Moon Phases Linked to Big Quakes - VOA

Full moons may cause bigger earthquakes, according to a new study.
一项新研究发现，满月可能引起更大的地震。

Researchers at the University of Tokyo say large quakes are more likely during high tides, which happen twice a day. During high tides, the oceans are pulled by the moon’s gravity, but during a full and new moon, twice a month, the tides are particularly high, especially when the moon, sun and Earth line up.
东京大学的研究者们表示，大地震更可能在涨潮时发生；一天之中共有两次涨潮。在涨潮时，海水受到月球引力被拉起；而在每月两次的满月与新月时分，潮水变得更高，尤其是当月球、太阳和地球连成一线的时候。

This, researchers say, can further stress geological faults, triggering earthquakes.
研究者们表示，这一情况会对地质断层带来更大压力，从而引发地震。

“The probability of a tiny rock failure expanding to a gigantic rupture increases with increasing tidal stress levels,” the researchers wrote on an article that appeared in the British journal Nature Geoscience.
“随着潮汐所施压力的增加，微小的岩石断裂扩张成巨大断裂的可能性也在增加。”研究者们在英国期刊 Nature Geoscience 上发表文章称。

While the theory is not new, the study is the first to find a statistical link between the moon and earthquakes.
尽管潮汐理论并不新鲜，但是该研究率先在月球与地震间发现了统计关系。

For example, the researchers found that the 2004 Sumatra quake as well as a major 2011 quake in Japan both happened during high tides. The researchers say nine of the 12 biggest quakes ever recorded were timed with full or new moons.
例如，研究者们发现，2004年苏门答腊地震，以及2011年日本的大地震，都在涨潮时期发生。他们表示，有记录以来的12次最大地震中的9次，都发生在满月或新月时期。

The findings could help with earthquake forecasting, especially in places like Japan where earthquakes are common.
这些研究可以为地震预测提供帮助，尤其是对于诸如日本这样的地震多发地区。

"Scientists will find this result, if confirmed, quite interesting," said University of Washington seismologist John Vidale, who was not involved in the study.
“如果这些发现被证实，那将十分有趣。”华盛顿大学地震学家 John Vidale 表示。 Vidale 并未参与此项研究。

But he added that "even if there is a strong correlation of big earthquakes with full or new moons, the chance any given week of a deadly earthquake remains miniscule."
不过，他又表示，“即使大地震与新月或满月有明显的相关性，在任何特定一周内发生大地震的可能性仍是很小的。”