INDICATES WE'LL LEAVE IT IN THE 140 00:09:33,930 --> 00:09:39,269 NEXT FEW THOUSAND YEARS AND WHEN WE LEAVE IT, THE INSTRUMENT ON 141 00:09:39,269 --> 00:09:41,809 IBEX WILL MEASURE SOMETHING DIFFERENT BUT WE DON'T KNOW 142 00:09:41,809 --> 00:09:46,519 WHAT. 143 00:09:46,519 --> 00:09:55,930 SO EBERHARD? 144 00:09:55,930 --> 00:10:00,769 >> LET ME REMIND YOU, THE SOLAR WIND INFLATES THE BUBBLE, HELIS 145 00:10:00,769 --> 00:10:08,019 SPHERE AND WITH THAT, THE DANGEROUS COSMIC RAYS BUT THE 146 00:10:08,019 --> 00:10:12,389 NEUTRALS PUNCH RIGHT THROUGH IT AND THEY MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO 147 00:10:12,389 --> 00:10:13,740 THE EARTH. 148 00:10:13,740 --> 00:10:19,910 HERE, IBEX CATCHES THIS WIND AND I MUST SAY PERSONALLY, THAT'S 149 00:10:19,910 --> 00:10:21,559 WHAT EXCITES ME THE MOST. 150 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,900 THAT'S THE PART OF IBEX THAT I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN WE 151 00:10:24,900 --> 00:10:26,629 STARTED IBEX. 152 00:10:26,629 --> 00:10:34,709 NOW, TO VIEW THIS, LET'S TAKE THE NEXT SLIDE AND WE BOUGHT THE 153 00:10:34,709 --> 00:10:40,949 ENTERPRISE NOW, WHICH BRINGS US FAR AWAY FROM THE SUN AND NOW WE 154 00:10:40,949 --> 00:10:46,579 SEE THIS AND WHEN WE LOOK UP AND WE SEE THE INTERSTELLAR WIND AS 155 00:10:46,579 --> 00:10:51,779 A BRIGHT SPOTLIGHT BECKONING US FROM A SCORPIO. 156 00:10:51,779 --> 00:10:58,480 DO YOU SEE SAGITARRIUS AND LIBRA TO THE RIGHT IN A VIEW YOU CAN 157 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:03,679 SEE AROUND MIDNIGHT IN JUNE WHEN LOOKING SOUTH. 158 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,959 LET'S ANIMATE THAT AND WATCH BACK TO THE EARTH AND THE VIEW 159 00:11:07,959 --> 00:11:11,899 OPENS UP TO THE ENTIRE SKY. 160 00:11:11,899 --> 00:11:19,230 AND AT EARTH, OUR IBEX WISER AWAITS THE PARTICLES AND YOU SEE 161 00:11:19,230 --> 00:11:25,779 IT TRANSITIONING TO AN IBEX MAP WHERE THE BRIGHT RED WINDS COMES 162 00:11:25,779 --> 00:11:28,379 NOW FROM LIBRA. 163 00:11:28,379 --> 00:11:32,059 WHY HAS IT SHIFTED FROM SCORPIO TO LIBRA. 164 00:11:32,059 --> 00:11:34,149 THE CULPRIT IS THE SUN. 165 00:11:34,149 --> 00:11:40,429 WITH ITS GRAFF TERRIBLE FIELD IT BENDS THE FLOW AROUND LIKE IF 166 00:11:40,429 --> 00:11:44,529 YOU SHOOT UP A SOCCER BALL STRAIGHT INTO THE AIR, IT IS 167 00:11:44,529 --> 00:11:49,089 FORCED TO FALL BACK TO THE GROUND IN THE CURVE. 168 00:11:49,089 --> 00:11:53,860 AND IN THE NEXT VIEW, WE VIEW THAT FROM A VANTAGE POINT HIGH 169 00:11:53,860 --> 00:11:57,439 UP ABOVE THE NORTH POLE, LOOKING DOWN. 170 00:11:57,439 --> 00:12:00,839 YOU SEE THE FLOW TO PROJECTRY IS AWAY AS THEY ARE BENT BY THE 171 00:12:00,839 --> 00:12:01,839 SUN'S GRAVITY. 172 00:12:01,839 --> 00:12:08,189 IBEX, AT SOME POINT A SPINNER CAN ONLY VIEW THESE WHEN THE 173 00:12:08,189 --> 00:12:11,939 FLOW COMES RIGHT ALONG THE EARTH'S ORBIT AND THAT HAPPENS 174 00:12:11,939 --> 00:12:16,629 IN EARLY FEBRUARY, ACTUALLY COMING UP IN A WEEK OR SO, AND 175 00:12:16,629 --> 00:12:21,499 WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THIS ONE MORE TIME THIS YEAR AND HOW IT 176 00:12:21,499 --> 00:12:23,019 HAS CHANGED. 177 00:12:23,019 --> 00:12:27,970 NOW THE FLOW TRAJECTORY, DEPENDING ON THE SPEED, ARE 178 00:12:27,970 --> 00:12:28,970 DIFFERENT. 179 00:12:28,970 --> 00:12:33,699 THE DARKER BLUE IS A SLOWER FLOW THAT GETS BENT MORE THAN THE 180 00:12:33,699 --> 00:12:37,009 LIGHTER BLUE, WHICH IS FARTHER AND SHOOTS BY. 181 00:12:37,009 --> 00:12:38,618 NOW IBEX SEES THE LOWER EARLIER IN THE ORBIT THAN THE FASTER 182 00:12:38,618 --> 00:12:42,370 STUFF, SEES THE SLOWER STUFF EARLIER IN THE ORBIT THAN THE 183 00:12:42,370 --> 00:12:43,899 FASTER STUFF. 184 00:12:43,899 --> 00:12:50,589 THIS IS OUR ODOMETER WHICH IS HOW WE NAIL DOWN HOW FAST THE 185 00:12:50,589 --> 00:12:55,639 INTERSTELLAR WIND IS AND THEN RELATING IT TO AN ASTRONOMICAL 186 00:12:55,639 --> 00:13:00,829 OBSERVATION WE CAN TELL WHICH ONE OF THE CLOUDS WHICH ACTUALLY 187 00:13:00,829 --> 00:13:02,399 CALL HOME. 188 00:13:02,399 --> 00:13:09,079 THE NEXT VIEW SHOWS THE RESULTS, THE SPEED UP THE DIRECTION IN 189 00:13:09,079 --> 00:13:11,199 LONGITUDE TO THE SIDE. 190 00:13:11,199 --> 00:13:17,499 AND OUR NEW RESULTS TAKEN WITH THE TWO DIFFERENT WAYS OF USING 191 00:13:17,499 --> 00:13:25,769 THIS SPEEDOMETER SHOWS US WHERE WE ARE, COMPARED TO THE OLD 192 00:13:25,769 --> 00:13:29,749 RESULTS IT'S A LITTLE SLOW HER A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. 193 00:13:29,749 --> 00:13:31,850 THAT'S THE BLUE. 194 00:13:31,850 --> 00:13:34,670 BUT THIS SOLVED A PUZZLE. 195 00:13:34,670 --> 00:13:38,239 THE OLD RESULTS DIDN'T REALLY PUT US INTO ANY OF THE 196 00:13:38,239 --> 00:13:40,010 NEIGHBORING CLOUDS. 197 00:13:40,010 --> 00:13:45,480 BUT WITH THE NEW RESULTS WE'RE RIGHT IN THE LOCAL CLOUD. 198 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:47,709 ISN'T MOTHER NATURE AMAZING? 199 00:13:47,709 --> 00:13:53,899 TO PROVIDE US WITH A SPEEDOMETER JUST FOR FREE. 200 00:13:53,899 --> 00:13:59,069 AND THIS NEW RESULT HAS SOME INTERESTING CONSEQUENCES. 201 00:13:59,069 --> 00:14:03,540 ALSO, THE PRESSURE ON THE NOSE OF THE HELIS SPHERE IS LESS THAN 202 00:14:03,540 --> 00:14:06,339 WE THOUGHT BEFORE. 203 00:14:06,339 --> 00:14:11,500 SETH WILL TAKE THIS UP LATER BUT BEFORE WE GO THERE, LET'S TURN 204 00:14:11,500 --> 00:14:16,559 TO ANOTHER CAPABILITY OF IBEX, NAMELY, TO ALSO SOUGHT OUT THE 205 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:19,230 ELEMENTS OF THIS FLOW. 206 00:14:19,230 --> 00:14:24,069 AND IBEX HAS SEEN HYDROGEN, OXYGEN AND NEON FOR THE FIRST 207 00:14:24,069 --> 00:14:40,259 TIME, IN ADDITION TO HELIUM, WHICH WE'VE SEEN BEFORE. 