評論
打印
Chaos theory seeks to find an underlying order
混沌理論探尋的是自然界中
in some of nature's most random processes.
某些完全隨機事件的內在規律
Weather systems,
氣象系統
the way birds flock together,
鳥類群集的方式
or even the distribution of leaves on a tree.
甚至一棵樹上的樹葉分布
There didn't seem to be any order to earthquakes,
地震看似毫無規律
but Keilis-Borok
但凱列斯勃洛克
brought together scientists from multiple disciplines
召集了其他多個學科的科學家
to study the problem,
開始研究這個問題
including seismologist David Jackson.
其中包括地震學家大衛·杰克遜
Well, the general theory is that
最基本的理論是
when the earth is in a chaotic state,
當地球處于一種混沌的狀態
there will be some features that can be recognised.
將產生某些可被識別的特征
And typically,
一般來說
those features are in the smaller earthquakes that occur,
這些特征存在于發生的較小地震里
and how much a small earthquake brings with it,
它又能引起多少小型地震
some immediate follow-on earthquake.
以及緊接著發生的余震呢
Looking at some of California's
通過對加利福利亞州
major earthquakes in the past,
曾經發生過的大地震的研究
the UCLA team thought that they could see patterns
加州大學小組認為 這些地震的模式
in the smaller quakes that preceded them.
可以通過先發生的小地震得出
Today, they look for similar patterns,
今天 他們尋找類似的模式
chains of small earthquakes linked
通過將小地震的震級大小和爆發時間
by their size and the time they strike.
聯系在一起 形成地震鏈
If they think they see a new chain
一旦他們發現了和歷史數據
that matches their historical data,
相匹配的新地震鏈
the group then issues an earthquake alarm.
小組就會發出地震警報
