2023考研英語閱讀太陽物理學
Solar physics
太陽物理學
Sun down
落山的太陽
Several lines of evidence suggest that the sun isabout to go quiet
證據的一些方式表明太陽即將變平靜
spots of bother?
太陽黑子的困擾?
DURING the four centuries that it has been studied in detail, the sun has usually behaved in aregular manner.
太陽已被詳細研究了四百年，它通常以規則的方式反應。
The number of spots on its surface has waxed and waned in cycles that last, on average, 11years.
太陽表面的黑子數在其一般延續11年的活動周期內增增減減。
Such cycles begin with spots appearing in mid-solar latitudes and end with them near theequator.
這樣的周期活動以太陽黑子在其中緯度出現開始并隨著黑子移動到赤道附近而終結。
And the more spots there are, the more solar storms there are around.
而且太陽黑子的數目越多，周圍就會有越多的太陽風暴。
Sometimes, though, the sun sulks and this solar cycle stops.
然而，太陽有時也會生氣，之后這種太陽活動周期就停止了。
That has happened twice since records began:
自從對這種太陽活動周期有記載以來，這種現象已經發生了兩次了：
during the so-called Maunder minimum of 1645 to 1715 and the Dalton minimum of 1790 to1830.
就是所稱的1645年至1715年蒙德極小期和1790年至1830年道爾頓極小期期間。
These coincided with periods when global temperatures were lower than average, thoughwhy is a matter of debate.
這些現象與全球氣溫低于平均水平時相一致，雖然這是為什么爭議的一個問題。
An absence of sunspots also means anabsence of solar flares and their more violent siblings, coronal mass ejections.
缺少太陽黑子也意味著太陽耀斑以及它們更強烈的同胞-日冕物質拋射的不存在。
Such outbursts disrupt radio and satellite communications, electricity grids and a variety ofelectronic equipment, so the pattern of solar activity is of more than academic interest.
這種大爆發會干擾無線電和衛星通信，電網和各種電子設備，因此太陽活動方式超越了學術興趣。
A new solar minimum, then, would test theories about how the climate works and also makecommunications more reliable.
然而，一個新的太陽極小期將會測試關于氣候如何起作用的理論以及還將使得通信更加可靠。
And many solar physicists think such a new minimum is on the cards.
而且許多太陽物理學家認為這樣一個新的太陽極小期很可能發生。
A group of them, who all work for America s National Solar Observatory, have just had ameeting in New Mexico, under the aegis of the American Astronomical Society, to announcetheir latest results.
在美國天文學會的主持下，美國國家太陽天文臺工作的一群太陽物理學家剛剛在新墨西哥州舉行了一次會議來宣布他們的最新成果。
Frank Hill and his team were the discoverers, 15 years ago, of an east-west jet stream in thesun.
弗蘭克希爾和他的研究小組就是15年前太陽內東西高速氣流的發現人員。
They also worked out that the latitude of this wind is related to the sunspot cycle.
他們還計算出這次太陽風的緯度和太陽黑子的活動周期相關。
At the beginning of a cycle the jet stream is found, like sunspots, in mid-latitudes.
在一個活動周期開始的時候，就可以找到高速氣流，像中緯度地區的太陽黑子。
As the cycle progresses, it follows the spots towards the equator.
隨著活動周期的進展，高速氣流隨著太陽黑子向太陽的赤道方向移動。
Intriguingly, however, Dr Hill s studies indicate that the jet stream of a new cycle starts toform years before the sunspot pattern.
然而，讓人感興趣的事情是，希爾博士的研究表明一個新太陽活動周期的高速氣流在太陽黑子活動方式前開始形成。
This time, that has not happened.
這次，高速氣流還未產生。
History suggests a new cycle should begin in 2023.
歷史表明一個新太陽活動周期應該開始于2023年。
If the sun were behaving itself, Dr Hill s team would have seen signs of a new jet stream in2008 or 2009.
假如太陽自我反應的話，希爾博士研究人員在2008年或2009年早已觀察到新高速氣流的跡象了。
They did not.
但是他們沒有看到這些情況。
Nor are there indications of one even now.
即使現在，也沒有一個跡象出現。
If a change in the jet stream really is a leading indicator of solar activity, then no new cycleis on the horizon.
如果高速氣流的變化真地是太陽活動最重要的指示物，那么新的太陽活動周期還未露端倪。
The second study which suggests something odd is happening looked at the strengths ofsunspots.
表明奇怪的事情正在發生的第二項研究檢查了太陽黑子的活力。
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.
馬修佩恩威廉利文斯敦已獨立見解地分析了大致太陽黑子數的13年的數據表明這些黑子的活力已經下降了。
Sunspots are caused by irruptions into its surface of the sun s deeper magnetism.
