Primary Production and the Hydrochemical Parameters of the Salt Lakes in the North-Western Part of the Crimea(Russia)

正1 Introduction It is known that more than 300 lakes and lagoons are present in the Crimean Peninsula,which are divided depending on position to 7 groups:Perekop,Tarkhankut,Evpatoriyskaya,Khersonesskaya,lake on the mountainpastures,Kerch and Genicheskaya.Almost the all lakes,with the exception of the small freshwater lakes,which situated on mountain pastures of the Main ridge of     

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We review petrologic observations of reaction textures from high-grade rocks that suggest the passage of fluids with variable alkali activities. Development of these reaction textures is accompanied by regular compositional variations in plagioclase, pyroxenes, biotite, amphibole and garnet. The textures are interpreted in terms of exchange and net-transfer reactions controlled by the K and Na activities in the fluids. On the regional scale, these reactions operate in granitized, charnockitized, syenitized etc. shear zones within high-grade complexes. Thermodynamic calculations in simple chemical systems show that changes in mineral assemblages, including the transition from the hydrous to the anhydrous ones, may occur at constant pressure and temperature due only to variations in the H2O and the alkali activities. A simple procedure for estimating the activity of the two major alkali oxides, K2O and Na2O, is imple- mented in the TWQ software. Examples of calculations are presented for well-documented dehydration zones from South Africa, southern India, and Sri Lanka. The calculations have revealed two end-member regimes of alkalis during specific metamorphic processes： rock buffered, which is characteristic for the precursor rocks containing two feldspars, and fluid-buffered for the precursor rocks without K-feldspar. The observed reaction textures and the results of thermodynamic modeling are compared with the results of available experimental studies on the interaction of the alkali chloride and carbonate-bearing fluids with metamorphic rocks at mid-crustal conditions. The experiments show the complex effect of alkali activities in the fluid phase on the mineral assemblages. Both thermodynamic calculations and experiments closely reproduce paragenetic relations theoretically predicted by D.S. Korzhinskii in the 1940s.     

Deflation processes and their role in desertification of the southern Pre-Balkhash deserts

Deflation processes are important in arid environments such as deserts. The deserts of Kazakhstan mostly cover lowlands and extend from the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea to the piedmonts of the Tien-Shan Mountain. Desert areas are also major source areas of dust/sand storm activities. We considered deflation processes in the southern Pre-Balkhash deserts. In Kazakhstan, desertification processes due to wind erosion in the form of dust/sand storms were observed in semi-desert and desert landscapes. During analysis of numerous long-term meteorological data and cartographic materials, we revealed the sand movement directions which allow prediction of future potential sand movement patterns or processes in southern Pre-Balkhash deserts. The Taukum, Moiynkum deserts, Ili river deltas and valleys, and southern coastal of Lake Balkhash are most prone to dust/sand storms. The most frequent storms were observed in the Bakanas weather station (Ile river valley). Sand/dust transport occurs mainly in the east, south-east north-east direction in the southern Pre-Balkhash deserts. The high amount of sand transportation was observed at the Kuigan weather station; low amounts were encountered at the Naimansuiek weather station. The amount of airborne sand/dust varies in accordance with the general and local meteorological features, the complexity of relief forms, soil conditions and properties, lithology, and various contributions of the human activities. Thus, our study on deflation processes in the southern Pre-Balkhash deserts has great importance towards aiding in the prediction and monitoring of dust/sand storms and movement patterns.     

