Interactive transcript · 178 lines
Hello and welcome to TalkCast, the podcast where we dive deep into the science, culture, and
你好，欢迎收听 TalkCast，这是一个深入探讨科学、文化和技术的播客...
technology shaping our world.
技术正在塑造我们的世界。
I am your host, Zoe.
我是你们的主持人，佐伊。
Today we are looking up at the night sky.
今天我们仰望夜空天空。
Recently, residents in Heilongjiang province and several other regions in northern China were
最近，中国黑龙江省及其他几个北方地区的居民们...
treated to a breathtaking sight.
欣赏到了一个叹为观止的景象。
Vibrant auroras painting the night sky in rare shades of red and deep pink.
绚丽的极光把夜空染成了罕见的红色和深粉色。
This spectacular display was triggered by a powerful geomagnetic storm.
这一壮观的景象是由一场强大的地磁风暴引发的。
While it is a beautiful sight, it also reminds us of the massive energy our sun releases.
虽然这是一处美丽的景致，但它也提醒我们太阳释放出了巨大的能量。
To help us understand the science behind this phenomenon, we are joined by Dr.
为了帮助我们理解这一现象背后的科学，我们邀请到了...
Thomas, a leading space weather scientist and astrophysicist.
托马斯，一位杰出的空间天气科学家和天体物理学家。
Welcome to TalkCast, Thomas.
欢迎来到 TalkCast，托马斯。
Thank you, Zoe.
谢谢你，佐伊。
It is wonderful to be here with you and your listeners.
很高兴能和您以及您的听众们在这里交流。
Space weather is a fascinating topic, and I am excited to share some of its mysteries today.
空间天气是一个迷人的话题，我很兴奋今天能分享它的一些奥秘。
Thomas, let us start with the basics.
托马斯，让我们从基础知识开始吧。
Most of us think of auroras or the northern lights as something you can only see if you travel to
我们大多数人认为极光或北极光是只有当你旅行到...
the Arctic Circle, like to Norway or Alaska.
北极圈，比如挪威或阿拉斯加时才能看到的景象。
But lately, people much further south are catching a glimpse.
但最近，更靠南的人们也捕捉到了它们的一瞥。
How exactly do auroras form in the first place?
极光究竟是首先如何形成的呢？
That is the perfect place to start.
这是个完美的切入点。
To understand the aurora, we have to look at our sun.
要理解极光，我们必须看看我们的太阳。
The sun is not just a quiet ball of light in the sky.
太阳不只是天空中一个安静的光球。
It is actually a giant, incredibly active nuclear reactor.
它实际上是一个巨大的、极其活跃的核反应堆。
Because of this, it constantly blows out a stream of high -energy charged particles, mostly electrons
正因如此，它不断向太空喷射一股高能带电粒子流，主要是电子
and protons, into space.
和质子。
We call this stream the solar wind.
我们把这股流称为太阳风。
Solar wind!
太阳风！
That is a very poetic term.
这是一个非常诗意的词汇。
So this wind travels across space and hits Earth? Exactly.
所以这股风在太空中传播并撞击地球？没错。
The solar wind travels at millions of kilometers per hour.
太阳风以每小时数百万公里的速度传播。
Fortunately for us, Earth has a protective shield.
幸运的是，地球有一个保护盾。
This shield is our magnetic field, which we call the magnetosphere.
这个盾牌就是我们的磁场，我们称之为磁层。
It deflects most of these solar particles, pushing them around our planet.
它偏转了大部分太阳粒子，使它们绕过我们的星球。
However, near the north and south poles, Earth's magnetic field lines curve downward into our atmosphere.
然而，在南极和北极附近，地球的磁力线向下弯曲进入我们的大气层。
This is where the protective shield has a bit of an opening, allowing some particles to slip through.
这就是保护盾有一个小缺口的地方，允许一些粒子溜进来。
Ah, so the poles are like open doors in our magnetic shield.
