Simulation of snow cover characteristics with atmospheric general circulation models

A short review of snow cover parametrizations used in different atmospheric general circulation models is given. The results of comparison of 20-year mean integral characteristics of snow cover for North America and Eurasia obtained in three Russian models in the AMIP-2 experiments with observations and reanalysis data are analyzed. Results of the models of the Hydrometeorological Centre of Russia, the Institute of Numerical Mathematics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory are used. It is shown that all models better reproduce snow cover characteristics of Eurasia than those of North America, and snow area is reproduced with smaller errors than snow mass. It is also shown that the fall and winter snow cover formation is simulated more closely to the reference data than the spring snowmelt. It is also shown that 20-year mean snow cover changes in watersheds of the Siberian Ob, Yenisei, and Lena rivers are well reproduced in all models. In the fall and winter period of snow cover formation, the model results are close to one another. During a spring rapid snowmelt, the model of the Hydrometeorological Centre is closer to the reference data.     

Large Magnetic Storm on September 7–8, 2017: High-Latitude Geomagnetic Variations and Geomagnetic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pc</Emphasis>5 Pulsations

The features of daytime high-latitude geomagnetic variations and geomagnetic pulsations in the Рс5 range during the recent, large, two-stage magnetic storm of September 7–8, 2017 are studied. The discussed disturbances were observed at the recovery phase of the first stage of the storm after the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) turned northward. It is shown that the large sign-alternating variations in Ву and Bz components of the IMF caused intense geomagnetic disturbances up to 300–400 nT with a quasi-period of ~20 min in the daytime sector of polar latitudes, probably in the region of the daytime polar cusp. These disturbances may have reflected quasi-period motions of the daytime magnetopause and may have resulted from nonlinear transformation of the variations in the interplanaterary magnetic field in the magnetosheath or in the magnetospheric entry layers. The appearance of high-latitude long-period variations was accompanied by the excitation of bursts (wave packets) of geomagnetic Pc5 pulsations. The onset of Pc5 pulsation bursts often coincided with a sudden northward turn of the IMF. It was discovered for the first time that the development of a “daytime polar substorm,” i.e., a negative magnetic bay in the daytime sector of polar latitudes, led to a sudden termination of the generation of geomagnetic Pc5 pulsations over the entire latitude range in which these oscillations were recorded before the appearance of the daytime bay.     

Bursts of Auroral-Hiss VLF Emissions on the Earth’s Surface at L ~ 5.5 and Geomagnetic Disturbances

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - We have studied the geomagnetic conditions during the occurrence of auroral-hiss VLF emissions on the Earth’s surface in the form of noise bursts at frequencies...     

Refinement of the parameters of three selected model Galactic potentials based on the velocities of objects at distances up to 200 kpc

This paper is a continuation of our recent paper devoted to refining the parameters of threecomponent (bulge, disk, halo) axisymmetric model Galactic gravitational potentials differing by the expression for the dark matter halo using the velocities of distant objects. In all models the bulge and disk potentials are described by the Miyamoto–Nagai expressions. In our previous paper we used the Allen–Santillán (I), Wilkinson–Evans (II), and Navarro–Frenk–White (III) models to describe the halo. In this paper we use a spherical logarithmic Binney potential (model IV), a Plummer sphere (model V), and a Hernquist potential (model VI) to describe the halo. A set of present-day observational data in the range of Galactocentric distances R from 0 to 200 kpc is used to refine the parameters of the listed models, which are employed most commonly at present. The model rotation curves are fitted to the observed velocities by taking into account the constraints on the local matter density ρ_⊙= 0.1 M _⊙pc^?3 and the force K _z=1.1/2πG = 77M _⊙pc^?2 acting perpendicularly to the Galactic plane. The Galactic mass within spheres of radius 50 and 200 kpc are shown to be, respectively, M ₅₀ = (0.409 ± 0.020) × 10¹² M _⊙ and M ₂₀₀ = (1.395 ± 0.082) × 10¹² M _⊙ in model IV, M ₅₀ = (0.417 ± 0.034) × 10¹² M _⊙ and M ₂₀₀ = (0.469 ± 0.038) × 10¹² M _⊙in model V, and M ₅₀ = (0.417 ± 0.032) × 10¹² M _⊙ and M ₂₀₀ = (0.641 ± 0.049)× 10¹² M _⊙ in model VI. Model VI looks best among the three models considered here from the viewpoint of the achieved accuracy of fitting the model rotation curves to the measurements. This model is close to the Navarro–Frenk–White model III refined and considered best in our previous paper, which is shown using the integration of the orbits of two globular clusters, Lynga 7 and NGC 5053, as an example.     

Recent climatic tendencies in the Barents Sea

Based on the results of multiannual oceanographic research at the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute in the “Kola Meridian” secular section, the recent tendencies of cyclic climate changes in the Barents Sea are discussed on the basis of the data on ice coverage and coastal meteorological conditions. It has been shown that a return from the extremely warm and warm state to the normal one was observed in the period of winter 2005/06–winter 2010/11. Further, this may be changed both to cooling and warming, which verifies the hypothesis about predominance of cyclic natural variability in the thermal and ice characteristics of the Arctic Region.     

The model study of the wildfire impact on the spatial distribution of deposition of sulfur and nitrogen compounds in Siberia

Presented are the results of the model study of wildfire impact on the spatial distribution of deposition fields of sulfur and nitrogen compounds in the regions of Siberia and the Russian Far East. The CHIMERE chemistry transport model was used for computing the deposition fields taking account of pyrogenic emissions specified using satellite measurements of intensity of wildfire heat radiation. Carried out is the model validation using the data of ground-based measurements of nitrate and sulfate concentrations in precipitation at the Russian EANET stations as well as the data of satellite measurements of carbon dioxide content in the troposphere and aerosol optical depth carried out by IASI and MODIS instruments, respectively. It is demonstrated that wildfires considerably influence deposition of sulfur and nitrogen compounds and redistribution of nitrogen compounds assimilated by plants within the regions under consideration.     

The Magnetic Storm of August 25–26, 2018: Dayside High Latitude Geomagnetic Variations and Pulsations

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - The features of daytime high latitude geomagnetic disturbances and geomagnetic pulsations during the recent strong magnetic storm on August 25–26, 2018, which...     

Evolution of High-Latitude Geomagnetic Disturbances during the Magnetic Storm of July 22, 2009

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - The behavior of geomagnetic disturbances during a moderate CIR storm, the most intense magnetic storm of  2009 in the solar activity minimum are considered. It is...     

Heavy Metals in Atmospheric Air in the Kara Sea Water Area in September–October 2011

Oceanology - The article presents the results of measurements of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Ni, Co Cr, As, and Fe concentrations in atmospheric aerosols in the surface layer over the Kara Sea. The data were...