TEDxBrussels
Laura Robinson: The secrets I find on the mysterious ocean floor
羅拉·羅賓遜: 神秘海洋地板的秘密
Filmed:
Readability: 4.1
1,759,346 views
在海平面以下数百米的地方，羅拉·羅賓遜在探索大型海底山峰的陡坡。她正在寻找千年珊瑚，当它把珊瑚放进核反应堆时，就能发现海洋是怎样随时间而变化的。通过学习地球的历史，罗宾逊希望能找出解答未来发展的线索。
Laura Robinson - Ocean scientist
Dr. Laura Robinson's scientific mission is to document and understand the processes that govern climate. Full bio
Dr. Laura Robinson's scientific mission is to document and understand the processes that govern climate. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Well, I'm an ocean chemist.
0
746
1453
我是一個海洋化學家
我關注現在的海洋變化
00:14
I look at the chemistry
of the ocean today.
of the ocean today.
1
2223
2119
00:16
I look at the chemistry
of the ocean in the past.
of the ocean in the past.
2
4366
3000
我關注過去的海洋變化
00:19
The way I look back in the past
3
7390
2064
我探索過去的法則
是利用已經變成化石的深海珊瑚的遺骸
00:21
is by using the fossilized remains
of deepwater corals.
of deepwater corals.
4
9478
3151
00:24
You can see an image of one
of these corals behind me.
of these corals behind me.
5
12653
2642
你可以看到在我身後 其中一張珊瑚的照片
00:27
It was collected from close to Antarctica,
thousands of meters below the sea,
thousands of meters below the sea,
6
15319
4426
我們在毗鄰南極洲幾千米之下的深海處找到它
00:31
so, very different
than the kinds of corals
than the kinds of corals
7
19769
2088
因此 如果你在熱帶旅遊的時候能夠有幸看到一些珊瑚
00:33
you may have been lucky enough to see
if you've had a tropical holiday.
if you've had a tropical holiday.
8
21881
3787
會發現二者很不一樣
00:37
So I'm hoping that this talk will give you
9
25692
2056
我真誠地希望我的演說
能夠為你帶來一個四維的海洋
00:39
a four-dimensional view of the ocean.
10
27772
1793
二維的海洋
00:41
Two dimensions, such as this
beautiful two-dimensional image
beautiful two-dimensional image
11
29589
3873
比如這張美麗的海洋表面溫度的二維的圖像
00:45
of the sea surface temperature.
12
33486
1594
00:47
This was taken using satellite,
so it's got tremendous spatial resolution.
so it's got tremendous spatial resolution.
13
35104
4024
这是由卫星拍摄的 所以拥有极好的空间辨析度
00:51
The overall features are extremely
easy to understand.
easy to understand.
14
39898
2866
图片上关于整体的特征极其容易了解
00:54
The equatorial regions are warm
because there's more sunlight.
because there's more sunlight.
15
42788
3664
赤道地区比较温暖 因为那裡接收了更多的阳光
00:58
The polar regions are cold
because there's less sunlight.
because there's less sunlight.
16
46476
2686
极地地区比较严寒 因为那裡光照稀少
01:01
And that allows big icecaps
to build up on Antarctica
to build up on Antarctica
17
49186
2921
这让巨大的冰盖在南极洲和北半球上部形成
01:04
and up in the Northern Hemisphere.
18
52131
1810
01:06
If you plunge deep into the sea,
or even put your toes in the sea,
or even put your toes in the sea,
19
54299
3418
如果你俯冲入深海之中 或者把你的脚趾放进海里
你就知道越往下水温越低
01:09
you know it gets colder as you go down,
20
57741
1943
01:11
and that's mostly because the deep waters
that fill the abyss of the ocean
that fill the abyss of the ocean
21
59708
3979
那是大多是因为流動在海洋深處的海水
来自寒冷的极地地区 它们的密度更高
01:15
come from the cold polar regions
where the waters are dense.
where the waters are dense.
22
63711
3165
01:19
If we travel back in time
20,000 years ago,
20,000 years ago,
23
67845
3106
如果我们進行時間旅行 回到两万年前
01:22
the earth looked very much different.
24
70975
1860
会发现地球看起来有很大不同
如果你真的回到那麼久以前的地球
01:24
And I've just given you a cartoon version
of one of the major differences
of one of the major differences
25
72859
3467
将会看到我用图像给你们展现其中一个最大的不同之处
01:28
you would have seen
if you went back that long.
if you went back that long.
