经济学人244:太阳物理学 落山的太阳

 　　Science and technology

　　科学技术

　　Solar physics

　　太阳物理学

　　Sun down

　　落山的太阳

　　Several lines of evidence suggest that the sun is about to go quiet

　　证据的一些方式表明太阳即将变平静

　　spots of bother?

　　太阳黑子的困扰？

　　DURING the four centuries that it has been studied in detail, the sun has usually behaved in a regular manner.

　　太阳已被详细研究了四百年，它通常以规则的方式反应。

　　The number of spots on its surface has waxed and waned¹ in cycles that last, on average, 11 years.

　　太阳表面的黑子数在其一般延续11年的活动周期内增增减减。

　　Such cycles begin with spots appearing in mid-solar latitudes³ and end with them near the equator.

　　这样的周期活动以太阳黑子在其中纬度出现开始并随着黑子移动到赤道附近而终结。

　　And the more spots there are, the more solar storms there are around.

　　而且太阳黑子的数目越多，周围就会有越多的太阳风暴。

　　Sometimes, though, the sun sulks and this solar cycle stops.

　　然而，太阳有时也会生气，之后这种太阳活动周期就停止了。

　　That has happened twice since records began:

　　自从对这种太阳活动周期有记载以来，这种现象已经发生了两次了：

　　during the so-called Maunder minimum of 1645 to 1715 and the Dalton minimum of 1790 to 1830.

　　就是所称的1645年至1715年蒙德极小期和1790年至1830年道尔顿极小期期间。

　　These coincided with periods when global temperatures were lower than average, though why is a matter of debate.

　　这些现象与全球气温低于平均水平时相一致，虽然这是为什么争议的一个问题。

　　An absence of sunspots also means an absence of solar flares⁴ and their more violent siblings⁵, coronal mass ejections.

　　缺少太阳黑子也意味着太阳耀斑以及它们更强烈的同胞-日冕物质抛射的不存在。

　　Such outbursts disrupt radio and satellite communications, electricity grids⁷ and a variety of electronic equipment, so the pattern of solar activity is of more than academic interest.

　　这种大爆发会干扰无线电和卫星通信，电网和各种电子设备，因此太阳活动方式超越了学术兴趣。

　　A new solar minimum, then, would test theories about how the climate works and also make communications more reliable.

　　然而，一个新的太阳极小期将会测试关于气候如何起作用的理论以及还将使得通信更加可靠。

　　And many solar physicists⁸ think such a new minimum is on the cards.

　　而且许多太阳物理学家认为这样一个新的太阳极小期很可能发生。

　　A group of them, who all work for America's National Solar Observatory⁹, have just had a meeting in New Mexico, under the aegis¹⁰ of the American Astronomical¹¹ Society, to announce their latest results.

　　在美国天文学会的主持下，美国国家太阳天文台工作的一群太阳物理学家刚刚在新墨西哥州举行了一次会议来宣布他们的最新成果。

　　Frank Hill and his team were the discoverers, 15 years ago, of an east-west jet stream in the sun.

　　弗兰克·希尔和他的研究小组就是15年前太阳内东西高速气流的发现人员。

　　They also worked out that the latitude² of this wind is related to the sunspot cycle.

　　他们还计算出这次太阳风的纬度和太阳黑子的活动周期相关。

　　At the beginning of a cycle the jet stream is found, like sunspots, in mid-latitudes.

　　在一个活动周期开始的时候，就可以找到高速气流，像中纬度地区的太阳黑子。

　　As the cycle progresses, it follows the spots towards the equator.

　　随着活动周期的进展，高速气流随着太阳黑子向太阳的赤道方向移动。

　　Intriguingly¹², however, Dr Hill's studies indicate that the jet stream of a new cycle starts to form years before the sunspot pattern.

　　然而，让人感兴趣的事情是，希尔博士的研究表明一个新太阳活动周期的高速气流在太阳黑子活动方式前开始形成。

　　This time, that has not happened.

　　这次，高速气流还未产生。

　　History suggests a new cycle should begin in 2019.