啊，所以两极就像我们磁盾上的开着的门。
What happens when the particles get through those doors?
当粒子穿过这些门时会发生什么？
When these charged solar particles enter our upper atmosphere, they collide with gas molecules,
当这些带电的太阳粒子进入我们的大气层上层时，它们与气体分子发生碰撞，
mostly oxygen and nitrogen.
主要是氧气和氮气。
Think of it like a giant neon sign in the sky.
把它想象成天空中一个巨大的霓虹灯招牌。
In a neon sign, electricity passes through gas inside a glass tube, making it glow.
在霓虹灯中，电流通过玻璃管内的气体，使其发光。
In the sky, the solar particles act like that electricity, exciting the atmospheric gases and making
在天空中，太阳粒子就像那种电流一样，激发大气气体，使其
them glow in different colors.
以不同的颜色发光。
That is a beautiful metaphor.
这是一个美妙的隐喻。
A natural neon sign in the atmosphere.
大气中的一个天然霓虹灯招牌。
Speaking of colors, the auroras captured in Heilangjiang were mostly red.
说到颜色，在黑龙江捕捉到的极光大多是红色的。
But in tourist photos from northern Europe, they are usually bright green.
但在来自北欧的游客照片中，它们通常是亮绿色的。
Why is there a difference in color?
为什么颜色会有差异呢？
That is an excellent observation, Zoe.
这是一个极好的观察，佐伊。
The color of the aurora depends on two things, the type of gas involved and the altitude where the
极光的颜色取决于两件事，所涉及的气体类型以及发生碰撞的高度。
collision happens.
发生碰撞的地方。
The classic green aurora is caused by solar particles colliding with oxygen atoms at lower
经典的绿色极光是由太阳粒子在较低的
altitudes, around 100 to 150 kilometers high.
高度，大约100到150公里高处与氧原子发生碰撞引起的。
But higher up in the atmosphere, above 250 kilometers, the air is much thinner.
但在更高的大气层中，250公里以上，空气要稀薄得多。
When solar particles collide with oxygen at this extreme height, it produces a rare red aurora.
当太阳粒子在如此极端的高度与氧气碰撞时，它会产生罕见的红色极光。
So does that mean because Heilongjiang is further south, people there are looking at the higher part
那么这是否意味着因为黑龙江向南更远，那里的居民正在...
of the aurora from a distance?
从远距离观察极光的较高部分？
Yes, precisely.
是的，准确地说。
Because of the curve of the earth, observers at lower latitudes like northern China can only see the
由于地球的曲率，中国北方等较低纬度的观测者只能看到...
very top of the aurora curtain, which is high up in the atmosphere where the red light is produced.
极光幕的最顶端，它位于高空大气层中，红光就是在那儿产生的。
The lower, green part is hidden below the horizon.
较低的绿色部分被隐藏在地平线以下。
It is like looking at a tall skyscraper from far away.
这就像从远处看一座高耸的摩天大楼。
You can only see the top floors while the ground floor is blocked by other buildings or the curve of
你只能看到顶层，而底层被其他建筑或地面曲线所阻挡。
the land.
土地。
That makes so much sense.
这太有道理了。
It is amazing to think that the red color is actually a result of distance and Earth's geometry.
想到红色实际上是距离和地球几何的结果，真是令人惊叹。
Now, let us talk about why this is happening now.
现在，让我们谈谈为什么现在会发生这种情况。
Why did we have such a powerful geomagnetic storm that pushed the aurora so far south?
为什么我们会发生如此强烈的地磁暴，将极光推向如此偏南的地方？
It is because the sun is currently in a very active phase.
这是因为太阳目前正处于非常活跃的阶段。
The sun goes through an activity cycle that lasts about 11 years.
太阳经历着一个持续大约11年的活动周期。
We call this the solar cycle.
我们称之为太阳周期。
During this cycle, the sun moves from a quiet phase called solar minimum to an active phase called
在此期间，太阳从被称为太阳极小期的平静阶段移动到...
solar maximum and back again.
被称为太阳极大期的活跃阶段，然后再循环回来。
Right now, we are at or very near the peak of solar cycle 25.
目前，我们正处于或非常接近第25个太阳周期的顶峰。
This means the sun is covered with sunspots and is experiencing frequent violent eruptions.
这意味着太阳布满了太阳黑子，并且正在经历频繁而剧烈的爆发。
So a solar maximum means more eruptions.
所以太阳极大期意味着更多的爆发。
What kind of eruptions are we talking about?
我们在谈论什么样的爆发？
The most important ones for us are called coronal mass ejections or CMEs.
对我们来说最重要的那些被称为日冕物质抛射，简称CME。
A CME is a massive bubble of magnetic fields and billions of tons of hot gas ejected from the sun at
CME是一个巨大的磁场气泡和数十亿吨高温气体，以...
incredible speeds.
难以置信的速度从太阳喷射而出。
When a CME is directed toward Earth, it slams into our magnetic shield.
当CME对准地球时，它会猛烈撞击我们的磁场防护罩。
This sudden impact shakes and deforms our magnetic field, creating what we call a geomagnetic storm.
这种突然的撞击会动摇并使变形我们的磁场，从而产生我们所说的地磁暴。
So if the solar wind is a gentle breeze, a coronal mass ejection is like a solar hurricane hitting
所以如果太阳风是微风，那么日冕物质抛射就像是一场太阳飓风正袭击
our magnetic shield?
我们的磁场防护罩？
That is a perfect comparison.
这是一个完美的比较。
A solar hurricane is exactly what it is.
它确切就是一场太阳飓风。
And just like a real hurricane can push seawater inland, a solar hurricane pushes the auroral zone
就像真正的飓风可以将海水推向内陆一样，太阳飓风会将极光带
further down toward the equator, which is why people in mid -latitude regions can see it.
进一步向下推向赤道，这就是为什么中纬度地区的人们能够看到它。
As beautiful as the aurora is, these solar hurricanes sound a bit intimidating.
尽管极光很美，但这些太阳飓风听起来有点吓人。
In our daily lives, we rely so much on technology.
在我们的日常生活中，我们极大地依赖科技。
Does a geomagnetic storm pose any danger to our modern infrastructure?
地磁暴会对我们的现代基础设施构成任何危险吗？
Unfortunately, yes.
不幸的是，会的。
While auroras are harmless to us on the ground, the geomagnetic storms that cause them can be very
虽然极光对地面上的我们是无害的，但引起极光的地磁暴可能会非常
disruptive to our technology.
对我们的科技具有很大的破坏性。
First, they affect satellites.
首先，它们影响卫星。
High energy particles can damage satellite electronics, and the heating of the atmosphere can create
高能粒子会损坏卫星电子设备，大气加热会产生
drag, pulling satellites out of their correct orbits.
阻力，将卫星拉出其正确的轨道。
This directly impacts GPS navigation and satellite communication. GPS?
这直接影响GPS导航和卫星通信。GPS？
That can affect aviation, shipping, and even the maps we use on our smartphones every day. Indeed.
这会影响航空、航运，甚至我们每天在智能手机上使用的地图。确实如此。
During major solar storms, commercial flights over polar routes are often rerouted to avoid
在强烈的太阳风暴期间，极地航线上的商业航班经常被改道以避免
communication blackouts and radiation exposure at high altitudes.
通信中断和高空辐射暴露。
But the threat is not just in space.
但威胁不仅存在于太空中。
It is also on the ground.
它也存在于地面上。
Geomagnetic storms can induce powerful electric currents in long metal structures like oil
地磁风暴可以在长金属结构中感应出强大的电流，例如石油
pipelines, and most importantly, our high voltage power grids. Wait.
管道，最重要的是，我们高压电网。等一下。
How does a storm in space create electricity in our power grids on Earth?
