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Modern seismology has been with us for over 100 years,
現代地震學已有一百多年的歷史
but scientists are still no closer to predicting earthquakes.
但科學家們還是無法預測地震
However, they haven't completely given up.
盡管如此 他們并沒有完全放棄
But where they once thought it
從前他們以為能夠
might be possible to predict months in advance,
提前幾個月預測地震
now, it's come down to a matter of seconds.
現在 能提前幾秒鐘已是萬幸
We are prototyping earthquake early warning,
我們正在為地震預警系統建造原型
this is also sometimes called now casting,
有時也稱它為實時預測
because it's not saying there's going to be earthquake,
因為它無法預報你地震的發生時間地點
its rather saying an earthquake has already begun
它只能告訴你地震已經發生
and we're giving you that information before
然后我們在震波從震源移動到
the waves have travelled from the fault to where you are.
該地區前給出預警信號
The warning system will start from stations like this,
預警系統由像這個位于
located along the San Andreas Fault.
圣安地列斯斷層的站點啟動
Instruments buried deep underground will track
利用高精度全球定位系統衛星
how much the fault is moving,
深埋地底的儀器能追蹤到
using high-precision GPS satellites.
斷層的移動程度
The, er, antenna itself is inside of this hemispherical shell
天線藏在半球形外殼里
and it's constantly
它會不斷地自動追蹤
locked onto the radio signals from the GPS satellites.
來自全球定位系統衛星的無線電信號
Each leg of this tripod goes down about 30 feet,
三腳架的每根腳都延伸到地下三十英尺
ten metres into the ground
就是地下十米的地方
and firmly attached to the bedrock here.
牢固地附在基巖上
But to have this system up and running,
要讓整個系統運行并運作起來
these instruments need to be able to feed back data
這些儀器必須能在地震的瞬間
the moment the ground starts to shake.
及時反饋數據
