Is the idea of ​​using the Sun as a signal amplifier in 'The Three-Body Problem' really feasible?

In the science fiction novel "The Three-Body Problem" by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, the idea of ​​using the Sun as a signal amplifier plays an important role in interstellar communication . So, is this idea really feasible from a scientific perspective?

In the science fiction book "The Three-Body Problem" by Liu Cixin. The reason the Trisolaran people (Triple people) came and invaded Earth was because Diep Van Khiet on Earth sent them a signal.

During her long career in transmitting and receiving radio signals as well as researching astrophysics, she discovered a new way to amplify radio signals - using the Sun as a signal amplifier.

In the science fiction novel "The Three-Body Problem" by Liu Cixin, the Earth civilization is trying to contact the Trisolaris civilization on another planet in the Alpha Centauri solar system. Due to the enormous distance between the two planets (about 4.37 light years), conventional signal transmission by radio waves would take hundreds of years to reach Trisolaris. To overcome this problem, scientists in the novel propose using the Sun as a signal amplifier . The idea is based on the principle that the Sun's strong gravity can bend light rays and focus the energy of electromagnetic waves, which amplifies signals and increases transmission range.

After calculations and analysis, she believes that if the Sun is used as a super antenna to amplify radio waves emitted from Earth into the deep space of the universe, these radio waves will be emitted with high frequency. Its stellar-level energy and power output will be higher than all radio waves on Earth. Then, using this method, humans can communicate with other civilizations in the universe.

Therefore, after Diep Van Khiet received and decoded the signals from the Three-body people, combined with the suffering she had previously experienced, she believed that humanity had become hopeless and finally She sent a signal for help to the Trisolarans, leading to an invasion by the Trisolarans four light years away.

And this is also the starting point of the plot in "The Three-Body Problem" by Liu Cixin.

Scientists in the novel "The Three-Body Problem" use a giant telescope to aim a powerful laser beam at the Sun. The Sun's gravity will bend the laser beam and focus its energy into a narrow beam pointing toward Trisolaris. This laser beam carries a message encoded in the form of radio waves. Thanks to the Sun's amplification, the signal can be transmitted to Trisolaris with much more power than a conventional transmission signal, reducing transmission time to a few hours.

The method of transmitting radio waves and using the Sun as an amplifier is in fact just a science fiction idea of ​​Liu Cixin. However, on April 24 this year, many media reported that a scientific research team led by Yuan Ding, a professor at the Institute of Space Science and Applied Technology of Harbin Institute of Technology ( Shenzhen), led the way, for the first time observed the propagation of electromagnetic waves (light waves) in the solar halo , and confirmed that the special structure of the solar halo and large celestial bodies such as The planets can act as amplifiers of electromagnetic signals.

This means humans could achieve interstellar communication or energy transmission, using "stellar energy" to transmit radio signals and communicate with extraterrestrial civilizations. The relevant research results have been published in the journal Nature Communications .

The Sun's enormous size allows it to act as a giant antenna, capable of powerfully amplifying radio signals. At the same time, the Sun also continuously emits electromagnetic radiation, including radio waves. Accordingly, many people believe that this radiation can be used to carry information to alien civilizations.

Professor Yuan Ding and his team used the world's most advanced and complete magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulation program as well as high-resolution observational data from the Dynamics Observatory telescope. The American Sun provides to ensure the accuracy and reliability of research results.

Through preliminary verification through observation and analysis, the research team found that during the transmission of electromagnetic waves, coronal holes act as 'convex lenses' in this process, causing the waves to From the initial hydrodynamic dispersion, it gradually concentrates. After measurement, a special magnetohydrodynamic wave phenomenon in the Sun's halo reduces the speed of the light wave by 300 times, thus allowing to observe its dynamic propagation.

Theoretically, the Sun could be used as a signal amplifier thanks to the plasma reflection effect . Plasma is the fourth state of matter, made up of ionized ions and electrons. The Sun is a giant plasma star, and the plasma in its corona can reflect radio waves.

Once focused by the coronal hole, the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave increases threefold and the energy flow it carries increases sevenfold. This fully demonstrates the powerful potential of this energy focusing effect. Therefore, the media believes that this discovery could be an important discovery in interstellar signal transmission. 

Signal transmission or energy transfer offers the possibility that in the future humans could actually communicate with alien civilizations in the universe through this method. In other words, is Diep Van Khiet's idea in "The Three-Body Problem " really scientifically feasible?

This was a misinterpretation of Yuan Ding's group's research results by the media, leading to discrepancies in reporting. The related paper published by Yuan Ding's group said that the magnetohydrodynamic waves generated by solar flares are limitedly focused on the coronal hole, but the enhanced energy after focusing is actually still concentrated focuses on the Sun , has a certain distance limit and cannot leave the Sun. Then its energy will not increase, but on the contrary, it will weaken.

Although the idea of ​​using the Sun as a signal amplifier has potential, it still has many challenges that need to be resolved before it can be applied in practice. Currently, scientists are researching other methods of interstellar information transmission, such as using lasers or using artificial satellites.

In fact, the magnetohydrodynamic waves generated by the coronal hole change from diffuse to concentrated when passing through the coronal hole, and the effect is very similar to our common "convex lens focusing" phenomenon . Perhaps we can achieve enhanced accumulation of electromagnetic wave energy within a certain range in this way, but we cannot transmit enhanced electromagnetic waves over long distances in this way . So we cannot use the Sun as an amplifier to broadcast strong electromagnetic wave information into deep space in this way.