The most lightning-struck place on Earth - Graeme Anderson

譯者: Crystal Yip 審譯者: Max Chern

The epic poem "La Dragontea"

敍事詩《德雷克海盜》

describes how English explorer Sir Francis Drake

描述英國探險家 法蘭西斯·德雷克爵士

sailed across the Gulf of Venezuela in 1595.

如何在 1595 年橫跨委內瑞拉海灣

He was aiming for the nearby Lake Maracaibo,

他的目的地是附近的馬拉開波湖

home to a colony of Spanish settlers he planned to overthrow.

計劃推翻西班牙於當地的殖民統治

But as Drake moved towards the mouth of the lake under cover of darkness,

但當德雷克在夜幕掩護下駛向湖口

his plot was suddenly and magnificently foiled.

他的計劃突然敗露

Huge flashes of lightning illuminated the landscape,

巨大的閃電照亮整片天地

exposing the fleet as if it were daytime,

光亮猶如白晝，暴露了艦隊的行蹤

which warned the Spanish about his approach.

這樣警告了西班牙人 英國艦隊正在駛近

Lake Maracaibo is the stormiest place on the planet.

馬拉開波湖是地球上最多風暴的地方

The massive body of water at over 13,000 square kilometers

這面積達 13,000 多平方公里的巨湖

is a place of almost perpetual storming.

是一個近乎風暴不停的地方

Thunderstorms rage above it for up to 200 days of the year,

每年有多達 200 多天的雷暴

each earsplitting event lasting for several hours.

每次都雷聲震耳，並持續數小時

Like everywhere else on Earth,

正如地球上其他地方

lightning at Lake Maracaibo is the result of opposing electrical charges

馬拉開波湖上空的閃電是正負電荷

that steadily build up inside storm clouds.

逐漸在雷雲累積的結果

Once there's a large enough difference between charges either within the cloud

雷雲內部或雷雲和地面之間的 電荷差異達到一定水平時

or between the clouds and the Earth below,

it forms a spark that becomes a lightning bolt.

便會瞬間放電，而形成閃電

Lightning strikes the earth about 350 million times per year,

閃電每年電擊地球約三億五千萬次

averaging out to eleven strikes a second.

即平均每秒 11 擊

We know that thanks to satellites up in space and sensors on the ground.

我們能夠知道這些 有賴於太空中的衛星和地上的感應器

We can also measure the Earth's lightning density,

我們也能夠量度地球上閃電的密度

which is the frequency with which lightning flashes in a square kilometer.

即是一平方公里內的閃電頻率

Knowing where lightning strikes and how often

透過得知閃電發生的位置和頻率

reveals the most lightning-rich places on Earth.

便能顯示出地球上最多閃電的地方

In the polar regions,

在極地，可能每年 數平方公里才有一擊閃電

there may only be one strike per several square kilometers each year.

Meanwhile, lightning density at the equator

對比之下，於赤道的閃電密度

averages out to tens of flashes per square kilometer

平均每平方公里 10 次閃光

on account of the sun providing more heat to drive storms.

這是因為太陽提供較多熱力， 推動風暴的形成

Yet nowhere can quite compare with Lake Maracaibo,

但是沒有其他地方能與馬拉開波湖相比

where lightning strikes an average 250 times per square kilometer,

該湖每平方公里閃電平均 250 次

giving it the highest lightning density of any place on Earth.

為地球上閃電密度最高的地方

A number of factors converge to create the lake's seemingly everlasting storms.

多項因素匯集， 使得該湖有著似乎永不息止的風暴

Firstly, Lake Maracaibo lies just ten degrees north of the Equator,

首先，馬拉開波湖 位於赤道以北 10 度的緯度上

so there's a wealth of solar energy available to fuel the storms.

所以有豐富的太陽能 來推動風暴的形成

Thunderstorms also require a supply of water vapor to feed on,

雷暴也需要大量水蒸氣

and having the warm waters of the Caribbean so close by

鄰近的温暖加勒比海

provides an endless supply.

提供了源源不絕的供應

Finally, the lake's southern and western edges

最後，該湖的南邊和西邊

are bordered by two massive mountain ranges,

被兩條巨大山脈圍繞

and as cool winds surge down these slopes,

當涼風順山勢而下

they force up warm air,

便會使暖空氣上升

destabilizing the atmosphere and causing storm clouds to form.

造成大氣不穩，促使雷雲的形成

Together, these ingredients combine

這些因素合起來

to give rise to the most awe-inspiring thunderstorms on the planet,

形成地球上最令人驚嘆的雷暴

a true sight to behold.

一個值得一看的奇景

Centuries ago, Sir Francis Drake may have cursed the lake's intense illumination,

數百年前，法蘭西斯·德雷克爵士 或許曾咒罵該湖強烈的閃光

but today, sailors actually embrace this phenomenon.

但今天，水手反而喜歡這現象

They call it the Maracaibo Beacon,

他們稱之為「馬拉開波燈塔」

and use it as a natural lighthouse to illuminate their path across the seas.

利用它作為天然的燈塔， 照亮他們航海的路

翻譯：Crystal Yip