Specific features of the distribution of dissolved oxygen in waters of the Sevastopol bay in 2006–2007

We discuss the influence of hydrophysical and biological-chemical processes on the distribution of dissolved oxygen in waters of the Sevastopol bay in various seasons. In the winter period, against the background of low rates of biological-chemical processes, the hydrophysical processes provide the homogeneous distributions of temperature and oxygen. In summer, the hydrophysical processes remain dominant, but the influence of biological-chemical processes becomes noticeable. In the autumn period, the vertical distribution of oxygen is strongly affected by biological-chemical processes.     

Dynamic–Stochastic Parametrization of Cloudiness in the General Circulation Model of the Atmosphere

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - The method of Dynamic–Stochastic parametrization of the nonconvective cloud amount in the general circulation model of the atmosphere is...     

Variability of the fields of concentration of microelements and strontium in seawater near the South Coast of the Crimea in 2002–2007

We study the space-and-time variability of the concentrations of 27 microelements (Sc, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Se, Sb, Ba, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Tb, Hf, Hg, Pb, Au, Th, and U) and Sr in the sea, river, and waste waters of the South Coast of Crimea in 2002–2007. Parallel with the data about elements studied earlier, we present, for the first time, the data of investigations of the contents of rareearth elements (Lu, Nd and Yb) whose concentrations in the major part of the analyzed samples of seawater were lower than the limit of their quantitative determination. We present the ranges of the concentrations of elements and perform their comparison with the data of the previous period of monitoring.     

Effect of changes in the composition of seawater on the density–salinity relationship

Over the next 5–10 years, the WOCE hydrographic program will generate reliable hydrographic data for the world oceans. The resultant conductivity salinity, temperature, and pressure data will generate calculated densities that will be used to examine mixing along constant density surfaces. Changes in the composition of deep waters due to the breakdown of plant material can effect the calculated densities at a given conductivity salinity. The increases in SiO₂, nitrate, alkalinity, and TCO₂ (or pH) can change the density of seawater as well as the conductivity. For studies of the salinity and density fields over small spatial scales, these changes will be small, but for large scale and ocean to ocean studies the differences can be significant. The density calculations based on the salinity determined from conductivity need to be adjusted for the offsets due to changes in the composition of seawater. This report describes how this correction should be made using existing information.     

Currents in the Drake Passage by the observations in October–November of 2011

The currents in the Drake Passage are studied from the ADCP and CTD data acquired in a section across the Drake Passage in October-November of 2011 and from the satellite altimeter data. A complicated pattern of currents including eight jets of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and a system of slope and abyssal currents was found. The most interesting result is the discovery of several cyclonic and anticyclonic mesoscale eddies confined to the abyss. Some reasons explaining the generation of such eddies by the meandering of the ACC jets in the upper ocean layer are presented.     

Morphology and Structural Features of the Subduction Zone in the Vicinity of Kuril–Kamchatka–Aleutian Junction

Oceanology - The specific morphology of the inner and outer slopes of the eastern Kuril–Kamchatka Trench were revealed based on joint study of bathymetry and seismic profiles obtained in two...     

Russian investigations in the field of atmospheric radiation in 2007–2010

A short survey prepared by the Russian Commission on Atmospheric Radiation contains the most significant results of works in the field of atmospheric-radiation studies performed in 2007–2010. It is part of the Russian National Report on Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences prepared for the International Association on Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS). During this period, the Russian Commission on Atmospheric Radiation, jointly with concerned departments and organizations, ran the conference “Physics and Education,” dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Department of Physics at St. Petersburg State University (2007); the International Symposium of CIS Countries “Atmospheric Radiation and Dynamics” (2009); and the 5th International Conference “Atmospheric Physics, Climate, and Environment” (2010). At the conferences, central problems in modern atmosphere physics were discussed: radiative transfer and atmospheric optics; greenhouse gases, clouds, and aerosols; remote methods of measurements; and new measurement data. This survey presents five directions covering the whole spectrum of investigations performed in the field of atmospheric radiation.     

Dynamic Processes of the Arctic Stratosphere in the 2020–2021 Winter

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - The Arctic stratosphere winter season of 2020–2021 was characterized by a weakened stratospheric polar vortex as a result of a major sudden...     

