Geophysical investigations on manned spacecrafts

Summary Review has been made of the first results and perspectives of investigations in geophysics and bordering sciences (geology, geography, agrobiology, etc.) by means of manned orbital space laboratories. Relatively detailed discussion is given to the problems of the interpretation of terrain feature pictures from space. Attentively considered are the technique and results of the photometric processing of atmospheric photographs near the horizon with the purpose of studying atmospheric optical non-homogeneities (in particular, aerosol layers). The possible investigations based on the use of data about the outgoing radiation spectra are mentioned. (, , .) . . ( , ) . .     

On the maintenance of the atmosphere's kinetic energy over the Northern Hemisphere in winter

Summary A quantitative study of the balance requirements of the atmosphere's kinetic energy during normal winter conditions is made for the whole Northern Hemisphere and separately for the tropics (0–30°N) and the extratropics (30–90°N) by using different sources of data. The most important new finding is a demonstration of the existence (on the isobaric surfaces) of meridional eddy flux of potential energy; this flux approximately counterbalances the meridional flux of kinetic energy. One of the conclusions reached is that maintenance of the large-scale eddies in the tropics is mainly due to forcing by extratropical eddies. This forcing occurs at 30°N as a southward eddy flux of potential energy.     

The expansion of clusters of particles under the action of atmospheric macroturbulence

Summary Making use of a 500 mb numerical forecast some problems of atmospheric large-scale diffusion are investigated. The expansion of various sets of clusters of particles is compared with the predictions based on the similarity theory of homogeneous turbulence. The spreading rates were in the beginning of the period of the forecast in a good agreement with the theoretical prediction, but later on they fell to the values considerable smaller than the predicted ones. The reasons of such behaviour are discussed. Furthermore the difference in zonal and meridional expansion of the clusters is demonstrated, the zonal expansion rates being more than one order of magnitude greater than the meridional ones.This work is part of the research on atmospheric macroturbulence, which has been sponsored partly by the Cambridge Research Laboratories, O.A.R. through the European Office, Aerospace Research, USAF.     

Cu (II) removal intensification using Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles under inert gas and magnetic field in a microchannel

In the present study, Cu (II) ions removal from aqueous solution was intensified by exciting magnetic nanoparticles under inert gas, magnetic field and combination of these two mixing methods in a T-type microchannel. The flow patterns and liquid–liquid two-phase mass transfer were studied in three different magnet distances from mixing channel (3, 6 and 10 mm) and also in the presence of different inert gas flow rates (1, 3 and 5 mL/min). Depending on the mixing method and the flow rate of both phases, several distinct flow patterns were observed including slugs, droplet, parallel and dispersed flows. The performances of mixing techniques for mass transfer enhancement based on relative removal efficiency ratio (λ) and mass transfer coefficient ratio (γ) were compared with simple layout (without nanoparticles, magnetic field and inert gas). The results showed that simultaneous using of inert gas and magnetic field can drive the nanoparticles as mixer. Liquid–liquid mass transfer with 27–62% enhancement in E and 235–285% in K _L a compared with plain one was observed.     

Paleoproterozoic accretion in the Northeast Siberian craton: Isotopic dating of the Anabar collision system

Geochronological database considered in the work and characterizing the Anabar collision system in the Northeast Siberian craton includes coordinated results of Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr dating of samples from crustal xenoliths in kimberlites, deep drill holes, and bedrock outcrops. As is inferred, collision developed in three stages dated at 2200–2100, 1940–1760, and 1710–1630 Ma. The age of 2000–1960 Ma is established for substratum of mafic rocks, which probably originated during the lower crust interaction with asthenosphere due to the local collapse of the collision prism. Comparison of Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isochron dates shows that the system cooling from ≈700 to ≈300°C lasted approximately 300 m.y. with a substantial lag relative to collision metamorphism and granite formation. It is assumed that accretion of the Siberian craton resulted in formation of a giant collision mountainous structure of the Himalayan type that was eroded by 1.65 Ga ago, when accumulation of gently dipping Meso-to Neoproterozoic (Riphean) platform cover commenced.     

Analysis of the color variability of ON 231 in 1994–2002

We analyze multicolor observations of the blazar ON 231 obtained during coordinated observations in 1994–2002. On average, the spectral energy distribution of the variable component in the optical range remains constant, and can be represented by the power law F _ν ∼ ν ^−0.85. Since the radiation of the blazar is strongly polarized, there is no doubt that the variable emission that is responsible for the activity of the blazar is synchrotron radiation. There are small but significant season-to-season variations in the spectral index.     

Passive ocean acoustic tomography

The possibility to apply natural acoustic ocean noise in the ocean and noise of distant vessels as sounding signals in order to determine the physical parameters of a water layer is considered in this paper. We developed the methods making it possible to suppress the non-diffuse components of noise produced, e.g., by local vessels and to account for hydrophone motion. These methods are applied to the noise records obtained in the course of a year-long experiment on long-range sound propagation in the Pacific Ocean. We confirmed experimentally our theoretical predictions as to the possibility of retrieving deterministic acoustic ray travel times in a nonuniform environment from a mutual correlation function of imperfectly diffuse (gradually anisotropic and spatially nonuniform) noise without invoking any data on its source. We performed passive measurements of sound velocity in the ocean with a relative error of about 0.1% by correlation of noise fields recorded with vertical aerials. This accuracy approaches that needed for oceanological applications. Further investigations are necessary to study the feasibility of passive acoustic tomography and thermometry in the ocean at distances of tens and hundreds of kilometers and the possibility to use simpler arrays not equipped with hydrophone positioning systems.     

Sequence of geologic events in the central and northeastern parts of the Lapland Granulite Belt: Isotopic geochemical zircon data and results of geological-petrological studies

Geological and petrological studies of rocks were conducted to reproduce the succession of endogenic processes in the central and northeastern parts of the Lapland Granulite Belt along the course of the Lotta River. Mineralogical-geochemical data on zircon from these rocks (the anatomy of zircon crystals seen in BSE and CL imagery; U, Th, Hf, and Y concentrations; and REE patterns) and their crystallization temperatures (calculated using the Ti concentration) make it possible to correlate the newly obtained geochronologic data with the sequence of metamorphic events inferred from petrological data. Three major episodes of enderbite-forming processes are distinguished: (i) early episode at 1.99 Ga, (ii) main episode at 1.940–1.925 Ga; and (iii) late episode at 1.89 Ga. The early medium-pressure metamorphic episode is dated at 1.97–1.96 Ga. The diatexis of the quartz-feldspar granulites with the derivation of garnet plagioclase leucogranites took place at 1.917–1.909 Ga.