2021年经济学人 隧道杀手,让你无处遁形(2)

Resead's real secret, though, is in the way it handles the incoming data.

然而，Resead真正的秘密在于它处理传入数据的方式。

First, these are pre-crunched by powerful hardware built into the sensors¹ themselves.

首先，传感器本身内置的强大硬件可以预先处理这些数据。

This step, a form of parallel processing, greatly reduces the time required by the central receiving computer to finish the job.

这一步(一种并行处理的形式)大大减少了中央接收计算机完成工作所需的时间。

Second, the mathematical technique employed, a species of finite-element analysis, divides the volume represented by the incoming data not merely into blocks,

其次，所采用的数学技术，一种有限元分析，不仅把输入数据所代表的体积分成块

as is normal in this approach, but into blocks the faces and edges of which can have different properties.

(这是该方法的正常做法)，而且分成块，这些块的面和边可以有不同的属性。

This means a block can straddle, say, the interface² between a metal pipe and the rock surrounding it.

这意味着块体可以跨越金属管道和周围岩石之间的界面。

That considerably³ reduces the number of blocks needed, and further simplifies the calculation.

这大大减少了所需的块的数量，并进一步简化了计算。

To test their system Dr Weiss's team decided⁴ to look at an oilfield. Most oilfields have only one or two wells per square kilometre, which is hardly challenging.

为了测试他们的系统，韦斯博士的团队决定对一个油田进行考察。大多数油田每平方公里只有一到两口井，没什么挑战性。

The team, however, chose in Bakersfield, California, which has a dense⁵ network of oil-related infrastructure⁶.

然而，该团队选择了加州贝克尔斯菲尔德，那里有一个密集的石油相关基础设施网络。

The square kilometre they picked contains more than a hundred wells, many underground storage tanks and tens of kilometres of steel pipeline⁷.

他们选择的那块土地有一百多口井、许多地下储罐和几十公里的钢管道。

Resead made short work of this challenge. It produced an accurate map of the area in just ten minutes.

而里德很快就解决了这一挑战，它在十分钟内就绘制出了该地区的精确地图。

Exactly how Resead sensors would be put in place in a zone of active conflict remains⁸ to be seen. But the system could certainly be useful for other sorts of security.

Resead传感器将如何安装在冲突频繁的地区还有待观察，但该系统当然也可以用于其他类型的安全。

In particular, America has a problem with tunnels under its border with Mexico being used to smuggle⁹ drugs and migrants into the country.

特别是，美国与墨西哥边境的地下隧道被用来向该国走私毒品和移民。

Resead would be able to detect existing tunnels and nip new ones in the bud.

Resead将能够探测现有的隧道，并将新的隧道扼杀在萌芽状态。

1 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

2 interface   

n.接合部位，分界面；v.(使)互相联系

参考例句：

• My computer has a network interface,which allows me to get to other computers.我的计算机有网络接口可以与其它计算机连在一起。
• This program has perspicuous interface and extensive application. 该程序界面明了，适用范围广。

3 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 smuggle   

vt.私运；vi.走私

参考例句：

• Friends managed to smuggle him secretly out of the country.朋友们想方设法将他秘密送出国了。
• She has managed to smuggle out the antiques without getting caught.她成功将古董走私出境，没有被逮捕。