The introduction of 5G mobile phone networks could seriously affect weather forecasters’ ability to predict major storms. That is the stark warning of meteorologists around the world, who say the next-generation wireless system now being rolled out across the globe is likely to disrupt the delicate satellite instruments they use to monitor changes in the atmosphere.

“The way 5G is being introduced could seriously compromise our ability to forecast major storms,” said Tony McNally of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in Reading, the U.K.

“In the end it could make the difference between life and death. We are very concerned about this.”

The crisis facing the world’s meteorologists stems from the fact that the radio frequencies the new 5G networks will use could contaminate critical Earth observations made by weather satellites. Instruments on board the satellites peer down into the atmosphere and study variables such as water vapor, rain, snow, cloud cover and ice content — all crucial factors that influence our weather.

One example is the 23.8 gigahertz (GHz) frequency. Water vapor emits a faint signal at this specific natural wavelength, and this data is monitored and measured by weather satellites. Forecasters then use this information to work out how a storm or weather system is likely to develop.

“Such data is critical to our ability to make forecasts,” said Niels Bormann, also of the Reading weather center. “They are a unique natural resource, and if we lose this capability, weather forecasts will get significantly worse.”

The problem is that some 5G phone networks may transmit near a frequency similar to that emitted by water vapor, and so would produce a signal that looks like its presence in the atmosphere.

“We would not be able to tell the difference and so would have to discard that data,” added Bormann. “That would compromise our ability to make accurate forecasts.”

The urgency of the problem is underlined by the fact that U.S. Federal Communications Commission and similar agencies in other countries have already started to auction off frequencies close to the 23.8 GHz frequency to future 5G network providers.

Words to Learn 相关词汇

【损害】sǔnhài compromise cause the impairment of

【强调】qiángdiào underline show clearly or emphatically

移动5G网络的应用可能会严重影响暴风雨预报的准确性。

这是来自全球气象学家的严正警告。他们认为，正在全球推广的5G网络将干扰用于监测大气变化的精密卫星设备。

欧洲中期天气预报中心的托尼•麦克纳利说：“5G网络的应用方式可能会严重损害我们预报大型风暴的能力，这最终导致的后果事关生死。我们非常担心这一点。”欧洲中期天气预报中心位于英国雷丁。

让全球气象学家如临大敌的原因是，新的5G网络将使用的无线电频率会影响气象卫星对地球观测的关键数据。

气象卫星所搭载的设备自上而下对大气进行观测，并研究水蒸气、雨雪、云量和含冰量等变量数据，这些都是影响天气的关键因素。

以23.8千兆赫频率为例。水蒸气在这一特定的自然波长发射出微弱信号，这一数据被气象卫星的设备监测并测量到，天气预报员使用这一信息计算出暴风雨或天气系统将如何变化。

雷丁天气中心的尼尔斯•铂尔曼说：“这些数据对预报天气非常关键。它们是独特的自然资源，如果我们失去了这种预报能力，天气预报准确性将极大降低。”

问题就在于，一些移动5G网络的传输频率与水蒸气的这一信号频率接近，会导致大气中监测到的信号发生混淆。

铂尔曼补充说：“我们没办法分辨这两种信号，因此不得不弃用这些数据。这会影响我们天气预报的准确性。”

美国联邦通信委员会和其他国家的类似机构已开始拍卖23.8千兆赫附近的频率供未来的5G网络服务商使用，使得这一问题非常紧迫。

(Chinadaily.com.cn)