26
76350
2255
冰川面積更大
01:30
The icecaps were much bigger.
27
78629
1682
它們覆蓋了很多的陸地 而且延伸到了海洋
01:32
They covered lots of the continent,
and they extended out over the ocean.
and they extended out over the ocean.
28
80335
3627
01:35
Sea level was 120 meters lower.
29
83986
2493
海平面比现在低了120米
01:38
Carbon dioxide [levels] were very
much lower than they are today.
much lower than they are today.
30
86503
3544
二氧化碳含量也比現在低了許多
01:42
So the earth was probably about three
to five degrees colder overall,
to five degrees colder overall,
31
90071
3644
所以可能全球平均氣溫要低了3到5度
在極地地區要更加寒冷
01:45
and much, much colder
in the polar regions.
in the polar regions.
32
93739
2820
01:49
What I'm trying to understand,
33
97908
1454
我希望了解的
01:51
and what other colleagues of mine
are trying to understand,
are trying to understand,
34
99386
2802
我的其他同事們希望了解的
是我們的地球怎麼從一個極寒的星球
01:54
is how we moved from that
cold climate condition
cold climate condition
35
102212
2459
變成一個适宜人类居住的家園
01:56
to the warm climate condition
that we enjoy today.
that we enjoy today.
36
104695
2896
01:59
We know from ice core research
37
107615
2059
通過對冰核的探索
我們了解到這一個從嚴寒到溫暖的轉變過程並不平穩
02:01
that the transition from these
cold conditions to warm conditions
cold conditions to warm conditions
38
109698
3080
02:04
wasn't smooth, as you might predict
from the slow increase in solar radiation.
from the slow increase in solar radiation.
39
112802
4748
這也可以從緩慢增長的太陽輻射推測出來
02:10
And we know this from ice cores,
because if you drill down into ice,
because if you drill down into ice,
40
118153
3231
而我們從冰核中得到這些結論
因為如果你鑽入到冰川深處
就能看到年復一年形成的冰層
02:13
you find annual bands of ice,
and you can see this in the iceberg.
and you can see this in the iceberg.
41
121408
3271
在冰川上它們肉眼可見
你能看到那些藍白相間的層
02:16
You can see those blue-white layers.
42
124703
1991
02:18
Gases are trapped in the ice cores,
so we can measure CO2 --
so we can measure CO2 --
43
126718
3626
氣體被困在冰核之中
所以我們可以測量氣體中CO2的含量
02:22
that's why we know CO2
was lower in the past --
was lower in the past --
44
130368
2365
因此我們知道過去的CO2含量要低得多
02:24
and the chemistry of the ice
also tells us about temperature
also tells us about temperature
45
132757
2993
而且冰的元素組成
也告訴我們過去極地的溫度信息
02:27
in the polar regions.
46
135774
1475
02:29
And if you move in time
from 20,000 years ago to the modern day,
from 20,000 years ago to the modern day,
47
137273
3679
如果你的思緒从20,000年前回到现在
你會發現溫度上升了
02:32
you see that temperature increased.
48
140976
1809
它提升得並不平穩
02:34
It didn't increase smoothly.
49
142809
1625
有時候它迅速上升
02:36
Sometimes it increased very rapidly,
50
144458
1778
接著是穩定狀態
02:38
then there was a plateau,
51
146260
1244
然後再次迅速上升
02:39
then it increased rapidly.
52
147528
1265
兩極的狀況有所不同
02:40
It was different in the two polar regions,
53
148817
2024
而CO2含量同樣猛漲
02:42
and CO2 also increased in jumps.
54
150865
2729
02:46
So we're pretty sure the ocean
has a lot to do with this.
has a lot to do with this.
55
154808
3046
所以我們相當確定海洋影響了這個過程
海洋儲存了大量的碳元素
02:49
The ocean stores huge amounts of carbon,
56
157878
2366
大約是空氣中的60倍
02:52
about 60 times more
than is in the atmosphere.
than is in the atmosphere.
57
160268
2554
海洋也影響了热量跨越赤道传播
02:54
It also acts to transport heat
across the equator,
across the equator,
58
162846
3202
而且它富有養分 控制了初級生產力
02:58
and the ocean is full of nutrients
and it controls primary productivity.
and it controls primary productivity.