Variability of the Bering Sea circulation in the period 1992–2010

Sea surface height anomalies observed by satellites in 1992–2010 are combined with monthly climatologies of temperature and salinity to estimate circulation in the southern Bering Sea. The estimated surface and deep currents are consistent with independent velocity observations by surface drifters and Argo floats parked at 1,000?m. Analysis reveals 1–3-Sv interannual transport variations of the major currents with typical intra-annual variability of 3–7?Sv. On the seasonal scale, the Alaskan Stream transport is well correlated with the Kamchatka (0.81), Near Strait (0.53) and the Bering Slope (0.37) currents. Lagged correlations reveal a gradual increase of the time the lags between the transports of the Alaskan Stream, the Bering Slope Current and the Kamchatka Current, supporting the concept that the Bering Sea basin is ventilated by the waters carried by the Alaskan Stream south of the Aleutian Arc and by the flow through the Near Strait. Correlations of the Bering Sea currents with the Bering Strait transport are dominated by the seasonal cycle. On the interannual time scale, significant negative correlations are diagnosed between the Near Strait transport and the Bering Slope and Alaskan Stream currents. Substantial correlations are also diagnosed between the eddy kinetic energy and Pacific Decadal Oscillation.     

On the Mechanism of Decadal Oscillations in the Ocean–Atmosphere System

The aim of the work is to check the hypothesis that quasiperiodic oscillations of meridional heat transport intensified by a positive feedback existing in the ocean–atmosphere system in subtropical regions is one of the principal factors governing the decadal variability of various hydrophysical fields in the North Atlantic. We use a simple three-box model of the North Atlantic with one lower and two upper boxes and meridional circulation for typical parameters of the ocean–atmosphere system. It is assumed that the decadal anomalies of sea-level pressure are proportional to the anomalies of sea-surface temperature. The deduced system of ordinary differential equations for the temperature of the upper two boxes with quadratic nonlinearity and the behavior of the solution in the vicinity of the stationary point are analyzed by using standard procedures for the investigation of linearized equations for small perturbations. It is shown that, for typical parameters of the ocean–atmosphere system, oscillating solutions for the sea-surface temperature with periods of 10–20yr can be realized even without taking salinity into account.     

Russian Investigations in the Field of Atmospheric Radiation in 2015–2018

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - A short survey prepared by the Russian Commission on Atmospheric Radiation contains the most significant results of works in the field of...     

Results of Russian Studies of the Middle Atmosphere in 2015–2018

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - A review of the results of Russian studies of the middle atmosphere in 2015–2018 prepared by the Commission on the Middle Atmosphere of the...     

Influence of processes in the ocean–atmosphere system in the North Atlantic on the intraannual variation of climatic characteristics on the territory of Ukraine

We make an attempt to study specific features of weather- and climate-forming processes developing due to the energy and mass transfer between the ocean and the atmosphere in the North Atlantic, as well as responses of the climate of Ukraine to the main climate-forming factors. These studies are based on a statistical model in the form of a system of third-order regression equations with feedback. We deduce a system of generating functions that allow us to estimate the regression coefficients. Within the developed model, we applied the factor analysis to compress the input information about the affecting factors in the region where the weather ships were located. This allowed us to reveal the tendencies of variations in the characteristics participating in the energy and mass transfer. The response of the climate in various regions of Ukraine to the processes running in the North Atlantic was determined using the cluster analysis whose algorithm was developed by the authors. We performed a number of experiments for various situations in the region of the North Atlantic that are possible due to the global warming of the climate and studied the response of climatic characteristics on the territory of Ukraine under similar processes. The adequacy of the developed model was verified on the basis of data on the real situation in February 2006. It is shown that the model satisfactorily describes the responses of climatic characteristics in regions of Ukraine to variations of the affecting factors in the North Atlantic.     

Jets of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current in the central part of the Drake Passage based on the survey data in October–November of 2008

The horizontal structure of the jets of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is analyzed on the basis of CTD- and LADCP- sounding performed during a hydrophysical survey with a 10-mile spatial resolution in the central part of the Drake Passage in October–November of 2008. According to the modern multijet classification of the ACC, the survey area covered the zones of three jets of the South Polar Current (SPC), which is the middle branch of the ACC. The current jets revealed a fine horizontal thermohaline structure, which was manifested even in the case of the confluence of individual jets into a “superjet.”     

