A team led by academician Zhang Jun at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) has developed typhoon detection instruments for conducting typhoon detection in the near-space environment.

This initiative has the potential to greatly deepen insights into typhoon formation, evolution, and sudden changes, positioning China at the forefront of global capabilities in precise typhoon detection, scientific analysis and accurate forecasting.

Typhoons are one of the most powerful and destructive weather systems on earth. With their immense power and complex structures, a direct detection of typhoons remains one of the most challenging scientific problems.

The team's chief scientist, BIT's Professor Zhang Jun, presents the typhoon detection instruments at the test site.

To collect typhoon data and overcome the limitations of existing detection methods, the team led by Zhang has developed a series of innovative products, divided into four core components: fine detection, information transmission, flight control, and assimilation simulation.

These instruments can be deployed via airships that approach typhoons, effectively establishing a detection platform in the near space above the typhoon. The instruments carried below the airship combine close-range external measurement with direct internal measurement to continuously track and monitor the typhoon. Using this method, researchers aim to reconstruct digital typhoons with resolutions as fine as 100 meters or even 50 meters, which will significantly enhance our understanding of typhoons and improve forecasting accuracy.

"In the near-space environment, detecting typhoons is something that hasn't been done before. Much of our work started from basic tasks like circuit board design and material selection", said BIT's Professor Hu Chun. "Starting from the first generation, we've gone through simulation, testing, and redesign, having iterated and optimized (the typhoon detecting instruments) repeatedly for nearly four years. It took numerous fine adjustments to finally create the final product."

BIT team conducts field equipment testing.

Conducting near-space typhoon observations could profoundly reveal the scientific mysteries of typhoon formation, evolution, and sudden changes, advancing China's capabilities in precise typhoon detection, scientific understanding, and accurate forecasting to a leading level.

Leading the industry requires long-term efforts and forward-thinking commitment. The chief scientist Professor Zhang has long been dedicated to the development of airship-related technologies. In the early stages, the airships developed by Zhang and his team were mainly used for emergency communication and earth observation, helping disaster-stricken areas maintain signal connectivity during earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters. To fully utilize the capabilities of airships, the team explored their application in meteorology. In 2017, Zhang led the team in collaboration with the China Meteorological Administration to conduct a trial release of a radiosonde from an airship, marking a significant breakthrough in airship technology and enabling the opening of new avenues for typhoon detection.

Near space is a crucial operational area for satellites, rockets, and other aerospace vehicles. A better understanding of the near-space environment will help us to improve the design of aerospace vehicles and provide data support for China's aviation and aerospace industry. Looking ahead, there is still much work for the team to accomplish.