59
166072
3769
03:02
So if we want to find out
what's going on down in the deep sea,
what's going on down in the deep sea,
60
170142
2984
所以我們想弄明白深海中到底發生了什麼事情
我們真的需要下到那裡
03:05
we really need to get down there,
61
173150
1593
看看有什麼事物
03:06
see what's there
62
174767
1166
然後開始挖掘與探索
03:07
and start to explore.
63
175957
1404
這是一些美麗的海丘的影像
03:09
This is some spectacular footage
coming from a seamount
coming from a seamount
64
177385
3007
在公海海域大概一千米深處
03:12
about a kilometer deep
in international waters
in international waters
65
180416
2189
在鄰近赤道 遠離陸地的大西洋海域
03:14
in the equatorial Atlantic, far from land.
66
182629
2980
你們是第一批看到這海底一隅的人
03:17
You're amongst the first people
to see this bit of the seafloor,
to see this bit of the seafloor,
67
185633
3049
和我的團隊一起
03:20
along with my research team.
68
188706
1642
03:23
You're probably seeing new species.
69
191340
1744
你可能已經看到了新物種
也許吧
03:25
We don't know.
70
193108
1152
你需要收集樣本然後進行認真的分類
03:26
You'd have to collect the samples
and do some very intense taxonomy.
and do some very intense taxonomy.
71
194284
3660
03:29
You can see beautiful bubblegum corals.
72
197968
1893
你可以看到美麗的泡泡珊瑚
那裡有柔軟的海星生長在上面
03:31
There are brittle stars
growing on these corals.
growing on these corals.
73
199885
2254
那看起來就像珊瑚裡伸出了觸手
03:34
Those are things that look
like tentacles coming out of corals.
like tentacles coming out of corals.
74
202163
3056
那裡有由各種形式的碳酸鈣組成的珊瑚
03:37
There are corals made of different forms
of calcium carbonate
of calcium carbonate
75
205243
2872
生長在巨大的海底玄武岩山脈上
03:40
growing off the basalt of this
massive undersea mountain,
massive undersea mountain,
76
208139
3376
而那些黑色物質是變成化石的珊瑚
03:43
and the dark sort of stuff,
those are fossilized corals,
those are fossilized corals,
77
211539
3364
隨著我們對過去的探究
03:46
and we're going to talk
a little more about those
a little more about those
78
214927
2311
我们也會對它們進行更多的討論
03:49
as we travel back in time.
79
217262
1348
03:51
To do that, we need
to charter a research boat.
to charter a research boat.
80
219030
2485
為了完成這件事 我們要租一艘科研船
這是James Cook 一艘遠洋探索船舶
03:53
This is the James Cook,
an ocean-class research vessel
an ocean-class research vessel
81
221539
3040
它停泊在特納夫利島
03:56
moored up in Tenerife.
82
224603
1270
看起來美極了 對吧？
03:57
Looks beautiful, right?
83
225897
1332
03:59
Great, if you're not a great mariner.
84
227554
1830
然而 如果你不是一名好的船員
04:01
Sometimes it looks
a little more like this.
a little more like this.
85
229702
2504
有時候情況更多是這樣的
為了不要錯過一個珍貴的樣本
04:04
This is us trying to make sure
that we don't lose precious samples.
that we don't lose precious samples.
86
232230
3199
所有人來回跑動 我劇烈地暈船
04:07
Everyone's scurrying around,
and I get terribly seasick,
and I get terribly seasick,
87
235453
2817
所以這並不總是很愉快的 但總體來說它是
04:10
so it's not always a lot of fun,
but overall it is.
but overall it is.
88
238294
2994
為了做這件事 我們必須成為非常優秀的製圖人
04:13
So we've got to become
a really good mapper to do this.
a really good mapper to do this.
89
241312
2586
你不可能在所有地方都看到那樣壯觀的大片珊瑚
04:15
You don't see that kind of spectacular
coral abundance everywhere.
coral abundance everywhere.
90
243922
3739
隻有在極少數的 深海的地方才能看到
04:19
It is global and it is deep,
91
247685
3040
但我們迫切地需要找到正確的地方
04:22
but we need to really find
the right places.
the right places.
92
250749
2314
我們參考一張標明去年巡遊路線的世界地圖
04:25
We just saw a global map,
and overlaid was our cruise passage
and overlaid was our cruise passage
93
253087
3166
04:28
from last year.