Model of the Dead Sea. Simulation of the Variability of the Thermohaline Water Structure in 1992–2000

Within the framework of the integral model in isopycnic coordinates including the upper mixed layer, we study the rearrangement of temperature and salinity fields in the Dead Sea. It is forced by the variability of atmospheric factors and mass fluxes through the lateral boundaries of the basin, which are connected with the freshwater run-off to the sea and the outflow from the sea to the shallow south bay, where evaporator installations for salt extraction are located. Such factors as solar radiation, wind velocity, air temperature, and relative humidity are prescribed. Evaporation is calculated with the use of a bulk formula, whereas precipitation intensity and discharge through the lateral boundaries are determined as functions of the sea level obtained from observations. This model reflects the specific character of the Dead Sea and takes into account the effect of water salinity on its evaporation, salt concretion, and mechanical evaporation. Comparison with the data of observations shows that the proposed model fairly precisely describes the observed specific features of the thermohaline water structure in the meromictic (1992–1996) and holomictic (1996–2000) periods.     

Interannual variations of the planktonic ecosystem in the slope water and Kuroshio south of Japan in February in the years 1990–2002

To determine recent interannual variations in the planktonic ecosystem of the slope water south of Japan, an area between 1000 m isobath on the continental slope and assumable Kuroshio front, in reference to preceding reports on the Kuroshio, we examined interannual variations of physical factors, sea surface chlorophyll concentration (SSChl), size-fractioned copepod biomass and the abundance of Calanus sinicus, one of the dominant copepods in the region, in February from 1990 to 2002. In the slope water, SSChl concentration had generally shown a higher value than in the Kuroshio and increase of the SSChl in both areas started in February but lasted longer in the slope water. The regional distribution of copepod biomass and C. sinicus abundance was similar to that of phytoplankton in that they were distributed more densely in the slope water than in the Kuroshio, reflecting assumed higher nutrient supply. The interannual variation in sea surface temperature in the slope water was explained by the rise of air temperature in 1998, a strong El Niño year, and subsequent change in the Kuroshio path (1999–2001). The interannual variation of the planktonic community, i.e. sea surface chlorophyll concentration and copepod biomass, was attributed to the effects of those physical events through the direct effect of local temperature and/or variation in surface irradiance, except for a prominent increase of copepods in the slope water in 2000. The effect of interannual change in the vertical mixing, suggested in previous studies, was not apparent in February, when the primary production is not limited by nutrient concentration which would be more important in regulating biological production in later months.     

Russian investigations in the field of atmospheric radiation in 2011–2014

A short survey prepared by the Russian Commission on Atmospheric Radiation contains the most significant results of work in the field of atmospheric-radiation studies performed in 2011–2014. It is part of the Russian National Report on Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences prepared for the International Association on Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS)¹. During this period, the Russian Commission on Atmospheric Radiation, jointly with the concerned departments and organizations, organized two International Symposiums on Radiation and Dynamics (ISARD-2011 and ISARD-2013). At these conferences, the central problems in modern atmospheric physics were discussed: radiative transfer (RT) and atmospheric optics; greenhouse gases, clouds, and aerosols; remote methods of measurements; and new measurement data. This survey presents six directions covering the whole spectrum of investigations performed in the field of atmospheric radiation.     

Russian studies of the middle atmosphere in 2003–2006

This review of the results of the 2003–2006 Russian studies of the middle atmosphere, which was prepared by the Middle Atmosphere Commission of the Section of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences of the National Geophysical Committee, Russian Academy of Sciences, is presented as a national report on meteorology and atmospheric sciences for the XXIV General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (Perugia, July 2–13, 2007).     

Some directions in the development of dynamic meteorology in Russia in 2007–2010

A brief review of the results of investigations carried out by Russian scientists in the field of dynamic meteorology in 2007–2010 is presented. This review is based on the information prepared by the Commission on the Dynamic Meteorology of the National Geophysical Committee, Russian Academy of Sciences, and included in the general information report of the Section of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences at the XXV General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics.