Heat Fluxes in Collisionless Magnetohydrodynamic Shock Waves

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - Properties of solutions for parallel magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) shock waves in collisionless plasma with heat fluxes obtained in the 8-moment MHD approximation are...     

Past sedimentation rates and environments of the Mendeleev Rise inferred from Sr isotope and δ18O chemostratigraphy of its Late Cenozoic sediments

Doklady Earth Sciences - Multiproxy investigation of sediment core AF-0731 from the Mendeleev Rise revealed several epochs of high bioproductivity corresponding to climate amelioration and surface...     

Composition and Formation Conditions of Neoproterozoic Phosphorites in the Middle Urals

Lithology and Mineral Resources - Phosphorite breccias compose a 6-m-thick member in the Vendian terrigenous Kernos Formation in the basin of the Mezhevaya Utka and Sylvitsa rivers (Middle Urals)....     

On the long-period evolution of the sun-synchronous orbits

The dynamic evolution of sun-synchronous orbits at a time interval of 20 years is considered. The numerical motion simulation has been carried out using the Celestial Mechanics software package developed at the Institute of Astronomy of the University of Bern. The dependence of the dynamic evolution on the initial value of the ascending node longitude is examined for two families of sun-synchronous orbits with altitudes of 751 and 1191 km. Variations of the semimajor axis and orbit inclination are obtained depending on the initial value of the ascending node longitude. Recommendations on the selection of orbits, in which spent sun-synchronous satellites can be moved, are formulated. Minimal changes of elements over a time interval of 20 years have been observed for orbits in which at the initial time the angle between the orbit ascending node and the direction of the Sun measured along the equator have been close to 90° or 270°. In this case, the semimajor axis of the orbit is not experiencing secular perturbations arising from the satellite’s passage through the Earth’s shadow.     

Nickelpicromerite,K<Subscript>2</Subscript>Ni(SO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>•6H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O,a new picromerite-group mineral from Slyudorudnik,South Urals,Russia

A new picromerite-group mineral, nickelpicromerite, K₂Ni(SO₄)₂?·?6H₂O (IMA 2012–053), was found at the Vein #169 of the Ufaley quartz deposit, near the town of Slyudorudnik, Kyshtym District, Chelyabinsk area, South Urals, Russia. It is a supergene mineral that occurs, with gypsum and goethite, in the fractures of slightly weathered actinolite-talc schist containing partially vermiculitized biotite and partially altered sulfides: pyrrhotite, pentlandite, millerite, pyrite and marcasite. Nickelpicromerite forms equant to short prismatic or tabular crystals up to 0.07 mm in size and anhedral grains up to 0.5 mm across, their clusters or crusts up to 1 mm. Nickelpicromerite is light greenish blue. Lustre is vitreous. Mohs hardness is 2–2½. Cleavage is distinct, parallel to {10–2}. D _meas is 2.20(2), D _calc is 2.22 g cm^?3. Nickelpicromerite is optically biaxial (+), α?=?1.486(2), β?=?1.489(2), γ?=?1.494(2), 2V_meas =75(10)°, 2V_calc =76°. The chemical composition (wt.%, electron-microprobe data) is: K₂O 20.93, MgO 0.38, FeO 0.07, NiO 16.76, SO₃ 37.20, H₂O (calc.) 24.66, total 100.00. The empirical formula, calculated based on 14 O, is: K_1.93Mg_0.04Ni_0.98S_2.02O_8.05(H₂O)_5.95. Nickelpicromerite is monoclinic, P2₁/c, a?=?6.1310(7), b?=?12.1863(14), c?=?9.0076(10) Å, β?=?105.045(2)°, V?=?649.9(1) ų, Z?=?2. Eight strongest reflections of the powder XRD pattern are [d,Å-I(hkl)]: 5.386–34(110); 4.312–46(002); 4.240–33(120); 4.085–100(012, 10–2); 3.685–85(031), 3.041–45(040, 112), 2.808–31(013, 20–2, 122), 2.368–34(13–3, 21–3, 033). Nickelpicromerite (single-crystal X-ray data, R?=?0.028) is isostructural to other picromerite-group minerals and synthetic Tutton’s salts. Its crystal structure consists of [Ni(H₂O)₆]²⁺ octahedra linked to (SO₄)^2? tetrahedra via hydrogen bonds. K⁺ cations are coordinated by eight anions. Nickelpicromerite is the product of alteration of primary sulfide minerals and the reaction of the acid Ni-sulfate solutions with biotite.     

X-ray study of the graphite-bearing rocks from the Pestpaksha ore occurrence and structural features of graphite

Graphite-bearing rocks and graphites from the Precambrian metamorphic sequence of the Pestpaksha ore occurrence, Murmansk district, have been studied by the X-ray method. It was determined that the rocks have a complex polycomponent composition. Graphite is associated with garnet-quartz, pyroxene-amphibole, and biotite-quartz with an admixture of pyrrhotite, kyanite, chlorite, and other minerals. In terms of mineral composition, the studied samples are subdivided into five groups. The structural characteristics of graphite—parameters a ₀ and c ₀, the degree of structural perfection (U), the content of rhombohedral phase (R), and others—were found to be different for each group. The U value varies from 1.04 to 1.56 (with predominant values from 1.4 to 1.5), while the content of rhombohedral phase in samples is no more than 18%. This fact indicates a relatively high 3D order, which is typical of graphites from metamorphic rocks. Graphites from metasomatites have the lowest U value, while those from weathering zones are characterized by a small value of the coherent scattering domain (CSD). It was established that interplanar spacing d ₀₀₂ of graphite correlates with depth, while the degree of ductility and flexibility of the graphite is defined by conditions of its retrograde metamorphism.     

Space research of the Sun: Current state and prospects

This paper is a review of the current state and prospects of space research into the Sun, which plays an important role in solar-terrestrial physics studies. We present the most significant results obtained by spacecraft for different fields of solar physics-from the interior to the corona. Goals and tasks of solar space projects under development or consideration are briefly discussed.     

Orbital monitoring of the ionosphere and abnormal phenomena by the small Vulkan-Compass-2 satellite

Natural disasters, the processes of their origin and large-scale technogenic catastrophes are accompanied by anomalous physical phenomena in near-Earth space (NES). In order to reveal such phenomena, record and investigate them, complex NES monitoring is required with the use of specially designed research equipment onboard a low-orbiting spacecraft. This work presents the results of flight tests of the small Vulkan-Compass-2 satellite with research equipment specially designed for orbital monitoring of the ionosphere and search for abnormal phenomena caused by large-scale catastrophes of different nature.