Modification of Two-Equation Models to Account for Plant Drag

A modification of the most popular two-equation (E–φ) models, taking into account the plant drag, is proposed. Here E is the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and φ is any of the following variables: El (product of E and the mixing length l), (dissipation rate of TKE), and ω (specific dissipation of TKE, ). The proposed modification is due to the fact that the model constants estimated experimentally for ‘free-air’ flow do not allow for adequate reconstruction of the ratio between the production and dissipation rates of TKE in the vegetation canopy and have to be adjusted. The modification is universal, i.e. of the same type for all E–φ models considered. The numerical experiments carried out for both homogeneous and heterogeneous plant canopies with E–φ models (and with the E–l model taken as a kind of reference) show that the modification performs well. They also suggest that E– and E–ω schemes are more promising than the E–El scheme for canopy flow simulation since they are not limited by the need to use a wall function.In addition, a new parameterization for enhanced dissipation within the plant canopy is derived. It minimizes the model sensitivity to C _μ, the key parameter for two-equation schemes, and whose estimates unfortunately vary considerably from experiment to experiment. The comparison of results of new modified E– and E –ω models with observations from both field and wind-tunnel experiments shows that the proposed parameterization is quite robust. However, because of uncertainties with the turbulence Prandtl and Schmidt numbers for the E– model within the canopy, the E–ω model is recommended for future implementation, with the suggested modifications.     

Long-Term Temperature Trends and Tree Growth in the Taymir Region of Northern Siberia

The northernmost conifers in the world are located well above the Arctic Circle in the Taymir region of northern Siberia and have been recording the thermal environment for centuries to millennia. The trees respond to temperatures beyond the narrow season of actual cambial cell division by means of root growth, photosynthesis, lignification of cell walls, and other biochemical processes. Data from annual tree-ring widths are used to reconstruct May–September mean temperatures for the past four centuries. These warm-season temperatures correlate with annual temperatures and indicate unusual warming in the 20th century. However, there is a loss of thermal response in ring widths since about 1970. Previously the warmer temperatures induced wider rings. Most major warming and cooling trends are in agreement with other high-latitude temperature reconstructions based on tree-ring analyses with some regional differences in timing of cooling in the late 18th century and of warming in the late 19th century.     

On the response of the oceanic wind-driven circulation to atmospheric CO2 increase

A global, flux-corrected climate model is employed to predict the surface wind stress and associated wind-driven oceanic circulation for climate states corresponding to a doubling and quadrupling of the atmospheric CO₂ concentration in a simple 1% per year CO₂ increase scenario. The model indicates that in response to CO₂ increase, the position of zero wind stress curl in the mid-latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere shifts poleward. In addition, the wind stress intensifies significantly in the mid-latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. As a result, the rate of water circulation in the subpolar meridional overturning cell in the Southern Ocean increases by about 6 Sv (1 Sv=10⁶ m³ s⁻¹) for doubled CO₂ and by 12 Sv for quadrupled CO₂, implying an increase of deep water upwelling south of the circumpolar flow and an increase of Ekman pumping north of it. In addition, the changes in the wind stress and wind stress curl translate into changes in the horizontal mass transport, leading to a poleward expansion of the subtropical gyres in both hemispheres, and to strengthening of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Finally, the intensified near-surface winds over the Southern Ocean result in a substantial increase of mechanical energy supply to the ocean general circulation.     

Paleogeographic evolution of the Southern Pannonian Basin: 40Ar/39Ar age constraints on the Miocene continental series of Northern Croatia

The Pannonian Basin, originating during the Early Miocene, is a large extensional basin incorporated between Alpine, Carpathian and Dinaride fold-thrust belts. Back-arc extensional tectonics triggered deposition of up to 500-m-thick continental fluvio-lacustrine deposits distributed in numerous sub-basins of the Southern Pannonian Basin. Extensive andesitic and dacitic volcanism accompanied the syn-rift deposition and caused a number of pyroclastic intercalations. Here, we analyze two volcanic ash layers located at the base and top of the continental series. The lowermost ash from Mt. Kalnik yielded an ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 18.07?±?0.07?Ma. This indicates that the marine-continental transition in the Slovenia-Zagorje Basin, coinciding with the onset of rifting tectonics in the Southern Pannonian Basin, occurs roughly at the Eggenburgian/Ottnangian boundary of the regional Paratethys time scale. This age proves the synchronicity of initial rifting in the Southern Pannonian Basin with the beginning of sedimentation in the Dinaride Lake System. Beside geodynamic evolution, the two regions also share a biotic evolutionary history: both belong to the same ecoregion, which we designate here as the Illyrian Bioprovince. The youngest volcanic ash level is sampled at the Glina and Karlovac sub-depressions, and both sites yield the same ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 15.91?±?0.06 and 16.03?±?0.06?Ma, respectively. This indicates that lacustrine sedimentation in the Southern Pannonian Basin continued at least until the earliest Badenian. The present results provide not only important bench marks on duration of initial synrift in the Pannonian Basin System, but also deliver substantial backbone data for paleogeographic reconstructions in Central and Southeastern Europe around the Early–Middle Miocene transition.     

