VOA科学技术2023 联合国：地球臭氧层正在慢慢愈合（在线收听）

UN: Earth’s Ozone Layer Is Slowly Healing

联合国：地球臭氧层正在慢慢愈合

A United Nations report has found that Earth's protective ozone layer is slowly healing itself.

联合国的一份报告发现，地球的保护臭氧层正在慢慢愈合。

Ozone is a form of oxygen. In Earth's upper atmosphere, it acts as a barrier to block harmful radiation from the sun. But closer to Earth's surface, ozone is a common pollutant. At ground level, high levels of ozone can harm people's lungs and damage plants.

臭氧是氧气的一种形式。在地球上层大气中，它起到阻挡太阳有害辐射的屏障作用。但在地球表面附近，臭氧是一种常见的污染物。在地面上，高浓度的臭氧会伤害人们的肺部，损害植物。

Research has shown that chemical pollutants released into the atmosphere shrink the ozone layer over time. The layer exists in a part of Earth's atmosphere known as the stratosphere. The layer sits between 15 to 30 kilometers above Earth's surface. Each year, a large hole develops in the layer over Antarctica.

研究表明，随着时间的推移，释放到大气中的化学污染物会使臭氧层收缩。该层存在于地球大气层的一部分，称为平流层。该层位于地球表面15至30公里之间。每年，南极洲上空的地层都会形成一个大洞。

In their new report, U.N. scientists say at the current rate, the ozone hole over Antarctica would be fully healed by 2066.

联合国科学家在他们的新报告中表示，按照目前的速度，南极洲上空的臭氧空洞将在2066年前完全愈合。

Paul Newman is the co-chair of the U.N. report. It was recently presented at a meeting of the American Meteorological Society. He told The Associated Press, "In the upper stratosphere and in the ozone hole we see things getting better."

保罗·纽曼是联合国报告的共同主席。它最近在美国气象学会的一次会议上提出。他告诉美联社，“在平流层上层和臭氧层空洞，我们看到情况越来越好。”

However, the researchers reported the healing is happening very slowly. The worldwide average amount of ozone is estimated to return to pre-thinning levels around 2040, the report said.

然而，研究人员报告说，愈合的速度非常缓慢。报告称，全球臭氧平均量预计将在2040年左右恢复到减薄前的水平。

A 1987 agreement called the Montreal Protocol banned a series of chemicals – mainly used in refrigerants and aerosols – believed to have reduced the thickness of the ozone layer.

1987年的一项名为《蒙特利尔议定书》的协议禁止了一系列化学物质——主要用于制冷剂和气溶胶——据信这些化学物质减少了臭氧层的厚度。

The Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, Petteri Taalas, commented about the report in a statement. He said past actions taken to reduce ozone damage had demonstrated the importance of limiting climate-harming substances.

世界气象组织秘书长Petteri Taalas在一份声明中对该报告发表了评论。他说，过去为减少臭氧破坏而采取的行动表明了限制对气候有害物质的重要性。

Newman added that while signs of healing were reported four years ago, researchers were looking for more lasting change. The earlier recovery numbers had "solidified a lot," he said.

纽曼补充说，虽然四年前就有治愈的迹象，但研究人员正在寻找更持久的变化。他说，早些时候的复苏数字“固化了很多”。

The two main chemicals that eat away at ozone are in lower levels in the atmosphere, said Newman, who is also the chief Earth scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The report said chlorine levels were down 11.5 percent since they reached a high in 1993. Bromine – which does a better job of eating ozone but exists at lower levels in the air – dropped 14.5 percent since reaching a high point in 1999.

纽曼同时也是美国宇航局戈达德太空飞行中心的首席地球科学家，他说，消耗臭氧层的两种主要化学物质在大气中的含量较低。报告称，自1993年达到最高水平以来，氯含量下降了11.5%。自1999年达到最高点以来，溴的含量下降了14.5%。

Newman said the reductions in chlorine and bromine levels came largely because of the limits set in the Montreal Protocol.

纽曼表示，氯和溴含量的下降主要是因为《蒙特利尔议定书》中规定的限制。

Another member of the research team was David W. Fahey, director of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's chemical sciences lab. He said the latest results show there has been a "sea change" in the way the world deals with its ozone-thinning substances.

该研究小组的另一名成员是美国国家海洋和大气管理局化学科学实验室主任大卫·W·法希。他说，最新结果表明，世界处理臭氧稀释物质的方式发生了“海洋变化”。

Natural weather cycles in the Antarctic also affect ozone hole levels, which are highest in the autumn. The past few years, Newman said, the ozone hole grew a bit bigger because of that. But overall, the results demonstrate clear healing, the report said.

南极的自然气候周期也会影响臭氧层空洞水平，而臭氧层空洞的水平在秋季最高。纽曼说，在过去的几年里，臭氧层空洞也因此变得更大。但报告称，总体而言，结果显示了明显的治愈效果。

Words in This Story

layer – n. an amount of substance covering a surface

层--覆盖表面的物质量

refrigerant – n. a chemical substance that can be used to make things or keep things cold

致冷剂--一种化学物质，可以用来制造东西或使东西变冷

aerosol – n. a substance like hair spray kept in a container under pressure that is released in a fine spray when a button is pushed

气雾剂--一种像发胶一样的物质，在压力下保存在容器中，当按下按钮时会以细水雾的形式释放出来

sea change – n. a complete change or transformation

彻底的变化