科學家利用衛(wèi)星從太空發(fā)現(xiàn)鯨魚擱淺

科學家利用衛(wèi)星從太空發(fā)現(xiàn)鯨魚擱淺

Scientists have begun using satellites that can produce high-resolution imagery in an effort to monitor whale strandings from space, according to an investigation by the British Antarctic Survey and four Chilean research institutes.

根據(jù)英國南極調(diào)查局(British Antarctic Survey)和四家智利研究機構(gòu)的一項調(diào)查，科學家們已開始使用可生成高分辨率圖像的衛(wèi)星，從太空監(jiān)測鯨魚擱淺情況。

They believe a new technique for analyzing satellite images could revolutionize how stranded whales are detected in remote places.

科學家們認為，一種分析衛(wèi)星圖像的新技術(shù)，可能會徹底改變在偏遠地區(qū)發(fā)現(xiàn)擱淺鯨魚的方式。

In 2015, more than 340 whales were involved in a mass stranding in a remote region of southern Chile. Evidence of the stranding wasn’t discovered for several weeks due to the inaccessible nature of the area on the Chilean coast — with aerial and boat surveys assessing the extent of the damage several months after it was discovered, according to the study published in Plos One journals.

2015年，超過340頭鯨魚在智利南部一個偏遠地區(qū)大規(guī)模擱淺。根據(jù)發(fā)表在《公共科學圖書館·綜合》期刊上的研究報告，由于智利海岸地區(qū)交通不便，數(shù)周后才發(fā)現(xiàn)擱淺的證據(jù)。在發(fā)現(xiàn)擱淺的幾個月后，利用航空和船只的調(diào)查評估了損失程度。

“The aerial survey was done on a huge scale and was very impressive, but it’s possible some of the carcasses got washed back out to sea in storms and simply weren’t counted. The 343 number was only ever a best estimate,” BAS whale expert Dr Jennifer Jackson told the BBC.

“這次航測規(guī)模巨大，給人留下了深刻印象，但有可能一些尸體在風暴中被沖回大海，根本沒有計算在內(nèi)。343這個數(shù)字是有史以來最好的估計。”鯨魚專家珍妮弗·杰克遜博士告訴BBC。

Because of the delay, many of the whales went missing and their decomposed bodies made it hard for scientists to determine how they died. One satellite image counted several fewer whales than the original aerial photo and substantially more in the second picture taken, possibly alluding to the fact many had washed away by the time the non-satellite aerial photos were taken.

由于延誤，許多鯨魚失蹤了，它們腐爛的尸體讓科學家很難確定它們是如何死亡的。一幅衛(wèi)星圖像顯示，與第一張航拍照片相比，鯨的數(shù)量少了幾頭，而在第二張照片中，鯨的數(shù)量則大大增加，這可能暗示了一個事實:在拍攝非衛(wèi)星航拍照片時，許多鯨已經(jīng)被沖走了。

They say the use of satellites could make the discovery effort in finding whale strandings more efficient and less costly. They also believe it will inform scientists of information they weren’t able to see before with planes and boats, according to the investigation.

他們說，利用衛(wèi)星可以使發(fā)現(xiàn)鯨魚擱淺的工作更有效，成本更低。調(diào)查顯示，他們還認為，這將為科學家提供他們以前無法通過飛機和船只看到的信息。