VOA常速英语2014--寻找宇宙中最冷的物体

 

Scientists Looking at Coldest Objects in Universe 寻找宇宙中最冷的物体

Astronomers² have a new powerful tool for looking deep into space while trying to better understand the origins of the universe.  It is a new telescope that will look for signals coming from the coldest objects in deep space. The telescope is called Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array or "ALMA.  The last of its 66-dish antennas⁴ has been moved to its site in Chile's high desert

Under an almost always cloudless sky, in Chile's cold and barren Atacama desert, 5,000 meters above sea level and away from any electromagnetic interference,

在智利寒冷荒凉的阿塔卡玛沙漠，天空一丝云朵都没有，这里海波5000多米，远离电磁干扰，

ALMA’s dish antennas listen to signals coming from distant cold objects.

ALMA望远镜的碟形天线正接受来自远方寒冷物体的信号。

Even the coldest matter in space, such as dust and gas, emit signals between infrared⁵ light and radio waves, with wavelengths⁶ smaller than a millimeter.

即使是太空中最寒冷的物质，比如尘埃和气体，都能释放红外线和无线广播之间的各种信号，其波长短于一毫米。

Catching⁷ them requires either a dish antenna³ of enormous proportions, or an array of smaller ones, with a supercomputer to consolidate⁸ the data.

捕捉这些信号或者需要巨大的碟形天线，或者是小天线的组合，由超级计算机来整合这些数据。

The equipment that receives those signals must be kept at even colder temperatures, says astronomer¹ Gianni Marconi.

天文学家詹尼·马可尼说，接受这些信号的设备必须被安置在更寒冷的气温下。

“You have to amplify⁹ the signal that is really really low in conditions that are really really extreme,

“必须得放大这些非常微弱的信号，

so this is the reason because of our detectors¹⁰ are kept at the minimum temperature possible," he said. "We are few degree above the zero absolute.”

所以我们的探测器被放置在尽可能低的气温下，只比绝对零度高几度。”

Signals from ALMA’s 66 antennas are processed in a supercomputer called Correlator.

ALMA望远镜66个天线接受的信号在名叫Correlator的超级计算机里得到处理，

Electronic engineer Lorenzo Martinez says each of its four parts can process a lot of data.

电子工程师劳伦祖·马丁说这种计算机四个部分都能处理大量数据。

“We have 120 gigabytes per second that is produced in each antenna," he said. "Well, if you do the math, these are astronomical¹¹ numbers.”

“每个天线每秒钟接受120千兆字节的数据，所以要进行计算，这些就是天文数字。”

It is tricky¹² to combine the signals from several dish antennas.

整合这些来自不同碟形天线的信号很麻烦，

Scientists have to periodically rearrange them in order to find the best configuration¹³ with the least amount of radio interference.

科学家必须定期重新设置下天线，从而在最小无线干预的情况下找到最佳配置。

Juan Carlos Salamanca operates a special multi-wheeled transporter called ‘Lore’ to move the antennas across the flat desert floor.

胡安·卡洛斯·萨拉曼卡操纵一辆名叫Lore的特殊多轮运输机，在平坦的沙漠上移动天线。

“One antenna weighs almost 100 tons and you need to transport it to 5,000 meters

“每个天线将近100吨，需要将它们转移5000米，

and the truck needs to have the capability¹⁴ to work without a problem at 5,000 meters,” he said.

卡车就必须在5000米内无故障完成工作。

Marconi says the ALMA telescope will open a new window on the most distant early formed galaxies¹⁵.

马可尼说ALMA望远镜将在最遥远的早期星系中发现新的可能。

“This is what ALMA is doing, giving us a new Horizon looking at the beginning of the universe, at the beginning of the star formation, at the beginning of the formation of our cosmic structure,”he said.

“这就是ALMA在做的事情，让我们能重新认识宇宙的开端，认识恒星形成的开端，认识我们宇宙结构最初的构成。”

ALMA is a joint¹⁶ project funded by Europe, United States, Canada, East Asia and Chile.

ALMA是由欧洲、美国、加拿大、东亚和智利联合发起的项目。

1 astronomer   

n.天文学家

参考例句：

• A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
• He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。

2 astronomers   

n.天文学者，天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 antennas   

[生] 触角，触须（antenna的复数形式）

参考例句：

• Marconi tied several antennas to kites. 马可尼在风筝上系了几根天线。 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Radio astronomy today is armed with the largest antennas in the world. 射电天文学拥有世界上最大的天线。

5 infrared   

adj./n.红外线(的)

参考例句：

• Infrared is widely used in industry and medical science.红外线广泛应用于工业和医学科学。
• Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light.红外辐射的波长比可见光的波长长。

6 wavelengths   

n.波长( wavelength的名词复数 )；具有相同的/不同的思路；合拍；不合拍

参考例句：

• I find him difficult to talk to—we're on completely different wavelengths. 我没法和他谈话，因为我们俩完全不对路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Sunlight consists of different wavelengths of radiation. 阳光由几种不同波长的射线组成。 来自辞典例句

7 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

8 consolidate   

v.使加固，使加强；(把...)联为一体，合并

参考例句：

• The two banks will consolidate in July next year. 这两家银行明年7月将合并。
• The government hoped to consolidate ten states to form three new ones.政府希望把十个州合并成三个新的州。

9 amplify   

vt.放大，增强；详述，详加解说

参考例句：

• The new manager wants to amplify the company.新经理想要扩大公司。
• Please amplify your remarks by giving us some examples.请举例详述你的话。

10 detectors   

探测器( detector的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The report advocated that all buildings be fitted with smoke detectors. 报告主张所有的建筑物都应安装烟火探测器。
• This is heady wine for experimenters using these neutrino detectors. 对于使用中微子探测器的实验工作者，这是令人兴奋的美酒。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技

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 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

13 configuration   

n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置

参考例句：

• Geographers study the configuration of the mountains.地理学家研究山脉的地形轮廓。
• Prices range from $119 to $199,depending on the particular configuration.价格因具体配置而异，从119美元至199美元不等。

14 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

15 galaxies   

星系( galaxy的名词复数 )； 银河系； 一群（杰出或著名的人物）

参考例句：

• Quasars are the highly energetic cores of distant galaxies. 类星体是遥远星系的极为活跃的核心体。
• We still don't know how many galaxies there are in the universe. 我们还不知道宇宙中有多少个星系。

16 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。