VOA标准英语2008年-MESSENGER Provides New Data On Planet Mercury

Data from the first flyby of the planet Mercury in January of 2008 by the spacecraft MESSENGER are reported in eleven papers this week in the journal Science. The findings reveal new details about the solar system's smallest planet 77 million kilometers from Earth. VOA's Jessica Berman reports.
　
Photo of Mercury's surface, taken by MESSENGER

During its close encounter with Mercury on January 14, MESSENGER's seven instruments collected data on the planet's surface, its enormous magnetic interior and wispy¹ exosphere.

Among the findings - Mercury's surface is made of smooth planes produced by lava² flows and explosive eruptions³ billions of years ago.

Scientists say the volcanic⁴ activity is responsible for huge craters⁵ on the surface similar to those on the Moon and Mars.

Jim Head is a planetary geologist⁶ at Brown University in Rhode Island and lead author of one of the studies.

Head says astronomers⁷ are interested in studying Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun, because so little is known about the formation of Earth, which is very young compared to Mercury.

"Now that we have evidence for volcanism, we're starting to find a rich planetary example of these transitions between the early history of the planets and the later history that we observe on the Earth," said Jim Head. "So, from that sense, Mercury with these new data, and what we'll see as we have two more encounters and go into orbit, is really going to take its place in filling the pictures to those early chapters of the early solar system. And they are totally relevant to what the conditions were on the Earth that led to where we are today."

The space probe will make two more flybys, one more in October of this year and at the end of September 2009, before settling into permanent orbit around Mercury in 2011.

　

 

1 wispy   

adj.模糊的；纤细的

参考例句：

• Grey wispy hair straggled down to her shoulders.稀疏的灰白头发披散在她肩头。
• The half moon is hidden behind some wispy clouds.半轮月亮躲在淡淡的云彩之后。

2 lava   

n.熔岩，火山岩

参考例句：

• The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
• His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

3 eruptions   

n.喷发，爆发( eruption的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year. 今年火山爆发了好几次。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Over 200 people have been killed by volcanic eruptions. 火山喷发已导致200多人丧生。 来自辞典例句

4 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

5 craters   

n.火山口( crater的名词复数 )；弹坑等

参考例句：

• Small meteorites have left impact craters all over the planet's surface. 这个行星的表面布满了小块陨石留下的撞击坑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The battlefield was full of craters made by exploding shells. 战场上布满弹坑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 geologist   

n.地质学家

参考例句：

• The geologist found many uncovered fossils in the valley.在那山谷里，地质学家发现了许多裸露的化石。
• He was a geologist,rated by his cronies as the best in the business.他是一位地质学家，被他的老朋友们看做是这门行当中最好的一位。

7 astronomers   

n.天文学者，天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》