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For now the earthquakes appear to be localized.
就目前來(lái)看，近期發(fā)生的都是局部地震。
But for California, one big question is whether these earthquakes occurring in the Mojave Desert
但就整個(gè)加州而言，一個(gè)很重要的問(wèn)題是，莫哈韋沙漠發(fā)生的這幾次地震
will have any consequences for a potentially more catastrophic rupture of the San Andreas fault,
是否會(huì)對(duì)圣安地烈斯斷層造成任何影響，因?yàn)檫@一巨大的裂縫幾乎從人口密集的地區(qū)旁邊貫穿了整個(gè)加州，
the giant crack in the earth that runs along almost the entire length of the state near heavily populated areas.
要是這次的地震波及到了這一斷層造成其斷裂，后果會(huì)更加不堪設(shè)想。
Seismologists say there is a remote connection between the system of faults that caused this week’s earthquakes and the San Andreas.
地震學(xué)家表示，引發(fā)本周地震的斷層帶與圣安地列斯斷層之間只存在微弱的聯(lián)系。
The faults near Ridgecrest come close to a fault known as the Garlock, which ultimately intersects the San Andreas.
里奇克雷斯特附近的那些斷層緊挨著卡洛克斷層，后者最后才與圣安地列斯斷層相交。
Dr. Heaton said it would be “pretty far-fetched” that an earthquake on the San Andreas would be triggered along this route.
希頓博士說(shuō)，里奇克雷斯特的地震沿著這條關(guān)系線引發(fā)圣安地列斯地震這種猜測(cè)“頗為牽強(qiáng)。”
But, he noted, seismologists are constantly surprised.
但他也指出，讓地震學(xué)家大感意外的事情時(shí)有發(fā)生。
The current sequence of earthquakes could potentially last for years.
當(dāng)前的地震序列也具有持續(xù)數(shù)年的潛在可能性。
In the 1970s, seismologists were surprised that an earthquake near Bishop, Calif.,
上世紀(jì)70年代就發(fā)生過(guò)令地震學(xué)家們大吃一驚的情況：加州畢夏普附近發(fā)生的一起地震
began a sequence of temblors around Mammoth Lakes that eventually spread over a diameter of more than 50 miles
誘使猛犸象湖周圍也跟著發(fā)生了一系列地震，方圓50英里以外的地區(qū)都受到了波及，
and included a half-dozen earthquakes of more than 6.0 magnitude.
震級(jí)6.0及以上的余震就發(fā)生了6次。
That sequence lasted around a decade.
這一序列持續(xù)了將近十年之久。
When a significant earthquake is followed by a related and larger one —as has happened in California in recent days —
當(dāng)一場(chǎng)劇烈的地震之后又發(fā)生了與之相關(guān)，來(lái)得也更加猛烈的地震時(shí)——就像加州最近發(fā)生的幾次地震一樣——
seismologists refer to the first event as a foreshock.
地震學(xué)家便將第一次地震稱之為“前震”
A foreshock and a main quake usually occur within days or weeks of each other,
前震和主震往往相隔不過(guò)數(shù)日或數(shù)周，
but occasionally in analyzing seismic activity in a region,
但通過(guò)分析一個(gè)地區(qū)的地震活動(dòng)情況，
scientists will identify foreshocks that occurred months or even years before a major quake.
科學(xué)家們發(fā)現(xiàn)，有時(shí)，兩者間隔的時(shí)間長(zhǎng)達(dá)數(shù)月，甚至數(shù)年。
Some notable earthquakes have been preceded by foreshocks,
幾次典型的大地震，
including the largest quake ever recorded, a 9.5-magnitude event that struck Chile in 1960.
包括有史以來(lái)最強(qiáng)地震——1960年襲擊智利的9.5級(jí)大地震，之前都發(fā)生了前震。
A 7.9-magnitude quake had occurred in the same area the day before.
那次地震的前一天，同一地區(qū)就曾發(fā)生過(guò)7.9級(jí)的大地震。
The 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan, which led to the Fukushima nuclear disaster, was preceded by a foreshock as well.
2011年引發(fā)福島核災(zāi)難的東日本大地震之前也發(fā)生過(guò)一次前震。
The 6.4 Ridgecrest foreshock on Thursday was followed by seven quakes of magnitude 4.5 or higher until the 7.1-magnitude one on Friday.
周四里奇克雷斯特發(fā)生6.4級(jí)前震后到周五發(fā)生7.1級(jí)地震前，該地區(qū)還發(fā)生了7次4.5級(jí)以上的余震。
And the Friday quake so far has been followed by 15 of 4.5 magnitude or higher.
到目前為止，周五的地震之后又發(fā)生了15次4.5級(jí)以上的余震。
The largest known earthquake in the area occurred in 1872 and was a magnitude 8, one of the largest in California.
該地區(qū)已知的最大地震發(fā)生于1872年，震級(jí)為8級(jí)，是加州史上發(fā)生的最強(qiáng)地震之一。
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