208 00:14:40,259 --> 00:14:45,839 THERE'S LESS OXYGEN COMPARED TO NEON IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAN IN 209 00:14:45,839 --> 00:14:48,570 THE SUN AND THE MILKY WAY. 210 00:14:48,570 --> 00:14:51,869 THAT LEAVES US WITH A PUZZLE FOR NOW. 211 00:14:51,869 --> 00:14:56,120 COULD IT BE THAT SOME OF THE OXYGEN WHICH IS SO CRUCIAL FOR 212 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:00,689 LIFE ON EARTH IS LOCKED UP IN THE COSMIC DUST? 213 00:15:00,689 --> 00:15:04,160 OR DOES IT TELL US HOW DIFFERENT, ACTUALLY, OUR 214 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:08,799 NEIGHBORHOOD IS COMPARED TO THE SUN'S BIRTH PLACE? 215 00:15:08,799 --> 00:15:15,309 ONLY TIME, SOME MORE DATA FROM IBEX, AND I CAN TELL YOU EARLY 216 00:15:15,309 --> 00:15:17,970 EXCITING WORK WILL TELL US. 217 00:15:17,970 --> 00:15:20,760 SETH, WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THIS? 218 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:22,560 >> THANK YOU. 219 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:26,119 MY JOB IS TO PROVIDE A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE FROM SOMEONE OUTSIDE 220 00:15:26,119 --> 00:15:28,519 OF THE IBEX TEAM. 221 00:15:28,519 --> 00:15:31,649 AND TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BROADER IMPLICATIONS OF 222 00:15:31,649 --> 00:15:32,889 THESE RESULTS. 223 00:15:32,889 --> 00:15:37,240 AND LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING HOW EXCITED IT IS THAT WE KNOW WHERE 224 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:42,939 THE SUN IS LOCATED, NOW RELATIVE TO THESE INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS. 225 00:15:42,939 --> 00:15:46,709 SO MUCH OF WHAT WE DO AND WE EXPLORE THE COSMOS IS TRY TO PUT 226 00:15:46,709 --> 00:15:52,509 OURSELVES IN CONTEXT, OURSELVES, THE EARTH, THE SUN, AND IBEX HAS 227 00:15:52,509 --> 00:15:56,199 DONE THIS WITH THIS NEW DISCOVERY. 228 00:15:56,199 --> 00:16:01,699 WITH MY FIRST SLIDE, I SHOW TWO IMAGES THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE 229 00:16:01,699 --> 00:16:06,009 ON THE LEFT IS A VIEW THAT PRISCILLA SHOWED AND IT'S A VIEW 230 00:16:06,009 --> 00:16:09,889 OF THIS COLLECTION OF INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS, RIGHT 231 00:16:09,889 --> 00:16:10,889 AROUND THE SUN. 232 00:16:10,889 --> 00:16:16,540 THEY'RE ALL MOVING WITH THEIR OWN UNIQUE MOTIONS. 233 00:16:16,540 --> 00:16:19,869 AND THE TWO NEARER CLOUDS, THE LOCAL CLOUDS AND G CLOUDS WE'VE 234 00:16:19,869 --> 00:16:25,480 KNOWN FOR SOME TIME THAT THERE'S A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE MOTION 235 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:28,920 THAT WE OBSERVED FOR THESE CLOUDS BY LOOKING AT NEARBY 236 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:34,440 STARS AND THE OLD RESULTS OF ATOMS STREAMING INTO THE SOLAR 237 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:35,440 SYSTEM. 238 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,629 THERE'S A DISCREPANCY THAT WE COULDN'T EXPLAIN. 239 00:16:38,629 --> 00:16:43,210 THESE NEW IBEX MEASUREMENTS MATCH THE MOTIONS THAT WE 240 00:16:43,210 --> 00:16:48,019 OBSERVED FROM STARS TO A LOCAL CLOUD PERFECTLY AND WHAT IT DOES 241 00:16:48,019 --> 00:16:55,070 IS IT PINPOINTS OUR LOCATION INSIDE THE LOCAL CLOUD. 242 00:16:55,070 --> 00:16:59,629 WE'RE VERY NEAR THE EDGE BUT NOW WE KNOW THAT WE'RE IN THE LOCAL 243 00:16:59,629 --> 00:17:05,140 CLOUD AND LOCATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THE HELIOS 244 00:17:05,140 --> 00:17:11,709 SPHERE IS THE OUTWARD SOLAR WIND AND THE COMPRESSION FROM THE GAS 245 00:17:11,709 --> 00:17:13,589 AND DUST THAT SURROUND IT. 246 00:17:13,589 --> 00:17:16,949 SO IF YOU'RE IN A DIFFERENT INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM ENVIRONMENT 247 00:17:16,949 --> 00:17:19,390 YOU'RE GOING TO CREATED A DIFFERENT HELIOSPHERE 248 00:17:19,390 --> 00:17:21,850 CONSTRUCTION. 249 00:17:21,850 --> 00:17:29,700 AND IT CHANGES WITH TIME AS IT PASSES INTO A DENSE INTERSTELLAR 250 00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:32,029 CLOUD IT WILL BE COMPRESSED AND VERY SMALL. 251 00:17:32,029 --> 00:17:36,529 AND AS IT MOVES INTO ANOTHER CLOUD, IT WILL EXPAND OUT AGAIN 252 00:17:36,529 --> 00:17:40,580 AND THIS HAS CONSEQUENCES FOR SHIELDING US FROM THESE 253 00:17:40,580 --> 00:17:43,940 DANGEROUS GALACTIC COSMIC RAYS. 254 00:17:43,940 --> 00:17:48,820 SO LEARNING ABOUT THE HELIOSPHERE TODAY HELPS US 255 00:17:48,820 --> 00:17:52,470 UNDERSTAND IT AS IT WAS IN THE PAST AND HOW IT WOULD BE IN THE 256 00:17:52,470 --> 00:17:53,470 FUTURE. 257 00:17:53,470 --> 00:17:56,909 NOW WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM AND WE 258 00:17:56,909 --> 00:18:04,980 KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING. 259 00:18:04,980 --> 00:18:18,049 THIS COMPRESSION IS SO CHAMPION THAT WE THINK THAT MOST IF NOT 260 00:18:18,049 --> 00:18:21,860 ALL STARS HAVE A STRUCTURE THAT'S ANALOGOUS TO THE HELIO 261 00:18:21,860 --> 00:18:25,600 SPHERE AND THOSE WE CALL ASTRO SPHERES. 262 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:32,460 AND IN MY NEXT SLIDE I SHOW SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF THESE. 263 00:18:32,460 --> 00:18:37,990 THESE ARE VERY DRAMATIC EXAMPLES OF STARS MOVING THROUGH A DENSE 264 00:18:37,990 --> 00:18:44,299 INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM OR STARS WE VERY, VERY STRONG SOLAR WINDS. 