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VOA科学技术--NASA发射可以预测火山会何时喷发的小卫星

时间：2022-03-10 02:06:24

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（单词翻译）

NASA Launches Instrument that Could Predict Volcanic1 Eruptions3

The American space agency NASA has launched a new instrument designed to collect data on volcanic activity and air quality.

NASA said in a statement it hopes the small orbiting instrument could help predict a volcanic eruption2 before an explosion happens.

The device recently launched aboard a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft. Cygnus arrived at the International Space Station on February 21, carrying a large load of supplies and scientific experiments.

NASA calls the instrument NACHOS, which stands for Nanosat Atmospheric4 Chemistry Hyperspectral Observation System. It contains imaging sensors5 designed to identify gases like sulfur6 dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. The presence of those gases can signal possible volcanic activity.

NACHOS was built to observe trace gases in areas as small as 0.4 square kilometers. The six-kilogram instrument is set to be deployed7 in May. It will operate attached to a CubeSat, a small satellite weighing less than 10 kilograms. NASA says NACHOS will observe from about 480 kilometers above Earth's surface.

NASA considers the instrument a "prototype," meaning its operations and observations will be studied during its orbit, which is expected to last one year. The agency says NACHOS will be "the smallest, highest resolution space-based instrument" ever sent to observe atmospheric gases.

Steve Love is a scientist with the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, which is cooperating with NASA on NACHOS. He said in a statement that "a dormant8 volcano just waking" may give off sulfur dioxide before there is any observable volcanic activity.

"That gives us a chance to identify a potentially erupting volcano before it actually blows," Love said.

Such a device could help emergency officials take early measures to protect citizens and property from volcanic eruptions. But NASA says NACHOS can help scientists on Earth in other ways, too.

The instrument can also be used to observe gas levels from natural and human-made sources that can be harmful to humans. One gas that NACHOS will search for is nitrogen dioxide, which often comes from burning fossil fuels. Identifying the gas could help scientists find areas with high levels of harmful pollution.

"When we recognize that these gases are present and can localize their sources ... we have the opportunity to take action and minimize negative health outcomes," Love said.

In the past, NASA has created satellites to observe these kinds of gases. But Love said those traditionally required high-resolution images and sensitive instruments that were costly9 to produce and operate.

Smaller devices, like NACHOS, could enable a wider use of the technology at a much lower cost. If it proves successful, the technology could also be used in Earth-based systems, NASA says.

"More power and less weight set NACHOS apart and make it an excellent candidate for future atmospheric trace gas missions," Love said.

NASA says after NACHOS is deployed, Love and his team will spend three months testing its systems and getting the instrument fully10 operational.

During its yearlong mission, the team will study the instrument's performance to learn whether the technology should be further developed.

A second NACHOS instrument, NASA, said, will be deployed to low-Earth orbit in the winter of 2022 as part of a U.S. Department of Defense11 program.

Words in This Story

eruption – n. the bursting out of material from a volcano

trace – n. a small amount of something

prototype – n. an original or first model of something from which others are copied or developed

dormant – adj. not presently active or developing, but possibly active in the future

fossil fuel – n. fuels such as coal, oil, or natural gas formed in the earth from dead plants or animals

opportunity – n. a situation in which it is possible for a person to do something

minimize – v. to reduce to a very low level

negative – adj. bad or damaging

mission – n. an important project or trip, especially involving space travel


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1 volcanic BLgzQ     
adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的
参考例句：
  • There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
  • Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。
2 eruption UomxV     
n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作
参考例句：
  • The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
  • The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。
3 eruptions ca60b8eba3620efa5cdd7044f6dd0b66     
n.喷发，爆发( eruption的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • There have been several volcanic eruptions this year. 今年火山爆发了好几次。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Over 200 people have been killed by volcanic eruptions. 火山喷发已导致200多人丧生。 来自辞典例句
4 atmospheric 6eayR     
adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的
参考例句：
  • Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
  • Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。
5 sensors 029aee483db9ae244d7a5cb353e74602     
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
6 sulfur ps4wC     
n.硫，硫磺（=sulphur）
参考例句：
  • Sulfur emissions from steel mills become acid rain.炼钢厂排放出的硫形成了酸雨。
  • Burning may produce sulfur oxides.燃烧可能会产生硫氧化物。
7 deployed 4ceaf19fb3d0a70e329fcd3777bb05ea     
（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用
参考例句：
  • Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
  • The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。
8 dormant d8uyk     
adj.暂停活动的；休眠的；潜伏的
参考例句：
  • Many animals are in a dormant state during winter.在冬天许多动物都处于睡眠状态。
  • This dormant volcano suddenly fired up.这座休眠火山突然爆发了。
9 costly 7zXxh     
adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的
参考例句：
  • It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
  • This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。
10 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
11 defense AxbxB     
n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩
参考例句：
  • The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
  • The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

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