宇宙（2007）

The Universe S01E08

Part 5 April 22, 2021, 8:12 p.m.

我们了解到土卫二的喷发
We knew there mightbe jets,
把他表面的物质抛离
something coming fromthe surface
that was injecting material into orbitaround Saturn to form the E-ring.
并围绕土星旋转而形成了E环
E环离土星最远
The E-ring is furthest from the planet,
约74000英里[120000千米]
about 74,000 miles away.
这个环绕距离
It happens to be justat the same orbit,
刚好约等于土卫二跟土星的距离
the same distance fromSaturn as Enceladus.
因此,刚好表明
And so it really suggests that
E环来自于土卫二
owes its origin to Enceladus.
E环的厚度
And the thicknessof the E-ring
形成它的那些物质
sort of matches the thickness
都是从土卫二南极喷出的
of particles that were ejectedfrom the South Pole of Enceladus.
如果这些喷泉消失
If these geysers disappear,
E环也会跟着消失
so might the ring.
喷射水汽表明
Ultimately the liquid jets suggest
土卫二含有很多水
that there is water on Enceladus.
这说明很多问题
And perhaps something else.
研究这些水
So the search forwater is not,
不是因为某天我们太渴而要喝这些水
"Oh, one day we'll be thirstyso we'll have something to drink,"
研究这些水的动力是
the search for wateris guided
因为我们寻找生命的兴趣
by our interest in the searchfor life.
很简单,因为水
It's that simple:follow the water.
Saturn's moon Enceladusis one of the most exciting
土卫二是最令人激动
and least understood placesin our Solar System.
也是目前太阳系中我们了解最少的
Enceladus is a really strange place.
土卫二是个奇怪的地方
The strangest thing that got people'sattention first is it's very bright,
最奇怪的是它引人注目的明亮
it's the whitest objectin the Solar System.
是太阳系中最明亮的小星体
And we now realize that it is coveredin freshly fallen snow
现在我们认识到这都是冰雪覆盖表面的原因
which is the ice that's fallen backfrom these geysers onto the surface.
雪是由落回地面的水汽形成
And it's that ice that hasscientists excited.
这些冰雪让科学家们兴奋
Possibilities thereare amazing.
那里的一切可能性都令人激动
The search for water in our Solar Systemis ultimately a search for life.
在太阳系中寻找水
最终是为了寻找生命
You look for water in the hopesthat maybe there will be life.
寻找水以期望其中有生命
Because of the presence of ice,
由于冰的发现
some experts believe the searchfor alien life
一些专家认为外星生物的发现
should begin on Enceladus.
将从土卫二上开始
It has a lot of othermolecules in it, a lot of exotic things
还有很多更令人惊奇的其他物质分子
which show us thatthere's probably
可能就像这显示的
aqueous chemistry going onunder ground.
地底下的含水化合物不断运动
So there's a lot of little percolatingkind of chemistry going on and maybe
如果有大量化学反应发生
you could get biology, maybe,so maybe we should go look.
也许能够进化出生物因此,我们应该去那看看
This is kind of the Holy Grail
它是行星探索的一种圣杯
of modern-day planetary exploration,to go and seek out
在现代,出发并寻找
those environmentsin the Solar System
太阳系的这些区域
这些可能拥有生命的区域
where life might possiblyhave gotten started.
And we just stumbled upon it.
然后刚好遇见了土卫二
Is that exciting?Of course it's exciting.
激动人心?当然了
It's the kind of thingscientists live for.
对于每一位或者的科学家都如此
We know of the composition of thegases that are coming out
能够了解那些气体的成分
because we've flown throughthem with the spacecraft.
是因为我们的太空船穿越其中
And we've got the compositionincluding carbon and nitrogen
那里面包含碳和氮
and all those goodies thatyou need to make life.
还有其他一些生命进化所必需的物质
And then we know there'sa source of energy
我们知道,这里也有能源
from the frictional heatof the tidal heat
由潮汐摩擦带来的热
in the interior, and we can seethe heat on the surface.
可以看见表面冒出来的那些热气
So all the elements are there
于是,这所有的因素
that might be sufficient to sustainlife if life could've got started there.
全部在这里集中以支持生命诞生
如果这里真的有的话
So that makes Enceladusa very exciting place.
这就是土卫二最令人感兴趣的地方
But what kind of life?
不过,到底是何种形式的生命?
We're not talking sushi,
我们可不是在谈论寿司