265 00:18:44,299 --> 00:18:46,450 AND THE IMAGE ON THE BOTTOM IS PARTICULARLY STRIKING. 266 00:18:46,450 --> 00:18:48,169 IT LOOKS LIKE A COMMENT. 267 00:18:48,169 --> 00:18:53,679 THE STAR IS MOVING SO QUICKLY YOU CAN SEE THE WEAK OF ITS 268 00:18:53,679 --> 00:18:59,460 AFTERS SPHERE BEING SPREAD OUT, KIND OF LIKE A JET TRAIL FROM A 269 00:18:59,460 --> 00:19:02,870 JUMBO JET FLYING OVERHEAD. 270 00:19:02,870 --> 00:19:06,409 AND BECAUSE OF THE GREAT DIVERSITY OF STARS AND THE 271 00:19:06,409 --> 00:19:09,519 INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY OF DIFFERENT INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM 272 00:19:09,519 --> 00:19:14,559 ENVIRONMENTS, THE NUMBER OF CONFIGURATIONS THAT YOU CAN HAVE 273 00:19:14,559 --> 00:19:15,559 IS ENDLESS. 274 00:19:15,559 --> 00:19:21,060 WE'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTED WITH THIS VAST ZOO OF SPHERES AND THE 275 00:19:21,060 --> 00:19:27,880 GOLD STANDARD WITH WHICH WE'RE GOING TO STUDY THESE ASTROSPHERE 276 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:37,200 SO WE NEED TO EVALUATE THESE 277 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:38,710 OTHER STRUCTURES. 278 00:19:38,710 --> 00:19:45,000 ON FINALLY, ON MY LAST SLIDE I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE 279 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:48,870 IMPLICATIONS OF THESE DISCOVERIES IN THE FUTURE. 280 00:19:48,870 --> 00:19:54,090 AND I SHOW, I ZOOM IN, AGAIN, INTO OUR VERY LOCAL COSMIC 281 00:19:54,090 --> 00:19:57,289 NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU CAN SEE THE LOCAL CLOUD AND THE G-CLOUD 282 00:19:57,289 --> 00:20:03,130 THERE AND I INDICATED THE LOCATION OF KNOWN DETECTED ASTRO 283 00:20:03,130 --> 00:20:04,130 SPHERES. 284 00:20:04,130 --> 00:20:08,140 SO UNLIKE THE REALLY DRAMATIC EXAMPLES I SHOWED IN THE FIRST 285 00:20:08,140 --> 00:20:14,039 SLIDE, FINDING ASTROSPHERE IN THE SUN IS DIFFICULT AND IT'S 286 00:20:14,039 --> 00:20:18,440 BEEN IN THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REFINE THE 287 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,630 TECHNIQUES AND FIND THE INSTRUMENTATION WITH WHICH TO 288 00:20:21,630 --> 00:20:26,539 MAKE THESE DISCOVERIES SO IN THIS VERY LOCAL VOLUME, WHERE 289 00:20:26,539 --> 00:20:30,460 THERE ARE ABOUT 100 STARS, WE KNOW OF ABOUT TEN THAT HAVE 290 00:20:30,460 --> 00:20:31,559 ASTROSPHERES. 291 00:20:31,559 --> 00:20:38,070 ALPHA SENTARI, HAS AN ASTRO SPHERE AROUND IT AND WE'RE 292 00:20:38,070 --> 00:20:45,140 DISCOVERING THESE PLANETS AND A INDICATED THE LOCATION OF STARS 293 00:20:45,140 --> 00:20:47,710 THAT HAVE HAD PLANETS DISCOVERED AROUND THEM. 294 00:20:47,710 --> 00:20:51,779 AND WE KNOW OF AT LEAST TWO CASES WHERE WE DISCOVERED BOTH A 295 00:20:51,779 --> 00:20:56,179 PLANETARY SYSTEM AND AN ASTROSPHERE AROUND IT AND THESE 296 00:20:56,179 --> 00:21:01,950 ARE THE TRUE ANALOGS TO OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AWHERE WE HAVE A 297 00:21:01,950 --> 00:21:06,930 HELIOSPHERE THAT PROTECTS US FROM GALACTIC COSMIC RAYS ON 298 00:21:06,930 --> 00:21:08,640 EARTH AND OTHER PLANETS. 299 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:14,120 WHILE WE HAVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE THAT STAR WITH ITS OWN 300 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:18,960 ASTROSPHERE IS PROTECTING THE PLANETARY SYSTEM AROUND THAT 301 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:19,960 PARTICULAR STAR. 302 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:25,970 AND IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS OR SO, I THINK WE'LL OPENING UP NEW 303 00:21:25,970 --> 00:21:29,169 RESEARCH AREAS AND WE'LL HAVE NEW QUESTIONS THAT WE COULD WANT 304 00:21:29,169 --> 00:21:33,370 HAVE ADDRESSED 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO. 305 00:21:33,370 --> 00:21:35,300 ALL THESE THINGS ARE COMING TOGETHER. 306 00:21:35,300 --> 00:21:40,190 WE'RE FIND PLAQUE NETS AND WE'RE FINDING ASTROSPHERE AND 307 00:21:40,190 --> 00:21:48,330 UNDERSTANDING ALL OF THIS SO I THINK WE'LL BE ATTING HOW THIS 308 00:21:48,330 --> 00:21:56,250 AND HOW THIS IMPACTS HOW THINGS HAPPEN ON PLANETS AND IN 309 00:21:56,250 --> 00:22:02,230 PARTICULAR, COULD AFFECT THE HABITABILITY OF THESE PLANETS. 310 00:22:02,230 --> 00:22:05,570 SO WITH THAT I'LL PASS IT BACK TO DAVE. 311 00:22:05,570 --> 00:22:08,810 >> THANK YOU, SETH. 312 00:22:08,810 --> 00:22:13,461 TODAY WE'RE AMOUNTSING THESE FIRST OBSERVATIONS OF THE DIRECT 313 00:22:13,461 --> 00:22:17,950 OBSERVATIONS OF INTERSTELLAR MATERIAL, HYDROGEN, OXYGEN AND 314 00:22:17,950 --> 00:22:20,370 NEON, QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENTS OF THOSE TO JOIN PREVIOUS 315 00:22:20,370 --> 00:22:25,610 MEASUREMENTS MADE BEFORE OF HELIUM AND THESE ARE IMPORTANT 316 00:22:25,610 --> 00:22:27,679 ELEMENTS TO KNOW QUANTITATIVELY. 317 00:22:27,679 --> 00:22:31,980 THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF STARS, PLANETS AND PEOPLE SO IT'S VERY 318 00:22:31,980 --> 00:22:34,059 IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT HIM. 319 00:22:34,059 --> 00:22:38,139 WE DISCOVERED THIS BIG PUZZLE THAT THE MATTER OUTSIDE OF OUR 320 00:22:38,139 --> 00:22:41,289 SOLAR SYSTEM DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE MATERIAL INSIDE\h-- FROM THE 321 00:22:41,289 --> 00:22:44,159 SUN AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM OR ACROSS THE GALAXY ON AVERAGE AS 322 00:22:44,159 --> 00:22:45,159 FAR AS WE KNOW. 323 00:22:45,159 --> 00:22:48,990 AND IT SEEMS TO BE DEFICIENT IN OXYGEN COMPARED TO NEON WHICH 324 00:22:48,990 --> 00:22:51,920 LEAVES US WITH THE BIG QUESTION, THE PUZZLE. 