Energy Spectra of Cosmic-Ray Protons and Nuclei Measured in the NUCLEON Experiment Using a New Method

Astronomy Reports - Some results of studies of cosmic rays obtained during the NUCLEON space experiment in 2015–2017 are presented. This experiment was intended for direct measurements of the...     

Determining Both Tropospheric and Stratospheric СО2 Contents Using a Ground-Based IR Spectroscopic Method

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - Results obtained from ground-based high spectral resolution measurements of solar IR radiation absorption spectra are analyzed. These measurements have...     

A concerted research effort to advance the hydrological understanding of tropical páramos

Páramos, a neotropical alpine grassland-peatland biome of the northern Andes and Central America, play an essential role in regional and global cycles of water, carbon, and nutrients. They act as water towers, delivering water and ecosystem services from the high mountains down to the Pacific, Caribbean, and Amazon regions. Páramos are also widely recognized as a biodiversity and climate change hot spots, yet they are threatened by anthropogenic activities and environmental changes. Despite their importance for water security and carbon storage, and their vulnerability to human activities, only three decades ago, páramos were severely understudied. Increasing awareness of the need for hydrological evidence to guide sustainable management of páramos prompted action for generating data and for filling long-standing knowledge gaps. This has led to a remarkably successful increase in scientific knowledge, induced by a strong interaction between the scientific, policy, and (local) management communities. A combination of well-established and innovative approaches has been applied to data collection, processing, and analysis. In this review, we provide a short overview of the historical development of research and state of knowledge of the hydrometeorology, flux dynamics, anthropogenic impacts, and the influence of extreme events in páramos. We then present emerging technologies for hydrology and water resources research and management applied to páramos. We discuss how converging science and policy efforts have leveraged traditional and new observational techniques to generate an evidence base that can support the sustainable management of páramos. We conclude that this co-evolution of science and policy was able to successfully cover different spatial and temporal scales. Lastly, we outline future research directions to showcase how sustainable long-term data collection can foster the responsible conservation of páramos water towers.     

Complex scientific and technical trends of Russian Federation Arctic offshore hydrocarbon resource development

Based on the analysis of geological, technical and hydrometeorological conditions of the coastal part of the Arctic offshore, a concept of its hydrocarbon resource development is submitted.     

Effects of fracture intersections on seismic dispersion: theoretical predictions versus numerical simulations

The detection and characterisation of domains of intersecting fractures are important goals in several disciplines of current interest, including exploration and production of unconventional reservoirs, nuclear waste storage, CO₂ sequestration, and groundwater hydrology, among others. The objective of this study is to propose a theoretical framework for quantifying the effects of fracture intersections on the frequency‐dependent elastic properties of fluid‐saturated porous and fractured rocks. Three characteristic frequency regimes for fluid pressure communication are identified. In the low‐frequency limit, fractures are in full pressure communication with the embedding porous matrix and with other fractures. Conversely, in the high‐frequency limit, fractures are hydraulically isolated from the matrix and from other fractures. At intermediate frequencies, fractures are hydraulically isolated from the matrix porosity but can be in hydraulic communication with each other, depending on whether fracture sets are intersecting. For each frequency regime, the effective stiffness coefficients are derived using the linear‐slip theory and anisotropic Gassmann equations. Explicit mathematical expressions for the two characteristic frequencies that separate the three frequency regimes are also determined. Theoretical predictions are then applied to two synthetic 2D samples, each containing two orthogonal fracture sets: one with and another without intersections. The resulting stiffness coefficients, Thomsen‐style anisotropy parameters, and the transition frequencies show good agreement with corresponding numerical simulations. The theoretical results are applicable not only to 2D but also to 3D fracture systems and are amenable to being employed in inversion schemes designed to characterise fracture systems.     

The choice of oil-pollution criteria for organogenic bottom sediments by chromatography-mass-spectrometry

The results of studying the hydrocarbon composition of organogenic bottom sediments of oil-polluted lakes and lakes of similar types remote from centers of anthropogenic activity are given. To correctly assess the oil pollution of organogenic materials one has to take into account the presence of native hydrocarbons in their composition and to choose the main criterion of oil pollution based on the presence of specific oil components not characteristic of aquatic ecosystems in their natural state. The most promising among such components are alkylbenzenes С₁₅–С₂₅, which slowly degrade under the conditions typical of northern aquatic ecosystems and can be retained for a long time by organogenic matrix.     

