CNN News:先進地震預警系統(tǒng)是如何進行操作的

No one was killed by the 6.0 magnitude earthquake that shook northern California on Sunday, but more than 200 people were injured. And one question being asked, is whether an advanced earthquake warning system could keep people safer. One proposed system would cause California $80 million. But if we can`t predict earthquakes, how would it work?

沒有人在周日發(fā)生在加州北部6.0級地震中死亡，但是有超過200人在地震中受傷。其中一個被問及的問題就是擁有一個先進的地震預警系統(tǒng)能否保證人們的安全。一個擬議的先進系統(tǒng)會花費加州8000萬美元的支出，但是如果我們不能預測地震，那么它是怎樣做到的呢?

If you in the epicenter of an earthquake, you are going to get no warning. There`s no time for that. The warning depends on the distance you are to the earthquake epicenter.

如果你在地震中心的話，你不會收到地震預警。因為沒有時間準備逃跑。地震預警只對于遠離震中位置的人來講才有效。

Early warning system for earthquakes is expensive and also complex. Part of the problem is, we don`t have a system that can predict the earth is going to move. Our warning system is based on the fact that the earth is already moving and then if you are farther away from that epicenter, we can give you some time to prepare. Some minor time, but some time.

早期地震預警系統(tǒng)是非常昂貴并且復雜的。其中的問題就是，我們沒有一個可以預測出地球運動的系統(tǒng)。我們的預警系統(tǒng)基于地球已經(jīng)開始進行活動之后發(fā)出的，如果你距離震中有一定距離的話，我們可以提供給你一些時間準備逃生。只有很短的時間提供給你準備。

Unlike a tornado warning where Doppler radar can see the rotation and issue a warning before the tornado, an earthquake warning happens when the earth is already shaking.

不像龍卷風預警系統(tǒng)多普勒雷達可以看出氣旋運動在龍卷風形成之前提前發(fā)出警告，而地震預警系統(tǒng)則是從地球開始搖晃之后才發(fā)出警告。

Another limitation is how close the sensor is to the epicenter. If the sensor is ten miles away from the epicenter, it takes five seconds to get to that sensor. So, the more sensors we get, the better the lee time will get as well. If we get ten seconds notice of an earthquake that`s happening, especially a big one, you can open up the elevators on the nearest floor. You can stop trains. You can stop all those things that are moving before the shaking gets there. This entire system works because the speed of light or the speed of the warning going down the line, is 186,000 miles per second. The earth as it`s wiggling and shaking along, is going at 2 miles per second, so if you are 30 miles away, your warning could be 15 seconds.

另一個限制是距離震中的傳感器距離。如果傳感器距離震中十英里遠的話，將會需要五秒的時間將感應傳送到傳感器，所以傳感器越多我們就會得到更多的時間準備逃生。如果我們需要十秒鐘來注意到地震的發(fā)生，尤其是震級較高的地震，你可以打開距離最近地板上的電梯，你可以停止火車，你可以在地震到達之前停止所有搖晃的東西。整個工作系統(tǒng)因為光速或者警告發(fā)出的速度為每秒186000英里。地球的擺動和震動將以每秒2英里速度移動，如果你距離30英里以外的話，警告信息發(fā)送到你身上則需要15秒。

It`s 15 seconds I could save her life.

15秒鐘我可以挽救她的生命。