325 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,121 IS IT REALLY SUCH A DIFFERENT REGION THAT WE HAPPEN TO BE IN 326 00:22:54,121 --> 00:22:56,340 RIGHT NOW, UNREPRESENTATIVE IN SOME WAY? 327 00:22:56,340 --> 00:22:59,250 VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHERE THE SUN WAS FORMED? 328 00:22:59,250 --> 00:23:02,429 OR IS THAT LIFE-GIVING OXYGEN LOCKED UP IN OTHER THINGS? 329 00:23:02,429 --> 00:23:05,679 LOCKED UP, PERHAPS, IN DUST OR ICES? 330 00:23:05,679 --> 00:23:08,870 THAT FLOAT AROUND THROUGH THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM? 331 00:23:08,870 --> 00:23:11,259 AND FINALLY, WE'VE CAUGHT THIS INTERSTELLAR WIND AND MEASURED 332 00:23:11,259 --> 00:23:13,910 THE SPEED AND IT'S NOT AS FAST AS WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING ANDS 333 00:23:13,910 --> 00:23:18,220 THAT HAS A VERY IMPORTANT LOW INDICATION BECAUSE THE PRESSURE 334 00:23:18,220 --> 00:23:20,159 IS LESS. 335 00:23:20,159 --> 00:23:23,210 THE HELIOSPHERE IS MORE DOMINATED BY THE EXTERNAL 336 00:23:23,210 --> 00:23:26,880 MAGNETIC FIELD AND LESS BY THE FLOWING IN MATERIAL THAN WE 337 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:27,880 EXPECTED. 338 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:29,660 THAT HAS IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR WHAT THE HELIOSPHERE 339 00:23:29,660 --> 00:23:33,559 STRUCTURE IS LIKE AND FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW 340 00:23:33,559 --> 00:23:36,840 EXACTLY THE HELIOSPHERE DOES THIS CRITICAL SHIELDING OF 341 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:37,840 COSMIC RADIATION. 342 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:41,509 AND I GUESS I'D ADD ON A PERSONAL NOTE I'M DELIGHTED THAT 343 00:23:41,509 --> 00:23:45,190 WE WERE ABLE TO DO THISSY ONE OF THE SMALLEST, FASTEST AND 344 00:23:45,190 --> 00:23:48,880 LEAST-EXPENSIVE THINGS NASA DOES, THE SMALL EXPLORER AND 345 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:50,889 WITH THAT, DWAYNE, WE'D LOVE TO TAKE SOME QUESTIONS. 346 00:23:50,889 --> 00:23:57,159 >> CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM AND EBERHARD, I REALLY ENJOYED 347 00:23:57,159 --> 00:24:05,070 THE ENTERPRISE TEST YOU PUT IN HERE. 348 00:24:05,070 --> 00:24:08,299 FOR THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD, WE'RE GOING TO START 349 00:24:08,299 --> 00:24:12,100 HERE IN WASHINGTON AND IF YOU CAN WAIT FOR THE MIC AND GIVE 350 00:24:12,100 --> 00:24:15,120 YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND POSE YOUR QUESTION. 351 00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:21,309 >> MY NAME IS ABDULLAH AND I'M FROM\h-- MY QUESTION IS FOR 352 00:24:21,309 --> 00:24:25,470 ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEIR INSIGHT. 353 00:24:25,470 --> 00:24:27,520 OF ALL THE DISCOVERIES, IF YOU WERE TO POINT OUT ONE DISCOVERY 354 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,940 THAT WOULD HAVE THE MOST IMPACT ON SCIENCE IN THE NEXT FIVE 355 00:24:29,940 --> 00:24:33,470 YEARS, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? 356 00:24:33,470 --> 00:24:37,369 THANK YOU. 357 00:24:37,369 --> 00:24:39,250 >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. 358 00:24:39,250 --> 00:24:41,669 I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY ANSWER IT WITH TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT 359 00:24:41,669 --> 00:24:46,059 ANSWERS BECAUSE WE MAY FEEL INDIVIDUALLY THAT YOU KNOW, 360 00:24:46,059 --> 00:24:47,629 DIFFERENT ONE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE. 361 00:24:47,629 --> 00:24:49,640 SETH, WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THAT? 362 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:58,480 >> I THINK THE DISCOVERY OF OTHER PLANETS COUPLED WITH OUR 363 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:07,440 UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT THESE GALACTIC COULD HAVE ON 364 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:11,330 PLANETS THEMSELVES OR EVEN THE EMERGENCE OF LIFE OR EVOLUTION 365 00:25:11,330 --> 00:25:14,649 OF SUBLIFE, IS REALLY FASCINATING. 366 00:25:14,649 --> 00:25:19,799 AND I'M REALLY EXCITED BY THESE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THINGS HERE 367 00:25:19,799 --> 00:25:22,179 IN OUR WORLD, ON PLANET EARTH. 368 00:25:22,179 --> 00:25:25,919 THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH THE FLOW OF GAS AND DUST. 369 00:25:25,919 --> 00:25:29,020 WHAT IT'S DOING TO OUR GALAXY. 370 00:25:29,020 --> 00:25:34,740 THERE ARE CONNECTIONS THIS THAT WE HAVEN'T EXPLORED FULLY. 371 00:25:34,740 --> 00:25:39,740 AND NOW, WITH THESE RESULTS FROM IBEX AND THESE OTHER 372 00:25:39,740 --> 00:25:44,799 DISCOVERIES, THEY'RE ALL COMING TOGETHER INTO A REALLY 373 00:25:44,799 --> 00:25:47,149 INTERESTING TOPIC. 374 00:25:47,149 --> 00:25:55,720 >> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, THAT THERE MUST BE BASICALLY AROUND 375 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,769 EVERY STAR IN THIS GALAXY, THERE MUST BE PLANETS, SO THERE'S NO 376 00:25:59,769 --> 00:26:02,230 EVIDENCE\h-- THERE'S NEW EVIDENCE FOR THAT. 377 00:26:02,230 --> 00:26:07,309 SO IF YOU PUT THAT OUT THERE, THAT HAS TO BE OTHER LIFE OUT 378 00:26:07,309 --> 00:26:13,910 THERE, NOT LOOKING LIKE US\h-- IN ""STAR TREK"" THEY\h-- THEY LOOK 379 00:26:13,910 --> 00:26:19,789 LIKE US BUT THERE MUST BE INTELLIGENT LIFE OUT THERE AND 380 00:26:19,789 --> 00:26:25,529 MAYBE WE CAN COMMUNICATE BUT WITH THIS LONG DISTANCE IT'S A 381 00:26:25,529 --> 00:26:27,789 LONG, DROWN-OUT DISCUSSION. 