94
256277
1205
04:29
This was a seven-week cruise,
95
257990
1396
這是一次持續七周的巡遊
而這是我們自己製作的
04:31
and this is us, having made our own maps
96
259410
2024
04:33
of about 75,000 square kilometers
of the seafloor in seven weeks,
of the seafloor in seven weeks,
97
261458
4071
關於75,000平方千米的海底的地圖
它是花費7周的成果
04:37
but that's only a tiny fraction
of the seafloor.
of the seafloor.
98
265553
2522
但這只是海底很小的一部分
我們從西邊走到東邊
04:40
We're traveling from west to east,
99
268099
1769
走過在過於簡略的世界地圖上看起來毫無特點的海洋
04:41
over part of the ocean that would
look featureless on a big-scale map,
look featureless on a big-scale map,
100
269892
3500
但事實上這些海洋底部的山脈與珠穆朗瑪峰一樣巨大
04:45
but actually some of these mountains
are as big as Everest.
are as big as Everest.
101
273416
3257
有了這張我們在船上繪製的地圖
04:48
So with the maps that we make on board,
102
276697
1929
我們得到了100米的分辨率
04:50
we get about 100-meter resolution,
103
278650
1992
足以讓我們選擇一個區域並布置我們的儀器
04:52
enough to pick out areas
to deploy our equipment,
to deploy our equipment,
104
280666
2889
但不足以讓我們看到太多的東西
04:55
but not enough to see very much.
105
283579
1914
為了看到更多 我們需要让遠程遙控機器人
04:57
To do that, we need to fly
remotely-operated vehicles
remotely-operated vehicles
106
285517
2722
遊動在大概距海底5米的地方
05:00
about five meters off the seafloor.
107
288263
2214
如果我們這樣做
05:02
And if we do that, we can get maps
that are one-meter resolution
that are one-meter resolution
108
290501
3215
我們就能夠在數千米之下的海底得到1米的分辨率
05:05
down thousands of meters.
109
293740
2094
這是我們的遠程遙控機器人
05:07
Here is a remotely-operated vehicle,
110
295858
1817
一個研究型的機器人媒介
05:09
a research-grade vehicle.
111
297699
2311
05:12
You can see an array
of big lights on the top.
of big lights on the top.
112
300034
2482
你可以在它的頭上看到一列的大燈
和高清攝像機以及人工機械臂
05:14
There are high-definition cameras,
manipulator arms,
manipulator arms,
113
302540
3055
許多箱子之類的東西來收集樣品
05:17
and lots of little boxes and things
to put your samples.
to put your samples.
114
305619
2913
05:21
Here we are on our first dive
of this particular cruise,
of this particular cruise,
115
309087
3718
終於到了我們在這個特殊的巡遊中
第一次入海的時候
05:24
plunging down into the ocean.
116
312829
1706
猛潛入海洋
我們下潛地很快
05:26
We go pretty fast to make sure
the remotely operated vehicles
the remotely operated vehicles
117
314559
2873
來保證機器人不會被任何其他船隻影響
05:29
are not affected by any other ships.
118
317456
1723
然後我們持續下潛
05:31
And we go down,
119
319203
1198
這就是在海水中你能夠看到的景象
05:32
and these are the kinds of things you see.
120
320425
2174
這是一隻米級的深海海綿
05:34
These are deep sea sponges, meter scale.
121
322623
3500
05:38
This is a swimming holothurian --
it's a small sea slug, basically.
it's a small sea slug, basically.
122
326817
4248
一個正在海洋中徜徉的海參
本質上也就是一個小小的海洋鼻涕蟲
05:43
This is slowed down.
123
331089
1187
這個影像被放慢了
大多數我展現給你們的影像都是快進的
05:44
Most of the footage I'm showing
you is speeded up,
you is speeded up,
124
332300
2389
因為所有的這些拍攝花費了大量的時間
05:46
because all of this takes a lot of time.
125
334713
1928
05:49
This is a beautiful holothurian as well.
126
337474
2939
這也是一個漂亮的海參
05:52
And this animal you're going to see
coming up was a big surprise.
coming up was a big surprise.
127
340897
3072
而這個將要出現的生物是給我們帶來了巨大的驚喜
我從來沒有見過這樣的生物 它讓我們都很驚訝
05:55
I've never seen anything like this
and it took us all a bit surprised.
and it took us all a bit surprised.
