Determining the Inclination of the Kiloparsec-Scale Jet of the Quasar 3C 273 Based on Competition of Mechanisms for the Knot X-ray Emission

Based on the idea that the X-ray emission of the knots in the kiloparsec-scale jet of 3C 273 located closest to the active nucleus is due to inverse Compton scattering on the quasar radiation, while the X-ray emission of knots further from the nucleus is due to inverse Compton scattering on the cosmic microwave background, we find that the angle of the jet to the line of sight is θ ≈ 30°. The magnetic field and electron density in the knots are estimated. It is concluded that there is a break in the electron-energy spectrum at a Lorentz factor of г ∼ 10⁶. It is shown that the energy density of the relativistic electrons in the knots appreciably exceeds the energy density in the magnetic field.     

Long-term variations in river and sea factors responsible for the hydrological regime and morphological structure of the Thames River mouth area

General geographic features of the Thames River, its basin, and mouth area, consisting of the tidal mouth reach of the river, a large estuary, and an open nearshore zone of the river mouth (the North Sea coastal zone) are discussed. The peculiarities of river and sea hydrological factors responsible for the regime of the Thames River mouth area are described in detail. Characteristics of the river water runoff were specified and supplemented by the data on the river inundations in the area of London. Particular emphasis was placed on variations in the mean sea level in the area of the Thames River mouth as well as on specific features of tides and storm surges in the area of the sea inlet into the estuary. Main regularities in the estuary evolution during Holocene and present-day morphological processes in the Thames River mouth area were revealed.     

Deep heterogeneity of the stress state in the horizontal shear zones

The formation structures of brittle destruction in a rock layer above an active strike-slip fault in the crystalline basement is studied. The problem is analyzed from the standpoint of loading history, when after the stage of pure gravitational loading, an additional strain state of uniform horizontal shear of both the layer and underlying basement develops, which is further followed by a vertically nonuniform shear caused by the activation of the deep fault. For the studied object, irreversible fracture deformations on macro- and microlevels arise as early as the initial stage of loading under the action of gravitational stresses. These deformations continue evolving on the megascopic level in the course of horizontal shearing that is quasi-uniform both along the depth and laterally. The final formation of the structural ensemble occurs after a long stage of horizontal displacement of the blocks of the crystalline basement—the stage of localized shear. The theoretical analysis of the evolution of the stress state and morphology of the failure structures established the presence of numerous fractures with the normal dip-slip components in the intermediate-depth part of the rock mass, which are formed at the stages of uniform and localized horizontal shearing. The fractures with a strike-slip component mainly arise in the upper and near-axial deep parts of the section.     

Hydrological and morphological processes at river mouths of the Caspian Sea Region as possible analogs of expected changes of mouths of other rivers in Russia and the world

Present changes in the regime and structure of mouths of rivers, which empty into the Caspian Sea, are discussed. The similarities and differences of these processes at the mouths of different rivers of the Caspian Region were revealed. Assessment was made of the impact of changes in river water runoff and sediment load and in the Caspian Sea level as well as the nearshore zone relief and local hydraulic engineering activities on the processes under study. Anomalous features of the processes occurring at the mouths of the Volga and Terek rivers were revealed and explained. Hydrological and morphological processes typical of the present mouths of the rivers of Ural, Sulak, and Kura were revealed; these processes could be accepted as universal and possible analogs in assessing the expected changes at the mouths of other rivers in Russia and the world in the XXI century.     

Ammonites from the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deshayesites</Emphasis> genus from Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) sediments in the Mountainous Crimea

Stratigraphically important ammonites Deshayesites ex gr. deshayesi (d’Orbigny, 1840), Deshayesites sp. juv., and Paradeshayesites aff. callidiscus [Casey, 1961] from lower Aptian pelagic sediments at the Verkhorech’e Village have been described and depicted. The new finds and revision of previously found ammonites allow the recognition of ammonite zones Deshayesites volgensis and Deshayesites deshayesi in the Southwestern Crimea.     

Crystal Chemistry of Pyroaurite from the Kovdor Pluton,Kola Peninsula,Russia, and the Långban Fe–Mn deposit,Värmland,Sweden

Pyroaurite [Mg₆Fe₂³⁺ (OH)₁₆][(CO₃)(H₂O)] from the Kovdor Pluton on the Kola Peninsula, Russia, and the Långban deposit in Filipstad, Värmland, Sweden were studied with single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, an electron microprobe, and Raman spectroscopy. Both samples are rhombohedral, space group R3?m, a = 3.126(3), c = 23.52(2) Å (Kovdor), and a = 3.1007(9), c = 23.34(1) (Långban). The powder XRD revealed only the 3R polytype. The ratio of di- and trivalent cations M²⁺: M³⁺ was determined as ~3.1–3.2 (Kovdor) and ~3.0 (Långban). The Raman spectroscopy of the Kovdor sample verified hydroxyl groups and/or water molecules in the mineral (absorption bands in the region of 3600–3500 cm^–1) and carbonate groups (absorption bands in the region of 1346–1058 cm^–1). Based on the data obtained, the studied samples should be identified as pyroaurite-3R (hydrotalcite group).     

Deltas as Indicators of Natural and Human-Induced Changes in the Regimes of Rivers and Seas

The way in which the joint action of fluvial and marine factors control delta formation is illustrated by examples of the mouths of rivers discharging into the Black and Mediterranean seas. The processes of active delta out-building under the effect of cold, wet climatic conditions and human-induced erosion in river basins and the processes of sea-wave erosion of deltas under the effect of a significant decrease in the sediment discharge of rivers that was caused by impact of human activities in the second half of the 20th century are discussed.