382 00:26:27,789 --> 00:26:34,320 AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY PROFOUND NOT TO HAVE JUST THE OF 383 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:40,669 LIFE ON EARTH, BECAUSE SPECIES\h-- IT'S LIFE AS WE KNOW 384 00:26:40,669 --> 00:26:45,120 IT HERE AND WHO KNOWS WHAT IS ALL OUT THERE? 385 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:48,970 >> I GUESS I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, I'M NOT SURE THERE IS LIFE OUT 386 00:26:48,970 --> 00:26:52,179 THERE, I DON'T KNOW ONE WAY OR THE OTHER BUT I KNOW THESE 387 00:26:52,179 --> 00:26:56,230 ASTROSPHERES WILL PROVIDE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS IF 388 00:26:56,230 --> 00:26:59,041 THERE IS LIFE FOR THE FORMATION OF LIFE BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE 389 00:26:59,041 --> 00:27:01,980 THIS CRITICAL SHIELDING AND THAT'S THE PART THAT WE'VE 390 00:27:01,980 --> 00:27:05,200 REALLY BEEN STUDYING AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO QUANTITATIVELY NOW 391 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:07,039 WITH MEASUREMENTS FROM IBEX. 392 00:27:07,039 --> 00:27:08,179 PRISCILLA? 393 00:27:08,179 --> 00:27:11,610 >> I THINK UNDERSTANDING OUR GALACTIC ENVIRONMENT INCLUDING 394 00:27:11,610 --> 00:27:14,179 THE HELIOSPHERE AND ASTRO SPHERES ARE PROBABLY THE MOST 395 00:27:14,179 --> 00:27:17,950 EXCITING THING IBEX IS DOING BUT I THINK THE ONE THAT WILL HAVE 396 00:27:17,950 --> 00:27:21,590 THE WIDEST IMMY OCCASION SCIENTIFICALLY IS THE NEON TO 397 00:27:21,590 --> 00:27:23,920 OXYGEN RATIO. 398 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,279 THE NEON TO OXYGEN RATIO IS DIRECTLY TELLING US ABOUT ONE OF 399 00:27:27,279 --> 00:27:31,429 THE MOST MYSTERIOUS ELEMENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE GALAXY 400 00:27:31,429 --> 00:27:32,860 WHICH IS OXYGEN. 401 00:27:32,860 --> 00:27:36,820 WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STARS WE DON'T SEE ENOUGH OXYGEN AND SO 402 00:27:36,820 --> 00:27:40,580 WE ASSUMED THAT THAT OXYGEN IS ON INTERSTELLAR\h-- BUT WE CAN'T 403 00:27:40,580 --> 00:27:43,000 OBSERVE IT ON INTERSTELLAR DUST GRAINS. 404 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:46,929 SOME GRAINS HAVE WATER ICE ON THEM BUT NOT HAVE MANY SO THE 405 00:27:46,929 --> 00:27:49,539 MYSTERY IS\h-- WHERE IS THE OXYGEN? 406 00:27:49,539 --> 00:27:55,309 AND THE IBEX MEASUREMENT ARE GIVING US THE OXYGEN ABUNDANCE 407 00:27:55,309 --> 00:27:58,899 IN INTERSTELLAR CLOUD WHERE WE PROBABLY, HOPEFULLY SOON, WILL 408 00:27:58,899 --> 00:28:01,429 HAVE THE BEST SET OF INFORMATION THAT WE CAN HAVE ON ANY 409 00:28:01,429 --> 00:28:05,870 INTERSTELLAR CLOUD SO AS FAR AS SCIENTIFIC IMPLICATIONS THE NEON 410 00:28:05,870 --> 00:28:10,289 TO OXYGEN RATIO WHICH IS TELLING US ABOUT THE INTERSTELLAR DUST 411 00:28:10,289 --> 00:28:12,519 IS GOING TO ASSESS A HUGE RANGE OF ASTRONOMERS. 412 00:28:12,519 --> 00:28:16,370 SO MANY ASTRONOMICAL QUESTIONS HINGE ON THINGS LIKE THAT. 413 00:28:16,370 --> 00:28:17,370 >> SO THERE YOU GO. 414 00:28:17,370 --> 00:28:18,860 THAT'S OUR ONE-PERSON TAKE ON THAT. 415 00:28:18,860 --> 00:28:19,860 >> ERIC? 416 00:28:19,860 --> 00:28:26,910 >> I GUESS MY QUESTION IS FOR DAVE. 417 00:28:26,910 --> 00:28:28,480 WE HAVE THESE TWO PIECES OF NEWS. 418 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:33,629 ONE, THE HELIUM\h-- SORRY, THE NEON AND OXYGEN RATIOS BUT ALSO, 419 00:28:33,629 --> 00:28:36,759 IT SEEMS YOU'RE SAYING THAT THESE RESULTS ARE AFFECTING OUR 420 00:28:36,759 --> 00:28:41,190 PICTURE OF NOT ONLY WHERE WE ARE IN THE LOCAL CLOUD BUT THE SHAPE 421 00:28:41,190 --> 00:28:43,289 OF THE HELIOSPHERE AND I WAS HOPING YOU COULD PUT UP THE 422 00:28:43,289 --> 00:28:47,860 SLIDE AGAIN WHICH HAS ME PERPLEXED AND EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS 423 00:28:47,860 --> 00:28:51,700 THAT YOU MEASURED AND HOW IT'S AFFECTING OUR PICTURE OF WHERE 424 00:28:51,700 --> 00:28:54,559 WE ARE IN THE LOCAL CLOUD AND WHAT THE CHANGES ARE? 425 00:28:54,559 --> 00:28:55,559 >> SURE. 426 00:28:55,559 --> 00:28:58,010 >> THE NEW PICTURE OF WHAT THE HELIOSPHERE LOOKS LIKE? 427 00:28:58,010 --> 00:29:00,179 >> GREAT QUESTION, ERIC, THANKS. 428 00:29:00,179 --> 00:29:03,759 GO BACK TO THAT GRAPHIC AND I SEE THEY HAVE IT UP ALREADY. 429 00:29:03,759 --> 00:29:07,120 THIS IS THE STRUCTURE AS WE'VE TRIED TO UNDERSTAND IT OVER THE 430 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:10,019 LAST FIVE OR TEN YEARS OR SO. 431 00:29:10,019 --> 00:29:12,380 AND WE KNOW ABOUT THE TERMINATION SHOT BECAUSE THE 432 00:29:12,380 --> 00:29:16,840 VOYAGER SPACECRAFT CROSSED THE TERMINATION AND THEY'RE BEYOND 433 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:20,999 THE TERMINATION SHOCK WHICH IS BASICALLY THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN 434 00:29:20,999 --> 00:29:24,360 THE SOLAR MATERIAL ON THE INSIDE AND THE GALACTIC MATERIAL ON THE 435 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:25,360 OUTSIDE. 436 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:27,240 WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS THIS INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM YOU SEE ON 437 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:33,470 THE RIGHT FLOWING IN, IS ACTUALLY MOVING ENOUGH SLOWER 438 00:29:33,470 --> 00:29:37,860 THAT THAT PRESSURE IS ABOUT 20 TO 25% LESS THAN WE THOUGHT IT 439 00:29:37,860 --> 00:29:39,639 WAS BEFORE. 