太空中的风暴是如何在地球电网中产生电力的呢？
It is a physical process called electromagnetic induction.
这是一个被称为电磁感应的物理过程。
When Earth's magnetic field vibrates rapidly due to a solar storm, it generates electrical currents
当太阳风暴导致地球磁场快速振动时，它会产生电流
in the ground.
在地面上。
These currents can flow into our power lines and overload giant transformers.
这些电流会流入我们的输电线路并使巨型变压器过载。
If a transformer burns out, it can cause a widespread blackout.
如果变压器烧毁，可能会导致大范围的停电。
In fact, in March 1989, a severe geomagnetic storm collapsed the entire power grid of Quebec,
事实上，在1989年3月，一场严重的地磁风暴使魁北克的整个电网瘫痪，
Canada, leaving 6 million people without electricity for 9 hours in just a matter of seconds. Wow.
加拿大数百万人仅在几秒钟内就失去了电力供应，持续了9小时。哇。
That is incredible and quite scary.
这真是难以置信且相当可怕。
If a storm like that happened today, with our deep reliance on the internet and digital devices, the
如果今天发生这样的风暴，鉴于我们对互联网和数码设备的深度依赖，
impact would be even more severe.
其影响将会更加严重。
Is there a worst -case scenario that scientists look back on? Yes.
是否有科学家回顾的最坏情景？是的。
The benchmark event is the Carrington Invine of 1859.
基准事件是1859年的卡林顿事件。
It was the most powerful solar storm ever recorded.
这是有史以来记录的最强大的太阳风暴。
Auroras were so bright that people in New England could read the newspaper at night.
极光非常明亮，以至于新英格兰的人们能在夜间看报纸。
And auroras were visible as far south as Hawaii and the Caribbean.
并且可见的极光甚至远至南部的夏威夷和加勒比海地区。
Back then, the only major electronic technology was the telegraph system.
当时，唯一的重大电子技术是电报系统。
The storm caused telegraph lines to spark, shocking operators and even setting telegraph paper on fire.
风暴导致电报线路产生火花，电击了操作员，甚至点燃了电报纸。
Some operators found they could send messages even after disconnecting their batteries because the
一些操作员发现，即使在断开电池连接后，他们仍然可以发送信息，因为
air was so charged with electricity.
空气中如此带电。
That is mind -blowing.
这真是令人震撼。
If a Carrington event happened today with our satellites, power grids, and internet cables, it would
如果今天发生卡林顿事件，结合我们的卫星、电网和互联网电缆，
be a global disaster.
那将是一场全球性灾难。
It would indeed.
确实如此。
Estimates suggest a similar storm today could cause trillions of dollars in damage and take months
估计表明，今天类似的风暴可能会造成数万亿美元的损失，并需要数月
or even years to fully repair.
甚至数年才能完全修复。
That is why space weather forecasting has become so critically important.
这就是为什么太空天气预报变得如此至关重要。
So how do we protect ourselves?
那么我们如何保护自己呢？
Are we able to predict these solar storms before they hit Earth?
我们能在这些太阳风暴撞击地球之前预测它们吗？
Yes, we can.
是的，我们能。
Just like we have meteorologists to forecast rain and snow on Earth, we have space weather forecasters.
就像我们有气象学家在地球上预报雨雪一样，我们有太空天气预报员。
They use a network of ground -based telescopes and deep space satellites to monitor the sun 24 hours
他们利用地面望远镜和深空卫星网络24小时监测太阳
a day.
每天。
While light from a solar flare reaches Earth in just eight minutes, the actual cloud of charged
虽然来自太阳耀斑的光在短短八分钟内就能到达地球，但
particles from a CME takes anywhere from 15 hours to a few days to travel across space.
来自CME的带电粒子云需要15小时到几天的时间才能穿过太空。
This gives us a crucial warning window.
这为我们提供了关键的预警窗口。
And what do we do once we get that warning?
一旦我们收到该警告，我们会做什么？
How do power grid operators and satellite companies react?
