Influence of the ocean surface temperature and sea ice concentration on regional climate changes in Eurasia in recent decades

Numerical experiments with the ECHAM5 atmospheric general circulation model have been performed in order to simulate the influence of changes in the ocean surface temperature (OST) and sea ice concentration (SIC) on climate characteristics in regions of Eurasia. The sensitivity of winter and summer climates to OST and SIC variations in 1998–2006 has been investigated and compared to those in 1968–1976. These two intervals correspond to the maximum and minimum of the Atlantic Long-Period Oscillation (ALO) index. Apart from the experiments on changes in the OST and SIC global fields, the experiments on OST anomalies only in the North Atlantic and SIC anomalies in the Arctic for the specified periods have been analyzed. It is established that temperature variations in Western Europe are explained by OST and SIC variations fairly well, whereas the warmings in Eastern Europe and Western Siberia, according to model experiments, are substantially (by a factor of 2–3) smaller than according to observational data. Winter changes in the temperature regime in continental regions are controlled mainly by atmospheric circulation anomalies. The model, on the whole, reproduces the empirical structure of changes in the winter field of surface pressure, in particular, the pressure decrease in the Caspian region; however, it substantially (approximately by three times) underestimates the range of changes. Summer temperature variations in the model are characterized by a higher statistical significance than winter ones. The analysis of the sensitivity of the climate in Western Europe to SIC variations alone in the Arctic is an important result of the experiments performed. It is established that the SIC decrease and a strong warming over the Barents Sea in the winter period leads to a cooling over vast regions of the northern part of Eurasia and increases the probability of anomalously cold January months by two times and more (for regions in Western Siberia). This effect is caused by the formation of the increased-pressure region with a center over the southern boundary of the Barents Sea during the SIC decrease and an anomalous advection of cold air masses from the northeast. This result indicates that, to estimate the ALO actions (as well as other long-scale climatic variability modes) on the climate of Eurasia, it is basically important to take into account (or correctly reproduce) Arctic sea ice changes in experiments with climatic models.     

A Correlation between Lightning Flash Frequencies and the Statistical Characteristics of Convective Activity in the Atmosphere

Doklady Earth Sciences - A modification of the commonly used Price–Rind scheme for lightning flash frequency (LFF), which can be used in calculations with large spatial and time steps, has...     

A High-Temperature Al–Ca Condensate in the Lunar Regolith

Doklady Earth Sciences - For the first time, a high-temperature condensate in the form of two-component glass beads of about 200–400 nm size, consisting of an Al–Ca oxide core rimmed by...     

Greenhouse effect in planetary atmospheres caused by molecular symmetry breaking in intermolecular interactions

It is believed that the greenhouse effect is related to the parameters of absorption spectra of polyatomic molecules, usually trace gases, in planetary atmospheres. The main components of all known atmospheres of celestial bodies are symmetrical molecules that do not possess the dipole-allowed purely rotational (and in the case of diatomic molecules, vibrational–rotational) absorption spectrum. Upon increased pressure, a weak absorption appears, induced by intermolecular interaction, which can lead to a greenhouse effect. The contribution of the induced absorption in radiative forcing of a dense atmosphere may amount to a few or even tens of W/m². In conditions typical for the atmospheres of terrestrial planets (including paleoatmospheres), the collision-induced absorption and associated greenhouse effect may lead to an increase in surface temperature above the freezing point of water. There is a correlation between the temperature of an atmosphere and the intermolecular bonding energy of gases that dominate in planetary atmospheres of the Solar System.     

Estimates of the mutual influence of variations in the sea surface temperature in tropical latitudes of the Pacific,Atlantic, and Indian Oceans from long-period data series

Based on the concept of the Wiener&–Granger causality, a seasonal trivariate analysis of directional couplings between sea surface temperature variations in tropical latitudes of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans has been performed. These variations are related to significant modes of regional and global climatic variability. We have analyzed time series of monthly indices of Pacific Ocean processes of the El Ni&ño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), equatorial Atlantic mode (EAM), and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)&—along with its western and eastern poles for the period of 1870&–2015. A scheme of interactions between the processes under study where coupling strength estimates are presented, along with estimates of the season of its maximal value and the coupling coefficient sign, has been developed. We have found the seasonal influences of ENSO on the western and eastern poles of IOD, the eastern pole of IOD on ENSO, EAM on ENSO, and IOD on EAM to be the most significant couplings.     

Influence of phosphate glass recrystallization on the stability of a waste matrix to leaching

In Russia, highly radioactive liquid wastes from recycling of spent fuel of nuclear reactors are solidified into Na–Al–P glass for underground storage. The properties of the matrix including the radionuclide fixation will change with time due to crystallization. This is supported by the results of study of the interaction between glassy matrices, products of their crystallization, and water. The concentration of Cs in a solution at the contact of a recrystallized sample increased by three orders of magnitude in comparison with an experiment with glass. This difference is nearly one order of magnitude for Sr, Ce, and Nd (simulators of actinides) and U due to their incorporation into phases with low solubility in water. Based on data on the compositional change of solutions after passing through filters of various diameters, it is concluded that Cs occurs in the dissolved state in runs with a glass and recrystallized matrix. At the same time, Sr, lanthanides, and U occur in the dissolved state and in the composition of colloids in runs with glass, and mostly in colloid particles after contact with the recrystallized sample. These results should be regarded for substantiation of safety for geological waste storage.     

Anomalous transboundary transport of the products of biomass burning from North American wildfires to Northern Eurasia

Doklady Earth Sciences - An analysis of smoke in the atmosphere over the Russian Far East and Eastern Siberia in August 2004 was carried out. The results of the analysis indicate that the cause of...     

The link between smoke blanketing of European Russia in summer 2016, Siberian wildfires and anomalies of large-scale atmospheric circulation

Analysis of smoke blanketing of European Russia (ER) in summer 2016 is presented. The results of the analysis indicate that the cause of the smoky atmosphere over ER was long-range transport of smoke from wildfires in Siberia. The aerosol optical thickness at a wavelength of 550 nm over ER in late July reached 3. The features of circulation in the troposphere over northern Eurasia in July 2016, with an anomalous east transfer of combustion products in the troposphere over thousands of kilometers, which is opposite to the westerly transfer prevailing in the mid-latitudes, are discussed. A comparison of variations in the probability distribution functions of the aerosol optical thickness is performed for ER and Siberia for the summer periods in different years with massive wildfires.     

Microparticles of native metals,sulfides, and oxides in andesitic ashes of Karymskii Volcano

New data on accessory mineral phases found in ashes of the erupting Karymskii Volcano as micro-dispersed particles of native metals (Al, Fe, and Zn), intermetallic compounds, sulfides and oxides of iron, and carbonaceous substances are presented. Dominating submicron particles of native Al and Fe are largely confined to coarse-grained ash fractions; this is supported by extensive observations. The co-occurrence of iron oxide and sulfide particles of the same size possibly indicates extremely heterogeneous conditions of gas transport reactions during the eruption. The presence of native metals and carbonaceous compounds may attest to periods of a highly reducing environment in the fluid system supplying Karymskii Volcano.