Long-Term Prediction of Water Quality in Marine Water Areas

Random walk approach is used to develop a model for long-term prediction of water quality in shallow marine waters. The model allows one to simulate variations in hydrological situations, reactive solutes, interaction between solutes and liquid and solid boundaries. The model application is illustrated by calculations for Amur Bay. Calculations using the long-term prediction model has not found a stationary state in the pollution level. The velocities of seaward motion of pollution front and the rates of increase in the concentration of a nonreactive solute are given.     

Laboratory studies for beam plasma discharge experiments with rockets

Laboratory results of beam plasma discharge (BPD) (dimensions several metres) in a homogeneous atmosphere and a jet of neutral gas are presented. The beam was obtained by an electron gun of the same type as used in rocket experiments.The BPD parameters glow intensity, electromagnetic field and its spectrum, electron density as well as the flux of scattered electrons were measured. In addition, photographs of the BPD were taken. The threshold of BPD ignition was determined as a function of gas pressure and beam parameters. The initial stage of BPD formation as well as various types of oscillatory processes in the discharge were studied. A possible process of BPD initiation is presented.     

Assessment of the Accuracy of Calculations Using the International Reference Ionosphere Model IRI-2016: I. Electron Densities

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - The paper quantitatively compares the results of calculations of the electron density Ne by the International Reference Ionosphere model IRI-2016 with experimental data...     

Spatiotemporal distributions of the electron density in the ionosphere by records of the total electron content and phase of VLF radio signals

Features of the structure and dynamics of the ionospheric plasma are studied in a comparison the ionospheric total electron content measurements with the phase and amplitude measurements of VLF–LF radio signals on global and regional paths. The ionospheric structure over Europe is reconstructed. The spatiotemporal dynamics of moving ionospheric disturbances under conditions of a powerful geomagnetic storm of March 17, 2015, is examined based on the reconstruction results. Analysis of the phase variation of VLF radio signals, together with the TEC measurement data, is not only an additional tool in the study of the dynamics of ionospheric disturbances; it also makes it possible to estimate electron density disturbances in different ionospheric layers.     

Uranium in saline lakes of Northwestern Mongolia

Analysis of major- and trace-element compositions of water in hypersaline soda closed basin lakes of Northwestern Mongolia and Chuya basin (Gorny Altai) shows high enrichment in ²³⁸U (up to 1 mg/l). Proceeding from new data, uranium accumulation in water has been attributed to (i) location of the lakes and their watersheds in potential provinces of U-bearing rocks and (ii) uranium complexing with carbonate in presence of carbonate (bicarbonate) anions. Among the explored hypersaline soda lakes of the area, the greatest uranium resources are stored in Lake Hyargas Nuur (about 6000 ton).     

High-pressure phase transformations of FeS: Novel phases at conditions of planetary cores

Iron sulfide (FeS) was investigated using first-principles calculations up to a pressure of 400 GPa. A number of new phase transitions were found. An antiferromagnetic MnP-type structure, FeS II, was confirmed to be stable at low pressures, whereas at high pressures (40–135 GPa) we find a new stable phase, with a non-magnetic MnP-type structure, FeS VI. The observed first-order change in the cell shape between the two phases can be explained by the difference in magnetic configurations. The calculated cell parameters, atomic coordinates, and bulk modulus of non-magnetic MnP-type phase are consistent with those determined from experiment. The upper pressure limit of the stability of the non-magnetic MnP-type phase was calculated to be 135 GPa. A hitherto unsuspected phase transition from the non-magnetic MnP-type to a phase with Pmmn symmetry, FeS VII, was identified using the evolutionary crystal structure prediction (USPEX) method. The structure of the Pmmn phase has no known analogues, but can be described as a distortion of the NaCl-type structure. The Pmmn phase with the distorted NaCl-type structure is stable from 135 GPa at least up to 400 GPa. According to previous experiments and the present study, the transition sequence of FeS at low temperatures is as follows: troilite ➔ antiferromagnetic MnP-type phase ➔ monoclinic phase ➔ non-magnetic MnP-type phase ➔ Pmmn phase. The calculated volume reduction from the monoclinic to the non-magnetic MnP-type phase is 1.0% at 40 GPa, which is in good agreement with experimental observations. The calculated volume reduction from the non-magnetic MnP-type to the Pmmn phase is 3.7% at 135 GPa.     

Reconstruction of the Parameters of the Lower Midlatitude Ionosphere in M- and X-Class Solar Flares

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - The paper presents the results of the reconstruction of the effective height h' and the slope of the profile β of the electron concentration in the D layer of...