Geodynamic Model of the Neoproterozoic Evolution of the Yenisei Paleosubduction Zone (Western Margin of the Siberian Craton), Russia

Geotectonics - The article proposes a model of collisional and accretionary events of the Neoproterozoic at the western margin of the Siberian Craton based on the results of geological,...     

Estimation of Solar Activity Based on VHF Radar Data

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - The index of integral solar activity F10.7 is one of the main input parameters of existing ionospheric models, including the model used at early-warning radar stations...     

A triple porosity scheme for fluid/solid substitution: theory and experiment

Quantifying the effects of pore-filling materials on elastic properties of porous rocks is of considerable interest in geophysical practice. For rocks saturated with fluids, the Gassmann equation is proved effective in estimating the exact change in seismic velocity or rock moduli upon the changes in properties of pore infill. For solid substance or viscoelastic materials, however, the Gassmann theory is not applicable as the rigidity of the pore fill (either elastic or viscoelastic) prevents pressure communication in the pore space, which is a key assumption of the Gassmann equation. In this paper, we explored the elastic properties of a sandstone sample saturated with fluid and solid substance under different confining pressures. This sandstone sample is saturated with octadecane, which is a hydrocarbon with a melting point of 28°C, making it convenient to use in the lab in both solid and fluid forms. Ultrasonically measured velocities of the dry rock exhibit strong pressure dependency, which is largely reduced for the filling of solid octadecane. Predictions by the Gassmann theory for the elastic moduli of the sandstone saturated with liquid octadecane are consistent with ultrasonic measurements, but underestimate the elastic moduli of the sandstone saturated with solid octadecane. Our analysis shows that the difference between the elastic moduli of the dry and solid-octadecane-saturated sandstone is controlled by the squirt flow between stiff, compliant, and the so-called intermediate pores (with an aspect ratio larger than that of compliant pore but much less than that of stiff pores). Therefore, we developed a triple porosity model to quantify the combined squirt flow effects of compliant and intermediate pores saturated with solid or viscoelastic infill. Full saturation of remaining stiff pores with solid or viscoelastic materials is then considered by the lower embedded bound theory. The proposed model gave a reasonable fit to the ultrasonic measurements of the elastic moduli of the sandstone saturated with liquid or solid octadecane. Comparison of the predictions by the new model to other solid substitution schemes implied that accounting for the combined effects of compliant and intermediate pores is necessary to explain the solid squirt effects.     

Burying receivers for improved time‐lapse seismic repeatability: CO2CRC Otway field experiment

4D seismic is widely used to remotely monitor fluid movement in subsurface reservoirs. This technique is especially effective offshore where high survey repeatability can be achieved. It comes as no surprise that the first 4D seismic that successfully monitored the CO₂ sequestration process was recorded offshore in the Sleipner field, North Sea. In the case of land projects, poor repeatability of the land seismic data due to low S/N ratio often obscures the time‐lapse seismic signal. Hence for a successful on shore monitoring program improving seismic repeatability is essential. Stage 2 of the CO2CRC Otway project involves an injection of a small amount (around 15,000 tonnes) of CO₂/CH₄ gas mixture into a saline aquifer at a depth of approximately 1.5 km. Previous studies at this site showed that seismic repeatability is relatively low due to variations in weather conditions, near surface geology and farming activities. In order to improve time‐lapse seismic monitoring capabilities, a permanent receiver array can be utilised to improve signal to noise ratio and hence repeatability. A small‐scale trial of such an array was conducted at the Otway site in June 2012. A set of 25 geophones was installed in 3 m deep boreholes in parallel to the same number of surface geophones. In addition, four geophones were placed into boreholes of 1–12 m depth. In order to assess the gain in the signal‐to‐noise ratio and repeatability, both active and passive seismic surveys were carried out. The surveys were conducted in relatively poor weather conditions, with rain, strong wind and thunderstorms. With such an amplified background noise level, we found that the noise level for buried geophones is on average 20 dB lower compared to the surface geophones. The levels of repeatability for borehole geophones estimated around direct wave, reflected wave and ground roll are twice as high as for the surface geophones. Both borehole and surface geophones produce the best repeatability in the 30–90 Hz frequency range. The influence of burying depth on S/N ratio and repeatability shows that significant improvement in repeatability can be reached at a depth of 3 m. The level of repeatability remains relatively constant between 3 and 12 m depths.