Cloudburst floods in mountains: State of knowledge,occurrence, factors of formation

A detailed analysis is made of the current ideas concerning floods of a special type. We examine short-lasting torrential flash floods, one of the most widespread and hazardous natural phenomena in the world characterized by a high rate of development, and by a short duration. It is established that such floods are in a primitive stage of study, which is testified by the fact that there is no general consensus as to what should be treated as a flash flood. It is pointed out that a special term designating them is also absent in many countries. It is determined that the key formation conditions for flash floods include intense short-lasting cloudbursts, the occurrence of a river basin in mountainous regions and a small drainage area; on this basis, it is suggested that they be termed flash floods. It is shown that such floods are of the most widespread occurrence in the northern hemisphere in regions with a temperate and subtropical climate. We suggest the scheme of natural factors for formation of flash floods and their differences from debris flows and floods of other types. It is determined that the main problems of investigating the formation mechanisms and forecasting the aforementioned floods are associated with the small spatiotemporal scale of these phenomena.     

Ozone content over the Russian Federation in the first quarter of 2017

The review is based on the results of the operation of the total ozone (TO) monitoring system in the CIS countries. The system is functioning in the operational regime at the Central Aerological Observatory (CAO) and uses the data from the national network equipped with M-124 filter ozonometers being under the methodological supervision of the Main Geophysical Observatory. The quality of the entire system functioning is under operational control based on the observations obtained from neighboring countries and the OMI satellite equipment (NASA, USA). Basic TO observation data are generalized for each month of the first quarter of 2017 and for the first quarter. Data on surface ozone values in the Moscow region and Crimea are also provided.     

Geomagnetic Storm Effects at <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>1 Layer Altitudes in Various Periods of Solar Activity (Irkutsk Station)

The influence of geomagnetic disturbances on electron density Ne at F1 layer altitudes in different conditions of solar activity during the autumnal and vernal seasons of 2003–2015, according to the data from the Irkutsk digital ionospheric station (52° N, 104° Е) is examined. Variations of Ne at heights of 150–190 km during the periods of twenty medium-scale and strong geomagnetic storms have been analyzed. At these specified heights, a vernal–autumn asymmetry of geomagnetic storm effects is discovered in all periods of solar activity of 2003–2015: a considerable Ne decrease at a height of 190 km and a weaker effect at lower levels during the autumnal storms. During vernal storms, no significant Ne decrease as compared with quiet conditions was registered over the entire analyzed interval of 150?190 km.     

Relationship between the daytime critical frequencies of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> layer and thermospheric characteristics

The relationship between the critical frequency of the F ₂ layer and the atmospheric characteristics has been obtained in a general form. It has been shown that this relation makes it possible to sufficiently accurately describe the daytime values of foF2 while comparing them with the observed monthly median values. Such comparisons were performed, first, for the data of measurements in Irkutsk using the DPS-4 digital ionosonde in 2003–2006 and, second, based on the annual variations in the noon foF2 values at 24 stations of the Northern Hemisphere in 1984. The calculations were performed using the MSIS-86 thermospheric model [Hedin, 1987].     

Geochemistry of lepidolitic granitoids from the Mungutiyn Tsagaan Durulj occurrence (central Mongolia)

We studied the geologic position, geodynamic setting, petrology, and geochemistry of veined lepidolitic granitoids from the Mungutiyn Tsagaan Durulj (MTD) occurrence (central Mongolia), found within the area of Mesozoic intraplate rare-metal magmatism. It has been established that their trace-element enrichment resulted from the intense effect of fluids rich in F, K, Li, Rb, Cs, Sn, Be, and W, which arrived from a deep magma chamber of rare-metal granitic melts, on leucogranites with originally weak rare-metal mineralization. Very high contents of F, rare alkali metals, Sn, Be, and W, characteristic of MTD granitoids, are close only to those in greisens of rare-metal granites and topaz-lepidolite-albitic pegmatites. The difference from the greisens in each case might be due to the features of the original rocks. The difference between the greisenized MTD leucogranites and the topaz-lepidolite-albitic pegmatites is more radical: Along with evident petrographic distinctions, it includes an evolution trend toward the albite norm decrease, not typical of Li–F igneous rocks; rock shearing and gneissosity, which must have contributed to their chemical transformation according to this trend; and stably lower contents of Nb and Ta (trace elements which usually accumulate during crystallization fractionation of F–Li granitic melts and are poorly soluble in magmatic fluids). The greisenized MTD granitoids are not only high-grade rare-metal ores of Li, Rb, F, and Sn but are also regarded as an indicator of a deep concealed pluton of rare-metal granites.     

