New Data on Geochronology of the Upper Quaternary Loess–Soil Series in the Terek–Kuma Lowland

Lithology and Mineral Resources - Drilling recovered the upper part (23 m) of the upland loess–paleosol series (LPS) on the right bank of the Kuma River near the Otkaznoe Settlement....     

The Glaciolacustrine Terrace in the Izborsk-Malskaya Valley (the North-West of Russia): Composition,Age, and Origin

Doklady Earth Sciences - Studying the Izborsk-Malskaya Valley, the authors focus on the origin of glaciolacustrine terraces in overdeepened valleys widespread in the Late Valdai (Ostashkov,...     

The Relationship between the Taimyr Collision and Trap Magmatism Based on Geological Data and Modeling Results

Collision and trap magmatism are spatially conjugated within the Taimyr fold region. Trap magmatism is related in time to late collision and postcollision stages. Supercomputer modeling makes it to possible to reveal the potential for mantle and crust heating at the late collision stages, accompanied by largescale basaltic magmatism.     

Mid-Cretaceous Tuor-Yuryakh Section of Kotelnyi Island,New Siberian Islands: How Does the Probable Basement of Sedimentary Cover of the Laptev Sea Look on Land?

The model of geological structure of sedimentary cover of the Laptev Sea accepted by most geologists suggests that the lower seismic complex of the cover begins by the Aptian–Albian sedimentary rocks. They can be studied in natural outcrops of Kotelnyi Island. The section of the Tuor-Yuryakh Trough, which exposes the lower part of the Cretaceous complex, is described in the paper. It is composed of continental coaliferous rocks ~100 m thick. The marking beds divide it into five members, which are traced along the western wall of the trough at the distance up to 3 km. The spore–pollen complexes and plant megafossils indicate that almost the entire visible section of the mid-Cretaceous is Albian. Only its lower part no more than 14 m thick can probably belong to the Aptian. Marine facies with Albian foraminifers were found 15 m above the bottom of the Cretaceous complex. The section of the Cretaceous rocks is underlain by the Lower Jurassic marine clays and siltstones. The foraminifer assemblages of this part of the section are typical of the upper Sinemurian–Pliensbachian and fossil bivalves indicate late Sinemurian age of the host rocks. The hiatus ~70 Ma duration has no expression in the section and this boundary can de facto be substantiated only by microfossils. This vague contact between the Lower Jurassic and mid-Cretaceous rocks does not correspond to geophysical characteristics of the bottom of the lower seismic complex of the cover of the eastern part of the Laptev Sea. The latter is described as the most evident seismic horizon of the section of the cover, suggesting unconformable occurrence of the lower seismic complex on a peneplenized surface of lithified and dislocated rocks. This is mostly similar to the bottom of the Eocene sediments, which were observed on Belkovsky and Kotelnyi islands. The paper discusses possible application of our land results for interpretation of the shelf seismic sections of the Laptev Sea. It is concluded that local reasons are responsible for a vague boundary between the Lower Jurassic and mid-Cretaceous sequences in the section studied. Our observations support ideas on possible Aptian–Albian age of the rocks of the basement of the lower seismic complex; however, it is proposed to use also the previously popular idea on the Eocene age of the lower seismic complex of sedimentary cover of the eastern part of the Laptev Sea as one of the possible working scenarios.     

First results from the hot plasma instrument PROMICS-3 on Interball-2

The PROMICS-3 instrument on Interball-2 is nominally identical to the PROMICS-3 instrument on Interball-1. It performs three-dimensional measurements of ions in the energy range 4 eV–70 keV with mass separation and of electrons in the energy range 300 eV–35 keV. Interball-2 was launched on August 29, 1996, into an orbit with the same inclination as that of Interball-1, 63°, but with apogee at 20 000 km. In this study the PROMICS-3 instrument on Interball-2 is briefly described and examples of the first results are presented. Firstly, we report observations of upward moving molecular ions with energies of up to 700 eV at the poleward edge of the auroral oval. Previous observations of outflowing molecular ions have been at lower altitudes and lower energies. Secondly, we show observations of dawnside magnetosheath plasma injections. Using conjugate data from both PROMICS-3 instruments we have found dispersion structures above the morningside auroral oval, which occurred simultaneously with isolated “pockets” of magnetosheath plasma at a distance of X_GSM = −14 to −12 R_E, which had been injected into the inner part of the low-latitude boundary layer. These isolated plasma structures were sites of strong field-aligned currents and are proposed to be the magnetospheric counterparts of the dispersion structures.     

Pixel lensing as a way to detect extrasolar planets in M31

We study the possibility to detect extrasolar planets in M31 through pixel-lensing observations. Using a Monte Carlo approach, we select the physical parameters of the binary lens system, a star hosting a planet, and we calculate the pixel-lensing light curve taking into account the finite source effects. Indeed, their inclusion is crucial since the sources in M31 microlensing events are mainly giant stars. Light curves with detectable planetary features are selected by looking for significant deviations from the corresponding Paczyński shapes. We find that the time-scale of planetary deviations in light curves increase (up to 3–4 d) as the source size increases. This means that only few exposures per day, depending also on the required accuracy, may be sufficient to reveal in the light curve a planetary companion. Although the mean planet mass for the selected events is about     , even small mass planets  ( M _P < 20 M_⊕)  can cause significant deviations, at least in the observations with large telescopes. However, even in the former case, the probability to find detectable planetary features in pixel-lensing light curves is at most a few per cent of the detectable events, and therefore many events have to be collected in order to detect an extrasolar planet in M31. Our analysis also supports the claim that the anomaly found in the candidate event PA-99-N2 towards M31 can be explained by a companion object orbiting the lens star.     

A field experiment on modeling the impact of aerosol layers on the variability of solar insolation and meteorological characteristics of the surface layer

Described are the results of a field experiment carried out in 2010 on studying the impact of artificial aerosol formations on the solar insolation intensity and thermal characteristics of the atmospheric surface layer. The composition of the measuring equipment complex is given and the results of the experiment and its theoretical analysis are presented. It is demonstrated that the solar radiation flux decrease results in rather rapid response of the surface air layer manifesting itself in the considerable decrease in temperature and turbulent heat fluxes. The theoretical estimates corroborate the obtained experimental data. The field experiment is the continuation of researches carried out in 2008 and 2009.     

Models of seismotectonic systems with dry friction

Several models of a seismic regime and block dynamics that are based on frictional self-oscillations in systems with nonlinear dry friction are considered. The set of Burridge-Knopoff models is presented to describe the generation of earthquakes with the relative movement of the fault sides. The disk model, which describes rotary dynamics of the crustal blocks, and the model of the block dynamics in the foredeeps, are examined. It is established that a regime of chaotic oscillations exists in a certain range of parameters (frictional force, the velocity of leading blocks, etc.) in the considered systems. This limits the predictability of these systems.     

The Upper Bajocian-Lower Bathonian boundary section in the outskirts of Saratov: Molluscan characteristics and biostratigraphy

The analysis of all available data on the structure of the Bajocian-Bathonian boundary section in the outskirts of Saratov (Sokur quarry) and the taxonomic composition of its ammonites, belemnites, and bivalves revealed a continuous succession of the Pseudocosmoceras michalskii (Upper Bajocian), Oraniceras besnosovi, and Arcticoceras ishmae (Lower Bathonian) zones. In connection with the critique by Meledina et al. (2009), correlation of Bajocian and Bathonian boundary strata of the Central Russia and Northern Siberia is discussed. The inconsistency of Siberian bivalve and belemnite assemblages with Central Russian ammonite zones is explained by heterochronous invasions of different molluscan groups.