太陽黑子是由入侵活動進入太陽深層磁性表面造成的。
These create local drops in temperature, which make the surface gas darker.
這些入侵活動導致了局部氣溫下降，使得太陽表面氣體顏色更深。
Over the period which Dr Penn and Dr Livingston analysed, the average magnetic strengthof the irruptions has declined.
佩恩和利文斯頓博士分析表明，入侵活動的平均磁場強度已有所下降。
Below a certain threshold, they will not be strong enough to overcome the convectivemixing of the gas at the surface, and spots will disappear altogether.
低于一定的臨界值的話，它們將不足以克服表面氣體的對流混合，因而太陽黑子將完全消失。
If the present trend continues, that will happen in 2023.
如果目前的趨勢繼續下去，那么2023年太陽黑子就會消失。
The third measure of the sun s decline is in its outer atmosphere, the corona.
太陽衰落的標準就是其外層的氣體日冕。
At each solar maximum, the corona sloughs off the magnetic fingerprint of the previouscycle by pushing it to the poles.
在每次太陽極大期，日冕通過把氣體推向兩極而使前一活動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 notappear to be happening in the present cycle.
根據會議上美國國家太陽天文臺的另一研究組的領導理查德阿爾喬克所說，目前的太陽活動周期那種現象沒有出現。
It looks, then, as if a new, extended solar minimum is about to begin.
然而，看上去好像一個新延續的太陽極小期將要開始。
That is good news for operators of communications satellites.
對通信衛星的經營者來說，這是好消息。
And it is interesting news for those who worry about global warming.
而且這對那些擔心全球氣溫變暖的那些人來說是個令人有趣的資訊。
If the Maunder and Dalton minima actually did affect the climate,
如果蒙德和道爾頓極小期確實影響了氣候，
then a new one might counteract the effects of the extra greenhouse gases people are nowpumping into the atmosphereat least, until the solar cycle returns.
那么新的太陽活動極小期可能抵消人們現在大量釋放到空氣中額外溫室氣體的影響-至少要到太陽活動周期恢復時。
Whether the breathing space thus granted would be used wisely or squandered is anothermatter.
無論是如此承認的呼吸空間會被明智地使用還是被大手大腳地揮霍掉將是另一回事。
Do not expect that debate to be as placid as the spotless sun.
不要指望辯論就像一塵不染的太陽那么寧靜安詳。
Solar physics
太陽物理學
Sun down
落山的太陽
Several lines of evidence suggest that the sun isabout to go quiet
證據的一些方式表明太陽即將變平靜
spots of bother?
太陽黑子的困擾?
DURING the four centuries that it has been studied in detail, the sun has usually behaved in aregular manner.
太陽已被詳細研究了四百年，它通常以規則的方式反應。
The number of spots on its surface has waxed and waned in cycles that last, on average, 11years.
太陽表面的黑子數在其一般延續11年的活動周期內增增減減。
Such cycles begin with spots appearing in mid-solar latitudes and end with them near theequator.
這樣的周期活動以太陽黑子在其中緯度出現開始并隨著黑子移動到赤道附近而終結。
And the more spots there are, the more solar storms there are around.
而且太陽黑子的數目越多，周圍就會有越多的太陽風暴。
Sometimes, though, the sun sulks and this solar cycle stops.
然而，太陽有時也會生氣，之后這種太陽活動周期就停止了。
That has happened twice since records began:
自從對這種太陽活動周期有記載以來，這種現象已經發生了兩次了：
during the so-called Maunder minimum of 1645 to 1715 and the Dalton minimum of 1790 to1830.
就是所稱的1645年至1715年蒙德極小期和1790年至1830年道爾頓極小期期間。
These coincided with periods when global temperatures were lower than average, thoughwhy is a matter of debate.
這些現象與全球氣溫低于平均水平時相一致，雖然這是為什么爭議的一個問題。
An absence of sunspots also means anabsence of solar flares and their more violent siblings, coronal mass ejections.
缺少太陽黑子也意味著太陽耀斑以及它們更強烈的同胞-日冕物質拋射的不存在。
Such outbursts disrupt radio and satellite communications, electricity grids and a variety ofelectronic equipment, so the pattern of solar activity is of more than academic interest.
這種大爆發會干擾無線電和衛星通信，電網和各種電子設備，因此太陽活動方式超越了學術興趣。
A new solar minimum, then, would test theories about how the climate works and also makecommunications more reliable.
然而，一個新的太陽極小期將會測試關于氣候如何起作用的理論以及還將使得通信更加可靠。
And many solar physicists think such a new minimum is on the cards.