Geochemistry and origin of the Mirny field kimberlites,Siberia

Here we present new data from a systematic Sr, Nd, O, C isotope and geochemical study of kimberlites of Devonian age Mirny field that are located in the southernmost part of the Siberian diamondiferous province. Major and trace element compositions of the Mirny field kimberlites show a significant compositional variability both between pipes and within one diatreme. They are enriched in incompatible trace elements with La/Yb ratios in the range of (65–300). Initial Nd isotope ratios calculated back to the time of the Mirny field kimberlite emplacement (t = 360 ma) are depleted relative to the chondritic uniform reservoir (CHUR) model being 4 up to 6 ɛNd(t) units, suggesting an asthenospheric source for incompatible elements in kimberlites. Initial Sr isotope ratios are significantly variable, being in the range 0.70387–0.70845, indicating a complex source history and a strong influence of post-magmatic alteration. Four samples have almost identical initial Nd and Sr isotope compositions that are similar to the prevalent mantle (PREMA) reservoir. We propose that the source of the proto-kimberlite melt of the Mirny field kimberlites is the same as that for the majority of ocean island basalts (OIB). The source of the Mirny field kimberlites must possess three main features: It should be enriched with incompatible elements, be depleted in the major elements (Si, Al, Fe and Ti) and heavy rare earth elements (REE) and it should retain the asthenospheric Nd isotope composition. A two-stage model of kimberlite melt formation can fulfil those requirements. The intrusion of small bodies of this proto-kimberlite melt into lithospheric mantle forms a veined heterogeneously enriched source through fractional crystallization and metasomatism of adjacent peridotites. Re-melting of this source shortly after it was metasomatically enriched produced the kimberlite melt. The chemistry, mineralogy and diamond grade of each particular kimberlite are strongly dependent on the character of the heterogeneous source part from which they melted and ascended.

     

WSO-UV progress and expectations

The World Space Observatory Ultraviolet (WSO-UV) is the space mission that will grant access to the ultraviolet (UV) range in the post Hubble epoch. WSO-UV is equipped with instrumentation for imaging and spectroscopy and it is fully devoted to UV astronomy. In this article, we outline the WSO-UV mission model and present the current status of the project.     

A hydrologic contribution to risk assessment for the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea (CS), the world's largest inland sea, may also be considered as large-scale limnic system. Due to strong fluctuations of its water level during the 20th century and the flooding of vast areas in a highly vulnerable coastal zone, economic and environmental risk potentials have to be considered. Since the major water input into the CS is attributed to the Volga river, the understanding of its long-term flow process is necessary for an appropriate risk assessment for the CS and its coastal area. Therefore, a top-down approach based on statistical analyses of long-term Volga flow series is pursued. For the series of annual mean flow (MQ) of the Volga river basin during the 20th century, a complex oscillation pattern was identified. Analyses for multiple gauges in the Volga river basin and Eurasian reference basins revealed that this oscillation pattern resulted from the superposition of oscillations with periods of ∼30 years (MQ) in the western part of the Volga river basin, and ∼14 years (flow volume of snowmelt events) and ∼20 years (flow volume of summer and autumn) in the eastern part of the Volga river basin (Kama river basin). Almost synchronous minima or maxima of these oscillations occurred just in the periods of substantial changes of the Caspian Sea level (CSL). It can thus be assumed that the described mechanism is fundamental for an understanding of the CSL development during the 20th century. Regarding the global climate change, it is still difficult to predict reliably the development of the CSL for the 21st century. Consequently, we suggest an ongoing, interdisciplinary research co-operation among climatology, hydrology, hydraulics, ecology and spatial data management.