Densities deduced from perturbations at high altitudes

Atmospheric densities between 1500 and 3000km have been determined from observations of satellites with large surface to mass ratios. The analysis has been made for optimum periods where the satellite is continuously in sunlight and when the effects of Earth albedo are minimum. Twenty six values of density obtained from 1965 to 1970 have been analysed.     

Fine structure of a very bright active region at a wavelength of 2.8 cm

The radio structure of the active region McMath 11976 has been investigated with an east-west resolution of 16″ at a wavelength of 2.8 cm. Six bright components were found with angular sizes of the order of 20″. From the position measure of these components in two following days the heights above the solar photosphere are determined. Their positions are compared with the Hα and magnetic structure of the active region. The derived brightness temperatures reach unusual values, up to 6 × 10⁶K for the brightest component.     

8–13 μm spectrophotometry of Comet Kohoutek

Spectrophotometry of Comet Kohoutek (1973f) covering the wavelength range 8–13 μm is presented. The spectral shape of the derived flux excess above a blackbody closely resembles that seen in circumstellar and interstellar dust and generally attributed to metallic silicates.     

Solar wind induction in Mercury: Constraints on the formation of a magnetosphere

The discovery of Mercury's magnetosphere by Mariner 10 was surprising since the conventional view of regenerative planetary dynamos had been that the spin requirement would likely have been in excess of the observed spin rate of Mercury. Also internal fluid motions were not expected to be sufficiently large. This paper explores the alternative model of the formation of Mercury's magnetosphere via electromagnetic induction forced by the solar wind. It is shown, however, that the constraints are so severe as to limit severely the applicability of such a model. Although induction is easily observed on the Moon, the modification of the magnetic boundary condition associated with a plasma magnetosphere on Mercury rules out its formation via induction except for interplanetary driving fields which are decreasing in amplitude. That model is explored but retains the difficulty that induced magnetospheres tend to be of small radial and temporal extent compared to that inferred by Ness et al. for Mercury.     

AÏOUN EL ATROUSS: A NEW HYPERSTHENE ACHONDRITE WITH EUCRITIC INCLUSIONS

Preliminary investigations have been made on two separate pieces from the Aïoun el Atrouss meteorite that fell on April 17, 1974 in southeast Mauritania. The major portion of the meteorite is a brecciated hypersthene achondrite with orthopyroxene (En₇₄) as the major phase. Clasts of eucrite, up to 7 percent in volume within a single slice, occur within the hypersthene achondrite host. No evidence has been found of reaction between the two meteorite types, nor of the presence of any materials intermediate in composition.     

Simulation of ionosphere-plasmasphere coupling taking into account ion inertia and temperature anisotropy

In this paper we offer a model for the Earth's ionosphere and plasmasphere, allowing for the inertia and anisotropic energy distribution of thermal plasma. A procedure for simultaneous solution of equations of continuity and motion for the O⁺ and H⁺ ions, subject to inertia terms, is described. The model also includes transfer equations for longitudinal and transversal thermal energies. The system of simulating equations and the kinetic equation for superthermal electron spectra are concordantly solved along geomagnetic field lines. Within the framework of the model we developed a study is made of the dynamics of filling of the evacuated plasmaspheric reservoir after a magnetospheric disturbance. It is shown that the filling of the tubes offorce with L ? 3.5 proceeds with supersonic speeds during the first several days and the character of filling differs very much from a diffusion-equilibrium one. The spatio-temporal behavior of electron and ion temperature anisotropy that is formed in the process of filling, is considered. It is found that the value of electron anisotropy can be large. A brief analysis is made of the causes of electron and ion temperature anisotropy.     

Estimate for radiative forcing of smoke aerosol from 2010 summer fires based on measurements in the Moscow region

Temperature and radiation effects of the 2010 summer fires are estimated on the basis of measurements at the Zvenigorod Scientific Station (ZSS) of the Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), in the Moscow region. The surface air temperature during the 2010 summer smoke varied in antiphase with the aerosol mass concentration, and the thermal radiation balance in the surface layer of the atmosphere varied in phase. Under extreme smoke of the surface layer in August 2010, the reduction in surface air temperature at ZSS has been found to reach 4 K with an increase in the downward flux of thermal radiation by an average of 20 W/m² and a decrease in the difference between upward and downward fluxes of thermal radiation by an average of 24 W/m².     

Russian studies of atmospheric electricity in 2011–2014

This review contains the most significant results of Russian studies in the field of atmospheric electricity in 2011–2014. It is part of the Russian National Report on Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences to the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS). The report was presented and approved at the XXVI General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG).¹ The review is followed by a list of the main published works on the studies of atmospheric electricity of Russian scientists in 2011–2014.     

Transient Atmospheric Events Measured by Detectors on the Vernov Satellite

In this paper, data obtained by the Vernov satellite are discussed in comparison with the data obtained by Universitetsky–Tatiana-1, 2 satellites. The advanced instrumentation onboard the Vernov satellite improved the capabilities of the data-transmission system, providing an opportunity to acquire more detailed information on transient atmospheric events (TAEs), including a wider range of TAE photon numbers (event brightness) down to lower photon numbers, the opportunity to observe the events in ultraviolet range without the considerable inclusion of red–infrared photons (which indicates the substantial contribution of electric discharges, lightning precursors, at the altitudes of thunderstorm clouds), and the observation of TAE series at a rate of about 10–100 occurrences per second with a period from tens of seconds to several minutes.