科学研究：南极上空臭氧空洞形状“异乎寻常”（双语）

　　科学家们近日表示，今年南极上空臭氧空洞的形状“异乎寻常”，严重向南美倾斜。这表明，常见的极地漩涡发生重大扭曲。

　　The ozone hole that opens every year over the Antarctic is on course to be the smallest in three decades, scientists have said.

　　科学家称，南极上空每年出现的臭氧空洞将是30年来最小的。

　　Researchers say the hole is also a particularly unusual shape this year, being heavily skewed towards South America instead of centring on the South Pole.

　　研究人员说，今年臭氧空洞的形状也特别不寻常，严重向南美洲倾斜，而不是以南极为中心。

　　The rare shape – never before observed – indicates a significant distortion to the usual polar vortex, which maintains low temperatures in the stratosphere.

　　这一罕见的异常形状表明，常见的极地漩涡发生巨大的扭曲。极涡维持着平流层的低温。

　　vortex [ˈvɔːteks]：n.涡流;漩涡

　　stratosphere[ˈstrætəsfɪə(r)]：n.同温层

　　The hole is currently well under half the area that usually opens up by mid-September, and may have already reached its maximum size, a little smaller in area than the Antarctic continent.

　　目前，臭氧空洞的面积小于通常情况下9月中旬面积的一半，而且可能已经达到最大尺寸，比南极大陆的面积还要小一点。

　　Ozone is a gas formed in the upper atmosphere when electrical charges in the atmosphere combine with ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. The ozone layer absorbs the majority of the sun’s harmful UV radiation.

　　臭氧是大气中的电荷与来自太阳的紫外线结合时在上层大气中形成的一种气体。臭氧层吸收了太阳大部分有害的紫外线辐射。

　　The hole disappears and reforms every year over the Antarctic due to the unique weather patterns that create incredibly cold circling winds above the pole.

　　由于独特的天气模式，南极上空形成了令人难以置信的寒冷回旋风，臭氧空洞每年消失又复现。

　　According to the British Antarctic Survey, the hole had reached an area of 11 million square kilometres in early September, when the annual “spring warming” event kicked in much earlier than usual.

　　根据英国南极调查局的数据，9月初春季暖流比往年提早到来，臭氧空洞达到1100万平方公里。

　　In 2018, the hole reached a maximum area of 22.9 million square kilometres.

　　2018年，臭氧空洞的最大面积达到2290万平方公里。

　　In 2002, the polar vortex split in two, creating two separate ozone holes over the continent.

　　2002年，极地涡旋分裂成两个，在南极大陆上空形成两个独立的臭氧空洞。

　　Anna Jones a scientist at the British Antarctic Survey told The Independent the shape of the hole this year was “very unusual”.

　　英国南极调查局的科学家安娜·琼斯告诉《独立报》说，今年臭氧空洞的形状很不寻常。

　　She said: “Very occasionally in the Antarctic you will get disturbances. And I don’t think anybody knows what’s triggered it this year. This is a pretty new phenomenon. It could be a multiple collection of factors.”

　　她说：“在南极，很少会受到干扰。我想没有人知道是什么引发了这种改变。这是一种全新的现象，可能是多种因素造成的。”