据英国《每日邮报》今天报道，最新卫星照片显示，北极在人类历史上首次成为一个岛屿。三天前拍摄的卫星照片显示，由于冰块的融化，著名的西北和东北通道已畅通，这使船只在北极冰帽附近海域航行成为可能。
1979年的卫星照片显示，用粉色标注的北极冰层与加拿大北部（在左边）和俄罗斯（在右边）相联。
西北通道（左边圆圈）和东北通道（右上方）都已无冰块。
航运公司一直在急切地等待西北和东北通道的畅通，它们希望这将使航线距离减少数千海里。但对于研究气候变化的科学家来说，这是全球变暖对地球造 成破坏的又一个迹象。研究海洋冰块的科学家马克-塞雷泽称，这些图像是一个“历史事件”，这些图像加深了人们对北极冰帽正“加速消失”的担心。
由美国宇航局提供的卫星图片首次表明，两条联接大西洋和太平洋的近道即西北和东北通道首次同时没有冰块的存在，这一情况在125000年内还是 首次出现。2005年，俄罗斯附近的东北通道畅通，但是位于加拿大北部地区的西北通道仍被冰堵塞。2006年的情况则刚好相反。最新的卫星数据显示，西北 通道在上周末畅通，而堵塞东北通道的剩余冰块在数天后解体。获得美国政府资助的国家冰雪数据中心的塞雷泽教授称：“西北和东北通道都已畅通，这是一个历史 事件。我们今后将更多地看到这一情况的出现。”
航运公司已作好了探索新航线的准备。总部在不来梅的Beluga集团计划明年向东北通道派出首艘船只，这将使德国至日本的航线缩短4000海 里。如果冰快继续以目前的速度融化，那么船只将很快可以跨越北极。许多科学家认为，在2030年之前，北极附近的大块冰层在夏季时会完全消失。其他科学家 认为，在五年后，北极的七月中旬和九月中旬将是无冰期，北极目前终年封冻。就在四周之前，由于融化的冰山引发了洪水，加拿大奥育图克国家公园内的游客不得 不被疏散，这个国家公园名字的意思是“永不解冻的土地”。(黄欢)
译文:
Arctic becomes an isolated island for the first time
According to British newspaper the Daily Mail today. The latest satellite photo reveals that Arctic has become an island since the dawn of history. The satellite photo taken three days ago shows that melting ice has opened up the famous North-West and North-East Passages - making it possible to sail around the Arctic ice cap.
The Arctic ice, showing as a pink mass in the 1979 picture, links up with northern Canada (on the left) and Russia (right)
The North-West Passage (circled left) and the North-East Passage (top right) are clear of ice
Shipping companies ,which hope they will are eagerly to reduce thousands of miles of their route, are eagerly to wait for the opening of the north-west passage and the north-east passage. But for the climatologists it is another sign that global warming is inflinct on the earth. Mark Serreze, a sea ice specialist, stated that these pictures are an "histioric event" which add to the fear that the Arctic ice cap has dissolved quickly.
The photos presented by the NASA show the first time that two pathes linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans have not been ice-covered at the same time. It's happened first time from 125,000 years ago. In 2005, the North-East Passage around Russia opened, while the North-West Passage around the northern Canada remained closed, and in 2006 the position was reversed. The latest satellite data shows that the North-West Passage opened last weekend, and the the remaining ice mass blocking the North-Eastern passage dissolved a few days later. Professor Serreze, of National Snow and Ice Data Center funded by the U.S. government, claimed that:"The passages are open. It is an historic event. We are going to see this more and more in the future."
Shipping companies are ready to explore new routes. The Beluga group, located in the Bremen, plans to send the first ship through the North-East passage next year, cutting 4,000 nautical miles off the voyage from Germany to Japan. If the ice mass continues to dissolve at the present rates, it will be possible to sail right across the Arctic. Many scientists believe that the huge ice mass around the North Pole would completely dissolved in the summer by 2030. Others believe mid-July and mid-September would be the ice-free period after five years, although currently frozen all year in North Pole. For weeks ago, tourists had to be evacuated from the Auyuittuq National Park in northern Canada because of flooding from thawed glaciers. The park's name means 'land that never melts' (Huang huan)