而且許多太陽物理學家認為這樣一個新的太陽極小期很可能發生。
A group of them, who all work for America s National Solar Observatory, have just had ameeting in New Mexico, under the aegis of the American Astronomical Society, to announcetheir latest results.
在美國天文學會的主持下，美國國家太陽天文臺工作的一群太陽物理學家剛剛在新墨西哥州舉行了一次會議來宣布他們的最新成果。
Frank Hill and his team were the discoverers, 15 years ago, of an east-west jet stream in thesun.
弗蘭克希爾和他的研究小組就是15年前太陽內東西高速氣流的發現人員。
They also worked out that the latitude of this wind is related to the sunspot cycle.
他們還計算出這次太陽風的緯度和太陽黑子的活動周期相關。
At the beginning of a cycle the jet stream is found, like sunspots, in mid-latitudes.
在一個活動周期開始的時候，就可以找到高速氣流，像中緯度地區的太陽黑子。
As the cycle progresses, it follows the spots towards the equator.
隨著活動周期的進展，高速氣流隨著太陽黑子向太陽的赤道方向移動。
Intriguingly, however, Dr Hill s studies indicate that the jet stream of a new cycle starts toform years before the sunspot pattern.
然而，讓人感興趣的事情是，希爾博士的研究表明一個新太陽活動周期的高速氣流在太陽黑子活動方式前開始形成。
This time, that has not happened.
這次，高速氣流還未產生。
History suggests a new cycle should begin in 2023.
歷史表明一個新太陽活動周期應該開始于2023年。
If the sun were behaving itself, Dr Hill s team would have seen signs of a new jet stream in2008 or 2009.
假如太陽自我反應的話，希爾博士研究人員在2008年或2009年早已觀察到新高速氣流的跡象了。
They did not.
但是他們沒有看到這些情況。
Nor are there indications of one even now.
即使現在，也沒有一個跡象出現。
If a change in the jet stream really is a leading indicator of solar activity, then no new cycleis on the horizon.
如果高速氣流的變化真地是太陽活動最重要的指示物，那么新的太陽活動周期還未露端倪。
The second study which suggests something odd is happening looked at the strengths ofsunspots.
表明奇怪的事情正在發生的第二項研究檢查了太陽黑子的活力。
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.
馬修佩恩威廉利文斯敦已獨立見解地分析了大致太陽黑子數的13年的數據表明這些黑子的活力已經下降了。
Sunspots are caused by irruptions into its surface of the sun s deeper magnetism.
太陽黑子是由入侵活動進入太陽深層磁性表面造成的。
These create local drops in temperature, which make the surface gas darker.
這些入侵活動導致了局部氣溫下降，使得太陽表面氣體顏色更深。
Over the period which Dr Penn and Dr Livingston analysed, the average magnetic strengthof the irruptions has declined.
佩恩和利文斯頓博士分析表明，入侵活動的平均磁場強度已有所下降。
Below a certain threshold, they will not be strong enough to overcome the convectivemixing of the gas at the surface, and spots will disappear altogether.
低于一定的臨界值的話，它們將不足以克服表面氣體的對流混合，因而太陽黑子將完全消失。
If the present trend continues, that will happen in 2023.
如果目前的趨勢繼續下去，那么2023年太陽黑子就會消失。
The third measure of the sun s decline is in its outer atmosphere, the corona.
太陽衰落的標準就是其外層的氣體日冕。
At each solar maximum, the corona sloughs off the magnetic fingerprint of the previouscycle by pushing it to the poles.
在每次太陽極大期，日冕通過把氣體推向兩極而使前一活動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 notappear to be happening in the present cycle.
根據會議上美國國家太陽天文臺的另一研究組的領導理查德阿爾喬克所說，目前的太陽活動周期那種現象沒有出現。
It looks, then, as if a new, extended solar minimum is about to begin.
然而，看上去好像一個新延續的太陽極小期將要開始。
That is good news for operators of communications satellites.
對通信衛星的經營者來說，這是好消息。
And it is interesting news for those who worry about global warming.
而且這對那些擔心全球氣溫變暖的那些人來說是個令人有趣的資訊。
If the Maunder and Dalton minima actually did affect the climate,
如果蒙德和道爾頓極小期確實影響了氣候，
then a new one might counteract the effects of the extra greenhouse gases people are nowpumping into the atmosphereat least, until the solar cycle returns.
那么新的太陽活動極小期可能抵消人們現在大量釋放到空氣中額外溫室氣體的影響-至少要到太陽活動周期恢復時。
Whether the breathing space thus granted would be used wisely or squandered is anothermatter.
無論是如此承認的呼吸空間會被明智地使用還是被大手大腳地揮霍掉將是另一回事。
Do not expect that debate to be as placid as the spotless sun.
不要指望辯論就像一塵不染的太陽那么寧靜安詳。
