我们脚下的土地藏有多少岩浆
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2014-07-24 07:17 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Molten rock (or magma) has a strong influence on our planet and its inhabitants(居民), causing destructive volcanic1 eruptions3 and generating some of the giant mineral deposits. Our understanding of these phenomena4 is, however, limited by the fact that most magma cools and solidifies5 several kilometres beneath our feet, only to be exposed at the surface, millions of years later, by erosion. Scientists have never been able to track the movements of magma at such great depths… that is, until a team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) discovered an innovative6 technique, details of which will be published in the next issue of the journal Nature. It is a story of three scientists: a modelling specialist, an expert in a tiny mineral known as "zircon(锆石)," and a volcanologist. Following a casual conversation, the researchers stumbled upon an idea, and eventually a new method to estimate the volume and flow of magma required for the construction of magma chambers8 was shaped. The technique they developed makes it possible to refine predictions of future volcanic eruptions as well as identifying areas of the planet that are rich in magma-related natural resources.
 
Zircon: a valuable mineral for scientists
 
Professor Urs Schaltegger has been studying zircon for more than ten years in his laboratory at UNIGE, one of the world's few labs in this field. "The zircon crystals that are found in solidified9 magma hold key information about the injection of molten rock into a magma chamber7 before it freezes underground," explains the professor. Zircon contains radioactive elements that enable researchers to determine its age. As part of the study, the team from the Section of Earth and Environmental Sciences of UNIGE paired data collected using natural samples and numerical simulation. As Guy Simpson, a researcher at UNIGE further explains: "Modelling meant that we could establish how the age of crystallised zircon in a cooled magma reservoir depends on the flow rate of injected magma and the size of the reservoir."
 
Applications for society and industry
 
In the Nature article, the researchers propose a model that is capable of determining with unprecedented10 accuracy the age, volume and injection rate of magma that has accumulated at inaccessible11 depths. As a result, they have established that the formation of Earth's crust, volcanic super eruptions and mineral deposits occur under very specific yet different conditions. Professor Luca Caricchi adds: "When we determine the age of a family of zircons from a small sample of solidified magmatic rock, using results from the mathematical model we have developed, we can tell what the size of the entire magma chamber was, as well as how fast the magma reservoir grew." The professor continues: "This information means that we can determine the probability of an explosive volcanic eruption2 of a certain size to occur. In addition, the model will be of interest to industry because we will be able to identify new areas of our planet that are home to large amounts of natural resources such as copper12 and gold."


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 volcanic BLgzQ     
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。
2 eruption UomxV     
n.火山爆发;(战争等)爆发;(疾病等)发作
参考例句:
  • The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
  • The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。
3 eruptions ca60b8eba3620efa5cdd7044f6dd0b66     
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 phenomena 8N9xp     
n.现象
参考例句:
  • Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。
  • The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系,如果存在着任何联系的话。
5 solidifies b0f1c3548c8c3da1b2e353ad9a9b5a4c     
(使)成为固体,(使)变硬,(使)变得坚固( solidify的第三人称单数 ); 使团结一致; 充实,巩固; 具体化
参考例句:
  • Jelly solidifies as it gets cold. 肉冻冷却就凝固。
  • It is stirred with 10%sodium carbonate solution(50ml)and then with water (50ml), after which It'solidifies. 与10%碳酸钠溶液(50毫升)混合搅拌,然后再用50毫升水混合搅拌,从而析出固体。
6 innovative D6Vxq     
adj.革新的,新颖的,富有革新精神的
参考例句:
  • Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
  • He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。
7 chamber wnky9     
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所
参考例句:
  • For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说,牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
  • The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。
8 chambers c053984cd45eab1984d2c4776373c4fe     
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅
参考例句:
  • The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间:Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网
9 solidified ec92c58adafe8f3291136b615a7bae5b     
(使)成为固体,(使)变硬,(使)变得坚固( solidify的过去式和过去分词 ); 使团结一致; 充实,巩固; 具体化
参考例句:
  • Her attitudes solidified through privilege and habit. 由于特权和习惯使然,她的看法变得越来越难以改变。
  • When threatened, he fires spheres of solidified air from his launcher! 当危险来临,他就会发射它的弹药!
10 unprecedented 7gSyJ     
adj.无前例的,新奇的
参考例句:
  • The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
  • A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。
11 inaccessible 49Nx8     
adj.达不到的,难接近的
参考例句:
  • This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
  • The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。
12 copper HZXyU     
n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的
参考例句:
  • The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
  • Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。
TAG标签: mineral magma zircon
发表评论
请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规,严禁发布色情、暴力、反动的言论。
评价:
表情:
验证码:点击我更换图片