New Data on the Age of the Tonalite–Trondhjemite Orthogneisses of the Olekma Complex of the Central Part of the Chara–Olekma Geoblock,Aldan Shield

New U–Pb zircon (TIMS) results allow dating of protoliths of tonalite–trondhjemite orthogneisses of the Olekma Complex in the central part of the Chara–Olekma Geoblock (Aldan Shield) to 2825 ± 3 Ma and 2994 ± 3 Ma. Together with the results of previous geochronological studies, this proves that the Olekma Complex comprises heterochronous igneous rocks intensively reworked under amphibolite facies conditions and formed during different stages of geological evolution of the Aldan Shield.     

Studying characteristics of a fine layered structure of the lower troposphere on the basis of acoustic pulse sounding

Results of acoustic sounding of the lower troposphere with the aid of detonation generators of acoustic pulses are given. This sounding method is based on a partial reflection of acoustic pulses with shock fronts from vertical wind-velocity and temperature gradients continuously varying with height in the troposphere and on the penetration of reflected signals into the region of acoustic shadow. Experiments on tropospheric sounding were carried out on the ground of the Barva Innovation Scientific and Technical Center (Talin, Armenia) in September 2015. In these experiments, an antihail acoustic system was first used as a generator of acoustic pulses. Experimental results have been compared with data obtained earlier in similar experiments carried out in the vicinity of Zvenigorod with the use of a special detonation generator of acoustic pulses. Due to the high resolution (in height) of the sounding method, which reaches 1 m in the stably stratified lower troposphere within a height range of 250–600 m, the vertical profiles of layered effective sound speed inhomogeneities with vertical scales from a few to a few tens of meters have been retrieved. The influence of these fluctuations on the form and amplitude of acoustic signals at a long distance from their pulsed source has been studied.     

The possibility of emersion of the outer layers in a massive star simultaneously with iron-core collapse: A hydrodynamic model

We analyze the behavior of the outer envelope in a massive star during and after the collapse of its iron core into a protoneutron star (PNS) in terms of the equations of one-dimensional spherically symmetric ideal hydrodynamics. The profiles obtained in the studies of the evolution of massive stars up to the final stages of their existence, immediately before a supernova explosion (Boyes et al. 1999), are used as the initial data for the distribution of thermodynamic quantities in the envelope. We use a complex equation of state for matter with allowances made for arbitrary electron degeneracy and relativity, the appearance of electron-positron pairs, the presence of radiation, and the possibility of iron nuclei dissociating into free nucleons and helium nuclei. We performed calculations with the help of a numerical scheme based on Godunov's method. These calculations allowed us to ascertain whether the emersion of the outer envelope in a massive star is possible through the following two mechanisms: first, the decrease in the gravitational mass of the central PNS through neutrino-signal emission and, second, the effect of hot nucleon bubbles, which are most likely formed in the PNS corona, on the envelope emersion. We show that the second mechanism is highly efficient in the range of acceptable masses of the nucleon bubbles (≤0.01M _⊙) simulated in our hydrodynamic calculations in a rough, spherically symmetric approximation.     

Distribution of inhomogeneities in the interstellar plasma in the directions of three distant pulsars from observations with the RadioAstron ground–space interferometer