128
343993
3412
在這時我們已經工作了15個小時 都處於亢奮的狀態
05:59
This was after about 15 hours of work
and we were all a bit trigger-happy,
and we were all a bit trigger-happy,
129
347429
3588
突然這個巨大的海洋怪物蠕動着經過
06:03
and suddenly this giant
sea monster started rolling past.
sea monster started rolling past.
130
351041
2737
它被稱為火體蟲 或者群體性被囊動物
06:05
It's called a pyrosome
or colonial tunicate, if you like.
or colonial tunicate, if you like.
131
353802
3106
隨你怎麼叫
06:08
This wasn't what we were looking for.
132
356932
1787
但是這不是我們在尋找的生物
我們在尋找着珊瑚 深海的珊瑚
06:10
We were looking for corals,
deep sea corals.
deep sea corals.
133
358743
2646
06:14
You're going to see a picture
of one in a moment.
of one in a moment.
134
362194
2298
你將會看到一張深海珊瑚的照片
它很小 大概只有5釐米高
06:16
It's small, about five centimeters high.
135
364516
2635
它由碳酸鈣構成
06:19
It's made of calcium carbonate,
so you can see its tentacles there,
so you can see its tentacles there,
136
367175
3318
你可以看到它的那些小觸手隨着洋流飄動
06:22
moving in the ocean currents.
137
370517
2131
06:25
An organism like this probably lives
for about a hundred years.
for about a hundred years.
138
373180
3111
它大概已經生活了幾百年了
當它生長的時候 它會吸收海洋中的元素
06:28
And as it grows, it takes in
chemicals from the ocean.
chemicals from the ocean.
139
376315
3540
而海洋中的元素種類
06:31
And the chemicals,
or the amount of chemicals,
or the amount of chemicals,
140
379879
2206
或者元素含量
06:34
depends on the temperature;
it depends on the pH,
it depends on the pH,
141
382109
2674
取決於溫度 取決於酸堿度
也取決於海洋中的養分
06:36
it depends on the nutrients.
142
384807
1546
06:38
And if we can understand how
these chemicals get into the skeleton,
these chemicals get into the skeleton,
143
386377
3234
如果我們能夠明白這些元素是怎麼進到珊瑚遺骨里的
我們就能通過收集化石樣品
06:41
we can then go back,
collect fossil specimens,
collect fossil specimens,
144
389635
2498
重新構建過去的海洋景觀
06:44
and reconstruct what the ocean
used to look like in the past.
used to look like in the past.
145
392157
3144
現在你能夠看到我們在用真空吸器收集珊瑚
06:47
And here you can see us collecting
that coral with a vacuum system,
that coral with a vacuum system,
146
395325
3436
將它放進一個樣品收集箱
06:50
and we put it into a sampling container.
147
398785
2601
應當說明的是 我們非常小心地做這件事
06:53
We can do this very
carefully, I should add.
carefully, I should add.
148
401410
2059
有些海底生物甚至活得更久
06:55
Some of these organisms live even longer.
149
403493
2385
06:57
This is a black coral called Leiopathes,
an image taken by my colleague,
an image taken by my colleague,
150
405902
3402
這是一張珊瑚黑礁的照片
是由我的同事Brendan Roark
07:01
Brendan Roark, about 500
meters below Hawaii.
meters below Hawaii.
151
409328
3262
在夏威夷海域500米水下拍攝的
4000年很漫長
07:04
Four thousand years is a long time.
152
412614
2043
07:06
If you take a branch from one
of these corals and polish it up,
of these corals and polish it up,
153
414962
3135
從這些珊瑚礁上取下一條枝條並將它處理乾淨
它大概有100微米長
07:10
this is about 100 microns across.
154
418121
2293
07:12
And Brendan took some analyses
across this coral --
across this coral --
155
420763
2491
Brendan對這些珊瑚礁進行了一系列的分析
你們可以看到那些痕跡
07:15
you can see the marks --
156
423278
1806
他發現那真真切切是年齡層
07:17
and he's been able to show
that these are actual annual bands,
that these are actual annual bands,
157
425108
2959
所以即使生活在500米水深下
07:20
so even at 500 meters deep in the ocean,
158
428091
1913
珊瑚也能夠記錄季節性變化
07:22
corals can record seasonal changes,
159
430028
2768
這十分令人驚艷
07:24
which is pretty spectacular.
160
432820
1732
但4000年還不足以讓我們回到末次冰盛期
07:26
But 4,000 years is not enough to get
us back to our last glacial maximum.
us back to our last glacial maximum.
