纪录片《为何无法预测地震》 第34期:提前预测地震?

Modern seismology has been with us for over 100 years,

现代地震学已有一百多年的历史

but scientists are still no closer to predicting earthquakes.

但科学家们还是无法预测地震

However, they haven't completely given up.

尽管如此 他们并没有完全放弃

But where they once thought it

从前他们以为能够

might be possible to predict months in advance,

提前几个月预测地震

now, it's come down to a matter of seconds.

现在 能提前几秒钟已是万幸

We are prototyping earthquake early warning,

我们正在为地震预警系统建造原型

this is also sometimes called now casting,

有时也称它为实时预测

because it's not saying there's going to be earthquake,

因为它无法预报你地震的发生时间地点

its rather saying an earthquake has already begun

它只能告诉你地震已经发生

and we're giving you that information before

然后我们在震波从震源移动到

the waves have travelled from the fault to where you are.

该地区前给出预警信号

The warning system will start from stations like this,

预警系统由像这个位于

located along the San Andreas Fault.

圣安地列斯断层的站点启动

Instruments buried deep underground will track

利用高精度全球定位系统卫星

how much the fault is moving,

深埋地底的仪器能追踪到

using high-precision GPS satellites.

断层的移动程度

The, er, antenna¹ itself is inside of this hemispherical² shell

天线藏在半球形外壳里

and it's constantly

它会不断地自动追踪

locked onto the radio signals from the GPS satellites.

来自全球定位系统卫星的无线电信号

Each leg of this tripod goes down about 30 feet,

三脚架的每根脚都延伸到地下三十英尺

ten metres into the ground

就是地下十米的地方

and firmly attached to the bedrock here.

牢固地附在基岩上

But to have this system up and running,

要让整个系统运行并运作起来

these instruments need to be able to feed back data

这些仪器必须能在地震的瞬间

the moment the ground starts to shake.

及时反馈数据

1 antenna   

n.触角，触须；天线

参考例句：

• The workman fixed the antenna to the roof of the house.工人把天线固定在房顶上。
• In our village, there is an antenna on every roof for receiving TV signals.在我们村里，每家房顶上都有天线接收电视信号。

2 hemispherical   

adj.半球的，半球状的

参考例句：

• Smooth hemispherical embayments by the intergrowth towards the center are not uncommon. 由于向心内生长而形成半球状弯陷的情况是很常见的。 来自辞典例句
• The end of the hole is hemispherical. 小孔端面成半球状。 来自辞典例句