Water Quality Estimation Based on Histological Investigations of Fish: Case Study of Kenozero Lake

Specific hydrological and hydrochemical conditions in Kenozero Lake have led to changes in the morphology of fishes at a cellular level. The abnormalities in the function of the respiratory, digestive, and excretory systems were recorded. The degree of pathology depended on the ecological features of the fish. The pathological changes were most pronounced in the gills of the fish species (orfe, perch, and roach) characterized by active mode of life and sensible to oxygen deficiency. The changes in the epithelium of gill filaments had a compensatory significance and were aimed at increasing the area of the functional surface of the gills under the conditions of hypoxia.     

Estimating the influence of seismic and meteorological factors on the accuracy of measurements by relative gravimeters

Continuous high-precision long-term gravity measurements are carried out at the geophysical observatory located in the experimental base of Vladimir State University. The long time series of gravity acceleration and its standard deviation are obtained. The factors responsible for the increases in the studied deviations are analyzed. The recommendations for improving the accuracy of relative gravity measurements are formulated.     

Probabilistic Assessment of Tsunami Recurrence in the Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is one of the most tsunamigenic regions of the world and recently experienced a mega-tsunami in the Sumatra region on 26 December 2004 (M _W 9.2 earthquake) with tsunami intensity I (Soloviev-Imamura intensity scale) equal to 4.5, causing heavy destruction of lives and property in the Indian Ocean rim countries. In this study, probabilities of occurrences of large tsunamis with tsunami intensities I ≥ 2.0 and I ≥ 3.0 (average wave heights H ≥ 2.83 m and H ≥ 5.66 m, respectively) during a specified time interval were calculated using three stochastic models, namely, Weibull, gamma and lognormal. Tsunami recurrence was calculated for the whole Indian Ocean and the special case of the Andaman-Sumatra-Java (ASJ) region, excluding the 1945 Makran event from the main data set. For this purpose, a reliable, homogeneous and complete tsunami catalogue with I ≥ 2.0 during the period 1797–2006 was used. The tsunami hazard parameters were estimated using the method of maximum likelihood. The logarithm of likelihood function (ln L) was estimated and used to test the suitability of models in the examined region. The Weibull model was observed to be the most suitable model to estimate tsunami recurrence in the region. The sample mean intervals of occurrences of tsunamis with intensity I ≥ 2.0 and I ≥ 3.0 were calculated for the observed data as well as for the Weibull, gamma and lognormal models. The estimated cumulative and conditional probabilities in the whole Indian Ocean region show recurrence periods of about 27–30 years (2033–2036) and 35–36 years (2039–2040) for tsunami intensities I ≥ 2.0 and I ≥ 3.0, respectively, while it is about 31–35 years (2037–2041) and 41–42 years (2045–2046) for a tsunami of intensity I ≥ 2.0 and I ≥ 3.0, respectively, in the ASJ region. A high probability (>0.9) of occurrence of large tsunamis with I ≥ 2.0 in the next 30–40 years in the Indian Ocean region was revealed.     

Problem of transient turbulent convection and a semiempirical profile of turbulent heat exchange coefficient in freshwater bodies

A problem of convective cooling of both freshwater and saltwater lake is formulated. A transient one-dimensional turbulent model with variable layer depth is proposed to describe the process of freezing. The dependence of layer depth on time is determined by a universal equation describing the propagation of Deardorff convective layer. A combination of the main form of equations of Kolmogorov–Obukhov theory and available experimental data is shown to allow the construction of a universal profile of turbulent exchange coefficient, depending on the height.     

Biofacies of Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous sediments of central West Siberia

Paleontological study of Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous sediments recovered by boreholes in the Agan-Vakh and Nadym-Vengapur interfluves clarified environments of their deposition. As is shown, influx of siliciclastic material to central areas of the West Siberian sea basin varied through time. Taxonomic composition and ecological structure of nektonic and benthic fossil assemblages are analyzed and considered in terms of environmental factors such as hydrodynamics, aeration, temperature, and salinity of seawater.     

Geochemistry and origin of the ore-forming fluids in hydrothermal-magmatic systems in tectonically active zones

Data on fluid inclusions and stable isotope compositions (O, H, C, and S) in minerals have been summarized for large-and middle-scale mesothermal gold deposits (Nezhdaninsk, Berezovsk, Kochkar’, Svetlinsk, Darasun, and Maisk), cassiterite-silicate-sulfide deposits of Sikhote Alin (Solnechnoe, Arsen’evsk, and Vysokogorsk), vein silver-base metal deposits in the Southern Verkhoyansk region (Prognoz and Kupol’noe), and epithermal copper-bismuth-silver-base metal deposits of the Karamazar district in Tajikistan (Kanimansur, Tary Ekan, and Zambarak). It is shown that ores precipitated from fluids with salinity varying from brines (up to 60 wt % NaCl equiv) to dilute fluids (1–3 wt % NaCl equiv). As a rule, fluids of different compositions entered the hydrothermal-magmatic system. A fluid mixture of H₂O-CO₂-NaCl±CH₄±N₂ predominated in the orogenic (mesothermal) gold-bearing hydrothermal systems, with deposition of the final-stage gold-bearing sulfosalts from aqueous-salt fluid. Brines played a significant role in the formation of cassiterite-silicate-sulfide and vein silver-base metal deposits. The brines often coexisted with a low-density vapor-rich fluid at the ore deposition site. The obtained data suggest a predominant magmatic component in the hydrothermal-magmatic systems, with a significant contribution of meteoric waters.     

Efficiency of stimulating precipitation from convective clouds using salt powders

Comparative estimates of the efficiency of hygroscopic reagents for the seeding of convective clouds to obtain additional precipitation are performed based on numerical simulation. It is shown that the use of polydisperse salt powders has many benefits over other known hygroscopic reagents. The effect of seeding with salt powders manifests itself at mass concentrations of hygroscopic particles an order of magnitude less than when pyrotechnic flares are used. With salt-powder seeding, it is possible to obtain precipitation from warm convective clouds of moderate thickness from which precipitation does not typically fall. In this case the effect of “reseeding” of clouds, which can be observed in seeding with hygroscopic reagents having narrow size distributions of particles, does not reveal itself.     

Energy of the Jets of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and of Their Eddies in the Surface Layer of the Southern Ocean

Oceanology - The kinetic energy of six jets of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and of the cyclonic and anticyclonic mesoscale eddies generated by these jets is studied in application to the...