161
434576
3798
那麼我們該怎麼做呢？
07:30
So what do we do?
162
438398
1158
我們要繼續收集化石樣品
07:31
We go in for these fossil specimens.
163
439580
2007
07:34
This is what makes me really unpopular
with my research team.
with my research team.
164
442180
2931
這讓我在我的隊伍里很不得人心
我們一直在海底前進
07:37
So going along,
165
445135
1150
到處都是巨大的鯊魚
07:38
there's giant sharks everywhere,
166
446309
1618
有火體蟲 有遊動的海參
07:39
there are pyrosomes,
there are swimming holothurians,
there are swimming holothurians,
167
447951
2498
有巨大的海綿
07:42
there's giant sponges,
168
450473
1271
但是我讓所有人去到那死氣沉沉的化石區域
07:43
but I make everyone go down
to these dead fossil areas
to these dead fossil areas
169
451768
2595
花上幾個世紀的時間時間 在海底鏟來鏟去
07:46
and spend ages kind of shoveling
around on the seafloor.
around on the seafloor.
170
454387
3556
然後我們帶回所有的珊瑚樣品 將它們分類
07:49
And we pick up all these corals,
bring them back, we sort them out.
bring them back, we sort them out.
171
457967
3365
每一株珊瑚的年代都是不同的
07:53
But each one of these is a different age,
172
461356
2295
但是如果我們能夠發現它們到底生活了多久
07:55
and if we can find out how old they are
173
463675
1901
我們就能量化那些化學信號
07:57
and then we can measure
those chemical signals,
those chemical signals,
174
465600
2512
這幫助我們了解
08:00
this helps us to find out
175
468136
1422
過去的海洋到底發生了什麼
08:01
what's been going on
in the ocean in the past.
in the ocean in the past.
176
469582
2483
08:04
So on the left-hand image here,
177
472558
1704
所以在左邊的這張圖片
08:06
I've taken a slice through a coral,
polished it very carefully
polished it very carefully
178
474286
3032
我從珊瑚上取下了一小片 並十分小心地清潔它
然後拍了一張光學圖像
08:09
and taken an optical image.
179
477342
1970
右邊這張圖
08:11
On the right-hand side,
180
479336
1152
我再取了這個珊瑚的一小片 把它放進核反應堆
08:12
we've taken that same piece of coral,
put it in a nuclear reactor,
put it in a nuclear reactor,
181
480512
3100
激發核裂變
08:15
induced fission,
182
483636
1152
經過足夠長的時間它開始衰變
08:16
and every time there's some decay,
183
484812
1631
你看到那些在珊瑚上的痕跡
08:18
you can see that marked out in the coral,
184
486467
1982
是肉眼可見的珊瑚中鈾的分布
08:20
so we can see the uranium distribution.
185
488473
1889
我們為什麼要做這樣的事情呢？
08:22
Why are we doing this?
186
490386
1151
鈾是一種很不常見的元素
08:23
Uranium is a very poorly regarded element,
187
491561
2287
但我愛死它了
08:25
but I love it.
188
493872
1159
它的衰變幫助我們了解海洋中事情發生的頻率和時間
08:27
The decay helps us find out
about the rates and dates
about the rates and dates
189
495055
3212
08:30
of what's going on in the ocean.
190
498291
1539
如果你還記得的話
08:31
And if you remember from the beginning,
191
499854
1898
這就是我們為了探索氣候想要得到的數據
08:33
that's what we want to get at
when we're thinking about climate.
when we're thinking about climate.
192
501776
3013
所以我們用激光去探測珊瑚中的鈾元素
08:36
So we use a laser to analyze uranium
193
504813
1751
以及它的其中一個衰變產物釷
08:38
and one of its daughter products,
thorium, in these corals,
thorium, in these corals,
194
506588
2785
這能告訴我們這些化石的確切壽命
08:41
and that tells us exactly
how old the fossils are.
how old the fossils are.
195
509397
2639
這是一張美麗的南部海洋的動畫
08:44
This beautiful animation
of the Southern Ocean
of the Southern Ocean
196
512742
2192
我將會利用它來說明我們如何利用這些珊瑚
08:46
I'm just going to use illustrate
how we're using these corals
how we're using these corals
197
514958
3135
獲得遠古海洋的訊息
08:50
to get at some of the ancient
ocean feedbacks.
ocean feedbacks.
