Seismogenic destruction of the Kamenka medieval fortress, northern Issyk-Kul region, Tien Shan (Kyrgyzstan)

A paleoseismological study of the medieval Kamenka fortress in the northern part of the Issyk-Kul Lake depression, northern Tien Shan in Kyrgyzstan, revealed an oblique slip thrust fault scarp offsetting the fortification walls. This 700 m long scarp is not related to the 1911 Kebin Earthquake (Ms 8.2) fault scarps which are widespread in the region. As analysis of stratigraphy in a paleoseismic trench and archaeological evidence reveal, it can be assigned to a major twelfth century a.d. earthquake which produced up to 4 m of oblique slip thrusting antithetic to that of the nearby dominant faults. The inferred surface rupturing earthquake apparently caused the fortress destruction and was likely the primary reason for its abandonment, not the Mongolian–Tatar invasions as previously thought.     

Seismotectonic models and CN algorithm: The case of Italy

The CN algorithm is utilized here both for the intermediate term earthquake prediction and to validate the seismotectonic model of the Italian territory. Using the results of the analysis, made through the CN algorithm and taking into account the seismotectonic model, three main areas, one for Northern Italy, one for Central Italy and one for Southern Italy, are defined. Two transition areas between the three main areas are delineated. The earthquakes which occurred in these two areas contribute to the precursor phenomena identified by the CN algorithm in each main area.     

Assessing uncertainties in dust emission in the Aral Sea region caused by meteorological fields predicted with a mesoscale model

This study investigates how the choice of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterization and dust emission scheme affects the prediction of dust entrainment simulated with a regional mesoscale model. For this analysis we consider a representative dust episode which occurred on April 2001 in the Aral Sea region. The meteorological fields were simulated using the PSU/NCAR MM5 modeling system considering two different boundary layer parameterizations. In each case, emitted dust fluxes were computed off-line by incorporating MM5 meteorological fields into the dust module DuMo. Several dust emission schemes with a prescribed erodible fraction and fixed threshold wind speed were the subject of our analysis. Implications to assessment of the anthropogenic fraction of dust emitted in the Aral region were investigated by conducting the full, half, and no lake modeling experiments.Our results show that the discrepancies in dust fluxes between the two different PBLs are much higher compared to the discrepancy associated with the use of considered dust production schemes. Furthermore, the choice of the PBL affects the timing and duration of a modeled dust event. We demonstrate that different combinations of the PBL parameterization and wind- or friction velocity-driven dust emission schemes can result in up to about a 50% difference in predicted dust mass caused by the Aral Sea desiccation. We found that the drying-up of the Aral cannot only affect the dust emission by expanding the source area, but also by affecting atmospheric characteristics, especially winds. These competitive factors add further complexity to quantification of the anthropogenic dust fraction in the region.     

Smooth models of overshooting at the base of the solar convective zone

A set of smoothed temperature gradient profiles around overshooting layers at the solar convective zone bottom is considered. In classical local theories of convection the one point defined according to the Schwarzschild criterion is enough to describe a convective boundary. To get a sophisticated picture of the overshooting we use four points to compute the transition overshooting functions. Analyzing the transition gradient profiles we found that the overshooting convective flux may be either positive or negative. A negative overshooting flux appears in nonlocal convective theories and causes a steep temperature gradient profile. But we propose an evenly smoothed gradient which corresponds to a convective flux positive everywhere. To outline the effect of the temperature gradient on the solar oscillations the squared Brunt–Väisälä frequency N ² is calculated. In local convective theories the N ² profile shows the discontinuity of the first derivative at the convective boundary, while all smoothed profiles eliminate the break.     

Transient Electric Field in the Mesosphere above a Γ-shape Lightning Stroke

We describe the space–time distribution of the pulsed electric field in the middle atmosphere above a positive Γ-shaped lightning stroke. The channel of such a discharge contains a vertical and a horizontal section. The current wave moves initially vertically and then turns horizontally so that radiation appears from the vertical electric dipole followed by that from the horizontal dipole. Combined with reflection from the perfectly conducting ground, the source provides three subsequent pulses in the atmosphere, with the lag being determined by the finite velocity of the current wave in the Γ-shaped stroke. The pulses are reproduced by reflections from the air-ground and the air-ionosphere interfaces and the waveform resembles the M-component, which is often noted in the negative strokes (e.g. Yashunin et al., J Geophys Res 112:D10109, 2007). The non-stationary fine structure appears in the spatial distribution of electric field, which persists for 2 ms or even more and exceeds the runaway electron threshold. Estimates support the idea of free electron bunching in the mesosphere by the pulsed electric field. Focusing may occur about 10 km away from the point of electron- field interaction; it is delayed by a few ms from the moment of interaction. The data presented might be helpful in realistic modeling of the red sprite formation.     

