太平洋惊现垃圾岛 漂流塑料成礁岩

It captured the world's attention when a huge 'garbage island' was spotted in the middle of the Pacific.

太平洋中发现的一座巨型“垃圾岛”引起了全世界的关注。

Now, researchers have returned to the area known as the 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch' - and say it is getting worse.

研究人员现已回到了这片被称为“大太平洋垃圾带”的区域，他们称这里的情况越来越差。

Researchers are spending 30 days living on a boat in the area, and have even taken a drone to capture images from the sky.

研究人员用了30天的时间住在船里考察这片区域，甚至出动了一架无人机从天上拍摄照片。

'Our research crew is currently living in one of the most polluted areas of the world,' the team at Algalita, founded by Charles Moore, who first discovered the problem, said.

发现垃圾岛的查尔斯·摩尔创建的加利特研究团队称，“我们的研究人员目前住在世界上污染最严重的区域之一。”

'This place, 1,000 miles away from land, redefined Algalita’s mission and ignited a fire to study the plastic plague destroying our oceans.

“这里距离大陆有1000英里，它让加利特有了新的使命，点燃了我们对破坏海洋的塑料‘瘟疫’的研究热情。”

'This is the North Pacific Gyre, home of the swirling vortex of plastic trash. '

“这里位于北太平洋环流，许多塑料垃圾都在这里打转。”

'The persistence and increasing quantity of plastic debris has created new habitats—essentially 'plastic reefs' that sea creatures have made their homes', the team say.

该团队还说，“塑料垃圾存留时间长，数量也不断增多，逐渐形成了一种新的栖息地——‘塑料礁’，成为了许多海洋生物的安生之所。”

They also say debris from the Japanese 2011 Tsunami is created its own 'mini islands'.

他们还表示，2011年日本海啸留下的垃圾杂物形成了一个个“迷你小岛”。

The team has already found one, dubbed 'bouy Island', that they believe weights 7 tons.

团队已经发现了这样的一个岛——“浮标岛”，他们估测该岛约重7吨。

'When the tsunami hit on March 11th, 2011, it must have ripped out this array and sent it out to sea,' said Captain Charles Moore on the organisation's web site.

在该组织官网上，查尔斯·摩尔说道，“2011年3月11日海啸来袭时，这些浮标肯定都被扯断了，然后就在海里漂流。”

The team has also found more permanent fixtures in the garbage patch's landscape.

团队在这片垃圾带还发现了其他的永久漂浮物。

For instance, the team has discovered a 'trash island' more than 50 feet (15 meters) long, with 'beaches,' a 'rocky coastline,' and 'underwater mountains' and reefs made up of ropes, buoys and other plastic debris, Moore said.

摩尔举了几个例子，比如他们发现了一个足有50英尺（15米）长的“垃圾岛”，岛上的“沙滩”、“岩石海岸”、“海岭”和礁石样样不缺，它们都是由绳子、浮标和其他塑料垃圾组成的。

Mussels, clams, sea anemones and seaweed were found sheltering on this artificial island, Moore said.

他说，贻贝、蛤蚌、海葵、海藻都寄居在这座岛上。

'It's showing signs of permanence,' Moore told Livescience.

摩尔接受生活科学网采访时说，“看上去，岛会一直存在。”

'There will be a new floating world in our oceans if we don't stop polluting with plastics.'

“如果再不控制垃圾污染，我们的海洋中就要出现一个新的漂浮世界了。”