加州官员表示他们将会在地震预警系统上投入4千多万美元。
The announcement comes after two powerful earthquakes shook parts of the state last week. On Thursday, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck an area in the Mojave Desert, but the effects could be felt as far away as Los Angeles.
该消息公布之前，加州部分地区上周遭遇了两次强烈地震。周四，莫哈韦沙漠发生了一场6.4级的地震，但是远到洛杉矶都有震感。
Then on Friday, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Ridgecrest, California, causing damage to houses and roads.
然后是在周五，加州里奇克莱斯特附近发生了一场7.1级的地震，造成房屋和道路受损。
The proposed early warning system would let the public know of a possible quake. Officials say it also would automatically halt trains and open fire station doors moments before a major quake strikes.
提到的该预警系统能让公众知道有可能会发生地震。有关官员说，该系统还能在地震发生前瞬间自动停下火车和打开消防局的大门。
California Governor Gavin Newsom made an announcement after Friday's quake. He said that the state has already put in place 70 percent of 1,115 sensors needed for a statewide system.
加州州长加文·纽森在周五的地震后宣布了这一消息。他说，加州政府已经安装了全州系统所需的1,115个传感器中的70％的传感器。
Ryan Arba is with the governor's Office of Emergency Services. He said, "I think the whole state's on notice right now about the opportunity that's in front of us."
瑞恩·阿尔巴在州长紧急事务办公室工作。他说，“我认为整个州现在都在关注摆在我们面前的这个机会。”
Emergency officials have said they hope to have the statewide warning system in place by the middle of 2021.
紧急事务官员声称他们希望在2021年年中之前建好全州警告系统。
The recent strong earthquakes were the first in 20 years in Southern California. They brought increased attention to the development of the state's early warning system.
最近发生的地震是南加州20年来发生的第一次地震。这些地震让他们更加关注全州预警系统的发展。
Japan developed the world's most modern earthquake early warning system after the 1995 Kobe earthquake. It relies on more than 4,000 sensors and is based on the same laws of physics that California is using to build its system.
在1995年神户大地震后，日本开发出了全球最现代化的地震预警系统。该系统依赖于4,000多个传感器，并且跟加州构建的预警系统基于相同的物理定律。
P-waves can provide early warning
地震纵波能够提供预警
As in Japan, the California system is designed to detect the fast-moving seismic P-waves that are produced by earthquakes. These waves can reach a sensor before the ground starts moving. The U.S. Geological Survey says that many animals are able to feel P-waves.
与日本一样，加州的预警系统可用于探测地震产生的快速传播的地震纵波。这些波会在地面开始晃动前抵达传感器。 美国地质调查局表示，很多动物都能感觉到地震纵波。
Communities farthest from the epicenter of a quake would receive the earliest warning.
距离地震震中最远的社区将收到最早的警告。
Arba says, for example, that a quake on the San Andreas Fault near California's border with Mexico would give Los Angeles 60 seconds of warning before the ground began to shake there. However, communities very close to a quake's center would receive little or no warning.
阿尔巴说，譬如加州与墨西哥边境附近的圣安德烈亚斯断层发生地震，它就能在地面震动前给洛杉矶提供60秒的预警时间。然而，非常靠近震中的社区会收到很短的预警，或是得不到预警。
Officials in Los Angeles County in January introduced a "ShakeAlertLA" mobile phone application. It can send an early warning to residents who have the app. The "ShakeAlertLA" app, however, was not activated for either of the recent quakes. The U.S. Geological Survey said this was because they were not strong enough.
洛杉矶县官员在1月份推出了“洛杉矶地震预警”手机应用程序。它能向安装了该应用程序的居民发送预警。然而，“洛杉矶地震预警”应用程序在最近的地震中一次都没有被触发。美国地质调查局说，这是因为震级不够大。
Trains at risk during earthquakes
地震期间列车处于危险中
The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system in and around San Francisco has connected the early detection system to its rail service. The system is designed to automatically slow down trains, Arba said.
旧金山及其周边的湾区快速交通（BART）系统都已经将早期检测系统跟它的铁路服务联系起来。阿尔巴表示，该系统旨在让列车自动减速。
Southern California's Metrolink commuter rail system halted service after Friday's 7.1 earthquake in Ridgecrest. But, a spokesman said orders to stop the trains only went out by radio when shaking was felt by officials at the operations center in Pomona, east of Los Angeles.
南加州的捷运通勤铁路系统在周五里奇克莱斯特发生7.1级地震后停运。但是一位发言人表示，列车停驶的命令是在洛杉矶东部波莫纳运营中心的官员感到震动时才通过无线电发出。
The Metrolink board has voted to spend $4.9 million in public money to automate the halting of its trains when a quake is detected, the spokesman said.
这位发言人表示，捷运董事会投票决定花费了490万美元公共资金，用于检测到地震时自动停止列车。
University of California at Los Angeles engineering professor John Wallace said there are many possible uses for the early warning system.
加州大学洛杉矶分校工程学教授约翰·华莱士说，预警系统有多种潜在用途。
"Once you provide the system, you'd be surprised how many ways people will find to use it," he said.
他说：“一旦你提供这个系统，你就会惊讶人们会找到那么多种用途。”
I'm Mario Ritter Jr.
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