Impact of Ice Melting on Oceanographic and Hydrobiological Characteristics of Surface Waters in the Powell Basin,Weddell Sea,in January–February 2020

Oceanology - The variability of sea ice in the Weddell Sea, along with melting of glaciers of the Antarctic Peninsula and ice shelves, determines the volumes of melt water entering the water area,...     

Gold–quartz deposits of the Zhdaninsky ore–placer cluster,eastern Yakutia: Structural control and formation conditions

Gold deposits and occurrences small in reserves and high in Au grade conventionally determine the line of prospecting in terrigenous sequences of the Verkhoyansk–Kolyma region. In this paper, the geological structure of such gold objects is considered with the example of the deposits and prospects making up the Zhdaninsky ore–placer cluster in the Republic of Sakha (Yakuia). From lithological, structural, and mineralogical–geochemical data, the formation conditions of ore-bearing complexes are specified, the geological evolution history of the northern Ol’chan Zone of the Kular–Nera Belt is reconstructed, and the zonal distribution of mineralization within the ore–placer cluster is revealed. The structural–compositional complexes were formed in the following succession: (1) sedimentation at the shelf of the passive margin accompanied by synsedimentation deformations; (2) metagenesis of sediments and the development of bedding-plane intraformational detachments of collision stage D₁ under conditions of tangential compression and accompanied by the formation of carbon dioxide–aqueous metamorphic fluid at a temperature of 300°C and under a pressure of 1.4 kbar; (3) folding and faulting of orogenic stage D₂ with the formation of synkinematic magmatic bodies, metasomatic alteration, and Au-bearig mineral assemblages. Small Au-bearing objects with veined mineralization and high Au grade are localized in structures of stage D₂ transverse to bedding-plane schistosity S₁. They form at the collision stage above intraformational detachment surfaces and are controlled by shear structures of the orogenic stage with misalignment of these deformations. The ore zoning is determined by the distribution of Co and Ni minerals and by variations in the anionic composition of ore (S, As, Sb).     

X-ray transient sources

The galactic distribution and physical nature of X-ray transient sources is investigated. Two types of transients are considered. The observational data on 41 X-ray transient sources are given, and the average parameters of hard and soft X-ray transients are estimated.     

Hydrophysical state of the Large Aral Sea in the autumn of 2013: Thermal structure,currents, and internal waves

This paper is focused on the hydrophysical state of the western basin of the Large Aral Sea in its present conditions of ecological crisis. The investigation is based on the direct observations carried out during a field survey in the Aral Sea in October of 2013. The analysis of the distribution of the temperature values across the western basin is given. Time series of the water currents variability were recorded at four mooring stations. The pattern of the basin-scale circulation response to the wind forcing was described. Based on the in situ measurements of the time variability of the temperature fields, the principal characteristics of the internal waves were specified for the present-day Aral Sea for the first time.     

Run-up of long solitary waves of different polarities on a plane beach

We study the run-up of long solitary waves of different polarities on a beach in the case of composite bottom topography: a plane sloping beach transforms into a region of constant depth. We confirm that nonlinear wave deformation of positive polarity (wave crest) resulting in an increase in the wave steepness leads to a significant increase in the run-up height. It is shown that nonlinear effects are most strongly pronounced for the run-up of a wave with negative polarity (wave trough). In the latter case, the run-up height of such waves increases with their steepness and can exceed the amplitude of the incident wave.     

Anoxia over the western continental shelf of India: bacterial indications of intrinsic nitrification feeding denitrification

Studies on the Arabian Sea coastal anoxia have been of immense interest, but despite its ecological significance there is sparse understanding of the microbes involved. Hence, observations were carried out off Goa (15 degrees 30'N, 72 degrees 40'E to 15 degrees 30'N, 72 degrees 59'E) to understand the processes that mediate the changes in various inorganic nitrogen species in the water column during anoxia. Water column chemistry showed a clear distinct oxic environment in the month of April and anoxic condition in October. Our study based on microbial signatures indicated that oxygen deficit appeared as a well-defined nucleus almost 40 km away from the coast during the oxic period (April) and spreads there after to the entire water column synchronizing with the water chemistry. Striking results of net changes in inorganic nitrogen species in nitrification blocked and unblocked experimental systems show that denitrification is the predominant process in the water column consuming available nitrate ( approximately 0.5 microM) to near zero levels within approximately 72 h of incubation. These observations have been supported by concomitant increase in nitrite concentration ( approximately 4 microM). Similar studies on denitrification-blocked incubations, demonstrate the potential of nitrification to feed denitrification. Nitrification could contribute almost 4.5 microM to the total nitrate pool. It was found that the relation between ammonium and total dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) pool (r=0.98, p<0.001, n=122) was significant compared to the latter with nitrite and nitrate. The occurrence of high ammonium under low phosphate conditions corroborates our observations that ammonium does not appear to be locked under low oxygen regimes. It is suggested that ammonium actively produced by detrital breakdown (ammonification) is efficiently consumed through nitrification process. The three processes in concert viz. ammonification, nitrification and denitrification appear to operate in more temporal and spatial proximity than hitherto appreciated in these systems and this gives additional cues on the absence of measurable nitrate at surface waters, which was earlier attributed only to efficient algal uptake. Hence we hypothesize that the alarming nitrous oxide input into the atmosphere could be due to high productivity driven tighter nitrification-denitrification coupling, rather than denitrification driven by extraneous nitrate.     

A sedimentation model of the maikop deposits of the Tuapse Basin in the Black Sea according to the results of 2-D and 3-D seismic surveys and field works in the Western Caucasus and Crimea

This work is based on the results of 2-D and 3-D surveys in the Tuapse Basin and field works in the Crimea-Caucasus region. Seven zones were outlined in the model of sedimentation starting from the eroded mountain structure of the Greater Caucasus down to deep water sediments of the Tuapse Basin. The slope and deep-water sediments of channels and fan complexes are characterized. Volume models of the sedimentation system in the Black Sea are shown for the first time.     

Linear mechanism of generation and intencification of internal gravity waves in the ionosphere at their interaction with a nonuniform zonal wind: 1. Model of the medium and initial dynamic equations

The specific features of the generation and intensification of internal gravity wave structures in different atmospheric-ionospheric regions, caused by zonal local nonuniform winds (shear flows), are studied. The model of the medium has been explained and an initial closed system of equations has been obtained in order to study the linear and nonlinear dynamics of internal gravity waves (IGWs) when they interact with the geomagnetic field in a dissipative ionosphere (for the D, E, and F regions).