2016年CRI China Releases First-batch Images Captured by Gaofen-4 Satellite

 

The State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense¹ released 17 pictures captured by Gaofen-4 on Wednesday, covering an area of at least 400 kilometers.

The project's chief designer, Tong Xudong, said Gaofen-4 is in good condition and capturing stable images.

"All these images have demonstrated different geomorphologic features in certain regions, which show Gaofen-4's potential in surveying ecological² environment and bush fire."

One image taken on January 21st shows Beijing and neighboring areas amid heavy smog, while another clear image of the same region was taken on Jan. 25, when the smog dispersed³.

Other images feature Nam Co in the Tibet Autonomous⁴ Region, the world's highest saltwater lake, and the Yellow River delta⁵ and a forest fire in South Australia.

By using a huge CMOS digital camera, the Gaofen-4 can still find objects as small as an oil tanker⁶ on ocean, even though it's orbiting 36-thousand kilometers away from earth.

Fan Yida, an official with Ministry⁷ of Civil Affairs, says the satellite can make a valuable contribution to disaster mitigation in China.

"Gaofen-4 provides quick, reliable and stable remote sensing data, which will benefit forest surveying, fire prevention, disaster reduction, and earthquake forecasting across China. It also offer advanced technological⁸ means in terms of extracting seismic⁹ structure information and predicting meteorological changes."

Before China launched the Gaofen-1 observation satellite in April 2013, almost all of these kinds of pictures and data had to be bought from foreign companies.

Tong Xudong adds that the introduction of high definition data produced by domestic made satellite, has reduced the country's financial burden, and improves the data's quality.

"Recently, the price of foreign satellite data has dropped sharply and the foreign data with a resolution ratio of less than two meters has already been withdrawn¹⁰ from China's market."

The Gaofen project aims to launch seven high-definition observation satellites before 2020.

The Gaofen-4 satellite was launched on December 29th, as China's first geosynchronous orbit HD optical imaging satellite.

For CRI, this Huang Shan.

1 defense   

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。

2 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

3 dispersed   

adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的

参考例句：

• The clouds dispersed themselves. 云散了。
• After school the children dispersed to their homes. 放学后，孩子们四散回家了。

4 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• 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。

5 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

6 tanker   

n.油轮

参考例句：

• The tanker took on 200,000 barrels of crude oil.油轮装载了二十万桶原油。
• Heavy seas had pounded the tanker into three parts.汹涌的巨浪把油轮撞成三载。

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

9 seismic   

a.地震的，地震强度的

参考例句：

• Earthquakes produce two types of seismic waves.地震产生两种地震波。
• The latest seismic activity was also felt in northern Kenya.肯尼亚北部也感觉到了最近的地震活动。

10 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。