Geoinformational Mapping of Landscapes in the Northwestern Part of Western Siberia Using the Hansen Mosaic Dataset

Presented are the technique and results of studying the landscape structure of the north-west of Western Siberia on the basis of the Hansen mosaic dataset consisting of elements covering the entire territory of the Earth. To study this area used a synthesis of classical methods of thematic system mapping as described in the doctrine of geosystems of V. B. Sochava, and automated interpretation of remote sensing data and mapping using GIS technologies. The method of geoinformational mapping of the landscape structure with the use of MultiSpec and Quantum GIS software programs for the purpose of drawing up real-time raster landscape maps is shown. In drawing up the map and the legend, the principle of geomic system-hierarchical representation of the territory as a complex multi-level “bottom-up” structure from topological-level geosystems (groups and classes of landscape facies) to regional-level geosystems (geoms, groups and classes of geoms) was used. Compilation of operational raster landscape maps of the north-west of Western Siberia involved multilevel automated interpretation of the Hansen mosaic dataset and mapping of areas (clusters) on images with different brightness characteristics, with the landscape structure of key areas and stationary physical and geographical profiles. A characteristic of this approach also implies using a dynamic classification of geosystems based on the study of their variable states. Such an approach permits a monitoring of changes in landscape structure and its areas and the intensity of anthropogenic impacts on forest and marsh landscapes, and determination of permissible pressure on geosystems in areas with high technogenic pressure of the oil and gas complex represented by the north-west of Siberia. An automated processing of data based on a supervised classification of territorial objects allows for the elimination of inaccuracies arising in visual image interpretation. Raster landscape maps can be used both for a further generation of vector maps and as a real-time information base for purposes of environmental management and protection.     

The impact of binary-star yields on the spectra of galaxies

One of the complexities in modelling integrated spectra of stellar populations is the effect of interacting binary stars besides Type Ia supernovae (SNeIa). These include common envelope systems, cataclysmic variables, novae, and are usually ignored in models predicting the chemistry and spectral absorption line strengths in galaxies. In this paper, predictions of chemical yields from populations of single and binary stars are incorporated into a galactic chemical evolution model to explore the significance of the effects of these other binary yields. Effects on spectral line strengths from different progenitor channels of SNeIa are also explored. Small systematic effects are found when the yields from binaries, other than SNeIa, are included, for a given star formation history. These effects are, at present, within the observational uncertainties on the line strengths. More serious differences can arise in considering different types of SNIa models, their rates and contributions.     

GEOELECTRIC MODELS IN ENGINEERING GEOPHYSICS*

Man's engineering activities are concentrated on the uppermost part of the earth's crust which is called engineering-geologic zone. This zone is characterized by a significant spatialtemporal variation of the physical properties status of rocks, and saturating waters. This variation determines the specificity of geophysical and, particularly, geoelectrical investigations. Planning of geoelectric investigations in the engineering-geologic zone and their subsequent interpretation requires a priori) geologic-geophysical information on the main peculiarities of the engineering-geologic and hydrogeologic conditions in the region under investigation. This information serves as a basis for the creation of an initial geoelectric model of the section. Following field investigations the model is used in interpretation. Formalization of this a priori) model can be achieved by the solution of direct geoelectric problems. An additional geologic-geophysical information realized in the model of the medium allows to diminish the effect of the “principle of equivalence” by introducing flexible limitations in the section's parameters. Further geophysical observations as well as the correlations between geophysical and engineering-geologic parameters of the section permit the following step in the specification of the geolectric model and its approximation to the real medium. Next correction of this model is made upon accumulation of additional information. The solution of inverse problems with the utilization of computer programs permits specification of the model in the general iterational cycle of interpretation.     

Untersuchungen zur Einzel- und Gemischadsorption von Phenolen an Aktivkohlen. Teil 3: Zur pH-Abhängigkeit der Adsorptionsgleichgewichte

In order to describe the adsorption of dissociating substances, initially the adsorption isotherms for the borderline cases of undissociated and dissociated substances are experimentally determined. With the aid of the Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAS Theory) then the calculation is successfully performed for pH-values at which both forms are present side by side. As examples, the systems phenol/activated carbon and p-chlorophenol/activated carbon are examined, and they show a good agreement between calculation and measurement.     

MAXIPOL: a balloon-borne experiment for measuring the polarization anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation

We discuss MAXIPOL, a bolometric balloon-borne experiment designed to measure the E-mode polarization anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) on angular scales of 10^′ to 2°. MAXIPOL is the first CMB experiment to collect data with a polarimeter that utilizes a rotating half-wave plate and fixed wire-grid polarizer. We present the instrument design, elaborate on the polarimeter strategy and show the instrument performance during flight with some time domain data. Our primary dataset was collected during a 26 h turnaround flight that was launched from the National Scientific Ballooning Facility in Ft. Sumner, New Mexico in May 2003. During this flight five regions of the sky were mapped. Data analysis is in progress.     

Effect of Gravity Waves on Transport Process in Stellar Radiative Region

The aim of this work is to present a transport process which is likely to have a great importance for the internal constitution of the stars. In order to set the problem, we first give a short presentation of the physical properties of the Sun and stars, described usually under the names of `Standard Solar Model' or `Standard Stellar Models' (SSM). Next we show that an important question about SSM is that they do not explain the age dependance of lithium deficiency of stars of known age: stars of galactic clusters and the Sun. It has been suggested a long time ago to assume the presence of a macrosocpic diffusion process in the radiative zone, below the surface convective zone of solar like stars. It is then possible for the lithium present in the convective zone to be carried to the thermonuclear burning level below the convective zone. The first assumption was that differential rotation generates turbulence and therefore that a turbulent diffusion process takes place. However, this model predicts a lithium abundance which is strongly rotation dependant, contrary to the observations. Furthermore, the diffusion coefficient being large all over the radiative zone, it prevents the possibility of gravitational separation by diffusion and consequently leads to an impossibility of explaining the difference of helium abundance between the surface and the center of the Sun. The consequence is obviously that we need to take into account another physical process. Stars having a mass M < 1.3 M _⊙ have a convective zone which begins close to the stellar surface and extends down to a depth which is an appreciable fraction of stellar radius. In the convective zone, strong stochastic motions take care, at least partially, of heat transfer. These motions do not vanish at the lower boundary and generate internal waves into the radiative zone. These random internal waves are at the origin of a diffusion process which can be considered as responsible of the diffusive transport of lithium down to the lithium burning level. This is certainly not the only physical process responsible of lithium deficiency in main sequence stars, but its properties open the way to a completely consistent analysis of lithium deficiency. The model of generation of gravity waves is based on a model of heat transport in the convective zone by diving plumes. The horizontal component of the turbulent motion at the boundary of the convective zone is supposed to generate the horizontal motion of internal waves. The result is a large horizontal component of the diffusion coefficient, which produces in a short time an horizontal uniform chemical composition. It is known that gravity waves, in the absence of any dissipative process, cannot generate vertical mixing. Therefore, the vertical component of the diffusion coefficient is entirely dependant of radiative damping. It decreases quickly in the radiative zone, but is large enough to be responsible of lithium burning. Due to the radial dependance of velocity amplitude, the diffusion coeficient increases when approaching the stellar center. However, very close to the center, non-linear dissipative and radiative damping of internal waves become large and the diffusion coefficient vanishes at the very center. The development of this abstract can be found in E. Schatzman (1996, J. Fluid Mech. 322, 355). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.