Deep electromagnetic sounding of the lithosphere in the eastern Baltic (fennoscandian) shield with high-power controlled sources and industrial power transmission lines (FENICS experiment)

The paper addresses the technique and the first results of a unique experiment on the deep tensor frequency electromagnetic sounding, the Fennoscandian Electrical conductivity from results of sounding with Natural and Controlled Sources (FENICS). In the experiment, Energy-1 and Energy-2 generators with power of up to 200 kW and two mutually orthogonal industrial 109- and 120-km-long power transmission lines were used. The sounding frequency range was 0.1–200 Hz. The signals were measured in the Kola-Karelian region, in Finland, on Svalbard, and in Ukraine at distances up to 2150 km from the source. The parameters of electric conductivity in the lithosphere are studied down to depths on the order of 50–70 km. A strong lateral homogeneity (the one-dimensionality) of a geoelectric section of the Earth’s crust is revealed below depths of 10–15 km. At the same time, a region with reduced transverse crustal resistivity spread over about 80 000 square kilometers is identified within the depth interval from 20 to 40 km. On the southeast the contour of the anomaly borders the zone of deepening of the Moho boundary down to 60 km in Central Finland. The results are compared with the AMT-MT sounding data and a geodynamic interpretation of the obtained information is carried out.     

Electromagnetic sounding of the Earth’s crust in the region of superdeep boreholes of Yamal-Nenets autonomous district using the fields of natural and controlled sources

Electromagnetic soundings with the fields of natural (magnetotelluric (MT), and audio magnetotelluric (AMT)) and high-power controlled sources have been carried out in the region of the SG-6 (Tyumen) and SG-7 (En-Yakhin) superdeep boreholes in the Yamal-Nenets autonomous district (YaNAD). In the controlled-source soundings, the electromagnetic field was generated by the VL Urengoi-Pangody 220-kV industrial power transmission line (PTL), which has a length of 114 km, and ultralow-frequency (ULF) Zevs radiating antenna located at a distance of 2000 km from the signal recording sites. In the soundings with the Urengoi-Pangody PTL, the Energiya-2 generator capable of supplying up to 200 kW of power and Energiya-3 portable generator with a power of 2 kW were used as the sources. These generators were designed and manufactured at the Kola Science Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The soundings with the Energiya-2 generator were conducted in the frequency range from 0.38 to 175 Hz. The external generator was connected to the PTL in upon the agreement with the Yamal-Nenets Enterprise of Main Electric Networks, a branch of OAO FSK ES of Western Siberia. The connection was carried out by the wire-ground scheme during the routine maintenance of PTL in the nighttime. The highest-quality signals were recorded in the region of the SG-7 (En-Yakhin) superdeep borehole, where the industrial noise is lowest. The results of the inversion of the soundings with PTL and Zevs ULF transmitter completely agree with each other and with the data of electric logging. The MT-AMT data provide additional information about the deep structure of the region in the low-frequency range (below 1Hz). It is established that the section of SG-6 and SG-7 boreholes contains conductive layers in the depth intervals from 0.15 to 0.3 km and from 1 to 1.5 km. These layers are associated with the variations in the lithological composition, porosity, and fluid saturation of the rocks. The top of the poorly conductive Permian-Triassic complex is identified at a depth of about 7 km. On the basis of the MT data in the lowest frequency band (hourly and longer periods) with the observations at the Novosibirsk observatory taken into account, the distribution of electric resistivity up to a depth of 800 km is reconstructed. This distribution can be used as additional information when calculating the temperature and rheology of the lithosphere and upper mantle in West Siberia. The results of our studies demonstrate the high potential of the complex electromagnetic soundings with natural and controlled sources in the study of deep structure of the lithosphere and tracing deep oil-and-gas-bearing horizons in the sedimentary cover of the West Siberian Platform within the Yamal-Nenets autonomous district.     

Modeling of the breeze circulation of waters in the Kerch Strait

The problem of the numerical analysis of currents in the Kerch Strait is studied within the framework of a linear nonstationary two-dimensional model in the nondivergent approximation. We describe the actual situation when the motion is induced by a breeze against the background of the daily average northeast wind. The breeze is specified as acting in a narrow coastal strip and can be classified as a zonal wind. The variations of circulation near the Tuzla Island are studied in detail. It is shown that the contribution of the breeze circulation to the total circulation can be significant for the explanation of the processes running in the Kerch Strait. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 6, pp. 16–27, November–December, 2007.     