Relative concentration of oxygen atoms and molecules at a height of 120 km according to the data of ionospheric measurements

It is convenient to use the semi-empirical model (SEM), developed by the authors earlier and describing the relation of the electron density at heights of the middle ionosphere (120–200 km) to the parameters of the thermosphere and the integral flux of the ionizing solar radiation, to estimate the gas composition characteristics using the data of ionospheric measurements [Shchepkin et al., 2008]. The ratios of the concentrations of oxygen atoms and nitrogen molecules to those of oxygen molecules and atoms at a height of 120 km are compared using two SEM versions. The first version is based on the usage of the coefficients obtained from the measurements of N(h) profiles at Moscow observatory. The electron densities at heights of 120–200 km, obtained at the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics in 2003–2006 using the digisonde, were the experimental data for the second version.     

Interaction of crustal and mantle materials,sources of trace elements during the formation and evolution of Early Paleozoic Li-rich granite-pegmatite systems in southeastern Tuva

We present new data on the age, composition, and environments of formation of granites of the Kystarys complex and the associated Li-rich rare-element pegmatites of the South Sangilen pegmatite belt including the large Tastyg lithium deposit. It has been established that they formed during the Early Paleozoic collisional orogeny in the Tuva-Mongolian massif at the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary. The granites of the Kystarys complex are moderately alkaline high-K rocks and are enriched in Zr, Nb, Y, and REE; therefore, they are classified as postcollisional, transitional to within-plate (A-type). The spodumene pegmatites of the South Sangilen pegmatite belt are similar to the above granites in age and isotopic and geochemical parameters, which suggests a paragenetic relationship between these rocks. Pegmatites form several pegmatite fields within the belt, which differ in trace-element signatures. In addition to predominant Li, Cs, and Ta, specific to all spodumene pegmatites (LCT family), pegmatites of two fields have high contents of Nb, Y, REE, and Zr, which are indicator elements of NYF family pegmatites. It has been established that the formation of spodumene pegmatites with combined LCT-NYF geochemical signatures was preceded by the intrusion of dikes of monzogabbro with the geochemical characteristics of OIB and of alkali aegirine granites and by the formation of associated metasomatites enriched in Zr, Nb, Y, and REE. Based on the geological, mineralogical, and geochemical data, we substantiate the hypothesis of the formation of Li-bearing granite-pegmatite melts from a mixed source resulted from the influence of fluids of an alkaline igneous complex of mantle genesis on the crustal protolith.     

Ozone Content over the Russian Federation in the First Quarter of 2018

The review is based on the operation results of the system that monitors the total ozone (TO) in the CIS and Baltic countries and functions in the operational mode at the Central Aerological Observatory (CAO). The monitoring system uses the data from the national network equipped with M-124 filter ozonometers working under the methodological supervision of the Main Geophysical Observatory. The quality of the system functioning is operationally controlled in CAO by the comparison with the observations obtained from the OMI satellite equipment (NASA, USA). Basic TO observation data are generalized for each month of the first quarter of 2018 and for the first quarter. The data of routine observations of surface ozone values in the Moscow region and Crimea are also considered.     

Ozone Content over the Russian Federation in 2017

The review is based on the operation results of the system for total ozone (TO) monitoring in the CIS and Baltic countries functioning in the operational regime at the Central Aerological Observatory (CAO). The monitoring system uses data from the national network equipped with M-124 filter ozonometers being under the methodological supervision of the Main Geophysical Observatory. The quality of the entire system functioning is operationally controlled in CAO through the comparison with the observations obtained from the OMI satellite equipment (NASA, USA). Basic TO observation data are generalized for each month of the fourth quarter of 2017, for the whole fourth quarter, and for the whole year. The data of routine observations of surface ozone values in the Moscow region and Crimea are also considered.