Stars of early types in the region of the Orion Stellar association OB1 from observations of the glazar space telescope

Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory; SKB Granit; Geneva Observatory; Cosmonaut Preparation Center. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 197–202, March–April, 1990.     

Dynamical properties of the Venus mesosphere from the radio-occultation experiment VeRa onboard Venus Express

The dynamics of Venus’ mesosphere (60–100 km altitude) was investigated using data acquired by the radio-occultation experiment VeRa on board Venus Express. VeRa provides vertical profiles of density, temperature and pressure between 40 and 90 km of altitude with a vertical resolution of few hundred meters of both the Northern and Southern hemisphere. Pressure and temperature vertical profiles were used to derive zonal winds by applying an approximation of the Navier–Stokes equation, the cyclostrophic balance, which applies well on slowly rotating planets with fast zonal winds, like Venus and Titan. The main features of the retrieved winds are a midlatitude jet with a maximum speed up to 140 ± 15 m s^?1 which extends between 20°S and 50°S latitude at 70 km altitude and a decrease of wind speed with increasing height above the jet. Cyclostrophic winds show satisfactory agreement with the cloud-tracked winds derived from the Venus Monitoring Camera (VMC/VEx) UV images, although a disagreement is observed at the equator and near the pole due to the breakdown of the cyclostrophic approximation. Knowledge of both temperature and wind fields allowed us to study the stability of the atmosphere with respect to convection and turbulence. The Richardson number Ri was evaluated from zonal field of measured temperatures and thermal winds. The atmosphere is characterised by a low value of Richardson number from ～45 km up to ～60 km altitude at all latitudes that corresponds to the lower and middle cloud layer indicating an almost adiabatic atmosphere. A high value of Richardson number was found in the region of the midlatitude jet indicating a highly stable atmosphere. The necessary condition for barotropic instability was verified: it is satisfied on the poleward side of the midlatitude jet, indicating the possible presence of wave instability.     

Development of the steppe zone in southern Russia based on the reconstruction from the loess-soil formation in the Don-Azov Region

Herbaceous communities in forest ecosystems on the southern part of the Russian Plain appeared in the Middle Miocene (??10 Ma BP). In the Late Miocene (??7 Ma BP), feather-grass steppe associations appeared among them. In the time span of 2.7 to 2.1 Ma BP (i.e., in the Early Quaternary, according to the current chronostratigraphic scale), the steppe zone arose on the southern Russian Plain in the Don-Azov Region. Seven stages of this zone development here have been distinguished throughout the Quaternary. The first one (Eopleistocene-Early Pleistocene) was characterized by savanna-like subtropic ecosystems. Then, in the Middle Pleistocene, the temperate zone ecosystems (tallgrass prairie-like steppes) developed here and were followed by steppe ecosystems close to the modern ones in Central Europe. The ecosystems of rich-species forb steppes developed in the Late Pleistocene. Finally, in the optimum of the modern interglacial (Holocene), steppes became similar to the modern ones here, but with a slightly higher precipitation. The general trend is characterized by reduction in heat and water provision and increase in aridization progressing from earlier to later stages.     

Effect of post-seismic deformation on earth orientation parameter estimates from VLBI observations: a case study at Gilcreek, Alaska

Earth orientation parameters (EOPs) provide a link between the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) and the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF). Natural geodynamic processes, such as earthquakes, can cause the motion of stations to become discontinuous and/or non-linear, thereby corrupting the EOP estimates if the sites are assumed to move linearly. The VLBI antenna at the Gilcreek Geophysical Observatory has undergone non-linear, post-seismic motion as a result of the M_w=7.9 Denali earthquake in November 2002, yet some VLBI analysts have adopted co-seismic offsets and a linear velocity model to represent the motion of the site after the earthquake. Ignoring the effects of the Denali earthquake leads to error on the order of 300–600 μas for the EOP, while modelling the post-seismic motion of Gilcreek with a linear velocity generates errors of 20–50 μas. Only by modelling the site motion with a non-linear function is the same level of accuracy of EOP estimates maintained. The effect of post-seismic motion on EOP estimates derived from the International VLBI Service IVS-R1 and IVS-R4 networks are not the same, although changes in network geometries and equipment improvements have probably affected the estimates more significantly than the earthquake-induced deformation at Gilcreek.     

