Atlas of Channel Deformations in the Lower Volga

A methodology for compiling the electronic “Atlas of Channel Deformations in the Lower Volga,” its contents, and the materials used for its compilation are described. Analysis of published data and field observations made by the authors is used to examine long-term variations in channel deformations in the period of 1914–2001 and to forecast the development of the channel in the Lower Volga in the 21st century.     

Variations of Solar Irradiance, 10.7 cm Radio Flux, He I 10830 Å Equivalent Width, and Global Magnetic Field Intensity and Their Relation to Large-Scale Solar Magnetic Field Structure

Variations of total solar irradiance, 10.7 cm radio emission, the Hei 10830 Ú equivalent width and the solar magnetic field flux measured for the entire Sun are compared with variations of the energy index of the global solar magnetic field and the index of the effective solar multipole for years 1979–1992. It is shown that photospheric radiation and that generated in the upper chromosphere and corona display different relationships with the global magnetic field of the Sun, and that interaction between the magnetic field and the solar irradiance is much more complicated than the traditional blocking effect.     

Comparing shear-wave velocity profiles inverted from multichannel surface wave with borehole measurements

Recent field tests illustrate the accuracy and consistency of calculating near-surface shear (S)-wave velocities using multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW). S-wave velocity profiles (S-wave velocity vs. depth) derived from MASW compared favorably to direct borehole measurements at sites in Kansas, British Columbia, and Wyoming. Effects of changing the total number of recording channels, sampling interval, source offset, and receiver spacing on the inverted S-wave velocity were studied at a test site in Lawrence, Kansas. On the average, the difference between MASW calculated V_s and borehole measured V_s in eight wells along the Fraser River in Vancouver, Canada was less than 15%. One of the eight wells was a blind test well with the calculated overall difference between MASW and borehole measurements less than 9%. No systematic differences were observed in derived V_s values from any of the eight test sites. Surface wave analysis performed on surface data from Wyoming provided S-wave velocities in near-surface materials. Velocity profiles from MASW were confirmed by measurements based on suspension log analysis.     

Properties of space and time distribution of solar coronal holes

The space and time distribution properties of solar coronal holes (CH) are investigated. The data of the catalogue UAG-102, supplemented up to 1995, and synoptic H-charts of Solar Geophysical Data are used. It was found that both the polar and equatorial CH can be divided into two subclasses. The properties of time classes are discerned. Statistical weights of the recurrent CH are accounted, which allow to determine the character of rotation of the different classes of CH with more accuracy. It was shown that the equatorial CH with long lifetimes possess differential rotation that is similar to sunspot groups, and the long-living polar CH rotate as a rigid body. A conclusion about the existence of two types of large-scale solar magnetic fields is made.     

Mathematical modeling of barotropic waves in Lake Donuzlav

Within the framework of the linear theory, by using numerical methods, we study the free and forced waves in a bounded basin whose geometric characteristics approximately correspond to Lake Donuzlav. The oscillatory motions of the liquid at the exit of the lake are regarded as a driving force. The dependences of the amplitudes of generated waves on the parameters of the driving force are analyzed. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, pp. 37–51, January–February, 2005.     

Hydrocarbon gases in deposits from mud volcanoes in the Sorokin Trough, north-eastern Black Sea

Hydrocarbon gases were determined in sediments from three mud volcanoes in the Sorokin Trough. In comparison to a reference station outside the mud volcano area, the deposits are characterized by an enrichment of high-molecular hydrocarbons (C₂–C₄), an absence of unsaturated homologues, a predominance of iso-butane in comparison with n-butane, and the presence of gas hydrate. The molecular composition of the hydrocarbon gases suggests their deep sources and thermogenic origin. In the pelagic sediments at the reference station, the methane concentration is relatively low (up to 49 ml/l); maximum concentrations are reached in deposits of the Dvurechenskii mud volcano (up to 400 ml/l). It was the first time that gas hydrate was sampled at the Dvurechenskii mud volcano. The gas extracted by dissociation of hydrate samples was dominated by methane (99.5%) with low amounts of ethane and propane (less than 0.5%). The isotopic composition of the methane varies between –62 and –66 PDB in ¹³C, and between –185 and –209 SMOW in D, indicating a mainly biogenic origin with an admixture of thermogenic gas.     

A Model of the Sevastopol'skaya Bay. Reproduction of the Vertical Structure of Temperature and Salinity Fields in 1997–1999

We discuss the results of a numerical experiment carried out within the framework of the most complete one-dimensional (integrated over the horizontal coordinates) version of the quasiisopycnic multilayer model taking into account the processes of diapycnic mass, heat, and salt exchange and the diffusion coefficients chosen according to the theory of double diffusion. The indicated experiment reproduces the vertical thermohaline structure of waters in the Sevastopol'skaya Bay and its variability in 1997–1999. For numerical computations, we use the actual data of meteorological observations and measurements of the discharge of the river Chernaya and the sea level. The comparison of the numerical results with the data of monthly hydrological surveys reveals their good agreement (not only qualitative but also quantitative).     

Determination of the evaporation duct height from standard meteorological data

Four models used for evaluating the height of the evaporation duct from measured atmospheric pressure, water and air temperatures, and air humidity are considered.The calculated results are compared with the duct heights measured during two oceanographic expeditions in the tropical zone of the Atlantic Ocean and the equatorial zone of the Indian Ocean. The sensitivity of models to the errors in the meteorological parameters is investigated. It is shown that, in the case of unstable stratification, the heights of ducts in the 5–20-m range can be evaluated with an error of about 2.5 m. Recommendations for selection of optimal models are given.     

Determination of Mesoscale Surface Currents in Shallow-Water Regions According to the Data of High-Frequency Radar Measurements

We propose a new method for the evaluation of the velocities of surface currents according to the data of measurements carried out by using high-frequency land-based radars. The method is based on the representation of the velocity fields via two scalar potentials, expansion of these potentials in series in basis functions, and determination of the coefficients of expansion according to the data of radar measurements as solutions of the corresponding variational problems. The errors of the procedure of determination of the coefficients of expansion are removed by using a special regularization procedure based on information theory. The proposed method enables one to fill gaps in the space and time series of radar measurements. We illustrate the method by an example of numerical analysis of mesoscale and submesoscale (10–50 km) surface currents in the Monterey Bay (California, USA) performed on the basis of the data of radar measurements carried out in August 1994. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 2, pp. 24–36, March–April, 2005.     

Internal Waves in the Shelf Zone and near the Shelf Edge in the Black Sea

The data accumulated by a measuring complex equipped with a gradient-distributed temperature sensor in the course of towing in the shelf zone near the South Coast of the Crimea and in the region where the flow of the Rim Current crosses the shelf edge are used to analyze the energy and space characteristics of internal waves formed when the flow runs through the shelf edge and to study the process of their propagation both to the coast and to the open part of the sea.