Soft- and hardware for the reception and treatment of satellite and reference data and their application to monitoring hydrometeorological fields

The paper describes the functional scheme of the soft- and hardware complex designed to receive, to treat and to disseminate satellite and reference hydrometeorological data. The complex displays a high degree of integration and unification of soft- and hardware techniques and packages. The operation of the complex is studied through the monitoring of cloud fields in the Atlantic-European section of the Northern hemisphere during the winter-time synoptic season of 1995–1996. The complex is shown to be capable of identifying large-scale cloud anomalies and of estimating their coherence in the individual regions of the Atlantic-European zone. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

On sedimentary waves at the western slope of the Middle Caspian Sea

Based on data of high-resolution acoustic profiling performed in the upper part of the sedimentary succession at the western continental slope of the Middle Caspian Sea (at a depth range from 100 to 400 m), we revealed specific accumulative forms of a running wave type. Examination of their morphology and inner structure allowed us to suggest two mechanisms of their formations: (a) by means of flank growth due to migration of channels of sedimentary flow associated with the Samur and other rivers and (b) due to flows of sedimentary material forming sedimentary waves.     

Methodology of evaluation of forecasts of the reservoir ice cover thickness (the Votkinsk reservoir case study)

Relationships between the ice cover thickness alimentation and negative temperatures sums are defined for several ice profiles in the Votkinsk reservoir. Possibility of their using for the ice cover thickness forecasting is considered. Criteria of the acceptable errors of the ice cover forecasts and computations are studied. A new way of their improvement is proposed.     

Forecasting mesoscale convective systems in the Urals using the WRF model and remote sensing data

The results are presented ofmodeling the formation and evolution ofmesoscale convective systems (MCS) accompanied by severe weather events over the territory of the Western Urals by the WRF-ARW numerical model of the atmosphere. Twenty-three cases of mesoscale convective complexes and mesoscale squall lines are considered for 2002-2015. The Terra/Aqua MODIS data, the data of weather radars installed in Perm and Izhevsk, and the data from the Roshydromet observation network were used to verify the model forecasts. It is demonstrated that the parameters of MCS intensity are simulated by the model with high reliability; however, the quality of the forecast of the spatial position of MCS is unsatisfactory in most cases. It is revealed that the model grid spacing strongly affects the forecast skill scores. In some cases the model successfully simulates the formation and evolution of MCS accompanied by severe weather events and can be used for their short-range forecast with the time accuracy of ±(1-2) hours.     

The transformation features of impurity defects in natural diamonds of various habits under high <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>–<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis> conditions

The results of the investigations of the transformation of impurity defects in natural diamonds of various habits at the stage of high-temperature annealing at P = 6 GPa and T = 2200°C are presented. The studies conducted allowed us to ascertain that the transformations of Aand B-defects in diamonds of octahedral and cubic habits follow general regularities. This fact shows that most of the diamonds of cubic habit with low degree of aggregation of nitrogen centers were not really annealed over a long-term interval. Unlike octahedral diamonds, those of cubic habit are characterized by a pronounced increase in the peak of H-containing defects (3107 cm^–1) after annealing.     

Estimating the accuracy of the very heavy snowfall forecast in the Urals by the WRF model

The results of the forecast of two heavy snowfalls registered on October 18 and 23, 2014 in the Urals using the WRF model are presented. The application of the WRF-ARW atmospheric model to the computation of weather forecasts for the conditions of heavy widespread precipitation in the form of snow is considered. The obtained estimates of precipitation forecast are compared with the estimates of the GFS NCEP global model. The results demonstrate that both models have approximately the same accuracy of precipitation forecast in the context of the process under consideration.     

Methodological Aspects and Criteria of Zoning Valley Reservoirs: Case Study of the Kama Reservoir

Scientific–methodological principles are proposed for zoning valley reservoirs and studying the spatial heterogeneity of their bed shape based on criteria developed in the form of integral dimensionless morphometric coefficients. Up-to-date digital maps are used to improve the hydromorphological zoning of the Kama Reservoir.     

Ore-Forming Fluids of the Aleksandrovskoe and Davenda Deposits (Eastern Transbaikalia)

Geology of Ore Deposits - A study of the composition of fluid inclusions in ore minerals of the Davenda Mo–porphyry deposit and the Aleksandrovskoe sulfide–quartz–gold ore...