A rapidly advancing contemporary science that is highly dependent on new tools is
Earth system science. Earth system science involves observation and measurements on
the Earth at all scales from the largest to the smallest. The huge anaounts of data that are Line gathered come from many different locations and require special techniques for handling
data. Important new tools that facilitate Earth system science include satellite remote
sensing, small deep-sea submarines, and geographic information systems.
More than any other way of gathering evidence, satellite observations continually
remind us that each part of the Earth interacts with and is dependent on all other parts.
Earth system science was born from the realization of that interdependence. Satellite
remote sensing makes possible observations at large scales, and in many cases,
measurements of factors that could not otherwise be measured. For example, the
ozone hole over Antarctica--the decrease in the concentration of ozone high in the
atmosphere--is measured by remote sensing, as are changes in deserts, forests, and
farmlands around the world. Such measurements can be used in many areas of
specialization besides Earth system science. Archaeology, for example, has benefited
from satellite observations that reveal the traces of ancient trade routes across the
Arabian Desert.
New tools for exploring previously inaccessible areas of the Earth have also added
greatly to our knowledge of the Earth system. Small deep-sea submarines allow scientists
to travel to the depths of the ocean. There they have discovered new species and
ecosystems thriving near deep-sea vents that emit heat, sasses, and mineral-rich water.
Just as important as new methods of measurement and exploration are new ways to
store and analyze data about the Earth system. Computer-based software programs known
as geographic information systems, or GIS, allow a large number of data points to be
stored along with their locations. These can be used to produce maps and to compare
different sets of information gathered at different times. For example, satellite remote
sensing images of a forest can be converted to represent stages in the forest's growth.
Two such images, made at different times can be overlaid and compared, and the changes
that have taken place can be represented in a new image.
【題組】48. The word "they" in line 20 refers to
(A) new tools
(B) small deep-sea submarines
(C) scientists
(D) the depths of the ocean
寫作批改
VIP與詳解卡管理
私人筆記( 0 )