440 00:29:39,639 --> 00:29:43,110 AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED EARLIER FROM IBEX WITH THE IBEX 441 00:29:43,110 --> 00:29:47,960 RIBBON WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD. 442 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,399 AND WE THOUGHT, WELL, ALMOST EVERYTHING IS DRIVEN BY THIS 443 00:29:50,399 --> 00:29:53,630 FLOWING PRESSURE AND THEN WE LEARNED WITH THE EARLIER RESULTS 444 00:29:53,630 --> 00:29:57,169 FROM IBEX KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT BUT ALSO IMPORTANT IS THIS 445 00:29:57,169 --> 00:30:01,010 EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD AND NOW WE KNOW THE FLOW IS EVEN LESS, 446 00:30:01,010 --> 00:30:04,070 25% LESS PRESSURE WHICH MAKES THE EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD 447 00:30:04,070 --> 00:30:09,029 COMPONENTS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT SO MY PICTURE OF THE HELIO 448 00:30:09,029 --> 00:30:12,330 SPHERE IS THAT IT'S EVEN MORE COMPRESSED BY THE EXTERNAL FIELD 449 00:30:12,330 --> 00:30:16,610 AND LESS DRIVEN BY THE IN-FLOWING PRESSURE AND I'M NOT 450 00:30:16,610 --> 00:30:19,480 SURE TODAY THAT SHOCKS THAT WE'VE BEEN DRAWING IN FOR 451 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:21,330 DECADES, EXISTS AT ALL. 452 00:30:21,330 --> 00:30:22,700 EVEN THOSE FLOW PRINTS. 453 00:30:22,700 --> 00:30:28,190 >> IN MY MIND, THROWING MATERIAL IS ALSO A COMPRESSING SORT OF 454 00:30:28,190 --> 00:30:33,070 THING, ALONG WITH\h-- WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT'S OUR\h-- THAT'S AN 455 00:30:33,070 --> 00:30:35,729 EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD WITH LESSER INFLOW. 456 00:30:35,729 --> 00:30:37,840 >> THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRESSURE. 457 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:40,830 PRESSURE FROM MOVING MATERIAL. 458 00:30:40,830 --> 00:30:44,399 WHEN YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR DOWN THE STREET, YOU PUSH THROUGH AIR AND 459 00:30:44,399 --> 00:30:47,480 THE FASTER YOU GO THE MORE PRESSURE IT PUTS BACK ON YOU. 460 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:49,789 THAT'S THE PRESSURE FROM THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM. 461 00:30:49,789 --> 00:30:52,370 THERE'S ALSO PRESSURE FROM MAGNETIC FIELD LINES WHICH ARE 462 00:30:52,370 --> 00:30:55,300 LIKE BUNGEE CORDS. 463 00:30:55,300 --> 00:30:58,950 THINK OF HAVING A\h-- PULLING A BEACH BALL THROUGH A ROOM FILLED 464 00:30:58,950 --> 00:31:01,919 WITH BUNGEE CORDS FROM FLOOR TO CEILING AND HAVE IT SQUEEZE THE 465 00:31:01,919 --> 00:31:03,659 BEACH BALL AS YOU PULL IT THROUGH. 466 00:31:03,659 --> 00:31:06,559 BOTH OF THOSE TYPES OF PRESSURE OCCUR ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE 467 00:31:06,559 --> 00:31:09,059 HELIOSPHERE BUT WHAT WE'VE LEARNED NOW IS THAT FLOWING 468 00:31:09,059 --> 00:31:13,029 PRESSURE FROM THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM IS MUCH LESS SIGNIFICANT 469 00:31:13,029 --> 00:31:14,629 THAN WE THOUGHT IT WAS BEFORE. 470 00:31:14,629 --> 00:31:17,720 AND THAT MEANS THAT BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS DIFFERENT AND 471 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:20,460 THAT COULD HAVE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR HOW 472 00:31:20,460 --> 00:31:23,700 THE EXTERIOR STRUCTURE OF THAT INTERACTION REALLY WORKS. 473 00:31:23,700 --> 00:31:26,469 >> SO WHAT IS ITS SHAPE, THEN? 474 00:31:26,469 --> 00:31:29,040 >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE WE DON'T EXACTLY TAKE A 475 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:30,539 PICTURE OF THE SHAPE. 476 00:31:30,539 --> 00:31:35,480 BUT IT'S PROBABLY A LOT MORE COMPRESSED ALONG THE FIELD AND 477 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,510 NOT AS BLUNT AS WE THOUGHT. 478 00:31:38,510 --> 00:31:41,629 THE TAIL ON THE BACKSIDE IS PROBABLY OFFSET. 479 00:31:41,629 --> 00:31:46,320 NOT EXACTLY IN THE ANTI-FLOW DIRECTION BUT PULL MORE DOWN 480 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:49,860 TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF THE EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD AND THAT 481 00:31:49,860 --> 00:31:51,279 SORT OF THING. 482 00:31:51,279 --> 00:31:57,070 >> ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO NOW GO TO THE PHONE LINES. 483 00:31:57,070 --> 00:32:02,440 AND FIRST UP, DENISE CHILD, SPACE.COM, DENISE? 484 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:06,909 >> Caller: HI, THANKS FOR TAKING MY QUESTION. 485 00:32:06,909 --> 00:32:10,369 I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY FOR DAVE. 486 00:32:10,369 --> 00:32:14,730 I'M WONDERING AS WE'RE GOING INTO AN INCREASED PHASE OF SOLAR 487 00:32:14,730 --> 00:32:20,231 ACTIVITY HOW YOU THINK THAT WILL AFFECT THIS REGION AND THE 488 00:32:20,231 --> 00:32:21,610 OBSERVATIONS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE? 489 00:32:21,610 --> 00:32:24,590 ARE YOU EXPECTING TO SEE MORE DYNAMIC CHANGES? 490 00:32:24,590 --> 00:32:25,980 >> YEAH. 491 00:32:25,980 --> 00:32:27,210 THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. 