198
518117
4071
在這個動圖中你可以看出表面海水的密度
08:54
You can see the density
of the surface water
of the surface water
199
522212
2426
08:56
in this animation by Ryan Abernathey.
200
524662
2398
我的同事Ryan Abernathey製作了它
上面隻展現了一年的數據
08:59
It's just one year of data,
201
527481
2037
但你可以看到南部的海洋有多麼的活力四射
09:01
but you can see how dynamic
the Southern Ocean is.
the Southern Ocean is.
202
529542
2610
那些強烈的交匯
09:04
The intense mixing,
particularly the Drake Passage,
particularly the Drake Passage,
203
532500
3407
特別是在圖中用黑色方框圈出來的大渡海的地區
09:07
which is shown by the box,
204
535931
2437
09:10
is really one of the strongest
currents in the world
currents in the world
205
538392
2612
世界上最強的洋流之一
從那裡自西向東穿過
09:13
coming through here,
flowing from west to east.
flowing from west to east.
206
541028
2207
洶湧的洋流在那裡交匯
09:15
It's very turbulently mixed,
207
543259
1349
09:16
because it's moving over those
great big undersea mountains,
great big undersea mountains,
208
544632
2872
因為它們在那些巨大的海底山脈上方流動
而這個過程讓CO2和熱量在海洋和大氣間交換
09:19
and this allows CO2 and heat to exchange
with the atmosphere in and out.
with the atmosphere in and out.
209
547528
4481
形象地說 就像海洋在通過南大洋呼吸著
09:24
And essentially, the oceans are breathing
through the Southern Ocean.
through the Southern Ocean.
210
552033
3507
09:28
We've collected corals from back and forth
across this Antarctic passage,
across this Antarctic passage,
211
556865
5464
我們來來回回地在南極洲航路上收集珊瑚
在對珊瑚的鈾年代測定中 發現了一件很令人驚訝的事情
09:34
and we've found quite a surprising thing
from my uranium dating:
from my uranium dating:
212
562353
3027
這些珊瑚從南部遷徙到了北部
09:37
the corals migrated from south to north
213
565404
2503
正在這個世界處於冰河期與間冰期的轉換期的時候
09:39
during this transition from the glacial
to the interglacial.
to the interglacial.
214
567931
3129
我們不知道為什麼
09:43
We don't really know why,
215
571084
1207
也許與食物來源有關
09:44
but we think it's something
to do with the food source
to do with the food source
216
572315
2549
或者是海水中的氧氣含量有關
09:46
and maybe the oxygen in the water.
217
574888
1957
所以問題來了
09:49
So here we are.
218
577718
1155
我會說明利用那些南大洋里的珊瑚
09:50
I'm going to illustrate what I think
we've found about climate
we've found about climate
219
578897
3048
我們到底發現了什麼
09:53
from those corals in the Southern Ocean.
220
581969
1960
我們徹底探索海底山脈
09:55
We went up and down sea mountains.
We collected little fossil corals.
We collected little fossil corals.
221
583953
3275
收集那些小小的珊瑚化石
那是我們的證據
09:59
This is my illustration of that.
222
587252
1526
基於對珊瑚成分的分析
10:00
We think back in the glacial,
223
588802
1405
我們認為在遙遠的冰河時期
10:02
from the analysis
we've made in the corals,
we've made in the corals,
224
590231
2023
南大洋深處儲存了大量的碳元素
10:04
that the deep part of the Southern Ocean
was very rich in carbon,
was very rich in carbon,
225
592278
3086
但是有一層低密度的層覆蓋在那些碳元素上
10:07
and there was a low-density
layer sitting on top.
layer sitting on top.
226
595388
2689
阻止了CO2從海洋中釋放出來
10:10
That stops carbon dioxide
coming out of the ocean.
coming out of the ocean.
227
598101
2793
我們隨後找到了那些處於中間年齡的珊瑚樣本
10:13
We then found corals
that are of an intermediate age,
that are of an intermediate age,
228
601752
2592
它告訴我們海洋在氣候變化的中期匯合
10:16
and they show us that the ocean mixed
partway through that climate transition.
partway through that climate transition.
229
604368
4580
這讓碳元素從深海中被釋放
10:20
That allows carbon to come
out of the deep ocean.
out of the deep ocean.
