Analysis of currents near the Sakhalin southeastern coast from instrumental measurements

Field experimental materials on the sea current measurements, carried out by the Sakhalin Research Institute for Fishery and Oceanography in September–December 2004 near the Sakhalin southeastern coast, are analyzed. The experiment included the installation of two coastal and one more remote autonomous buoy stations. The tidal flows in this region, unlike those on the northeastern shelf of the island, are relatively small and do not play a significant role in the dynamics of the coastal zone. The character of currents at coastal stations is determined primarily by their response to the wind effect. In particular, significant water temperature falls of 6–8°C, observed from 2–3 days to a week, are indicative of coastal upwelling induced by the wind. During the passage of a deep cyclone that caused a storm wave 1 m high, the flow velocity at coastal stations increased up to 1.5 knots. At a more remote station, in the region of Cape Svobodnyi, the flow character was determined by the East Sakhalin Current, whose autumn intensification was observed in the second ten-day period of October. It manifested itself in a sharp intensification of the flow, directed southward and southeastward throughout the entire water column, which practically was not pronounced at the coastal stations.     

Unusual rotation modes of minor planetary satellites

An analysis of the character of the possible dynamics of all hitherto known planetary satellites shows two satellites—Amalthea (J5) and Prometheus (S16)—to have the most unusual structure of the phase space of possible rotational motion. These are the only satellites whose phase space of planar rotation may host synchronous resonances of three different kinds: the α resonance, the β resonance, and a mode corresponding to the period doubling bifurcation of the α resonance. We analyze the stability of these states against the tilt of the rotational axis.     

On the elemental composition of suspended matter of the Severnaya Dvina River (White Sea region)

New data on the elemental composition of the Severnaya Dvina River, the largest one in the White Sea region, are presented. The elemental composition of the river water in May, the period of the snowmelt flood, is similar to the upper layer of the Earth’s continental crust due to the active erosion of the earth material in the catchment area. In August, the period of the summer low water, the impact of biogenic components increases and elevated concentrations of Cd, Sb, Mn, Zn, Pb, and Cu are observed. At other times, no significant pollution by heavy and rare-earth elements is registered.     

Streamflow of Russian Rivers under Current and Forecasted Climate Changes: A Review of Publications. 1. Assessment of Changes in the Water Regime of Russian Rivers by Observation Data

Water Resources - Publications on changes in river water regime in Russia under the conditions of current climate changes are reviewed. Most recent generalizations of such publications are...     

Systematics of REE,Sc, Cr,Zr, and Th in Surface Bottom Sediments of the Nordic Seas

Doklady Earth Sciences - The systematics of REE, Sc, Cr, Zr, and Th in silty-pelitic and pelitic surface bottom sediments sampled during cruises 71, 75, 77, and 80 of the R/V Akademik Mstislav...     

Gray Silts of the Volga Reservoir Cascade: Main Features of Geochemistry

Lithology and Mineral Resources - The main geochemical characteristics of gray silts of the Volga Reservoir cascade are discussed. Together with sandy varieties, they occupy more than 60% of the...     

Low phase angle effects in photometry of trans-neptunian objects: 20000 Varuna and 19308 (1996 TO66)

We present the results of photometric observations of trans-neptunian object 20000 Varuna, which were obtained during 7 nights in November 2004-February 2005. The analysis of new and available photometric observations of Varuna reveals a pronounced opposition surge at phase angles less than 0.1 deg with amplitude of 0.2 mag relatively to the extrapolation of the linear part of magnitude-phase dependence to zero phase angle. The opposition surge of Varuna is markedly different from that of dark asteroids while quite typical for moderate albedo Solar System bodies. We find an indication of variations of the scattering properties over Varuna's surface that could result in an increase of the lightcurve amplitude toward zero phase angle. It is shown that a similar phase effect can be responsible for lightcurve changes found for TNO 19308 (1996 TO₆₆) in 1997-1999.     

The F-type asteroids with small inversion angles of polarization

UBVRI polarimetric observations carried out in 1997-2004 for the F-type Asteroids 302 Clarissa, 419 Aurelia, 704 Interamnia, and 762 Pulcova (V band only) are presented. Asteroid 419 Aurelia is characterized by a negative polarization branch which is unusual for low-albedo asteroids. Its depth is about 1%, while the inversion angle, close to 14°, reaches the smallest value ever observed for asteroids. This is the first definite example of a minor body exhibiting a considerable decrease of both the depth and width of the negative polarization branch in comparison with polarization properties of other low-albedo bodies, mimicking a behavior previously found in laboratory measurements of extremely dark surfaces. The F-type Asteroids 302 Clarissa and 704 Interamnia are also characterized by unusually small inversion angles compared to other asteroid types, while Asteroid 762 Pulcova seems to have an ordinary negative polarization branch. Laboratory measurements of low-albedo samples and computer simulations of light scattering by particles of irregular shapes were made to interpret observational data. We find that an optical homogeneity of regolith microstructure at scales of the order of visible light wavelengths may be responsible for relatively small values of the depth of the negative polarization branch and of the inversion angle. Peculiar features of the F-type asteroids compared to other taxonomic classes are discussed.