B and Li isotopes as intrinsic tracers for injection tests in aquifer storage and recovery systems

Boron and Li isotopes have been tested as environmental tracers of treated sewage injected into a sandy aquifer (Shafdan reclamation project, Israel). During a 38 days injection test in a newly dug injection well, a conservative artificial tracer (Br⁻) was monitored together with δ¹¹B and δ⁷Li in the injectate, in the unsaturated soil zone (porous cup) and an observation well in the aquifer. In spite of B and Li concentrations in the injectate close to background values, significant shifts of the isotope signatures could be observed over the duration of the injection test. Boron isotope ratios show a breakthrough curve delayed with respect to Br⁻ breakthrough due to some reversible sorption on the aquifer material. No isotope fractionation was observed in the unsaturated or the saturated zone so that B isotopes can be considered as conservative in the investigated part of the aquifer system. Lithium isotopes are strongly fractionated, probably due to sorption processes. Lithium concentrations point to a Li sink in the system, δ⁷Li values vary strongly with a tendency of ⁷Li depletion in the liquid phase over the duration of the experiment. This is opposite to the expected preferential sorption of ⁶Li onto clay minerals. Boron isotopes reveals a valuable tracer of artificial recharge of freshwaters derived from treated sewage, both for short term tracer tests and for long-term monitoring of artificial recharge, even if in aquifers with higher clay contents, sorption-linked isotope fractionation cannot be excluded. More data are needed on Li isotope fractionation in natural groundwater systems to assess the potential of this tracer as monitoring tool.     

Determination of the Coronal and Interplanetary Magnetic Field Strength and Radial Profiles from Large-Scale Photospheric Magnetic Fields

We propose a new model for the magnetic field at different distances from the Sun during different phases of the solar cycle. The model depends on the observed large-scale non-polar (\({\pm}\, 55^{\circ }\)) photospheric magnetic field and on the magnetic field measured at polar regions from \(55^{\circ }\) N to \(90^{\circ }\) N and from \(55^{\circ }\) S to \(90^{\circ }\) S, which are the visible manifestations of cyclic changes in the toroidal and poloidal components of the global magnetic field of the Sun. The modeled magnetic field is determined as the superposition of the non-polar and polar photospheric magnetic field and considers cycle variations. The agreement between the model predictions and magnetic fields derived from direct in situ measurements at different distances from the Sun, obtained with different methods and at different solar activity phases, is quite satisfactory. From a comparison of the magnetic fields as observed and calculated from the model at 1 AU, we conclude that the model magnetic field variations adequately explain the main features of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) radial, \(B_{\mathrm{x}}\), component cycle evolution at Earth’s orbit. The modeled magnetic field averaged over a Carrington rotation (CR) correlates with the IMF \(B_{\mathrm{x}}\) component also averaged over a CR at Earth’s orbit with a coefficient of 0.691, while for seven CR-averaged data, the correlation reaches 0.81. The radial profiles of the modeled magnetic field are compared with those of already existing models. In contrast to existing models, ours provides realistic magnetic-field radial distributions over a wide range of heliospheric distances at different cycle phases, taking into account the cycle variations of the solar toroidal and poloidal magnetic fields. The model is a good approximation of the cycle behavior of the magnetic field in the heliosphere. In addition, the decrease in the non-polar and polar photospheric magnetic fields is shown. Furthermore, the magnetic field during solar cycle maxima and minima decreased from Cycle 21 to Cycle 24. This implies that both the toroidal and poloidal components, and therefore the solar global magnetic field, decreased from Cycle 21 to Cycle 24.     

Opposition polarimetry and photometry of S- and E-type asteroids

The first results of the observational program devoted to simultaneous investigation of asteroid polarimetric and photometric opposition phenomena are presented. UBVRI polarimetric and V-band photometric observations of the S-type Asteroid 20 Massalia and the E-type Asteroids 214 Aschera and 620 Drakonia were carried out in 1996-1999 down to phase angles of 0.08°, 0.7°, and 1.2°, correspondingly. The S-type Asteroid 20 Massalia is characterized by the pronounced brightness opposition surge with an amplitude larger than that observed for the E-type asteroids. A sharp peak of negative polarization at small phase angles was not observed for this asteroid. The value of polarization degree at phase angle α<1° is less than 0.5% for both S and E types. The negative polarization branches of S and especially E-asteroids have an asymmetrical shape. The phase angle at which the polarization minimum occurs is close to the angle at which non-linear increase begins in the asteroid magnitude phase curves. A relation of the observed effects to the mechanism of coherent backscattering is discussed.     

Robotic optical telescopes global network MASTER II. Equipment, structure, algorithms

Presented paper describes the basic principles and features of the implementation of a robotic network of optical telescopes MASTER, designed to study the prompt (simultaneous with gamma radiation) optical emission of gamma-ray bursts and to perform the sky survey to detect unknown objects and transient phenomena. With joint efforts of Sternberg astronomical institute, High altitude astronomical station of the Pulkovo observatory, Ural state university, Irkutsk state university, Blagoveshchensk pedagogical university, the robotic telescopes MASTER?II near Kislovodsk, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk and Blagoveshchensk were installed and tested. The network spread over the longitudes is greater than 6?h. A further expansion of the network is considered.