电网运营商和卫星公司将如何反应？
With a warning of 12 to 24 hours, grid operators can adjust power loads to prevent overloads.
凭借12到24小时的预警，电网运营商可以调整电力负荷以防止过载。
Satellite operators can put their spacecraft into safe mode, shutting down sensitive electronics.
卫星运营商可以将其航天器置于安全模式，关闭敏感电子设备。
Astronauts on the space station can move to shielded areas, and airlines can reroute flights.
空间站上的宇航员可以移动到屏蔽区，航空公司可以改道航班。
It is all about preparation.
这全关乎准备工作。
We cannot stop the sun, but we can protect our technology.
我们无法阻止太阳，但我们可以保护我们的技术。
That is very reassuring, Thomas.
这真令人放心，托马斯。
It sounds like space weather is going to be an increasingly important field as we move forward,
听起来随着我们的发展，太空天气将成为一个日益重要的领域，
especially with plans to establish bases on the Moon and travel to Mars. Absolutely.
特别是在计划在月球上建立基地并前往火星的情况下。完全正确。
Once we leave Earth's protective magnetic field, astronauts are fully exposed to cosmic radiation
一旦我们离开地球受保护的磁场，宇航员就会完全暴露在宇宙辐射中
and solar storms.
以及太阳风暴。
Understanding space weather is key to the future of human space exploration. Dr.
理解太空天气是人类太空探索未来的关键。博士，
Thomas, this has been an absolutely fascinating conversation.
托马斯，这是一场绝对迷人的对话。
You have helped us see the beautiful auroras in a whole new light, not just as a stunning visual
你帮助我们以全新的视角看待美丽的极光，不仅仅将其视为一个惊艳的视觉
spectacle, but as a window into the powerful, dynamic relationship between our planet and the sun.
奇观，而是作为一扇了解我们星球与太阳之间强大而动态关系的窗口。
Thank you so much for joining us on TalkCast today.
非常感谢您今天加入我们的TalkCast。
Thank you, Zoe.
谢谢你，佐伊。
It was a pleasure.
这是我的荣幸。
Keep looking up at the sky.
请保持仰望天空。
And that brings us to the end of today's episode of TalkCast.
这也迎来了我们今天TalkCast节目的尾声。
Before we sign off, we have a fun question for you, our listeners, based on today's discussion.
在我们结束之前，根据今天的讨论，我们为您（我们的听众）准备了一个有趣的问题。
Here is the question.
问题如下。
What is the name of the 11 -year cycle of solar activity that controls how often we see auroras and
控制我们多久看到一次极光和……的11年太阳活动周期叫什么名字？
solar storms?
太阳风暴？
Please write down your answer in the comment section below, or check out the comments to see what
请在下方的评论区写下您的答案，或者查看评论看看
other listeners have written.
其他听众写了什么。
We love seeing our community learn and discuss together.
我们很高兴看到我们的社区一起学习和讨论。
If you enjoyed today's episode, please consider joining our TalkCast membership, subscribing to our
如果您喜欢今天的节目，请考虑加入我们的TalkCast会员，订阅我们的
channel, and sharing this episode with your friends who are passionate about science or learning English.
频道，并将这期节目分享给那些对科学或学习英语充满热情的朋友。
Your support helps us keep creating high -quality content.
您的支持帮助我们不断创作高质量的内容。
As a reminder, the full English transcript and audio for this episode, along with our entire series,
提醒一下，本期的完整英文文稿和音频，以及我们的整个系列，
are published regularly on our website at www .talkcast .top, as well as on our official WeChat
都会定期在我们的网站 www.talkcast.top 以及我们的官方微信上发布。
account, TalkCast.
账号 TalkCast。
Be sure to check them out to practice your reading and listening skills.
请务必查看它们来练习您的阅读和听力技能。
Thank you all for listening, and until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and keep looking up.
谢谢大家收听，直到下次，保持学习，保持成长，并保持仰望。
