经济学人235:地理工程学 包含着承诺

 　　Science and technolgy

　　科学技术

　　Geoengineering

　　地理工程学

　　Implicit¹ promises

　　包含着承诺

　　A geoengineering experiment has come unstuck. But there will be more

　　地理工程试验取得突破。可期待更多。

　　FOR the past few years, a European collaboration² called IMPLICC has been looking at what it might mean to engineer the climate,

　　近几年在欧洲合作平台上，简称IMPLICC的组织，

　　by reducing the amount of sunshine that reaches the Earth's surface.

　　持续对减少阳光直射地球为目的研究做探讨。

　　A lot of IMPLICC's work, like much else in climate science, has taken the form of computer modelling.

　　探讨是为了解该项气候工程的含义。IMPLICC和其他气候科学研究相似，较多采用电脑模拟程序。

　　In its case the models try to mimic³ the effects of things like putting veils of reflective particles into the stratosphere,

　　在这里，创造出的气候模型设法模拟出两种情况，其一是将层层的反光微粒放入平流层中，

　　or brightening the clouds over the oceans.

　　其二是增加海洋上空云朵对光线的反射度。

　　This week the IMPLICC team and other interested parties met in Mainz, Germany, to discuss the results—for the various models have turned out to agree far better than many of their creators expected.

　　IMPLICC团队与其他相关组织，这个星期在德国--迈因茨举行讨论。

　　In particular, they suggest that particles in the stratosphere can indeed stop rising levels of greenhouse gases raising the overall global temperature, though in doing so they slightly cool the tropics while the poles warm a bit.

　　多个模型结果的相符程度还比模型创造人所预计的更相似，加强了预测结果的可信度。尽管温室气体在持续的增加中，研究显示反光微粒能防止温室气体，造成全球气温的升高。

　　Other things being equal, the models also agree that geoengineering tends to suppress the hydrologic cycle, with less evaporation⁴ and less rainfall.

　　与此同时，预计到热带地区气温会微降， 南北极的气温则会微升。 所有其他因素不变，各模型一致显示水文循环会遭压制，代表将有较少的蒸发及降雨量。

　　Some researchers, however, want to go beyond modelling.They wish to experiment in the real world.

　　然而，有些科研人员则选择进行真正的实验。

　　The highest-profile of these schemes has been part of a programme called SPICE, which is paid for mainly by Britain's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

　　最受瞩目的是简称SPICE的组织。

　　Much of SPICE takes place in computers and laboratories, but one part was to be an actual experiment—a tethered balloon with a kilometre-long hosepipe attached to it.

　　SPICE主要是由EPSRC助资，大部分研究仍在使用电脑程序及实验室研究，一部分研究则在使用真实实验。

　　The idea was to pump a small amount of water up to the balloon and thence out into the air, so as to assess the possibility of spraying out other substances at far greater heights.

　　实验采用一公里长的输送管拴住气球。气球升空后，实验性地通过输送管在空气中喷洒水，为估计在更高气层中喷洒其他物质的可能性。

　　This move to a practical project has proved controversial.

　　转向这类真实实验模式是有它的争议点。

　　Some people worry that tinkering deliberately⁵ with the atmosphere may cause more harm than good.

　　有人担心，以粗浅的方法任意操纵大气层，弊会大于利。

　　Others fear that if geoengineering is shown to work it will, by offering a palliative for the problem of global warming, let politicians put off difficult decisions that might lead to a permanent solution.

　　此外，地理工程即使奏效，功效也不会持久。

　　As Clive Hamilton, a philosopher critical of much of the thinking behind geoengineering research, pointed⁶ out to the meeting, though the environmental effects of such experiments may be nugatory⁷,

　　哲学家克利韦·汉密尔顿在会议中对地理工程研究背后的理念提出批评，指政治家可能借暂缓措施，推迟制定有难度的持久性对策。

　　their effects on the way people think could be more profound, and much less easily contained.

　　认为地理工程或对环境影响微不足道，但对人们的思考模式却有更深层及无法控制的影响。

　　Cloud cover

　　云盖

　　In light of such thinking, in September 2011, a stakeholder committee consisting of a geographer⁸,

　　这类思考方向的浮现，促使利益相关者委员会于9月2011年成立。

　　a sociologist⁹, an atmospheric¹⁰ scientist, an engineer and an adviser¹¹ to Friends of the Earth who had been appointed by the EPSRC told the SPICE merchants,

　　EPSRC任命，由地理学家，社会学家，大气层科学家，工程师及地球的朋友各一位所组成。

　　they needed to be more convincing about how the experiment would be explained, how it would fit into ideas about the future, and how its safety and wisdom could be vouched¹² for publicly.

　　委员会要求SPICE商家，对实验目的，未来环境展望的合适性，如何对公众提供研究操作上的安全及知识担保，向这几个方面做出更有说服力的解释及支持。

　　A further complication was a patent application covering some relevant technology by Peter Davidson, a consultant¹³ engineer whom the EPSRC had asked to play a role in choosing what geoengineering work it should pay for.