The RadioAstron ground–space interferometer has been used to measure the angular sizes of the scattering disks of the three distant pulsars B1641–45, B1749–28, and B1933+16. The observations were carried out with the participation of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope; two 32-m telescopes at Torun, Poland and Svetloe, Russia (the latter being one antenna of the KVAZAR network); the Saint Croix VLBA antenna; the Arecibo radio telescope; the Parkes, Narrabri (ATCA), Mopra, Hobart, and Ceduna Australian radio telescopes; and the Hartebeesthoek radio telescope in South Africa. The full widths at half maximum of the scattering disks were 27 mas at 1668 MHz for B1641–45, 0.5 mas at 1668 MHz for B1749–28, and 12.3 at 316 MHz and 0.84 mas at 1668 MHz for B1933+16. The characteristic time scales for scatter-broadening of the pulses on inhomogeneities in the interstellar plasma τ_sc were also measured for these pulsars using various methods. Joint knowledge of the size of the scattering disk and the scatter-broadening time scale enables estimation of the distance to the effective scattering screen d. For B1641–45, d = 3.0 kpc for a distance to the pulsar D = 4.9 kpc, and for B1749–28, d = 0.95 kpc for D = 1.3 kpc. Observations of B1933+16 were carried out simultaneously at 316 and 1668 MHz. The positions of the screen derived using the measurements at the two frequencies agree: d ₁ = 2.6 and d ₂ = 2.7 kpc, for a distance to the pulsar of 3.7 kpc. Two screens were detected for this pulsar from an analysis of parabolic arcs in the secondary dynamic spectrum at 1668 MHz, at 1.3 and 3.1 kpc. The scattering screens for two of the pulsars are identified with real physical objects located along the lines of sight toward the pulsars: G339.1–04 (B1641–45) and G0.55–0.85 (B1749–28).     

Kinetics and mechanism of transformations in iron-rich pyrrhotites and in troilite-pyrrhotite metastable assemblages

Iron-rich pyrrhotites proved to be metastable and to decompose at 70–140° C to troilite and pyrrhotite with less iron content as shown by nuclear gamma-resonance (Mössbauer) studies at high temperatures. Coherence of decomposition product lattices was established by studying powder samples textured in a magnetic field. Detailed X-ray powder diffraction and Mössbauer investigations revealed two different mechanisms of transformation in metastable associations. Kinetic phenomena are discussed in terms of a thermodynamic model of two-phase assemblage.     

Correction to: Zeolite containing rocks of kudurs and reasons of geophagy within the territory of Sikhote-Alin Nature Zapovednik,Far East of Russia

This paper establishes a mechanical model of the stress distribution in front of the driving face during coal roadway excavation. Theoretical research shows that the stress state in the plastic zone of the driving face is consistent with the limit equilibrium equation, and the elastic zone is in accordance with the equilibrium equation based on elasticity mechanics. Based on this improved mechanical state solution model, different coal material constitutive hypotheses are used for the analysis. The width of the plastic zone calculated under the brittle-perfectly elastic model can reach 2–5 times the height of the roadway, and the stress concentration coefficient can reach two or more times. 3DEC numerical simulation software was used to simulate the stress distribution of the heading face. The results of the simulation are similar to those of the theoretical analysis. Compared with the elastic-perfectly plastic model, the calculated results of the brittle-perfectly elastic model are more consistent with the numerical simulation results. The heading face coal during roadway excavation shows obvious damage, and the strength characteristics of the coal decrease.     

Structure and kinematics of waters in the region of the Argentine Islands in the autumn of 1998

On the basis of the data of the complex oceanographic experiment carried out in the course of the second Ukrainian Antarctic expedition in March 1998, we study the structure and kinematics of waters in the region of the archipelago of Argentine Islands. The regularities of thermohaline stratification of waters are discovered. We determine the most important environmental parameters premoting the variability of hydrophysical fields on time scales varying from several days up to a week, analyse the data of actual observations over the currents, and estimate the relative contribtions of diurnal and semidiurnal tidal waves to the total dispersion of hydrophysical parameters of the environment. The residual currents are filtered out. We propose a hypothesis about the mechanism of their formation. Various types of tidal currents are revealed and the directions of propagation of diurnal and semidiurnal tidal waves are determined. Translated by Peter V. Malyshev and Dmitry V. Malyshev     

On the correct use of cumulative applied climate indices for studying biological objects

The cumulative applied climate indices SAT and SET used in the Russian literature are considered in detail. These indices differ in calculation methods and, consequently, their values differ in different regions. The example is presented of the incorrect use of these indices by some authors for studying biological objects which leads to false conclusions. The method of calculation of the foreign applied climate index GDD is given. This index corresponds to the Russian index SET, and its interpretation as a counterpart of SAT is wrong.