Dormant stages of crustaceans as a mechanism of propagation in the extreme and unpredictable environment in the Crimean hypersaline lakes

A pool of dormant stages of planktonic organisms in saline lakes is a substantial component in the plankton communities;we need to take it into account to understand plankton dynamics.Hypersaline water bodies in Crimea,the largest peninsula in the Black Sea,constitute a very characteristic and peculiar habitat type in the region.We examined the presence of crustacean resting stages in sediments of dried up sites of the Crimean hypersaline lakes.Sediment samples were taken in 9 different lakes.Experiments performed on the hatching of these resting stages showed the presence of Moina salina(Cladocera),parthenogenetic Artemia and Artemia urmiana(Anostraca),Eucypris mareotica( inflata)(Ostracoda),and Cletocamptus retrogressus(Harpacticoida).Comparing the experimental results obtained with clean dried brine shrimp cysts and those kept in sediment samples,it was noted that clean cysts hatched much faster than those from sediments did.Some components in bottom sediments slow down and desynchronize hatching from resting eggs in different groups of crustaceans.The sediments of different lakes inhibited the nauplii output from Artemia and ostracod resting eggs to different degrees.More data are needed before we can discuss the reasons of this inhibition.The nonsynchronous output of active stages from the bottom resting ones may be an adaptation that allows crustacean species to exist in extreme and unpredictably changing environments,avoiding the risk that all may emerge at once under unsuitable conditions.     

Development of the ElarmS methodology for earthquake early warning: Realtime application in California and offline testing in Japan

In July 2009, the California Integrated Seismic Network concluded a three-year study of earthquake early warning systems in California. Three algorithms were expanded and examined during the study. Here we discuss the history, methodology, and performance of one of the algorithms, ElarmS. Earthquake Alarm Systems, or ElarmS, uses peak displacement and maximum predominant frequency of the P-wave to detect earthquakes and quantify their hazard in the seconds after rupture begins. ElarmS was developed for Northern and Southern California, and now processes waveforms in realtime from 603 seismic sensors across the state. We outline the methodology as currently implemented, present several example events from different regions of California, and summarize the performance in terms of false and missed alarms. ElarmS was also tested offline with a dataset of 84 large magnitude earthquakes from Japan. The results from the Japan dataset were used to create a statistical error model for the algorithm. The model can be used to provide realtime uncertainty estimates at any stage in processing. In August 2009 the CISN embarked on a second three-year study of earthquake early warning. As part of this ongoing research, we identify the technological and methodological challenges facing ElarmS. Telemetry latencies and false alarm rates are two key opportunities for improvement.     

Seasonal Cycle of the Near-Surface Diurnal Wind Field Over the Bay of La Paz,Mexico

The results of numerical simulations of the troposphere over the Bay of La Paz, calculated for the months of January, April, July and October during the period 2006–2010 with the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF v3.5) regional model, are used to describe the seasonal features of the diurnal cycle of planetary boundary-layer winds. Two distinct near-surface diurnal flows with strong seasonal variability were identified: (1) a nocturnal and matutinal breeze directed from the subtropical Pacific Ocean, over the Baja California peninsula and the Bay of La Paz, into the Gulf of California that is associated with the regional sea-surface temperature difference between those two major water bodies; and (2) a mid to late afternoon onshore sea-breeze related to the peninsula’s daily cycle of insolation heating that evolves with counter-clockwise rotation over the Bay of La Paz. The model results reveal the interaction over Baja California of opposing afternoon sea-breeze fronts that originate from the subtropical Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California, with a convergence line forming over the peaks of the peninsula’s topography and the associated presence of a closed vertical circulation cell over the Bay of La Paz and the adjacent Gulf. The collision of the opposing sea-breeze fronts over the narrow peninsula drives convection that is relatively weak due to the reduced heat source and only appears to produce precipitation sporadically. The spatial structure of the sea-breeze fronts over the Bay of La Paz region is complex due to shoreline curvature and nearby topographic features. A comparison of the numerical results with available meteorological near-surface observations indicates that the modelling methodology adequately reproduced the observed features of the seasonal variability of the local planetary boundary-layer diurnal wind cycle and confirms that the low-level atmospheric circulation over the Bay of La Paz is dominated by kinetic energy in the diurnal band. The strongest (weakest) diurnal flows occur during the summer (winter) in response to the seasonally varying magnitudes of the daily land–sea thermal contrast and the regional subtropical Pacific Ocean–Gulf of California sea-surface temperature difference.     

WSO-UV progress and expectations

The World Space Observatory Ultraviolet (WSO-UV) is the space mission that will grant access to the ultraviolet (UV) range in the post Hubble epoch. WSO-UV is equipped with instrumentation for imaging and spectroscopy and it is fully devoted to UV astronomy. In this article, we outline the WSO-UV mission model and present the current status of the project.     