The structure of a prominence sheet

A one-dimensional analysis of Kippenhahn-Schlüter type is applied to a sheet of prominence material inclined at an angle, to the horizontal. It is found that the magnetic pressure across the prominence no longer has a symmetric profile, but is stronger on the lower side of the sheet. This excess in magnetic pressure is necessary to balance the component of prominence weight in that direction. A matching function is derived and allows for variations along the length of the sheet, enabling the internal prominence solution to be linked onto a given background potential field. In this way a curved prominence sheet in a potential field may be resolved. A smooth profile for the magnetic field and a continuous variation of plasma pressure across the prominence region is then possible. An example is given in which the analysis is applied to a polar-crown prominence configuration of inverse polarity and the basic properties of the prominence are determined.     

Structure and variability of current and water temperature fields near the Mascarene Ridge

An anticyclonic mesoscale eddy is found using the current and temperature data obtained at six moorings near the eastern foot of the Mascarene Ridge (Southern Hemisphere). Its spatial parameters radius, depth of penetration, and direction of the vertical axis tilt are given. The volume of water transported by the eddy across its radial section is calculated. Numerical characteristics of the spatial-temporal variability of the current and temperature field in the eddy are obtained. The relative contributions of the variability of mesoscale, tidal and inertial, and high-frequency oscillations are estimated.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

Statistical characteristics and the variability of currents over the western Black Sea shelf

Statistical characteristics and the parameters of the temporal variability of currents are analysed using data on current measurements conducted by five moored autonomous buoy stations over Bulgaria's shelf. Estimates of the specific contribution to the variability of synoptic (60%) and mesoscale (40%) oscillations are derived. The qualitative spectrum of the currents is defined, constituted by synoptic oscillations, short-period synoptic oscillations, inertial oscillations, and internal waves. Estimates of periods and oscillation amplitudes are also derived. The kinetic energy of the currents is calculated and the specific contribution of the energy of different-scale oscillations and their interrelations are determined.Translated by V. Puchkin.     

Biomorphic formations in recent phosphorites

Ultramicroscopic particles of biogenic appearance found in recent phosphorite nodules in diatomaceous oozes from the Namibian shelf are described. The particles are mostly represented by three varieties, namely, colloform, rounded, and elongated bacillary particles, which are disseminated over the rock or, more often, form aggregations of various shapes. The aggregations consist of particles of similar types though different in sizes (from fractions of a micrometer to a few micrometers). Mutual intergrowths are also encountered, as well as twins, rosettes, and ball-shaped aggregations of elongated particles resembling vugs of other crystals. These morphological features together with the results of microbiological studies of diatomaceous oozes, in which phosphorite nodules are formed, suggest a nonmicrobial origin of most of the biomorphic particles.     

The 1994 Shikotan earthquake tsunamis

The 1994 Shikotan earthquake was one of the greatest earthquakes in recent years with a magnitude ofM _s 8.0. A tsunami survey was conducted by Russian and U.S. geophysicists from October 16–30, 1994, less than two weeks after the earthquake. The survey results and a numerical hindcast simulation are reported. Tsunami focusing effect at locations supposedly sheltered by the island chain is discussed. Based on the obtained data, tsunamis which attacked Shikotan Island are characterized as long waves (the order of 10–20 min wave period) with a positive leading wave. Possible consequences of the positive leading wave form are discussed in relation to the observed minimal destruction of beach vegetation and relatively small transport of marine sediment onto the shore. The high-quality tide-gage record in Malokurilskaya Bay indicates the occurrence of a 53 cm subsidence at the site.     

Numerical Simulations of Tsunami Waves and Currents for Southern Vancouver Island from a Cascadia Megathrust Earthquake

The 1700 great Cascadia earthquake (M = 9) generated widespread tsunami waves that affected the entire Pacific Ocean and caused damage as distant as Japan. Similar catastrophic waves may be generated by a future Cascadia megathrust earthquake. We use three rupture scenarios for this earthquake in numerical experiments to study propagation of tsunami waves off the west coast of North America and to predict tsunami heights and currents in several bays and harbours on southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, including Ucluelet, located on the west coast of the island, and Victoria and Esquimalt harbours inside Juan de Fuca Strait. The earthquake scenarios are: an 1100-km long rupture over the entire length of the subduction zone and separate ruptures of its northern or southern segments. As expected, the southern earthquake scenario has a limited effect over most of the Vancouver Island coast, with waves in the harbours not exceeding 1 m. The other two scenarios produce large tsunami waves, higher than 16 m at one location near Ucluelet and over 4 m inside Esquimalt and Victoria harbours, and very strong currents that reach 17 m/s in narrow channels and near headlands. Because the assumed rupture scenarios are based on a previous earthquake, direct use of the model results to estimate the effect of a future earthquake requires appropriate qualification.