492 00:32:27,210 --> 00:32:28,240 THANK YOU. 493 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:30,830 SO AS I SAID AT THE START OF THIS, THE HELIOSPHERE IS 494 00:32:30,830 --> 00:32:34,240 ACTUALLY INFLATED BY THIS MILLION-MILE-AN-HOUR SOLAR WIND 495 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:37,659 THAT FLOWS OUT ALL DIRECTIONS IN SPACE ALL THE TIME FROM THE SUN 496 00:32:37,659 --> 00:32:42,520 AND THIS BALANCE CREATING THE OUTER HELIO SPHERIC INTERACTION 497 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:45,570 IS A FUNCTION OF BOTH OF WHAT'S COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE WHICH 498 00:32:45,570 --> 00:32:47,840 IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW 499 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:51,019 INFORMATION ON THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE TODAY, AND WHAT'S 500 00:32:51,019 --> 00:32:55,860 PUSHING OUT FROM THE INSIDE WHICH IS THE SOLAR WIND, SO THE 501 00:32:55,860 --> 00:32:58,710 INCREASING DYNAMIC PRESSURE AND THE MORE VARIABLE IN THE SOLAR 502 00:32:58,710 --> 00:33:02,860 WIND WILL TRY TO INFLATE THE HELIOSPHERE A LITTLE MORE, 503 00:33:02,860 --> 00:33:06,120 NORTHEAST TEMPORARILY AND THE VARIABILITY MEANS THE WHOLE 504 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:11,149 HELIOSPHERE IS LIKELY TO SORT OF BREATHE AND VARY AS WE HEAD 505 00:33:11,149 --> 00:33:12,400 INTO SOLAR MAXIMUM. 506 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:15,159 SO IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT INTERAX. 507 00:33:15,159 --> 00:33:18,770 THAT'S PRETTY INTERESTING FOR US, TOO, AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT 508 00:33:18,770 --> 00:33:22,270 WE DIDN'T MENTION BUT IBEX WAS MOVED INTO A VERY LONG-TERM 509 00:33:22,270 --> 00:33:25,710 STABLE ORBIT LAST SUMMER AND NOW IS IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE 510 00:33:25,710 --> 00:33:29,740 CONSUMABLE HYDROGEN GAS AND LOW RADIATION ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE 511 00:33:29,740 --> 00:33:33,220 HOPE THAT IBEX WILL LAST FOR ANOTHER DECADE OR MORE. 512 00:33:33,220 --> 00:33:37,070 SO WE'LL ACTUALLY SEE A SOLAR CYCLE VARIATION IN THE INFLATION 513 00:33:37,070 --> 00:33:38,809 PRESSURE FROM THE INSIDE. 514 00:33:38,809 --> 00:33:39,830 EBERHARD? 515 00:33:39,830 --> 00:33:44,460 >> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE THAT THAT THE SOLAR CYCLE HAS A 516 00:33:44,460 --> 00:33:50,279 PROFOUND INFLUENCE ON THIS INTERSTELLAR WIND THAT COMES IN. 517 00:33:50,279 --> 00:33:53,700 IT COMES IN NEUTRAL BUT THE SUN, WITH ITS ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION, 518 00:33:53,700 --> 00:34:04,220 IONIZES PART OF THE WIND SO IT ROBS THE ATOMS OF ELECTRONS AND 519 00:34:04,220 --> 00:34:08,230 THEN THE SOLAR WIND SWEEPS THE CHARGED PARTICLES AWAY. 520 00:34:08,230 --> 00:34:14,010 AND THAT IS DIFFERENT FOR THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AND PRISCILLA 521 00:34:14,010 --> 00:34:17,900 MENTIONED THAT THE SHIELD BETWEEN OXYGEN AND NEON IS 522 00:34:17,900 --> 00:34:21,690 REALLY KEY MEASUREMENT. 523 00:34:21,690 --> 00:34:26,640 WE CAN TAKE THAT MEASUREMENT MORE FOR SIZE IF WE CAN REALLY 524 00:34:26,640 --> 00:34:30,300 HONE IN ON THIS LOT ON THE WAY. 525 00:34:30,300 --> 00:34:35,170 IF YOU FOLLOW THAT OVER THE SOLAR CYCLE IT GIVES YOU A MUCH 526 00:34:35,170 --> 00:34:38,919 MORE PRECISE MEASUREMENT TO DO THAT. 527 00:34:38,919 --> 00:34:41,660 >> OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK HERE. 528 00:34:41,660 --> 00:34:44,110 ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? 529 00:34:44,110 --> 00:34:48,940 >> ONE LAST QUESTION FROM ONE OF OUR MUSEUM'S ON THE NETWORK HERE 530 00:34:48,940 --> 00:34:50,429 AND THEN THIS IS FOR EVERYONE. 531 00:34:50,429 --> 00:34:53,090 SO GET YOUR THINKING CAPS ON HERE. 532 00:34:53,090 --> 00:34:56,620 IT'S SORT OF A VISIONARY TYPE OF QUESTION. 533 00:34:56,620 --> 00:35:00,270 THE IMPORTANCE INDIVIDUALLY THAT YOU ALL FEEL OF STUDYING, THIS 534 00:35:00,270 --> 00:35:01,560 TYPE OF SCIENCE. 535 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:05,580 HELIO SCIENCE AND THE SCIENCE THAT A IBEX IS DOING AND AS A 536 00:35:05,580 --> 00:35:10,060 HUMAN RACE, SOCIETY, WHY SHOULD WE CARE AND HOW WILL IT AFFECT 537 00:35:10,060 --> 00:35:11,380 US? 538 00:35:11,380 --> 00:35:14,329 DAVE, I'LL START WITH YOU. 539 00:35:14,329 --> 00:35:15,329 >> I'LL BE HAPPY TO START. 540 00:35:15,329 --> 00:35:19,480 HELIO PHYSICS IS AN INCREDIBLY INTERESTING FIELD. 541 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:23,280 IT TIES TOGETHER WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE SUN WITH THE 542 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:26,210 SPACE THAT SURROUNDS OUR EARTH AND AFFECTS OUR EARTH AND 543 00:35:26,210 --> 00:35:28,490 TECHNOLOGY AND LIFE ON EARTH. 544 00:35:28,490 --> 00:35:31,340 AND EXTENDS ALL THE WAY OUT TO THIS OUTER BOUNDARIES OF THE 545 00:35:31,340 --> 00:35:32,340 HELIOSPHERE. 546 00:35:32,340 --> 00:35:34,590 HUNDREDS OF TIMES FURTHER AWAY FROM THE SUN. 547 00:35:34,590 --> 00:35:39,440 SO IT TELLS US THINGS ABOUT THE PART OF SPACE THAT WE LIVE IN 548 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:41,660 AND THE INTERACTION OF THAT PART OF SPACE WITH THE REST OF THE 549 00:35:41,660 --> 00:35:45,520 GALAXY BUT IT TELLS US USEFUL AND HELPFUL THINGS BECAUSE THESE 550 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:49,540 INTERACTIONS CAN HAVE AN EFFECT ON OUR TECHNOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. 551 00:35:49,540 --> 00:35:55,560 LARGE STORMS HAVE BEEN EFFECT ON OUR GPS AND OTHER SATELLITES. 552 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:58,820 THE GALACTIC COSMIC RAYS FROM THE OUTSIDE HAVE AN EFFECT ON 553 00:35:58,820 --> 00:36:02,050 ASTRONAUTS TO GO ON LONG-DURATION SPACE MISSIONS AND 554 00:36:02,050 --> 00:36:06,050 HOPEFULLY, GO TO MARS AND BEYOND IN THE LONG RUN. 555 00:36:06,050 --> 00:36:10,140 SO IT'S A VERY INTERESTING FIELD OF REALLY CORE FUNDAMENTAL 556 00:36:10,140 --> 00:36:12,370 SCIENCE THAT ALSO AFFECTS US PERSONALLY. 