An ocean researcher at the University of California, San Diego says waves are getting bigger and stronger since 1970.
加利福尼亚大学圣迭戈分校的一名海洋研究人员表示,自1970年以来,海浪变得越来越大、越来越强。
There are also more "big wave events" than ever before.
“巨浪事件”也比以往任何时候都多。
A big wave is about four meters tall or more.
巨浪大约有四米高或更高。
Peter Bromirski at the university's Scripps Institution of Oceanography looked at seismic records going back to 1931 in his research.
该大学斯克利普斯海洋研究所的彼得·布罗米尔斯基在他的研究中分析了1931年以来的地震记录。
Seismic information is often used to measure the power of earthquakes.
地震信息经常被用来衡量地震的强度。
But Bromirski said large waves create enough energy to be measured by seismographs, also.
但布罗米尔斯基说,巨浪也能产生足够的能量供地震仪测量。
When large waves reach the shore, they bounce back and run into new waves.
当巨浪到达岸边时,它们会反弹回来,撞向新的海浪。
The crash sends energy through the ocean floor where it can be measured by seismographs.
撞击产生的能量穿过海底,在海底可以用地震仪测量。
Those measurements permitted Bromirski to judge the strength and size of waves over a period of 90 years.
地震仪在海底测量的数据使布罗米尔斯基能够判断90年来海浪的强度和大小。
Bromirski said he "stumbled upon" the seismographic information.
布罗米尔斯基说,他“偶然发现”了地震学信息。
Before the discovery, he said, "it was almost impossible" to compare waves from the past with those from the present.
他说,在发现之前,“几乎不可能”将过去的海浪与现在的海浪进行比较。
It took a lot of work to put the data together.
把这些数据放在一起花了很多功夫。
Much of the information was on paper.
很多信息都是写在纸上的。
Bromirski and his team of student researchers had to put the information into a computer so they could examine the data.
布罗米尔斯基和他的学生研究团队必须将信息输入计算机,以便他们可以检查数据。
The slow process took years.
这一缓慢的过程花了数年时间。
They found that the height of most waves in the winter along the California coast have grown by about 30 centimeters since 1970.
他们发现,自1970年以来,加州海岸冬季大部分海浪的高度已经上升了约30厘米。
Starting that year, waves of over 4 meters happened more often, as well.
从那一年开始,4米以上的海浪也出现得更频繁。
Between 1996 and 2016, the large waves happened twice as often as they did from 1949 to 1969.
在1996至2016年间,巨浪发生的频率是1949至1969年间的两倍。
Bromirski and his team published their research recently in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans.
布罗米尔斯基和他的团队最近在《地球物理学研究杂志:海洋》上发表了他们的研究成果。
1970 is the year scientists believe the warming of the planet began to speed up.
1970年是科学家认为地球变暖速度开始加快的一年。
Bromirski says the new data shows that climate change is making ocean waves taller and stronger.
布罗米尔斯基说,新的数据表明,气候变化正在使海浪变得更高、更强。
That means they are more likely to damage the coast, roads and structures, such as piers and houses.
这意味着它们更有可能会破坏海岸、道路和建筑物,如码头和房屋。
Bromirski said his research may be a warning that bigger and stronger waves are ahead.
布罗米尔斯基说,他的研究警告人们未来可能会有更大更强的海浪出现。
With more warming, sea levels will rise and waves will get stronger, causing flooding and more damage to land.
随着全球变暖的加剧,海平面将会上升,海浪将会变得更强,从而导致洪水泛滥,对陆地造成更大的破坏。
The California coast has already been damaged by big waves in recent years.
近年来,加州海岸已经被巨浪破坏。
Gary Griggs is an ocean researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
加里·格里格斯是加利福尼亚大学圣克鲁兹分校的海洋研究员。
He did not work on the study.
他没有参与这项研究。
He said a 30 centimeter increase in wave height over 50 years is not that large.
他说,海浪高度在50年内增加30厘米并不是很大。
However, the findings of the study support what scientists already know: waves are becoming stronger and causing more damage along coasts.
然而,这项研究的发现支持了科学家已经知道的事情:海浪正在变得更强,并在海岸附近造成更大的破坏。
He said Bromirski's project adds to the data showing the world is warming fast and sea levels are rising.
他说,布罗米尔斯基的项目进一步证实了全球变暖速度加快,海平面上升的事实。
"The challenge," he said, "is sort of how to really respond to that."
他说:“挑战是如何真正应对这种情况。”
I'm Caty Weaver.
凯蒂·韦弗为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译,未经授权请勿转载!