we're not talking lobsters and fish,we're talking microbes.
不是龙虾和鱼我们说的是微生物
I think that's about the bestthat we can hope for
对于土卫二,我想我们最多只能期待这么多
on a moon like Enceladus.
If we ever discover such life in ourSolar System, it's gonna be
如果你在太阳系内有幸发现一种生物
the simplest possible, it's gonna bebacterial or something like it.
简单的,像细菌那样的
Even the discovery ofsomething small,
即便是发现如此小的东西
would be a huge event.
那也是非同寻常的大事
It would change everything that we thinkand know about our Solar System,
将改变我们对太阳系的认识
the Universe and ourselves.
对宇宙和我们自身的认识
大部分对土星和其卫星的了解
Much of what is known aboutSaturn and its moons
has come from theCassini satellite,
都来源于卡西尼号♥人造土星卫星
于2004年进入土星轨道
that was inserted into theplanet's orbit in 2004.
It is currently touring its rings,moons, and the planet itself.
目前正绕着土星旋转观测土星环,卫星和土星自身
2008年,Cassini会绕土星旋转70周
By 2008, Cassini will have made70 trips around the gas giant.
它会在那儿围绕着土星旋转
Putting an orbiter around the planetand being able to hang out there,
坚守在那儿
观测土星系统的任何不同的情况
and monitor the systemand all its different elements
在很长一段时间
for a long period of time,
最佳途径就是通过它研究这些星体
that's the best wayto study these bodies.
科学家们需要处理许多日常信息
Scientists on a daily basis
来自于这对"亲密接触"者
process the information sent backfrom these "close encounters".
在镜头旁有个雷达
In addition to the camera therethere's a radar
发射无线电波穿过云层
that can send its radiowavesthrough the clouds
然后接收表面返回波并绘制图像
and get an echo of the surfaceand make an image of the surface.
另外,使用分光仪测量成分
And there are spectrometersto measure the composition,
用红外线设备测量温度
and other infrared devicesto measure temperature.
这是一艘完美的太空船
So it's a very comprehensivespacecraft.
看到更多,了解更多
As you see better,you learn more.
就像瑜伽熊说的那样
I think it may have beenYoghi bear who said,
"You can see a lot just by looking".
只要你认真看,你会发现很多
把相关信息和地球上比较
Relating this informationto processes on Earth
有助于解释地球的一些神秘现象
could help explain mysteriesof our own planet.
土星很不同于地球
Saturn is really verydifferent from the Earth,
直径比地球大8,9倍
its diameter is 8 or 9 timesgreater than that of the Earth.
完全由氢气构成的大气
Its atmosphere is made of hydrogen,
完全不同于我们的大气
completely differentfrom our own atmosphere.
不过,同样的物理规律作用着同样的力量控制这土星气象
But the same physics is going on,the same forces are controlling
也控制着地球气象
the weather on Saturn asare controlling the weather on Earth.
这是我们历史的一部分是我们太阳系
It is part of our history,it's the Solar System.
我开始知道太阳系是如何形成的
So understanding how ourSolar System formed
真正知道我为什么在这里
is really understandinghow I got here.
了解太阳系其他行星的情况
And understanding the nature ofother planets in the Solar System,
都是我们的邻居
they're like my neighbours.
卡西尼号♥的新技术
Cassini's new imagingtechnologies,
让我们看到以前没有看到的景象
are giving us never before seenviews and information
在每一天
by the day.
卡西尼号♥与土星的亲密接触
Cassini's close encounterswith Saturn
带领我们近距离观察它的秘密
will bring us nearer tounlocking its secrets.
很多复杂的事情需要我们很长时间去解释它
It's quite complex and it抣l take usa long time to figure it all out.
我想我们现在还不是完全了解土星
I don't think we ever willfigure all of it out,
这真是件愉快的事情,能够环绕和
but it's just the beauty ofbeing able to be in orbit
观测这样一个富饶的土星系统
and monitor a rich planetary systemlike Saturn's.
地球在宇宙中并不孤独
The Earth has a contextin the rest of the Universe.
如果你想了解宇宙别处
And, you want to knowwhere we fit in the Universe?
不要只研究地球
You don't get the answer to thatjust studying the Earth itself.
即使我们已经了解了光环王者很多很多
For, as much as we discoverabout the Lord of the Rings.
它永远激励着我们
it will always inspire us.