　　历史表明一个新太阳活动周期应该开始于2019年。

　　If the sun were behaving itself, Dr Hill's team would have seen signs of a new jet stream in 2008 or 2009.

　　假如太阳自我反应的话，希尔博士研究人员在2008年或2009年早已观察到新高速气流的迹象了。

　　They did not.

　　但是他们没有看到这些情况。

　　Nor are there indications of one even now.

　　即使现在，也没有一个迹象出现。

　　If a change in the jet stream really is a leading indicator¹³ of solar activity, then no new cycle is on the horizon.

　　如果高速气流的变化真地是太阳活动最重要的指示物，那么新的太阳活动周期还未露端倪。

　　The second study which suggests something odd is happening looked at the strengths of sunspots.

　　表明奇怪的事情正在发生的第二项研究检查了太阳黑子的活力。

　　Matthew Penn and William Livingston have analysed 13 years of data which indicate that, independently of the number of spots around, there has been a decrease in their strength.

　　马修·佩恩威廉·利文斯敦已独立见解地分析了大致太阳黑子数的13年的数据表明这些黑子的活力已经下降了。

　　Sunspots are caused by irruptions into its surface of the sun's deeper magnetism¹⁴.

　　太阳黑子是由入侵活动进入太阳深层磁性表面造成的。

　　These create local drops in temperature, which make the surface gas darker.

　　这些入侵活动导致了局部气温下降，使得太阳表面气体颜色更深。

　　Over the period which Dr Penn and Dr Livingston analysed, the average magnetic strength of the irruptions has declined.

　　佩恩和利文斯顿博士分析表明，入侵活动的平均磁场强度已有所下降。

　　Below a certain threshold, they will not be strong enough to overcome the convective mixing of the gas at the surface, and spots will disappear altogether.

　　低于一定的临界值的话，它们将不足以克服表面气体的对流混合，因而太阳黑子将完全消失。

　　If the present trend continues, that will happen in 2021.

　　如果目前的趋势继续下去，那么2021年太阳黑子就会消失。

　　The third measure of the sun's decline is in its outer atmosphere, the corona⁶.

　　太阳衰落的标准就是其外层的气体日冕。

　　At each solar maximum, the corona sloughs¹⁵ off the magnetic fingerprint¹⁶ of the previous cycle by pushing it to the poles.

　　在每次太阳极大期，日冕通过把气体推向两极而使前一活动周期的磁性特征消退掉。

　　According to Richard Altrock, the leader of another NSO team at the meeting, that does not appear to be happening in the present cycle.

　　根据会议上美国国家太阳天文台的另一研究组的领导理查德·阿尔乔克所说，目前的太阳活动周期那种现象没有出现。

　　It looks, then, as if a new, extended solar minimum is about to begin.

　　然而，看上去好像一个新延续的太阳极小期将要开始。

　　That is good news for operators of communications satellites.

　　对通信卫星的经营者来说，这是好消息。

　　And it is interesting news for those who worry about global warming.

　　而且这对那些担心全球气温变暖的那些人来说是个令人有趣的新闻。

　　If the Maunder and Dalton minima actually did affect the climate,

　　如果蒙德和道尔顿极小期确实影响了气候，

　　then a new one might counteract¹⁷ the effects of the extra greenhouse gases people are now pumping into the atmosphere—at least, until the solar cycle returns.

　　那么新的太阳活动极小期可能抵消人们现在大量释放到空气中额外温室气体的影响-至少要到太阳活动周期恢复时。

　　Whether the breathing space thus granted would be used wisely or squandered¹⁸ is another matter.

　　无论是如此承认的呼吸空间会被明智地使用还是被大手大脚地挥霍掉将是另一回事。

　　Do not expect that debate to be as placid¹⁹ as the spotless sun.

