Description of possible causes of the formation of anomalies of the cloud field over the Atlantic-European sector in the spring of 1996

We describe one of possible mechanisms of the formation of anomalies of the cloud field over the North Atlantic and Europe by using, as an example, the processes developed in the Atlantic-European sector during the natural synoptic season in the spring of 1996. It is shown that the anomalies of the cloud field can be classified with the use of the index of the North Atlantic oscillation and the latitude of the center of the Azorean maximum. Translated by Peter V. Malyshev and Dmitry V. Malyshev     

A method of forecasting the heavy convective precipitation zones during the cold season

A method of forecasting the heavy convective precipitation zones is based on the computation of the Q-vector divergence and moist equivalent-potential vorticity in the layer from 925 to 700 hPa. The prognostic fields of meteorological parameters from NWP models in GRIB or GRIB2 codes are used for the computation. Presented are the results of the statistical analysis. The coefficients of linear regression are computed and the working equation for forecasting heavy convective precipitation zones during the cold season is derived. Analyzed are some heavy snowfalls in the central region of the European part of Russia.     

Homogenization of carbonate-bearing microinclusions in diamond at <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>–<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis> parameters of the upper mantle

The staged high-pressure annealing of natural cubic diamonds with numerous melt microinclusions from the Internatsional’naya kimberlite pipe was studied experimentally. The results mainly show that the carbonate phases, the daughter phases in partially crystallized microinclusions in diamonds, may undergo phase transformations under the mantle P–T conditions. Most likely, partial melting and further dissolution of dolomite in the carbonate–silicate melt (homogenization of inclusions) occur in inclusions. The experimental data on the staged high-pressure annealing of diamonds with melt microinclusions allow us to estimate the temperature of their homogenization as 1400–1500°C. Thus, cubic diamonds from the Internatsional’naya pipe could have been formed under quite high temperatures corresponding to the lithosphere/asthenosphere boundary. However, it should be noted that the effect of selective capture of inclusions with partial loss of volatiles in relation to the composition of the crystallization medium is not excluded during the growth. This may increase the temperature of their homogenization significantly between 1400 and 1500°C.     

Observations of the sea surface temperature variability using daily and nightly IR measurements from the NOAA satellite

We considered the procedure of digital processing of IR data on the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea obtained at the automated data reception station (ADRS) operated by the Marine Hydrophysical Institute, UkSSR Academy of Sciences during the daily and nightly communication session with the NOAA satellite in the APT regime. Two methods were used: a histogram method (for the daily one-channel measurements) and a spectral-angular one (for the nightly dual-channel measurements). As a result, 117 and 99 digital charts of the sea surface radiation temperatures, respectively, were obtained for these basins, as well as 10-day and monthly combinations of the nightly and partially daily digital images. The compositions derived by these two techniques have been compared with the data set for July, which was statistically most complete.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

A new approach to analysis of landslide slope stability

This paper is based on data from engineering-geological research on the landslide slopes of the Moscow River valley from the site of a proposed bridge crossing reconstruction. A method for delineating the slippage surface is suggested, which allows a more reliable evaluation of landslide stability and pressure for planning and decision-making purposes during the reconstruction of the bridge crossing, and an appropriate mitigation strategy.     

Study of spatial distribution and occurrence frequency of ice jams in rivers of the Votkinsk reservoir catchment

In this paper, ice jams were studied and systemized for the first time for the Votkinsk reservoir catchment. For this purpose, observational and pooling data were used. The cartographic and attributive databases of sites where the jams occur were created by using GIS-technologies what allows obtaining their exact georeferences. Performed analysis of the studied river sections allowed revealing the main reasons of jamming.     

Structure of the transition zone from the barents sea shelf to the Knipovich Ridge Northward from Medvezhii Island (Preliminary results of the 26th cruis of R/V Akademik Nikolaj Strakhov)

Doklady Earth Sciences -     

Long-term variability of ice formation dates on the rivers of the Votkinsk Reservoir catchment

Long-term variations of ice formation dates are studied using the long (more than 100 years) series of observations of ice regime on the rivers of the Votkinsk Reservoir catchment. Proposed is the methodological approach to assessing the long-term variability of these dates using both parametric and nonparametric statistical criteria.     

Determination of liquid water content and reserve of cumulonimbus cloudiness from meteorological radar information

The study of the liquid water content and reserve of convective cloudiness accompanied by the rain showers, thunderstorms, and hail is carried out. The values of liquid water content and reserve were obtained by means of computations on the basis of the radar characteristics of cumulonimbus cloudiness as well as with the aid of a number of empirical dependences. It was demonstrated that the use of meteorological radar information for the purpose of computation of the microphysical cloud characteristics such as liquid water content and reserve enables to supplement and specify the data of the ground-based meteorological and aerological observations.     

Estimating the necessary duration of observation period in studying winter river runoff

A procedure for determining the minimal representative observation period at hydrological gages is proposed as required for studying the regularities in river runoff formation in rivers in the drainage basin of the Votkinsk Reservoir. Data of hydrological gages with long observational series were used as an example to show, by the division of these series into intervals and analysis of the obtained deviations from long-term mean values, that such minimal period can be taken to be 40 years long.