Evaluation of the Phosphorus Load on Freshwater Bodies of Subjects of the Russian Federation: Modeling of the Migration of Phosphorus and Its Compounds among Environmental Components

This article is devoted to a model of the migration of phosphorus and its compounds between the components of the environment and the evaluation of the phosphorus load on freshwater bodies on the scale of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The results of calculations described in this article show that a number of the subjects of the Russian Federation are susceptible to a high and extremely high risk of a negative impact of anthropogenic phosphorus on freshwater bodies.

     

Variations in the column-average dry-air mole fractions of CO2 in the vicinity of St. Petersburg

The results obtained from ground-based spectroscopic measurements of column-average dry-air mole fractions of CO₂ in the atmosphere over the St. Petersburg region are given for the period April 2009–October 2011 (～900 measurement runs, 151 measurement days). These results show significant variations in the CO₂ mixing ratio in the atmosphere over the St. Petersburg region. The minimum value of this mixing ratio (373.1 ppm) was observed on April 27, 2011, and its maximum value (420.8 ppm) was observed on February 10, 2010. The typical seasonal behavior of the CO₂ mixing ratio with its summer minimum was observed in 2009. In July 2010 and 2011, the values of the CO₂ mixing ratio increased apparently due to high air temperatures. In 2010 an additional contribution to this increase in the CO₂ mixing ratio could have been made by strong natural fires.     

Dynamics of the auroral Es layer during weak and strong disturbances in the magnetosphere

The paper is dedicated to studying the dynamics of the auroral ionosphere at the level of the sporadic Es layer during magnetospheric disturbances. A new approach to this problem, proposed in the paper, uses the geomagnetic PC index, which is calculated using the magnetic data in the polar caps of the northern and southern hemispheres and manifests the geoefficiency of the interplanetary electric field. It is shown that variations in the sporadic electron concentration in the auroral Es layer could be related to changes in the PC index with a high degree of statistical reliability. However, the character of precipitations of sporadic particles into the ionosphere under high (PC > 2 mV/m) and low (PC < 2 mV/m) magnetic activity differs substantially. During strong magnetic disturbances and under intensified electric fields in the interplanetary environment, the intensity of particle precipitation from the magnetosphere into the E region of the high-latitude ionosphere is governed by the values of the PC magnetic index. During weak magnetic disturbances, short-time pulses of an increase in the PC values, caused by the variability in electric field in the magnetosphere, are the main factor in the occurrence of sporadic ionization in the Es layer.     

Interferometric investigation of the red and green coronal lines during the total solar eclipse of May 30, 1965

Fabry-Pérot interferometric observations of the corona were carried out. The 6374 Å line shows radial velocities between 10 and 70 km sec^-1, both positive and negative. Most profiles of the 6374 Å line are not Gaussian. The widths of the lines indicate unacceptably high temperatures, and thus suggest turbulent velocities, which appear to be of the same order as the line displacement velocities. Arguments are put forward that the corona consists mainly of individual non-turbulent knots with relative velocities similar to the measured ones.     

Estimation of Nocturnal Area Fluxes of Carbon Cycle Gases in Saint Petersburg Suburbs

Carbon dioxide, methane, and carbon monoxide are the carbon cycle gases, the data on their emissions are needed when monitoring air pollution and developing methods for reducing anthropogenic emissions to the atmosphere and for climate forecasting. The estimates of nocturnal area fluxes for CO₂, CH₄, and CO presented for a suburb of Saint Petersburg (Peterhof) are obtained using the box model and continuous observations of concentration of these gases. The mean values of CH₄, CO₂, and CO fluxes estimated for Peterhof for 2014–2015 are 44 ± 27, 6100 ± 4000, and 90 ± 100 t/(km² year), respectively. The intensity of the CO area flux has pronounced seasonal variations characterized by the maximum of ~(160 ± 120) t/(km² year) in November—February and by the minimum of ~(30 ± 20) t/(km² year) in June-July. The analysis of the ratio of CO/CO₂ fluxes identified the main types of anthropogenic sources typical of Peterhof: motor transport, natural gas combustion, and the use of wood stoves for the heating of private low-rise buildings (in the cold season).     

Analysis of variability of the CO, NO2, and O3 contents in the troposphere near St. Petersburg

The space-time variability of the fields of CO, NO₂, and O₃ concentrations and contents in the troposphere of northwestern Russia is analyzed on the basis of experimental data and the results of numerical modeling. The influence that the St. Petersburg emission has on the concentrations and contents of CO, NO₂, and O₃ in the troposphere is estimated for March 2006. A comparison of the measurements of the total CO content and the tropospheric NO₂ content with the results of modeling showed a qualitative and, in come cases, quantitative agreement between the results of calculations and experimental data. When synoptic conditions are determined, the St. Petersburg train can be detected at a distance of more than 300 km, which can affect the atmospheric air quality in adjacent countries.     

Zonal Velocity Bands and the Solar Activity Cycle

We compare the zonal-flow pattern in subsurface layers of the Sun with the distribution of surface magnetic features such as sunspots and polar faculae. We demonstrate that, in the activity belt, the butterfly pattern of sunspots coincides with the fast stream of zonal flows, although part of the sunspot distribution does spill over to the slow stream. At high latitudes, the polar faculae and zonal-flow bands have similar distributions in the spatial and temporal domains.     

Prediction of peaks in wolf numbers in cycle 24 according to actual numbers of polar faculae

Previous investigations by Makarov et al. have shown a relation between the peaks in the number of polar faculae and the peaks in the Wolf number. In cycles 20 and 22 the delay between peaks in polar faculae and Wolf number was 6.1 ± 0.1 year, north and south taken separately, as their peaks do not coincide. For the odd cycle 21, this shift was 5.6 years average. Polar faculae always precede the sunspots. The relevance of this for the dynamo mechanism is obvious. In cycle 23 the delay was 7.7 year (north) and 7.8 year (south). The approach of a deep minimum is probably responsible for this increased delay; thus for cycle 24 the delay between peaks of polar faculae and sunspots is expected to be at least 7.8 years and probably longer. The present polar faculae show 6 peaks above the smoothed average (north) and similarly 3 peaks south. The first peak for the sunspots will be at the earliest during the very end of 2007. As soon as one peak in the spots occurs the delay for cycle 24 can be estimated and the other peaks predicted.     

MODIS-NDVI-based mapping of the length of the growing season in northern Fennoscandia

Northern Fennoscandia is an ecologically heterogeneous region in the arctic/alpine-boreal transition area. Phenology data on birch from 13 stations and 16-day MODIS-NDVI composite satellite data with 250 m resolution for the period 2000 to 2006 were used to map the growing season. A new combined pixel-specific NDVI threshold and decision rule-based mapping method was developed to determine the onset and end of the growing season. A moderately high correlation was found between NDVI data and birch phenology data. The earliest onset of the growing season is found in the narrow strip of lowland between the mountains and the sea along the coast of northern Norway. The onset follows a clear gradient from lowland to mountain corresponding to the decreasing temperature gradient. In autumn, the yellowing of the vegetation shows a more heterogeneous pattern. The length of the growing season is between 100 and 130 days in 55% of the study area.     

Ratio between erosion and tectonic processes in platforms and mountainous regions

The paper discusses changes in the structure of river valleys under action of Coriolis forces, directed migration of river channels toward the right-side banks regardless of river orientation, dimensions, and water abundance. The values of lateral and bottom erosion in river valleys are compared with the rates of modern deformations in platforms and mountainous regions. This phenomenon is to be taken into consideration when interpreting lineaments and other topographic features as tectonic elements.