Methods and results of monitoring of the natural telluric field in the Baikal rift zone

Variations in horizontal and vertical components of the telluric field are studied within the range of periods from a few tens of seconds to diurnal and longer variations. Variations caused by an external ionospheric source are used for studying the geoelectric heterogeneity of the medium. For this purpose, an electric tipper is introduced by analogy with the geomagnetic field and its frequency response is examined. The magnetotelluric impedance is studied using data of remote geomagnetic observatories. According to the data of monitoring of the electric tipper and magnetotelluric impedance, anomalous effects are revealed that can be related to earthquakes with K ≥ 12. A method is developed for the extraction of electric field anomalies produced by intraterrestrial electric sources.     

The deep structure of the southern kamchatka volcanic zone from geophysical data

We discuss the interpretation method and results of magnetotelluric soundings in combination with other geological and geophysical data. The interpretation method was developed by studying possible distortions in MTS curves using 3D-numerical modeling of the magnetotelluric field. Deep conductivity was studied by using longitudinal MTS curves below a period of 400 s, which are nearly unaffected by the induction effect due to marine electrical currents. Transverse curves were used to obtain more detail for the geoelectric model. Inversion of average longitudinal MTS curves resulted in a geoelectric section of the lithosphere down to a depth of 60 km. Anomalies of high conductivity in the lithosphere were detected and were found to produce certain effects in gravity and seismic velocities. MTS and seismic tomography data were used to determine the possible origin of the high conductivity anomaly and to estimate rock porosity and the concentration of magma melts.     

Anomalies in the electric field and electric conductivity of the Earth’s crust in relation to the Kultuk Earthquake on Lake Baikal

We analyze the variations in the horizontal and vertical components of the Earth??s electromagnetic field measured at nine points onshore along the southern part of Lake Baikal. It is found that variations with a period of a few tens of seconds have decayed 20 minutes before the earthquake. This is a regional effect. It is observed in the variations of the horizontal magnetic field. The intensity of the effect in the electric field is site-specific, which is due to the nonuniform distribution of electric conductivity in a medium, as revealed by the deep magnetotelluric sounding. The electric field also experiences a coseismic variation associated with the seismic wave. This effect is stronger pronounced in the vertical electric field. The bay-like anomalies that precede and accompany the Kultuk earthquake are revealed in the electric field of intraterrestrial origin and in the behavior of the electric tipper. These anomalies are concurrent with the rise of the ground water level in the borehole. The probable nature of the revealed anomalies is discussed.     

Solar radiation scattered in the Venus atmosphere: The Venera 11,12 data

Results of the scattered solar radiation spectrum measurements made deep in the Venus atmosphere by the Venera 11 and 12 descent probes are presented. The instrument had two channels: spectrometric (to measure downward radiation in the range 0.45 < γ < 1.17 μm) and photometric (four filters and circular angle scanning in an almost vertical plane). Spectra and angular scans were made in the height range from 63 km above the planet surface. The integral flux of solar radiation is 90 ± 12 W m^?2 measured on the surface at the subsolar point. The mean value of surface absorbed radiation flux per planetary unit area is 17.5 ± 2.3 W m^?2. For Venera 11 and 12 landing sites the atmospheric absorbed radiation flux is ～15 W m^?2 for H >; 43 km and ～45 W m^?2 for H < 48 km in the range 0.45 to 1.55 μm. At the landing sites of the two probes the investigated portion of the cloud layer has almost the same structure: it consists of three parts with boundaries between them at about 51 and 57 km. The base of clouds is near 48 km above the surface. The optical depth of the cloud layer (below 63 km) in the range 0.5 to 1 μm does not depend on the wavelength and is ～29 and ～38 for the Venera 11 and 12 landing sites, respectively. The single-scattering albedo, ω₀, in the clouds is very close to 1 outside the absorption bands. Below 58 km the parameter (1 ? ω₀) is <10^?3 for 0.49 and 0.7 μm. The parameter (1 ? ω₀) obviously increases above 60 km. Below 48 km some aerosol is present. The optical depth here is a strong function of wavelength. It varies from 1.5 to 3 at λ = 0.49 μm and from 0.13 to 0.4 at 1.0 μm. The mean size of particles below the cloud deck is about 0.1 μm. Below 35 km true absorption was found at λ < 0.55 μm with the (1 ? ω₀) maximum at H ≈ 15 km. The wavelength and height dependence of the absorption coefficient are compatible with the assumption that sulfur with a mixing ratio ～2 × 10^?8 normalized to S₂ molecules is the absorber. The upper limits of the mixing ratio for Cl₂, Br₂, and NO₂ are 4 × 10^?8, 2 × 10^?11, and 4 × 10^?10, respectively. The CO₂ and H₂O bands are confidently identified in the observed spectra. The mean value of the H₂O mixing ratio is 3 × 10^?5 < F_H2O < 10^?4 in the undercloud atmosphere. The H₂O mixing ratio evidently varies with height. The most probable profile is characterized by a gradual increase from F_H2O = 2 × 10^?5 near the surface to a 10 to 20 times higher value in the clouds.     

