科學傢們在火星巖石外殼的深處發現瞭一個液態水庫。這個發現得於對美國航空航天局（NASA）“洞察號” 火星探測器收集的數據的新分析，該探測器於 2018 年登陸火星。
It’s so low-pitched it’s difficult to hear, but this is the rumble of the wind on Mars. It was detected by sensors on the Insight Lander, which was sent to the Red Planet in 2018 to listen. That’s what made this discovery of liquid water possible. As well as sensing the Martian breeze, the probe recorded more than 1,300 Mars quakes – vibrations emanating from inside the Red Planet.
這個聲音太低瞭，很難聽清，但它正是火星上的風發出的 “隆隆聲”。這個聲音是被 “洞察號” 探測器上的傳感器探測到的，“洞察號” 於 2018 年被送往這顆紅色行星進行監聽任務。這使得液態水的發現成為可能。除瞭探測到火星的微風外，探測器還記錄瞭 1300 多次火星地震，即從這顆紅色行星內部發出的振動。
Scientists have now studied that seismic record in detail to work out exactly how Mars moves and what material the seismic waves are travelling through. This showed that deep in the rocky Martian crust, inside cracks in the rock, there are large reservoirs of groundwater. Mars’s surface is etched with channels and ripples that paint a picture of its watery past, and the researchers believe that this discovery answers the question, where did all that water go?
科學傢們現已詳細研究瞭這些火星地震的記錄，以準確地瞭解火星是如何移動的，以及火星地震波都穿過瞭哪些物質。記錄表明，在火星巖石地殼深處及巖石裂縫內有大量的地下水。火星表面蝕刻著河道和水波紋的痕跡，這些痕跡描繪出瞭火星曾經有水流動的歷史，研究人員認為，這個發現回答瞭 “火星上的水都去哪裡瞭” 這個問題。
But they say tapping into it to supply future human exploration of Mars will be very challenging. The reservoirs they’ve detected are at depths of between ten and 20 kilometres, which would be difficult to drill, even here on Earth.
但他們表示，如果想利用地下水庫來為未來的人類火星探索活動提供支持將非常具有挑戰性。這個研究發現的水庫區域存在於火星表面以下 10 到 20 公裡的地方，即使在地球上這個位置也很難鉆探。
詞匯表
low-pitched （聲音）低沉的
rumble 隆隆聲
the Red Planet 紅色行星
Martian 火星的
breeze 微風
probe 探測器
emanating 發出，表現出
seismic 地震的
crust 外殼
reservoirs 水庫
groundwater 地下水
etched 蝕刻
tapping into 利用
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。
1. Apart from wind and water, what did the sensors on the Inside Lander find?
2. Why have scientists been studying the seismic record?
3. What does Mars have on its surface?
4. Why is it difficult for scientists to explore the reservoirs further?
答案
1. Apart from wind and water, what did the sensors on the Inside Lander find?
The probe recorded more than 1,300 Mars quakes – vibrations emanating from inside the Red Planet.
2. Why have scientists been studying the seismic record?
To work out exactly how Mars moves and what material the seismic waves are travelling through.
3. What does Mars have on its surface?
Mars’s surface is etched with channels and ripples that paint a picture of its watery past.
4. Why is it difficult for scientists to explore the reservoirs further?
Because the reservoirs they detected are at depths of between ten and 20 kilometres, which would be difficult to drill, even here on Earth.
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