Some questions of the night-time ionospheric E region formation in middle latitudes

An attempt is made to analyse known experimental data on electron density and ion composition of the night-time ionosphere; the main ideas on the night-time E region ionization source are considered; the role of dynamic processes in the irregular structure formation of the night-time ionospheric E region is discussed.     

Transposed Climates for Study of Water Supply Variability on the Laurentian Great Lakes

Hydrological models of the Great Lakes basin were used to study the sensitivity of Great Lakes water supplies to climate warming by driving them with meteorological data from four U.S. climate zones that were transposed to the basin. Widely different existing climates were selected for transposition in order to identify thresholds of change where major impacts on water supplies begin to occur and whether there are non-linear responses in the system. The climate zones each consist of 43 years of daily temperature and precipitation data for 1,000 or more stations and daily evaporation-related variables (temperature, wind speed, humidity, cloud cover) for approximately 20–35 stations. A key characteristic of these selected climates was much larger variability in inter-annual precipitation than currently experienced over the Great Lakes. Climate data were adjusted to simulate lake effects; however, a comparison of hydrologic results with and without lake effects showed that there was only minor effects on water supplies.     

The ionospheric effects in D-layer and solar proton precipitation zones during the 16 February 1984 event

The results of the geophysical and VLF (10–16 kHz) radio propagation measurements on the net of observatories during the solar proton event on 16 February 1984 are analysed. It is shown that the abnormal ionization region caused by solar protons consisted of two parts. One of them was the direct access zone in the middle and morning side of the polar cap, the other was the precipitation region of the quasi-trapped particles in the mid-day and evening sectors of the auroral zone. The probable profiles of the lower ionosphere electron density are determined from the VLF and satellite data of the energetic spectra at the maximum penetration. It is shown that the effective electron concentration at the height 45 km was close to 10³ cm⁻³.     

Safety-enhanced, high-rate, nonmagnetic lithium D-size cells foroceanographic and naval use

Tests were conducted to determine the performance and safety characteristics of specially designed, nonmagnetic Li/BrCl in SOCl₂ (Li/BCX) and Li/Cl₂ in SO₂Cl₂ (Li/CSC) battery cells. Discharge tests showed that D-size battery cells yield energy densities of 1.07 Wh/cc³ at currents of 0.17 A. The combination of high energy density and nonmagnetic properties allows smaller, lighter battery packs to be placed in close proximity to guidance systems without magnetic interference to the navigational systems. The safety testing results indicate that these systems possess explosion resistance and other characteristics necessary for a variety of applications     

East Atlantic oscillation of the atmospheric circulation

For the period 1950–2007, the comparison is made between the indices of the East Atlantic and North Atlantic oscillations and between the features of the atmospheric circulation and temperature regime of the Atlantic-European region connected with various combinations of indices. The analysis is made for the factors which have caused long difference in indices in 1996–2007 and for possible causes of anomalously warm winter in Europe in 2006–2007.     

Preparing Geographers for Interdisciplinary Research: Graduate Training at the Interface of the Natural and Social Sciences

Recent debates about the state of geography raise valuable questions about how the discipline can and should change in response to shifting institutional realities. Focusing on the breadth and interdisciplinarity of geography, these discussions often overlook the role of pedagogy—particularly graduate training—in adapting the discipline to new institutional landscapes. Drawing on experiences as current and recent geography doctoral students, we identify institutional seedlings of opportunity that can be cultivated toward a spectrum of alternative doctoral training models. These alternatives offer significant opportunities to better prepare early-career geographers for success and to solidify geography's position as a leader in interdisciplinary research.     

Laboratory investigations of the thermal strain of frozen soils, using fiber-optic strain gauges based on Bragg gratings

Measurements of the thermal deformations of frozen soil samples were performed in the cold laboratory in temperature range from 0°C to-12°C.Fiber Bragg Gratings strain and temperature sensors were used to measure the deformation and temperature inside the samples.A number of tests with the samples prepared from Kaolin and Cambrian clay saturated with fresh water,and prepared from fine and silt sand saturated with fresh or saline water,are performed.Thermal deformations of the samples are analyzed depending on the cyclic changes of their temperature.     

MTBE, TBA, and TAME Attenuation in Diverse Hyporheic Zones

Groundwater contamination by fuel-related compounds such as the fuel oxygenates methyl tert -butyl ether (MTBE), tert -butyl alcohol (TBA), and tert -amyl methyl ether (TAME) presents a significant issue to managers and consumers of groundwater and surface water that receives groundwater discharge. Four sites were investigated on Long Island, New York, characterized by groundwater contaminated with gasoline and fuel oxygenates that ultimately discharge to fresh, brackish, or saline surface water. For each site, contaminated groundwater discharge zones were delineated using pore water geochemistry data from 15 feet (4.5 m) beneath the bottom of the surface water body in the hyporheic zone and seepage-meter tests were conducted to measure discharge rates. These data when combined indicate that MTBE, TBA, and TAME concentrations in groundwater discharge in a 5-foot (1.5-m) thick section of the hyporheic zone were attenuated between 34% and 95%, in contrast to immeasurable attenuation in the shallow aquifer during contaminant transport between 0.1 and 1.5 miles (0.1 to 2.4 km). The attenuation observed in the hyporheic zone occurred primarily by physical processes such as mixing of groundwater and surface water. Biodegradation also occurred as confirmed in laboratory microcosms by the mineralization of U- ¹⁴C-MTBE and U-¹⁴C-TBA to ¹⁴CO₂ and the novel biodegradation of U- ¹⁴C-TAME to ¹⁴CO₂ under oxic and anoxic conditions. The implication of fuel oxygenate attenuation observed in diverse hyporheic zones suggests an assessment of the hyporheic zone attenuation potential (HZAP) merits inclusion as part of site assessment strategies associated with monitored or engineered attenuation.