随着科学技术的发展，人类开始从太空中搜集有关地球气候等方面的数据。英国政府近期启动了一座地球观察中心，意在关注地球气候变化搜集环境数据。
, n/ R2 l- Z" R/ c& b! f Science minister David Willetts is to announce a new UK centre for monitoring the Earth from space.5 j. x" O- c0 B
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The Earth observation hub will focus on acquiring environmental data, such as information on deforestation and the impact of climate change.% `6 ~+ A. M1 E
5 x! J5 k" ^0 N8 J$ `/ G' v0 Q* N The hub will be based at the International Space Innovation Centre (ISIC) in Harwell in Oxfordshire, which will open in April 2011.
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The aim is to bring together UK expertise in Earth observation.& H/ o% l3 n5 w, f0 W; u/ L
5 O; L6 _9 n6 ?6 i6 E/ w The hub will also be used as a flight operations centre for controlling satellites.; `8 e0 k) I7 m( [
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It addition it will develop the expertise to analyse environmental information coming from space, helping scientists learn more about how the planet is being affected by climate change.
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Tracking pollution
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Professor Alan O'Neill, director of the National Centre for Earth Observation, said: "By bringing together the best of our space science base with industrial researchers, we hope to develop a wide range of applications. j q R3 _ | a$ d% K# t
/ S! h: m2 m* I% _$ r8 o "These include global monitoring of deforestation, concentration of greenhouse gasses, and levels of marine pollution."
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Up to 40 scientists will be based at the centre. Many of them will be involved in gathering and presenting the vast amounts of information coming from environmental satellites.
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The data will be made available to scientists across the world and to the public.
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Details of the hub will be announced by the Science Minister David Willetts in a speech on Wednesday morning at the Farnborough Air Show.
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" N& [8 ?" }7 ] He is expected to say that the centre will not become a "centralising force"; rather, it will serve as a hub to link regional space capabilities and promote knowledge-sharing between academia and industry.0 D5 M. q$ |9 a+ w, P6 m
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A preview of Mr Willetts' speech stated: "ISIC will operate at arm's length from the UK Space Agency so that it becomes a common facility within the Harwell campus.
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+ l$ E. `7 ^. S( r! P "And at Harwell, the new European Space Agency facility is already working well, especially in climate change science and related applications.( _7 J( l, j5 n' m T
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"Soon it will have an incubator for new space businesses and work on space exploration. This is a fantastic additional catalyst for UK space." |
发表于 2012-8-14 23:21:39
