Southern Ocean officially recognized by National Geographic

 

Southern Ocean officially recognized by National Geographic

國家地理學會正式承認南大洋

【摘要2021.6.21.自由】◎陳成良

Anyone who thought the world had four oceans will now have to think again, after the National Geographic Society announced it would recognize a new Southern Ocean in Antarctica, bringing the global total to five.

認為世界上有四大洋的如今要再想想了。（美國）國家地理學會宣布，它將承認在南極洲的新「南大洋」，這樣一來，全球共有五大洋了。

The National Geographic, a non-profit scientific and educational organization whose mapping standards are referenced by many atlases and cartographers, said the Southern Ocean consists of the waters surrounding Antarctica, out to 60-degrees south latitude.

國家地理學會稱，南大洋由南極洲周圍的水域組成，向外延伸至南緯60度。國家地理學會是一個非營利科學與教育組織，許多地圖集和製圖師都參考該組織的製圖標準。

National Geographic Society geographer Alex Tait said scientists have long known that the waters surrounding Antarctica form a"distinct ecological region defined, by ocean currents and temperatures".

國家地理學會的地理學家亞歷克斯．泰特稱，科學家很早以前就知道南極洲周邊水域形成一個「由洋流和溫度界定的獨特生態區域」。

Tait told the Washington Post that the span of water is yet to be officially recognized as an ocean by the relevant international body: "But we thought it was important at this point to officially recognize it."

泰特告訴《華盛頓郵報》，相關國際機構尚未正式承認這片水域為海洋，「但我們認為此時正式承認它很重要。」

新聞辭典

cartographer：名詞，繪製地圖者；製圖員。例句：A cartographer is a person whose job is drawing maps.（繪製地圖者的工作是畫地圖。）

atlas：名詞，地圖集，地圖冊。例句：This is a standard atlas.（這是一本標準地圖冊。）

ecological ：形容詞， 生態的； 生態學的。例句：The research looked into the ecological effects of mining.（該研究探究採礦的生態影響。）