Scientific investigations by the Polar Geophysical Institute on the Spitsbergen archipelago

In October 2010, it will be 50 years since the founding of the Polar Geophysical Institute of the Kola Science Center, Russian Academy of Sciences. The paper covers the scientific investigations conducted by the Polar Geophysical Institute on the Spitsbergen archipelago. Brief information is given regarding both the history and the current stage of investigations by the Academy of Sciences on Spitsbergen. The experimental equipment installed at the Barentsburg Observatory of the Polar Geophysical Institute is described. The scientific problems that the Polar Geophysical Institute is solving in this region are discussed.     

A three-dimensional model of the breeze-induced circulation of waters in the Kerch strait

We generalize the problem of evaluation of currents caused by the action of breeze winds to the three-dimensional case. In the “solid-lid” approximation, the problem is reduced to the numerical solution of a two-dimensional equation for the integral current function (with complex-valued coefficients) with subsequent evaluation of the components of current velocity according to analytic formulas. The breeze is specified as acting in a narrow coastal strip in the form of a zonal wind. The three-dimensional structure and the variations of currents near the west boundary of the Kerch Strait as functions of time are studied in detail.     

Behavior of the polar lower ionosphere during the solar flares in January 2005 according to the data of the partial reflections method

The results of the observations, using partial reflections, of the lower ionosphere over Tumannyi station in the Murmansk region (69.0° N, 35.7° E) during strong solar flares on January 15–20, 2005, are presented. The structure of the D region of the polar ionosphere and the effects of X-ray flares and fluxes of high energy protons on this region are considered. The anomalous values of electron density in the lower part of the D region, unusually low values of the height of the lower ionospheric boundary, complete or partial absorption of short and medium radiowaves, and bursts of the meter cosmic radio emission were detected during solar disturbances.     

Effect of the ionosphere on electromagnetic waves from ground-based emitter in the frequency band 1–10 Hz

The results of the first experimental reception of electromagnetic signals, emitted by the ground antenna at frequencies of 1–10 Hz in the transition zone in the case when the distance from the transmitter is comparable with the equivalent waveguide height, are presented. The works were performed episodically in 2006, in different seasons and at different time of day, under quiet geomagnetic conditions. A pronounced effect of the state of the ionosphere on the received signal value was found out at distances about 80 km from the transmitter; in this case the seasonal manifestations were more substantial than the daily ones. The obtained results indicate that it is necessary to take into account the effect of the ionosphere on the wave amplitude in the transition zone, when the electromagnetic sounding of the Earth’s structure is performed at frequencies of 1–10 Hz, and that it is reasonable to use artificial waves in this band to perform quasi-vertical sounding of the ionosphere.     

Intermediate-brightness spectrophotometric standards. Standards near +40° declination

The second stage in our program to compile a list of regional intermediate-brightness spectrophotometric standards has been completed. We have obtained spectral energy distributions for 24 stars with magnitudes $7\mathop m\limits_. 0 - 8\mathop m\limits_. 5$ near +40° declination. The range λλ3100–7600 Å was studied with a spectral resolution of 50 Å. The relative rms error of our results in the visible is 1–2%, increasing to 3–5% toward the edges of the studied wavelength interval. All the stars are referenced to a single standard, the circumpolar star HD 221525. The energy distributions were used to compute color indices in the UBV, WBVR, and UPXY ZV S systems, as well as in the system of the TYCHO catalog. The computed and observed values for stars in common with the TYCHO catalog are compared.     

Spatial structure of auroral day-time ionospheric electron density irregularities generated by a powerful HF-wave

We describe an experiment in satellite radio-wave probing of the ionosphere, modified by powerful waves from the HF heating facility at Tromsø (Norway) in May 1995. Amplitude scintillations and variations of the phase of VHF signals from Russian navigational satellites passing over the heated region were observed. We show that both large-scale electron density irregularities (several tens of kilometers in size) and small-scale ones (from hundreds of meters to kilometers) can be generated by the HF radiation. Maximum effects caused by small-scale irregularities detected in the satellite signals are observed in the directions sector approximately parallel to the geomagnetic field lines although large-scale structures can be detected within a much larger area. The properties of small-scale irregularities (electron density fluctuations) are investigated by applying a statistical analysis and by studying experimental and model mean values of the logarithm of the relative amplitude of the signal. The results indicate that satellite radio probing can be a supporting diagnostic technique for ionospheric heating and add valuable information to studies of effects produced by HF modification.