557 00:36:12,370 --> 00:36:15,680 FOR ME, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY EXCITING FIELD. 558 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:17,190 THAT'S MY TAKE. 559 00:36:17,190 --> 00:36:18,190 PRISCILLA? 560 00:36:18,190 --> 00:36:19,920 >> WELL, IT'S ALL VERY EXCITING. 561 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:22,920 I THINK ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING, POSSIBLE 562 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:25,860 IMPLICATIONS IS THAT AS THE SUN MOVES THROUGH SPACE AND MOVES IN 563 00:36:25,860 --> 00:36:30,350 AND OUT OF INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS, THE COSMIC RAYS FROM THE EARTH 564 00:36:30,350 --> 00:36:34,450 CHANGES AND THAT'S RECORDED IN THE RADIO ISOTOPE RECORD THAT 565 00:36:34,450 --> 00:36:37,200 GEOSCIENTISTS ARE MEASURING. 566 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:41,110 AND SOME DAY MAYBE WE'LL BE ABLE TO LINK THE SUN'S MOTION THROUGH 567 00:36:41,110 --> 00:36:44,520 INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS WITH THE GEOLOGICAL RECORD THAT'S TRACING 568 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:46,370 THE GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF OUR EARTH. 569 00:36:46,370 --> 00:36:50,390 I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY EXCITED IF WE COULD EVER DO 570 00:36:50,390 --> 00:36:51,390 THAT. 571 00:36:51,390 --> 00:36:52,390 >> EBERHARD? 572 00:36:52,390 --> 00:36:56,400 >> I FIND IT EXCITING THAT RIGHT AT OUR FRONT DOORSTEP WE CAN 573 00:36:56,400 --> 00:37:00,770 TAKE A SAMPLE OF THIS INTERSTELLAR MATTER AROUND US. 574 00:37:00,770 --> 00:37:04,820 AND IF YOU THINK BACK ALL THE WAY TO THE BIG BANG, THERE WAS 575 00:37:04,820 --> 00:37:10,900 ONLY HYDROGEN AND HELIUM AND THEN STARS AND SUPER NOVAS. 576 00:37:10,900 --> 00:37:13,230 AND THEN THE HEAVY ELEMENTS. 577 00:37:13,230 --> 00:37:18,270 SO IF YOU IMAGINE THAT WE ARE MADE OUT OF MATERIAL THAT HAS 578 00:37:18,270 --> 00:37:23,520 COME FROM THE SUPER NOVA AND THAT'S CONTINUING. 579 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:28,100 SO 4.5 BILLION YEARS AGO, THE SUN FORMED OUT OF A SIMILAR 580 00:37:28,100 --> 00:37:33,080 NEBULA AND AT THAT TIME, SPRINKLED WITH HEAVY ELEMENTS 581 00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:37,550 AND THAT'S CONTINUING AND NOW WE'RE SAMPLING PART OF THE MILKY 582 00:37:37,550 --> 00:37:39,150 WAY AS IT IT IS TODAY. 583 00:37:39,150 --> 00:37:44,220 SO WE HAVE THREE NICE POINTS FROM THE BIG BANG, THE SUN'S 584 00:37:44,220 --> 00:37:47,290 FORMATION TO WHAT IS OUR ENVIRONMENT. 585 00:37:47,290 --> 00:37:53,600 AND THEN MODELERS CAN GO ON AND TRACE HOW MATERIAL HAS EVOLVED 586 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:55,590 OVER TIME IN THE COSMOS. 587 00:37:55,590 --> 00:37:58,790 I FIND THAT FASCINATING. 588 00:37:58,790 --> 00:38:06,940 >> WELL, I THINK HUMANITY HAS BEEN ASKING, YOU KNOW, THESE 589 00:38:06,940 --> 00:38:11,140 FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS SINCE THE BEGINNING, TRYING TO PUT 590 00:38:11,140 --> 00:38:15,060 OURSELVES MY THIS CONTACT IN THE COSMOS THAT PROVIDED AN 591 00:38:15,060 --> 00:38:18,160 OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. 592 00:38:18,160 --> 00:38:24,120 THESE NEW DISCOVERIES ARE GOING TO HELP US ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, 593 00:38:24,120 --> 00:38:27,280 HOW UNIQUE OR HOW SPECIAL OUR HELIOSPHERE. 594 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:29,810 OTHER CONFIGURATIONS SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT. 595 00:38:29,810 --> 00:38:35,150 HOW DO THEY INTERACT WITH THE PLANETS AROUND KNOWS STARS AND 596 00:38:35,150 --> 00:38:36,490 THAT SORT OF THING. 597 00:38:36,490 --> 00:38:41,760 AND ANOTHER NOTE THAT I THINK IS REALLY NEAT IN THIS ATTEMPT TO 598 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:47,350 PUT OURSELVES IN THIS COSMIC CONTEXT IS DESPITE HOW CLOSE 599 00:38:47,350 --> 00:38:51,640 THESE THINGS ARE, THESE CLOSEST INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS AND THE 600 00:38:51,640 --> 00:38:55,540 HELIOSPHERE, IT'S REALLY PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO STUDY 601 00:38:55,540 --> 00:38:59,680 THEM AND IT'S A REAL ACHIEVEMENT TO MEASURE THESE INTERSTELLAR 602 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:00,680 CLOUDS. 603 00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:04,570 TO MEASURE THE HELIOSPHERE IN THIS SORT OF DETAIL WHEN WE'RE 604 00:39:04,570 --> 00:39:07,140 USED TO THINKING THAT THE FARTHER AWAY SOMETHING IS, THE 605 00:39:07,140 --> 00:39:08,140 HARDER IT IS. 606 00:39:08,140 --> 00:39:11,680 AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S TRUE TO SOME EXTENT BUT THESE ARE REALLY 607 00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:16,460 DIFFICULT MEASUREMENTS AND SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE 608 00:39:16,460 --> 00:39:17,579 THESE RESULTS TODAY. 609 00:39:17,579 --> 00:39:19,510 >> THANK YOU ALL. 610 00:39:19,510 --> 00:39:22,190 AND WITH THAT, WE'LL CLOSE OUT AND, AGAIN, YOU'VE HEARD THE 611 00:39:22,190 --> 00:39:24,630 ANATOMY OF OUR GALACTIC NEIGHBORHOOD. 612 00:39:24,630 --> 00:39:27,820 AND, AGAIN, YOU CAN FIND ALL THIS INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET 613 00:39:27,820 --> 00:39:37,120 AT NASA.GOV/IBEX OR VIA TWITTER, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND OTHER 614 00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:40,020 SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.