中智联合考察队将深入太平洋阿塔卡马海沟的未知深处。从瓦尔帕莱索港出发，搭乘中国科考船“探索一号”进行的为期三个月的任务旨在发现新物种并洞察地震和海啸。该合作让智利科学家使用其他国家没有的先进工具。
周一，中国科考船“探索一号”从智利港口城市瓦尔帕莱索出发，搭载研究人员展开为期三个月的考察，覆盖阿塔卡马海沟周边700公里（435英里）。阿塔卡马海沟是东太平洋最深且最少探索的区域之一。该考察历时三年筹备，由中国科学院深海科学与工程研究所和智利康塞普西翁大学千禧年海洋研究所领导。
考察委员会称，此次行动是该地区迄今规模最大的此类行动。智利大学1月9日声明指出：“多年来形成的联盟让智利科学家使用目前其他国家没有的工具，在一次任务中加速数年研究。”
任务包括33个研究站和近20次潜水器下潜，探测海沟深处。该任务对理解太平洋地震带沿线的俯冲过程至关重要，对中国、日本、朝鲜半岛和东南亚有直接影响。
Scientists have used swarms of minuscule earthquakes to map a hidden and intricate tectonic structure beneath northern California. This region, at the intersection of the San Andreas fault and the Cascadia subduction zone, involves five moving pieces rather than the expected three. The findings help explain past seismic events and improve hazard predictions.
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Japan has begun a five-week experiment to extract rare earth minerals from the deep seabed off Minamitorishima Island, aiming to reduce reliance on China for critical materials. The project, aboard the research vessel Chikyu, marks the first prolonged collection effort at such depths and highlights tensions between energy security and environmental risks. Officials hope it will support Japan's carbon neutrality goals by 2050 while bolstering industrial competitiveness.
Explorer Matthieu Tordeur and glaciologist Heïdi Sevestre are undertaking a pioneering 4000-kilometre kite-ski expedition across Antarctica to collect vital data on the continent's ice sheet. Using ground-penetrating radar, they aim to assess whether increased interior snowfall offsets coastal melting amid climate change. The journey, which began on 3 November, marks the first such trip dedicated to polar science.