Spectroscopic and photometric observations of symbiotic nova PU Vul during 2009–2016

A new set of low-resolution spectral and UBVJHKL-photometric observations of the symbiotic nova PU Vul is presented. The binary has been evolving after its symbiotic nova outburst in 1977 and now it is in the nebular stage. It is found that the third orbital cycle(after 1977) was characterized by great changes in associated light curves. Now, PU Vul exhibits a sine-wave shape in all the light curves(with an amplitude in the U band of about 0.7 mag), which is typical for symbiotic stars in the quiescent state. Brightness variability due to pulsations of the cool component is now clearly visible in the VRI light curves. The amplitude of the pulsations increases from 0.5 mag in the V band to 0.8 mag in the I band. These two types of variability, as well as a very slow change in the physical parameters of the hot component due to evolution after the outburst of 1977, influence the spectral energy distribution(SED)of the system. The variability of emission lines is highly complex. Only hydrogen line fluxes vary with orbital phase. An important feature of the third orbital cycle is the first emergence of the OVI, 6828  Raman scattering line. We determine the temperature of the hot component by means of the Zanstra method applied to the He II, 4686  line. Our estimate is about 150 000 K for the spectrum obtained near orbital maximum in 2014. The VO spectral index derived near pulsation minimum corresponds to M6 spectral class for the cool component of PU Vul.     

Air pollution over European Russia and Ukraine under the hot summer conditions of 2010

Variations in the concentrations of both primary (PM₁₀, CO, and NO_x) and secondary (ozone) pollutants in the atmosphere over the Moscow and Kirov regions, Kiev, and Crimea under the conditions of the anomalously hot summer of 2011 are given and analyzed. The concentrations of ozone, PM₁₀, CO, and NO_x in the atmosphere over the Moscow region exceeded their maximum permissible levels almost continuously from late July to late August 2010. The highest level of atmospheric pollution was observed on August 4–9, when the Moscow region was within a severe plume of forest and peatbog fires. The maximum single concentrations of ozone, which exceeded its maximum permissible level two-three times, were accompanied by high concentrations of combustion products: the concentrations of PM₁₀ and CO were also three-seven times higher than their maximum permissible concentrations. The maximum levels of air pollution were observed under the meteorological conditions that were unfavorable for pollution scattering, first of all, at a small vertical temperature gradient in the lower atmospheric boundary layer. The number of additional cases of mortality due to the exceeded maximum permissible concentrations of PM₁₀ and ozone in the atmosphere over Moscow was estimated. Under the weather conditions that were close to those for the Moscow region, the air quality remained mainly satisfactory in the Kirov region, Kiev, and Crimea, which were almost not affected by fires.     

Search for Variability in the Equivalent Width of the HeI D<Subscript>3</Subscript> Spectrum Line in Several Stars of Later Spectral Type

High resolution spectra with a high signal/noise ratio have been obtained in the region of the HeI D line for 13 dwarfs of spectral types A5 through K0. The variability in the equivalent width of this spectrum line was studied for five of these stars over a period of several hundred days. Significant variability was observed for only one of these stars, θ Cyg. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 553–564 (November 2005).     

Trends of surface ozone concentrations in germany and their connections with changes in meteorological variables

Changes in daily mean and daily maximum surface ozone concentrations, temperature, and relative humidity are evaluated based on the data of long-term observations (from 11 to 16 years) carried out at eight German stations. For all stations the trends of daily mean surface ozone concentration are statistically significant and positive. The trend values are different and generally range from 0 to 10% per 10 years. The trends of the maximum daily concentration are, on average, approximately 1.5 times less. Noticeable part of trends of the surface ozone concentration is connected with the trends of meteorological variables: temperature, relative humidity, and air mass transport direction. After the account of the influence of the trends of meteorological variables, the trends of the surface ozone concentration at most stations substantially decrease. The highest trend values of daily mean and daily maximum surface ozone concentrations are observed in a cold season; in a warm season, the trend values are much lower, at some stations they are statistically insignificant. A conclusion is made that for a correct revealing of reasons of long-term changes in the surface ozone concentration one should take into account changes in meteorological factors influencing its formation.     

Influence of air mass transport directions on the seasonal variations of concentrations of minor gas atmospheric components in Europe

The integrated assessment of the influence of air mass transport directions on the average long-term seasonal variations of concentrations of minor gas components (MGC: ozone, CO, NO₂) of the atmosphere is carried out according to the data of a number of European stations. Distributions of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide concentrations according to transport directions are similar to each other and differ considerably from the distribution of ozone concentrations. It is demonstrated that the relationships of levels of spring and summer ozone concentrations maxima differ considerably at all examined stations in different regions of Europe depending on different transport directions: the summer maximum is stronger pronounced according to the data for the southern and eastern directions than according to the data for the northern and western directions. The change of air transport directions may account for from 10% (Moscow region) to 30–40% (the northwest of continental Europe and Ireland) variations of MGC concentration. The obtained results point out the perspective of their use in statistical models of the forecast of MGC concentrations.     

Search for the general magnetic fields in late-type giants

Surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic-field components (by analogy with the Sun called the general magnetic field) have been measured for 15 late-type giants with an accuracy of several Gauss. Statistically significant fields were detected for nine of these stars. The magnetic-field values obtained suggest the existence of general magnetic fields in these giants.     

Evaluation of the Phosphorus Load on Freshwater Bodies of Subjects of the Russian Federation: Modeling of the Migration of Phosphorus and Its Compounds among Environmental Components

This article is devoted to a model of the migration of phosphorus and its compounds between the components of the environment and the evaluation of the phosphorus load on freshwater bodies on the scale of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The results of calculations described in this article show that a number of the subjects of the Russian Federation are susceptible to a high and extremely high risk of a negative impact of anthropogenic phosphorus on freshwater bodies.

     

Eutrophication of an Urban Forest Ecosystem: Causes and Effects

Doklady Earth Sciences - The combined use of methods of passive dosimetry of the status of atmospheric air, phytoindication, and cartographic visualization of data made it possible to elaborate and...     

Indicator and Isotope Geochemical Characteristics of Iron Sulfides from the Golets Vysochaishy Deposit,East Siberia

Geology of Ore Deposits - This paper provides new data on various pyrite and pyrrhotite generations at the Golets Vysochaishy gold deposit, Bodaibo district, Irkutsk Oblast. These generations are...