Analysis of Change in the Precipitation Regime on the Territory of the Russian Federation in the Second Half of the 20th Century and the Early 21st Century Using Bayesian Estimation of Markov Chain Parameters

Doklady Earth Sciences - Bayesian estimation using the binary Markov chain parameters is conducted for the changes in the probabilities of homogeneous transitions as a model of change in the...     

New characteristics of the solar cycle and dynamo theory

Based on an analysis of the observational data for solar cycles 12–23 (Royal Greenwich Observatory-USAF/NOAA Sunspot Data), we have studied various parameters of the “Maunder butterflies.” Based on the observational data for cycles 16–23, we have found that BT/Land S depend linearly on each other, where B is the mean magnetic field of the cycle, T is the cycle duration, S is the cycle strength, and L is the mean sunspot latitude in the cycle (the arithmetic mean of the absolute values of the mean latitudes in the north and south). The connection of the observed quantities with the α-ω-dynamo theory is discussed.     

The solar cycle from data on the large-scale surface magnetic field and solar-dynamo theory

Latitude-time (butterfly) diagrams of the large-scale solar magnetic field differ appreciably from the butterfly diagrams for sunspots. Tilted features corresponding to waves propagating from the middle latitudes to the equator are virtually absent from the diagrams for the large-scale magnetic field. The latitude-time diagram of the 22-year solar cycle based on data for the large-scale surface field appears as a checkerboard pattern rather than a traveling wave. Solutions describing similar behavior for the poloidal magnetic field are found for Parker’s solar-dynamo equations. These solutions agree with observations especially well if meridional circulation is added to the two sources generating the magnetic-field in this dynamo-differential rotation and mirror-asymmetric convection.     

The effect of meridional circulation on dynamo waves approaching the solar poles

Dynamo waves approaching the solar poles are analyzed in the Parker approximation taking into account meridional circulation. Asymptotic solutions of the equations describing the generation of the magnetic field are constructed. It is shown in which cases the effect of meridional circulation results in traveling dynamo waves both incident on and reflected from the pole, or in a superposition of standing dynamo waves.     

Simultaneous Observations of EMIC Waves,ELF/VLF Waves,and Energetic Particle Precipitation during Multiple Compressions of the Magnetosphere

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - Simultaneous observations of ELF/VLF and EMIC waves from Van Allen Probe satellites in the daytime Earth’s magnetosphere and on the ground during multiple...     

Proton Auroras Equatorward of the Oval as a Manifestation of the Ion-Cyclotron Instability in the Earth’s Magnetosphere (Brief Review)

Different types of proton auroras observed by the IMAGE satellite equatorward of the proton aurora oval are briefly reviewed. These auroras are caused by the precipitation of energetic protons from the Earth’s magnetosphere during the development of the ion-cyclotron instability. In addition to the previously considered types of proton auroras (spots, evening arcs, and dayside flashes), a new type is described: longlasting proton auroras on the dayside. The scheme of interrelation between different proton auroras equatorward of the oval with the distribution of cold plasmaspheric plasma is given.     

Martian cratering 12. Utilizing primary crater clusters to study crater populations and meteoroid properties

Images from Mars Global Surveyor and later images from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal that roughly half of the meteoroids striking Mars (at meter to few decameter crater diameters) fragment in the Martian atmosphere, producing small clusters of primary impact craters. Statistics of these “primary clusters” yield valuable information about important Martian phenomena and properties of interplanetary bodies, including meteoroid behavior in the Martian atmosphere, bulk strengths of bodies striking Mars, and the fraction of Martian “field secondary” craters, a datum that would improve crater count chronometry. Many Martian impactors fragment at altitudes significantly higher than 18 km above the mean surface of Mars, and we find that most bodies striking Mars and Earth have low bulk strengths, consistent with crumbly or highly fractured objects. Applying statistics of primary clusters at various elevations and independent diameter bins, we describe a technique to estimate the percentage of semirandomly scattered “field secondary” craters. Our provisional estimate of this percentage, in the diameter range ~250 m down to ~22 m, is ~40% to ~80% of the total impacts, with the higher percentages at smaller diameters. Our data argue against earlier suggestions of overwhelming dominance by either primaries or secondaries in this diameter range.     

Application of a modified hopfield neural network to noisy magnetotelluric data

A new approach is presented for processing noisy magnetotelluric time series, based on a neural network algorithm. This approach structures data and removes noise and distortions from them for the subsequent correct estimation of magnetotelluric response functions. The method was tested on real data contaminated by anthropogenic noise.     

Conditions of generation of extremely high water content of Primorye rivers in autumn–winter 2012

Analyzed are the synoptic and hydrological conditions of the generation of extremely high water content of Primorye rivers in the autumn of 2012. Revealed are the general features of atmospheric circulation, precipitation, water content, and hydrological regime of rivers. Presented are quantitative parameters characterizing the extremity of observed events. The expert assessment of the probability of such combination of events demonstrates that its return period is about 500–1000 years if there is assumption on the stationarity of processes. Taking into account the revealed facts and available assessments of climate changes it can be supposed that the analyzed event rather indicates real changes in the hydrological regime of the region than represents a rare random phenomenon.     

A Review on the Taxonomic, Evolutionary and Phytogeographic Studies of the Lotus Plant (Nelumbonaceae: Nelumbo)

Nelumbo Adans. （Nelumbonaceae） is an important member of the early-diverging eudicots. It contains two extant species： N. nucifera Gaertn. （the Sacred lotus）, distributed in Asia and Australia and N. lutea Willd. （the American lotus）, occurring in North America. This paper reviews the taxonomic, evolutionary and phytogeographic studies of the genus Nelumbo, and also raises scientific questions about it in further paleobotanic research. There are about 30 fossil species of Nelumbo established since the Early Cretaceous. Based on fossil studies, the ancestors of the extant N. nucifera and N. lutea are respectively considered to be N. protospeciosa from the Eocene to Miocene of Eurasia, and N. protolutea from the Eocene of North American. However, molecular systematic studies indicate that N. nucifera and N. lutea are probably split from a common ancestor during the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene, or even the Pleistocene, rather than separate relicts from extinct species on different continents. The characters of lotus stomatal development, seedling morphology as well as its flowering, pollination and fertilization in air reveal that it evolves from the land plants. Fossil data of Nelumbo indicates that the genus first occurs in mid-latitude area of Laurasia in the Early Cretaceous, then becomes widespread in North America and Eurasia and expands into Africa and South America during the Late Cretaceous; the genus probably colonizes the Indian Subcontinent from Asia during the Early Eocene after the collision of India and the Asian plates; the genus becomes extinct in Europe, but survives in Asia and North America during the Quaternary Ice Age, and later forms the present East Asia and North Australia-North America disjunctive distribution.