Chinese AI model processes stellar data across telescopes

A Chinese research team has developed an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) model called SpecCLIP, which serves as a “translator” for stellar data collected by different telescopes. According to the Science and Technology Daily, this advancement showcases the immense potential of AI in processing large astronomical datasets.

Stellar spectra hold unique information about a star’s temperature, chemical composition, and surface gravity. By analyzing these light signatures, astronomers can trace the evolutionary history of the Milky Way.

However, researchers have long faced a significant challenge. Different survey projects, such as China’s LAMOST and Europe’s Gaia satellite, collect data using varying methods, resolutions, and wavelength ranges. Because these datasets are like stories told in completely different dialects, it is incredibly difficult to combine them for large-scale analysis.

To break down this data barrier, researchers introduced concepts similar to large language models into astronomy. They created an AI capable of autonomously learning and establishing connections between data from different sources. SpecCLIP effectively converts varying spectra into a universal language, allowing scientists to easily perform joint analyses across different instruments.

Published in the Astrophysical Journal, the study highlights that SpecCLIP is a foundational framework rather than a tool designed for a single task.

It can predict stellar atmospheric parameters, perform similarity searches, and assist in the identification of unusual celestial objects simultaneously.

These capabilities are essential for the field of Galactic archaeology. The AI can efficiently analyze vast datasets to discover extremely rare and ancient stars, providing crucial evidence about the early formation of the Milky Way.

Additionally, SpecCLIP is currently being utilized in advanced missions, including the search for Earth-like planets, where it accurately characterizes host stars to help identify potentially habitable worlds.