Deuterated water: partition functions and equilibrium constants

HDO and D₂O are thought to be present in significant quantities in the coldest regions of the Universe. Partition functions are calculated for these species and used to calculate temperature dependent equilibrium constants for the most important fractionation reactions involving water. HDO may also be a key indicator of the absence of deuterium burning in very low mass stars. The HDO partition function calculation is extended to high  ( T ≤ 6000 K)  temperatures for this purpose.     

Quantifying barriers to decarbonization of the Russian economy: real options analysis of investment risks in low-carbon technologies

Russia has significant potential for reducing its carbon emissions. However, investment in new low-carbon technologies has significant risks. Ambiguous energy and climate policy in Russia, along with deterioration of the country's investment climate, create investment barriers that are well described in qualitative terms in the literature. This paper attempts to provide a quantitative analysis of these barriers. For this numerical experiment, we apply the RU-TIMES model. Using a real options methodology, we estimate the risk-adjusted cost of capital in the Russian energy sector (including energy production and consumption technologies represented in the TIMES framework) to be approximately 43% (including a risk-free interest rate) and demonstrate the high risk of investment into energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies. Any future low-carbon emissions pathway depends on the ability of the Russian government to reduce climate and energy policy uncertainties, and to reduce financial risks through improvements of the general investment climate.

Key policy insights

• The high cost of capital investment into Russian energy production and consumption may prevent the adoption of new energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies.

• These investment risks, if not addressed, will delay Russia's low-carbon transition for the coming decades.

• Adopting a clear and unambiguous long-term climate and energy policy is important to reduce these risks and alleviate some of the barriers to the new technologies.

• The first step could be ratification of the Paris Agreement and adoption of a long-term emission target for the period up to 2050.

     

Primary Production and the Hydrochemical Parameters of the Salt Lakes in the North-Western Part of the Crimea(Russia)

正1 Introduction It is known that more than 300 lakes and lagoons are present in the Crimean Peninsula,which are divided depending on position to 7 groups:Perekop,Tarkhankut,Evpatoriyskaya,Khersonesskaya,lake on the mountainpastures,Kerch and Genicheskaya.Almost the all lakes,with the exception of the small freshwater lakes,which situated on mountain pastures of the Main ridge of     

Deflation processes and their role in desertification of the southern Pre-Balkhash deserts

Deflation processes are important in arid environments such as deserts. The deserts of Kazakhstan mostly cover lowlands and extend from the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea to the piedmonts of the Tien-Shan Mountain. Desert areas are also major source areas of dust/sand storm activities. We considered deflation processes in the southern Pre-Balkhash deserts. In Kazakhstan, desertification processes due to wind erosion in the form of dust/sand storms were observed in semi-desert and desert landscapes. During analysis of numerous long-term meteorological data and cartographic materials, we revealed the sand movement directions which allow prediction of future potential sand movement patterns or processes in southern Pre-Balkhash deserts. The Taukum, Moiynkum deserts, Ili river deltas and valleys, and southern coastal of Lake Balkhash are most prone to dust/sand storms. The most frequent storms were observed in the Bakanas weather station (Ile river valley). Sand/dust transport occurs mainly in the east, south-east north-east direction in the southern Pre-Balkhash deserts. The high amount of sand transportation was observed at the Kuigan weather station; low amounts were encountered at the Naimansuiek weather station. The amount of airborne sand/dust varies in accordance with the general and local meteorological features, the complexity of relief forms, soil conditions and properties, lithology, and various contributions of the human activities. Thus, our study on deflation processes in the southern Pre-Balkhash deserts has great importance towards aiding in the prediction and monitoring of dust/sand storms and movement patterns.     

A Quantitative Study on Magnetic Configuration for Active Regions

As compared with the Mount Wilson Magnetic Classification (MWMC), effective distance (d _E) is a useful parameter because it gives a quantitative measure of magnetic configuration in active regions. We have analyzed magnetograms of 24 active regions of different types with MWMC. We have studied the evolution of magnetic fields of five active regions using d _E, total flux (F _t) and tilt angle (Tilt) quantitatively. Furthermore, 43 flare-associated and 25 CME-associated active regions have been studied to investigate and quantify the statistical correlation between flares/CMEs and the three parameters. The main results are as follows: (1) There is a basic agreement between d _E and MWMC. (2) The evolution of magnetic fields can be described in three aspects quantitatively and accurately by the three parameters, in particular by d _E on the analysis of δ-type active regions. (3) The high correlation between d _E and flares/CMEs means that d _E could be a promising measure to predict the flare-CME activity of active regions.