　　不要指望辩论就像一尘不染的太阳那么宁静安详。

1 waned   

v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• However,my enthusiasm waned.The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. 然而，我的热情减退了。我在做操上花的时间逐渐减少了。 来自《用法词典》
• The bicycle craze has waned. 自行车热已冷下去了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 latitude   

n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区

参考例句：

• The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
• The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

3 latitudes   

纬度

参考例句：

• Latitudes are the lines that go from east to west. 纬线是从东到西的线。
• It was the brief Indian Summer of the high latitudes. 这是高纬度地方的那种短暂的晚秋。

4 flares   

n.喇叭裤v.（使）闪耀( flare的第三人称单数 )；（使）（船舷）外倾；（使）鼻孔张大；（使）（衣裙、酒杯等）呈喇叭形展开

参考例句：

• The side of a ship flares from the keel to the deck. 船舷从龙骨向甲板外倾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation. 他是火爆性子，一点就着。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

6 corona   

n.日冕

参考例句：

• The corona gains and loses energy continuously.日冕总是不断地获得能量和损失能量。
• The corona is a brilliant,pearly white,filmy light,about as bright as the full moon.光环带是一种灿烂的珠白色朦胧光，几乎像满月一样明亮。

7 grids   

n.格子( grid的名词复数 )；地图上的坐标方格；（输电线路、天然气管道等的）系统网络；（汽车比赛）赛车起跑线

参考例句：

• Typical framed structures are beams, grids, plane and space frames or trusses. 典型构架结构为梁、格栅、平面的和空间的框架或桁架。 来自辞典例句
• The machines deliver trimmed grids for use or stock. 这种机器铸出修整过的板栅，以供使用或储存。 来自辞典例句

8 physicists   

物理学家( physicist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• For many particle physicists, however, it was a year of frustration. 对于许多粒子物理学家来说，这是受挫折的一年。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技
• Physicists seek rules or patterns to provide a framework. 物理学家寻求用法则或图式来构成一个框架。

9 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

10 aegis   

n.盾；保护，庇护

参考例句：

• Medical supplies are flied in under the aegis of the red cross.在红十字会的保护下，正在空运进医药用品。
• The space programme will continue under the aegis of the armed forces.这项太空计划将以武装部队作后盾继续进行。

11 astronomical   

adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的

参考例句：

• He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
• Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

12 intriguingly   

参考例句：

• Intriguingly, she gave to the music a developed although oddly malleable personality. 最神奇的是，她的音乐具有成熟却又很奇怪地极富可塑性。 来自互联网
• Intriguingly, the patients brains were riddled with tangles, but not amyloid plaques. 有趣的是，患者的大脑中充满了各缠结，但并没有粉斑。 来自互联网

13 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

14 magnetism   

n.磁性，吸引力，磁学

参考例句：

• We know about magnetism by the way magnets act.我们通过磁铁的作用知道磁性是怎么一回事。
• His success showed his magnetism of courage and devotion.他的成功表现了他的胆量和热诚的魅力。

15 sloughs   

n.沼泽( slough的名词复数 )；苦难的深渊；难以改变的不良心情；斯劳(Slough)v.使蜕下或脱落( slough的第三人称单数 )；舍弃；除掉；摒弃

参考例句：

• Later, the frozen tissue dies, sloughs off and passes out with the urine. 不久，冷冻的组织会死亡，脱落并随尿排出。 来自辞典例句
• Every spring this snake sloughs off its old skin. 每年春天，蛇蜕去皮。 来自互联网

16 fingerprint   

n.指纹；vt.取...的指纹

参考例句：

• The fingerprint expert was asked to testify at the trial.指纹专家应邀出庭作证。
• The court heard evidence from a fingerprint expert.法院听取了指纹专家的证词。

17 counteract   

vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消

参考例句：

• The doctor gave him some medicine to counteract the effect of the poison.医生给他些药解毒。
• Our work calls for mutual support.We shouldn't counteract each other's efforts.工作要互相支持，不要互相拆台。

18 squandered   

v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He squandered all his money on gambling. 他把自己所有的钱都糟蹋在赌博上了。
• She felt as indignant as if her own money had been squandered. 她心里十分生气，好像是她自己的钱给浪费掉了似的。 来自飘（部分）

19 placid   

adj.安静的，平和的

参考例句：

• He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。
• You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。