Argon in the Martian atmosphere: Do the results of Mars 6 agree with the optical and radio occultation measurements?

Mars 6 discovered an inert gas (probably argon) in the Martian atmosphere. An analysis is carried out for the available spectroscopic observations, radio occultation results, and other data with the aim of determining the maximum argon content with which they are consistent. Possible seasonal variations of pressure are taken into account. It is shown that 25–30% of argon is consistent with all these data. The presence of argon slightly increases the mean pressure estimates; 25% argon increases pressures derived from radio occultation data by 0.5 mbar.     

Hydrological conditions in the straits of the Ryukyu archipelago and adjacent basins

The structure and dynamics of the water are studied on the basis of hydrological and meteorological long-term data combined with the materials of field observations over a period longer than half a century in the region of the Ryukyu archipelago. New data about the hydrological characteristics of the waters were obtained. Characteristic differences of waters of various modifications in the main straits between the islands are demonstrated. The dependence of the water structure formation in the straits on the seasonal variability of the water exchange through the straits is distinguished.     

Numerical 3D modeling of the magnetotelluric field in Kamchatka

We consider the key features in the responses of magnetic tippers and MTS curves to the sharp contrast in electric conductivity at the interface between the land and the sea waters of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific bounding Kamchatka. The zones with different intensity of the coast effect are revealed. Stronger manifestations of the effect are found to occur in the East Kamchatka, which is related to the induction effects of the electric currents concentrated in the Kuril-Kamchatka trench. Indentation of the coastline resulted in the appearance of three-dimensional (3D) effects in the magnetotelluric field of the eastern Kamchatka. These effects in the variations of the geomagnetic field are vanishing with an increasing period, giving room to low-frequency effects in the MT field, which are associated with the flow of electric currents around Kamchatka (the around-flow effect). It is shown that the transverse MTS curves over the entire region of Kamchatka suffer from the S effect at low frequencies and do not characterize the deep geoelectric structure. Only in the middle segments of the West and Central Kamchatka, the longitudinal MTS curves are weakly subjected to the induction effects and thus reflect the distribution of the deep electric conductivity. On the eastern coast of Kamchatka both the longitudinal and transverse MTS curves are strongly distorted by the 3D effects caused by the abundant capes and bays. The interpretation of MTS data in this region should necessarily invoke the 3D modeling of an MT field.     

Synchrotron‐based infrared microspectroscopy as a useful tool to study hydration states of meteorite constituents

Abstract— We present the results of the infrared (IR) microscopic study of the anomalous carbonaceous chondrites Dhofar (Dho) 225 and Dhofar 735 in comparison to typical CM2 chondrites Cold Bokkeveld, Murray, and Mighei. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) 2.5–14 μm reflectance measurements were performed on conventional polished sections using an infrared microscope with a synchrotron radiation source. We demonstrate that the synchrotron‐based IR microspectroscopy is a useful, nondestructive tool for studying hydration states of meteorite constituents in situ. Our results show that the matrices of Dho 225 and Dho 735 are dehydrated compared to the matrices of typical CM2 chondrites. The spectra of the Dho 225 and Dho 735 matrices lack the 2.7–2.8 μm absorption feature present in the spectra of Cold Bokkeveld, Murray, and Mighei. Spectral signatures caused by Si‐O vibrations in fine‐grained, Fe‐rich olivines dominate the 10 μm spectral region in the spectra of Dho 225 and Dho 735 matrices, while the spectra of normal CM2 chondrites are dominated by spectral signatures due to Si‐O vibrations in phyllosilicates. We did not detect any hydrated phases in the spectra of Dho 225 and Dho 735 polished sections. In addition, the near‐infrared reflectance spectra of Dho 225 and Dho 735 bulk powders show spectral similarities to the Antarctic metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrites. We confirm the results of previous mineralogical, chemical, and isotopic studies indicating that the two meteorites from Oman are the first non‐Antarctic metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrites.