时间:2018-12-16 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2015年(十月)


英语课

Robotic Marine 1 Vehicles Explore Celtic Sea 机器人海洋车探索凯尔特海


Scientists in England are using two autonomous 2 marine vehicles to explore the hydrology and biology of the Celtic Sea, an area off Ireland's southern coast defined by its unique marine life. Primarily, they want to know why marine animals are so attracted to this part of the Atlantic Ocean.


Slowly moving just below the surface, a battery-powered submersible glider 3 called Slocum collects data for England's National Oceanography Center in Southampton and the World Wildlife Fund.


Its low energy requirements allow it to stay afloat for up to 30 days, regularly sending reports via satellite about the Celtic Sea’s diverse ecosystem 4.


“We have echo sounders to detect zooplankton and fish, acoustic 5 Doppler current profilers for measuring the currents in the water, wet-lab fluorometers for measuring chlorophyll and organic matter, and a few other specialist sensors 6 as well,” said Stephen Woodward, a glider engineer.


As it oscillates through the water, the glider also creates a two-dimensional cross-section map of the sea.


“We're interested in how, for example, the weather events directly affect the water column and in turn does that affect productivity and then again in fish and further up the food chain, cetaceans or seabirds,” said marine biologist Lavinia Suberg.


Meanwhile, the autonomous catamaran C-Enduro has embarked 7 on its own mission in the Celtic Sea. Powered by solar panels and a wind turbine, it can stay afloat for months, sending data about the so-called biodiversity hot spots.


“Biodiversity hot spots are areas in the ocean that are usually particularly productive. Productive areas attract zooplankton, and that in turn attracts fish," Suberg said. "Areas of enhanced or elevated biomass of fish often attract marine mammals and seabirds in turn.”


Using autonomous marine vehicles sharply reduces the cost of exploring the seas with crewed floating labs, so scientists can devote more time to laboratory analysis of the collected data. They say it will give them a better understanding of this area’s needs for future management and protection.



1 marine
adj.海的;海生的;航海的;海事的;n.水兵
  • Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
  • When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时,他自愿参加了海军陆战队。
2 autonomous
adj.自治的;独立的
  • They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
  • This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。
3 glider
n.滑翔机;滑翔导弹
  • The glider was soaring above the valley.那架滑翔机在山谷上空滑翔。
  • The pilot managed to land the glider on a safe place.那个驾驶员设法让滑翔机着陆到一个安全的地方。
4 ecosystem
n.生态系统
  • This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
  • We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。
5 acoustic
adj.听觉的,声音的;(乐器)原声的
  • The hall has a fine acoustic.这个大厅的传音效果很好。
  • Animals use a whole rang of acoustic, visual,and chemical signals in their systems of communication.动物利用各种各样的听觉、视觉和化学信号来进行交流。
6 sensors
n.传感器,灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )
  • 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
7 embarked
乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 ); 装载; 从事
  • We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
  • She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。
学英语单词
abbreviated number
achray, loch
administration pattern anchor
AID (aerosol ionization detector)
albumin-binding
allowable oil production
arcuate vein of the kidney
As You Like It
assemble-and-go
autogeneous combustion
basic allowance
bilateral
biological image
bright pick
butted joint
can't see the wood for the trees
cardiac muscle fiber
Clofical
coasting braking test
cold pathogen being apt to attack yang
comminuted fibres
confidential creditor
contact alteration
crawl in
d.c
daddy long-legs spider
dioptometer
druggish
dynamic lubrication
Elityran
Elmtree
fleet by tow
Folliculi lymphatici aggregati
food-related
formosotoxotus auripilosa
grandmum
harborage area
Heuningneskloof
Hideki Yukawa
host-resident software
hybridisable
IIP (incident investigation program)
in excelsis
in line heads
inclined-axis-rotor WECS
inner limiting membrane
instantaneous peak current
integrated navigation computer
iodocompound
jackrabbited
johnson gauge block
Kombis
lemminkainen
local peaking
low - temperature physics
malvolios
marlik
microtrajectories
miniaturisations
multi-storage system
national culture
Nike-Hercules
nonfat
nonfluted
olechowski
omms
outparamoured
overdominance hypothesis
Palestinian scarves
pestilent
pleonastes
podus
pornocopia
positive radius of communication
predetermined tractive characteristic curve of locomotive
prolectation
pterostilbene
region ofrationality
repeatability of wavelength setting
risk decision
salw
Sandray
silicon photocell
So long!
sodium bromate
strict fugue
strip-shows
sulphur reaction
symmetric transform
table top centrifuge
Tagetes erecta
telamon
the parties
thermoelectric actinograph
traycased
truxinic acid
type-locality
Ulster Defence Association
uncomic
wage contour
William Frederick Cody
zirconin