　　实验的执行更因工程顾问彼得·戴维森对相关技术做出专利权申请，而有所复杂化。

　　Though this application had been filed before SPICE was proposed,

　　戴维森同时受EPSRC委托，负责挑选可获资助的地理工程项目。

　　and Mr Davidson both declared his interest and recused himself from discussions on SPICE team when advising EPSRC,

　　戴维森先生在SPICE组成之前以提交专利申请，也呈报有关利益冲突并对EPSRC提供专业指导时，刻意回避针对SPICE团队的讨论。

　　Matt Watson of Bristol university, SPICE's principle investigator¹⁴, was sufficiently¹⁵ concerned about both the application and wider issues of the sort considered by the stakeholder committee that, this week, he cancelled the balloon experiment.

　　尽管如此，身为SPICE主要调查员的布里斯托尔大学人员马特·沃森，对专利权申请及受趣益相关者委员会关注的广泛问题持有所顾忌，以取消这星期的气球实验。

　　The meeting in Mainz also learned, though, of another experiment that has met with better fortune.

　　迈因茨会议仍从另个实验有所获得。

　　Last September a team led by researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in La Jolla, California, looked at whether clouds could be whitened artificiallyusing particles emitted from a boat.

　　实验团队来至加利福尼亚—拉奥拉，斯克里普斯海洋学公共机构，探讨的是，利用船只排出的微粒体将云朵人工白化的可行性。

　　Such brightening has been observed in the exhaust plumes¹⁶ of cargo¹⁷ ships for some time, but Lynn Russell, who ran the experiment, was still surprised by how much brightening the team saw.

　　观察出能使云朵变白，实验人员琳·拉塞尔仍对实验成果，云朵的白化程度感到惊讶。

　　Though Dr Russell's experiment had been designed mainly to look at how clouds form naturally, it paves the way for future work on geoengineering.

　　云朵若经白化，就能把更多阳光反射回太空。尽管货船排放出的废气羽状物以被拉塞尔的实验是为观察云朵的自然形成而设计，在此也为更多地理工程研究铺路。

　　How that will affect attitudes to global warming remains¹⁸ to be seen.

　　该实验会如何影响对全球变暖的态度，却仍无法预计。

　　1.implicit a.不言明的；无疑问的

　　And deposits enjoy an implicit state guarantee.

　　可是国家却一直为储蓄提供隐性的担保。

　　2.climate n.气候；水土，风土

　　Climate change will cause mass migration¹⁹.

　　气候变化将导致大规模移民。

　　3.stratosphere n.平流层，同温层

　　Aircraft engines are optimised for level flight at cruising speed in the stratosphere.

　　飞机在平流层以巡航速度水平飞行时，其发动机将得到优化。

　　4.tropic n.回归线；热带

　　The tropic sun glared down on us all day.

　　热带的太阳整日灼晒着我们。

　　5.evaporation n.蒸发，发散；消失

　　My anger evaporated and I wanted to cry.

　　我的怒气渐渐消失，想大哭一场。

1 implicit   

a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的

参考例句：

• A soldier must give implicit obedience to his officers. 士兵必须绝对服从他的长官。
• Her silence gave implicit consent. 她的沉默表示默许。

2 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

3 mimic   

v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人

参考例句：

• A parrot can mimic a person's voice.鹦鹉能学人的声音。
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another.他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

4 evaporation   

n.蒸发，消失

参考例句：

• Be careful not to lose too much liquid by evaporation.小心不要因蒸发失去太多水分。
• Our bodies can sweat,thereby losing heat by evaporation.我们的身体能出汗，由此可以蒸发散热。

5 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

6 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

7 nugatory   

adj.琐碎的，无价值的

参考例句：

• Your efforts shall have been nugatory.你的努力也就没有价值了。
• These are all nugatory comment.这些都是空洞的评论。

8 geographer   

n.地理学者

参考例句：

• His grandfather is a geographer.他的祖父是一位地理学家。
• Li Siguang is a famous geographer.李四光是一位著名的地理学家。

9 sociologist   

n.研究社会学的人，社会学家

参考例句：

• His mother was a sociologist,researching socialism.他的母亲是个社会学家，研究社会主义。
• Max Weber is a great and outstanding sociologist.马克斯·韦伯是一位伟大的、杰出的社会学家。

10 atmospheric   

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。

11 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

12 vouched   

v.保证( vouch的过去式和过去分词 )；担保；确定；确定地说

参考例句：

• He vouched his words by his deeds. 他用自己的行动证明了自己的言辞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Have all those present been vouched for? 那些到场的人都有担保吗？ 来自互联网

13 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

14 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

15 sufficiently   

adv.足够地，充分地

参考例句：

• It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
• The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

16 plumes   

羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物

参考例句：

• The dancer wore a headdress of pink ostrich plumes. 那位舞蹈演员戴着粉色鸵鸟毛制作的头饰。
• The plumes on her bonnet barely moved as she nodded. 她点点头，那帽子的羽毛在一个劲儿颤动。

17 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

18 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

19 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。