Java - ArrayList 中 elementData 为什么被 transient 修饰？

/**
 * The array buffer into which the elements of the ArrayList are stored.
 * The capacity of the ArrayList is the length of this array buffer. Any
 * empty ArrayList with elementData == DEFAULTCAPACITY_EMPTY_ELEMENTDATA
 * will be expanded to DEFAULT_CAPACITY when the first element is added.
 */
transient Object[] elementData; // non-private to simplify nested class access

/**
 * Save the state of the <tt>ArrayList</tt> instance to a stream (that
 * is, serialize it).
 *
 * @serialData The length of the array backing the <tt>ArrayList</tt>
 *             instance is emitted (int), followed by all of its elements
 *             (each an <tt>Object</tt>) in the proper order.
 */
private void writeObject(java.io.ObjectOutputStream s)
    throws java.io.IOException{
    // Write out element count, and any hidden stuff
    int expectedModCount = modCount;
    s.defaultWriteObject();
    // Write out size as capacity for behavioural compatibility with clone()
    s.writeInt(size);
    // Write out all elements in the proper order.
    for (int i=0; i<size; i++) {
        s.writeObject(elementData[i]);
    }
    if (modCount != expectedModCount) {
        throw new ConcurrentModificationException();
    }
}

/**
 * Reconstitute the <tt>ArrayList</tt> instance from a stream (that is,
 * deserialize it).
 */
private void readObject(java.io.ObjectInputStream s)
    throws java.io.IOException, ClassNotFoundException {
    elementData = EMPTY_ELEMENTDATA;
    // Read in size, and any hidden stuff
    s.defaultReadObject();
    // Read in capacity
    s.readInt(); // ignored
    if (size > 0) {
        // be like clone(), allocate array based upon size not capacity
        ensureCapacityInternal(size);
        Object[] a = elementData;
        // Read in all elements in the proper order.
        for (int i=0; i<size; i++) {
            a[i] = s.readObject();
        }
    }
}