新奇事件簿 北极冰层加快融化（在线收听）

The Arctic ice is melting at a dangerous speed and may completely disappear by the end of this century. This is according to scientists at America’s National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC). Experts said recent satellite images showed the volume of sea ice was the lowest it has ever been. An area five times larger than the UK has disappeared since 1978 and the melting is getting faster. This year was the warmest Arctic summer in 400 years. Dr. Mark Serreze from the NSIDC said the worrying trend of melting ice caps is because of global warming.

北极冰层正在以加速融化，或将在本世纪末彻底消失。这是“美国国家冰雪数据中心”得出的结论。据研究专家表示，通过近期卫星图像显示，北极海冰覆盖面创历史新低。自1978年以来，超英国国土面积五倍多的冰雪开始融化，且速度逐渐加快。北极遭遇400年来最温暖夏天。来自“冰雪数据中心”的马克·赛瑞兹博士表示，冰层融化速度因全球变暖而起。

The NSIDC’s leader Dr. Ted Scambos said the Arctic Circle is melting so quickly that it may never recover. He said the Arctic is caught in a dangerous process that man cannot reverse. Less sea ice means the Earth cannot reflect the suns rays and cool itself. Warmer seas then melt more ice. The loss of sea ice in one year increases the loss in the next year. Current ice loss is estimated at eight percent per decade. This means there may be no ice at all during the Arctic summer of 2060. Dr. Scambos warned: “It is pretty certain a long-term decline is underway.”

“美国国家冰雪数据中心”主任泰德·斯坎姆波斯表示，因北极圈融化速度太快，或将无法修复。称北极正遭遇危险，且人力无法回天。因海冰覆盖面减少，导致地球无法反射太阳光降温。随着海水温度升高，冰面融化速度加快。每年消失的冰面会增加下一年融化可能性。预计现阶段融化速度为每十年8%。这就意味着到2060年，北极夏季将永无冰面。斯坎姆波斯博士警告称：“冰面正在慢慢融化，且周期很长，这点已确定无疑。”