Discovery of the Most X-ray Luminous Quasar SRGE J170245.3+130104 at Redshift $$\boldsymbol{z\approx 5.5}$$

Astronomy Letters - During the first all-sky survey of the SRG orbital observatory, the X-ray source SRGE J170245.3+130104 was discovered with the eROSITA telescope on March 13–15, 2020. Its...     

Many-year variations of river runoff in the Selenga basin

Many-year variations of river runoff in the Selenga basin are analyzed along with precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, and basin water storages. Data of ground-based (1932–2015) and satellite observations, as well as the analysis of literature data suggest the presence of within-century cycles in the series of annual and minimum runoff. Compared with 1934–1975, the Selenga Basin shows a general tendency toward a decrease in the maximum (by 5–35%) and mean annual (up to 15%) runoff at an increase in the minimum runoff (by 30%), a decrease in the mean annual precipitation (by 12%), and an increase in potential evapotranspiration by 4% against the background of a decrease in evaporation because of lesser soil moisture content and an increase in moisture losses for infiltration because of permafrost degradation. The observed changes in water balance may have unfavorable environmental effects.     

A Deep Extragalactic Survey with the ART-XC Telescope of the Spectrum-RG Observatory: Simulations and Expected Results

To choose the best strategy for conducting a deep extragalactic survey with the ART-XC X-ray telescope onboard the Spectrum–Röntgen–Gamma (SRG) observatory and to estimate the expected results, we have simulated the observations of a 1.1° × 1.1° field in the 5–11 and 8–24 keV energy bands. For this purpose, we have constructed a model of the active galactic nuclei (AGN) population that reflects the properties of the X-ray emission from such objects. The photons that “arrived” from these sources were passed through a numerical model of the telescope, while the resulting data were processed with the standard ART-XC data processing pipeline. We show that several hundred AGNs at redshifts up to z ≈ 3 will be detected in such a survey over 1.2 Ms of observations with the expected charged particle background levels. Among them there will be heavily obscured AGNs, which will allow a more accurate estimate of the fraction of such objects in the total population to be made. Source confusion is expected at fluxes below 2 × 10^?14 erg s^?1 cm^?2 (5–11 keV). Since this value can exceed the source detection threshold in a deep survey at low particle background levels, it may turn out to be more interesting to conduct a survey of larger area (several square degrees) but smaller depth, obtaining a sample of approximately four hundred bright AGNs as a result.     

Spectroscopic Redshift Determination for a Sample of Distant Quasars Detected by the SRG Observatory Based on RTT-150 Observations. I

Astronomy Letters - Results of the first spectroscopic observations at the 1.5-m Russian–Turkish telescope for the X-ray sources discovered by the eROSITA telescope onboard the SRG space...     

Optical identification of the source IGR J08390-4833 from the INTEGRAL all-sky survey

Results of the optical identification of the hard X-ray source IGR J08390-4833 recently discovered in the INTEGRAL all-sky survey are presented. We show that the source is most likely a cataclysmic variable, i.e., an accreting white dwarf in a binary. Analysis of its optical light curve clearly reveals intrinsic variability on timescales of the order of an hour or longer. However, the short time of the source’s optical observations does not allow a definitive conclusion about the periodicity of the detected variability to be reached. Further optical and X-ray observations are required for a more accurate classification of the source.     

Isotope composition and magma sources of the Kresty volcanopluton in Polar Siberia

The first data are presented on the distribution of rare elements and isotope composition of neodymium and strontium in the rocks of the alkaline-ultramafitic association of the Kresty volcanoplutonic structure (one of the probable satellites of the Gulinian massif being the largest in the Maimecha-Kotui alkaline province in Polar Siberia). On the basis of the results of geochemical studies performed and formerly obtained geophysical and isotope data, a new model is proposed for the plume nature of magmatism in the region, based on the action of a single mantle source of the PREMA type and its active interaction with the matter of the Earth’s crust.     

Polychronity and polygeneity of pegmamtites of gneissic-amphibolitic complexes as a result of continuous-discontinuous development of suture zones: Example of the Ufalei metamorphic block in the Middle Urals

In suture zones of the Urals, geological and physical-chemical conditions for formation of large ore and nonmetalliferous deposits existed during each geodynamical environment of development of the Urals. The development was predetermined by the duration and discontinuous-continuous existence of these structures, and the latter promoted the development of polygenetic and polychronic pegmatites of various types (by depth and productivity) and other postmagmatites. It has been shown in the example of the Ufalei metamorphic block that pegmatites of different ages (from R₂ to P) are often spatially combined. In this paper, two age diagrams are presented: the first one is for geological events that took place in the Ufalei metamorphic block; the second one is for Vendian pegmatites in it. The value of this paper is determined by the fact that the data obtained in Ufalei block could be used for study of postmagmatites within its analogs, which are gneissic-amphibolitic complexes of the Northern Urals, and especially by the fact that the project “Polar Urals, Industrial Urals” is implemented there.     

The Convergence Space Experiment: Remote Determination of the Sea Surface Temperature via Radio Measurements at Frequencies of 10.65, 18.7, and 36.5 GHz

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - A regression approach is presented for the problem of restoring the sea surface temperature (SST) from radiometric measurements of a microwave...     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">WBVR</Emphasis> observations of the X-ray star V1341 Cyg = Cyg X-2 in 1986–1992

We present the results of WBVR observations of the low-mass X-ray binary V1341 Cyg = Cyg X-2. Our observations include a total of 2375 individual measurements in four bands on 478 nights in 1986–1992. We tied the comparison and check stars used for the binary to the WBVR catalog using their JHK magnitudes. The uncertainty of this procedure was 3% in the B and V bands and 8%–10% for the W and R bands. In quiescence, the amplitude of the periodic component in the binary’s B brightness variations is within 0.265 ^m –0.278 ^m (0.290 ^m –0.320 ^m in W); this is due to the ellipsoidal shape of the optical component, which is distorted with gravitational forces from the X-ray component. Some of the system’s active states (long flares) may be due to instabilities in the accretion disk, and possibly to instabilities of gas flows and other accretion structures. The binary possesses a low-luminosity accretion disk. The light curves reveal no indications of an eclipse near the phases of the upper and lower conjunctions in quiescence or in active states during the observed intervals. We conclude that the optical star in the close binary V1341 Cyg = Cyg X-2 is a red giant rather than a blue straggler. We studied the longterm variability of the binary during the seven years covered by our observations. The optical observations presented in this study are compared to X-ray data from the Ginga observatory for the same time intervals.     

Hard X-ray survey of the Galactic plane region in Crux: A catalog of sources

This paper belongs to a series of papers devoted to a hard X-ray survey of the sky. We analyze a large set of observations of the Galactic plane region in Crux with the IBIS telescope onboard the INTEGRAL observatory. We have detected 47 sources. There are 12 active galactic nuclei and 11 and 6 galactic binary systems with high-mass and low-mass optical companions, respectively, among the identified objects. Thirteen objects remain unidentified.