230
608972
2467
10:24
And then if we analyze corals
closer to the modern day,
closer to the modern day,
231
612154
3099
而如果我們分析現今的珊瑚成分
10:27
or indeed if we go down there today anyway
232
615277
2254
也就是下到海洋里去
并測量珊瑚的化學成分
10:29
and measure the chemistry of the corals,
233
617555
2206
就會發現我們處於一個碳元素可以自由交換的年代
10:31
we see that we move to a position
where carbon can exchange in and out.
where carbon can exchange in and out.
234
619785
3994
我們利用珊瑚化石
10:35
So this is the way
we can use fossil corals
we can use fossil corals
235
623803
2074
幫助我們了解環境
10:37
to help us learn about the environment.
236
625901
1942
所以我想為你展現著最後一張幻燈片
10:41
So I want to leave you
with this last slide.
with this last slide.
237
629827
2134
是一張一開始我呈現給你們的影像中的一張截圖
10:43
It's just a still taken out of that first
piece of footage that I showed you.
piece of footage that I showed you.
238
631985
3923
這是一個壯觀的珊瑚王國
10:47
This is a spectacular coral garden.
239
635932
2112
我們恐怕再也見不到比這還美麗的事物
10:50
We didn't even expect
to find things this beautiful.
to find things this beautiful.
240
638068
2558
在幾千米的水下
10:52
It's thousands of meters deep.
241
640650
1884
有新奇的物種
10:54
There are new species.
242
642558
1374
那真是一個美麗的地方
10:56
It's just a beautiful place.
243
644416
1899
10:58
There are fossils in amongst,
244
646339
1381
那其中還有化石
我剛剛告訴了你們海底化石的奧秘
10:59
and now I've trained you
to appreciate the fossil corals
to appreciate the fossil corals
245
647744
2691
11:02
that are down there.
246
650459
1215
所以以後當你們飛越大洋
11:03
So next time you're lucky enough
to fly over the ocean
to fly over the ocean
247
651698
2866
11:06
or sail over the ocean,
248
654588
1409
或者在海上航行的時候
要想想——
11:08
just think -- there are massive
sea mountains down there
sea mountains down there
249
656021
2667
你身下有巨大的海底山脈
11:10
that nobody's ever seen before,
250
658712
1867
沒有人層看見過它們
在山上長著美麗的珊瑚
11:12
and there are beautiful corals.
251
660603
1617
11:14
Thank you.
252
662244
1151
謝謝
11:15
(Applause)
253
663419
4930
（鼓掌）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Laura Robinson - Ocean scientistDr. Laura Robinson's scientific mission is to document and understand the processes that govern climate.
Why you should listen
Dr. Laura Robinson's research the processes that govern climate on time scales ranging from the modern day back through hundreds of thousands of years. To do this research, Robinson uses geochemical techniques, with an emphasis on radioactive elements including uranium series isotopes and radiocarbon. These elements are particularly valuable as they have a wide range of decay rates and geochemical properties and can be analyzed in geologic materials such as corals, marine sediments and seawater.
Through a combination of field work and lab work, Robinson has been tackling questions relating to: timing of Pleistocene climate change events; palaeoclimate reconstructions; deep-sea coral paleo-biogeography; impact of weathering on the ocean and climate; biomineralization; development of new geochemical proxies for past climate conditions; chemical tracers of ocean circulation.
Robinson describes the inspiration behind her work:
“When I finished my PhD, I moved to California to work with Professor Jess Adkins at Caltech on a project using deep-sea corals. Before that time, like many people, I did not know that corals lived in the deep ocean. The first thing I did was prepare for a research cruise to the North Atlantic. We took the research submarine 'Alvin' out to undersea mountains and were able to collect fossil corals from the seafloor. The start of my work in the Southern Ocean came from analysis of a single coral specimen from the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington DC. They loaned us the sample, and we found that it was about 16,000 years old, just right for looking at the middle of the last global deglaciation. Being able to access and work on these specimens is a fantastic way of starting a science project. We published a paper on that sample, and then, together with a coral biologist, I wrote a proposal to fund specific expeditions to the Southern Ocean, and to the Equatorial Atlantic to gain a wider view of how the Atlantic Ocean behaved during major climate transitions.
I love the research as it combines field work, lab work and collaborations with all kinds of people including scientists, engineers as well as the ships' crews. In terms of scientists, I work with biologists, oceanographers, chemists, geologists, habitat specialists and a whole range of people who have technical expertise across these fields.”
Learn more about Robinson's current expidition in the Southern Ocean.
Laura Robinson | Speaker | TED.com