VOA慢速英语：科学家称朝鲜核试验场可能已坍塌

Scientists Say N. Korea's Nuclear Test Site Likely Collapsed

科学家称朝鲜核试验场可能已坍塌

Chinese researchers say the mountain above North Korea's main nuclear test site has likely collapsed. If so, the collapse would make the test site unsafe for future testing, and the area would need to be examined for any leaking radiation.

中国研究人员表示，朝鲜主要核试验场上方的山脉可能已经崩塌。如果是这样，这种崩塌会使得核试验场对未来的核试验来说不安全，该地区还需要检查是否存在任何辐射泄露。

Scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China carried out the research. Their findings may give new meaning to North Korean President Kim Jong Un's recent announcement. He said this month that his country was ending its nuclear testing program ahead of planned meetings with the leaders of South Korea and the United States.

中国科学技术大学的科学家们进行了这项研究。他们的研究结果给朝鲜总统金正恩最近的声明赋予了新的意义。金正恩本月表示，朝鲜将在会见韩、美领导人之前终止该国的核试验项目。

The results also support findings of an earlier study by a group of Chinese researchers. That report was published in March by the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

这一结果也支持了一群中国研究人员先前研究的结果。那份报告于3月份发表在《地球物理研究快报》上。

The latest study has also been accepted for publication by Geophysical Research Letters.

这项最近研究也已经被《地球物理研究快报》接收准备发表。

What could have happened?

可能发生了什么?

The data in the most recent Chinese study was collected following the most powerful of North Korea's six nuclear device tests, on September 3. That test was at least 10 times stronger than anything the country had tested before. Scientists say the explosion may have helped cause four earthquakes in the following weeks. Earthquakes do not naturally happen in the area around the test site.

中国这项最新研究中的数据是在9月3日朝鲜最强烈的第六次核试验之后收集到的。这次核试验的强度比该国此前进行的任何试验都要强至少10倍以上。科学家表示，这次爆炸可能助长了接下来几周发生的四次地震。该试验场附近地区的地震并非自然发生。

The report by University of Science and Technology researchers said the first of those earthquakes was "an onsite collapse toward the nuclear test center." They urged officials to continue to watch for leaks of radioactive material.

中科大研究人员的报告称，其中第一次地震是朝着核试验中心的现场坍塌。他们督促有关官员继续关注放射性物质的泄露。

Special concern to China

中国特别关注

North Korea's nuclear tests are of special concern to China; the test site is less than 100 kilometers from the China-North Korea border.

中国特别关注朝鲜的核试验。该试验场距离中超边境不到100公里。

North Korean nuclear tests have caused seismic events in Chinese border towns and cities. The explosions have led to evacuations of schools and offices, and fears of wind-carried radiation.

朝鲜核试验已经造成中国边境城镇发生数次地震。这些爆炸还导致学校和办公室疏散，以及对大风吹来辐射的担心。

Chinese officials have said they have not measured any radiation risk from recent samples collected along the China-North Korea border.

中国官员表示，他们没有测到中朝边境沿线近期采集样本的辐射风险。

Relations between China and North Korea have been worsening. Last month, North Korean President Kim Jong Un made a visit to Beijing, after Chinese officials put United Nations economic sanctions against the North in place. The sanctions reduced trade between the two countries by as much as 90 percent.

中朝两国之间的关系一直在恶化。上月，朝鲜总统金正恩在中国官员落实联合国对朝经济制裁之后访问了北京。制裁使得两国之间的贸易减少了多达90%。

On Saturday, North Korea announced it would close its nuclear testing site and suspend nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests. U.S. President Donald Trump called the moves "big progress."

周六，朝鲜宣布将会关闭其核试验场，并暂停核试验和洲际导弹试验。美国总统川普称这些举动是“重大进展。”

However, the North did not say whether it would give up its nuclear weapons or limit its production of missiles and their related parts.

然而，朝鲜并未说明是否会放弃核武器或限制其导弹及相关部件的生产。

I'm Jonathan Evans.

乔纳森·埃文斯报道。