Applying the energy- and water balance model for incorporation of the cryospheric component into a climate model. Part II. Modeled mass balance on the green land ice sheet surface

The Greenland ice sheet is a very important potential source of fresh water inflow to the World Ocean under warming climate conditions. Apparently, it was the same during the Last Interglacial 130-115 thousand years ago. In order to quantify input of the Greenland ice sheet to the rise of the global mean sea level in the past or in the future, we include a surface mass balance model block into the Earth System Model. The computational algorithm is based on the calculation of energy balance on the ice sheet surface. The key tuning parameter of the model is the daily amplitude of air surface temperature. It defines the area and the rate of snow or ice melting. The range of possible values of this parameter is determined during a series of numerical experiments. High sensitivity of meltwater runoff volume to surface air temperature amplitude is revealed.     

TEM soundings in magnetic media

TEM responses of conducting ferromagnetic materials to a complex current pulse have been modeled for a magnetic cylinder typical of well casing. The behavior of the responses is investigated as a function of different model parameters.     

Character of gold mineralization in the late Cenozoic alluvium of the Bauntov area (Vitim highland, Transbaikal region)

Study of gold potential of the Late Cenozoic alluvium in the Bauntov area is based on the Taloi basin and Sivo sector (China River basin). Primary placer-forming gold is mainly represented by endogenous varieties. In contrast to alluvium of streams in the Taloi basin, Middle-Upper Quaternary alluvium of the Sivo sector (China River basin) is enriched in fine and tiny gold (smaller than 0.25 mm). The paper presents data testifying to a low Au content in the silt fraction of slimes from boreholes drilled in the Cenozoic alluvium (alluvium-deluvium) from transverse valleys in the Taloi basin and, hence, to an significant manifestation of the chemogenic concentration of this metal therein. Issue of the existence of specific conditions favorable for the formation of hydrogenic gold in the northern high-latitude zones requires further studies. The results show that lithochemical gold aureoles have an important prospecting significance. They also suggest the practical significance of accumulations of fine and tiny gold in the syn-stratal alluvium and alluvium-deluvium of large ore placer areas.     

Peculiarities of Dynamic Slip Nucleation in a Thin Granular Layer

Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth - Abstract—Granular media determine the dynamics of many natural systems including faults in the Earth’s crust. The paper addresses the laboratory...     

Electromagnetic fields of slowly rotating compact magnetized stars in braneworld

We study the structure of electromagnetic field of slowly rotating magnetized star in a Randall-Sundrum II type braneworld. The star is modeled as a sphere consisting of perfect highly magnetized fluid with infinite conductivity and frozen-in dipolar magnetic field. Maxwell’s equations for the external magnetic field of the star in the braneworld are analytically solved in approximation of small distance from the surface of the star. We have also found numerical solution for the electric field outside the rotating magnetized neutron star in the braneworld in dependence on brane tension. The influence of brane tension on the electromagnetic energy losses of the rotating magnetized star is underlined. Obtained “brane” corrections are shown to be relevant and have non-negligible values. In comparison with astrophysical observations on pulsars spindown data they may provide an evidence for the brane tension and, thus, serve as a test for the braneworld model of the Universe.     

Spatial variability of the chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> and the specific structure of the phytoplankton in the northwestern part of the Sea of Japan during the winter period

To evaluate the structure and photosynthetic activity of the phytoplankton of the northwestern part of the Sea of Japan, the results of the surveys conducted from February 26 to March 9, 2003, during the 30th cruise of the R/V Akademik Lavrentyev were used. The species composition was considered taking into account the influences of the hydrological conditions. In particular, the studied water area was divided into four zones with various sizes of the mixed layer depth (MLD). An inverse relationship between the MLD and the content of chlorophyll a (Chl a) in various zones was established. The diatom algae were the basic dominants of the composite structure of the phytoplankton everywhere. It is revealed that, at a MLD increase, smaller forms of microalgae receive development. The intrapopulation relations are caused by the adaptation of various species of phytoplankton to the influence of external factors, among which the size of MLD is fundamental.     

Crustal geodynamic activity: manifestations in cloud fields

We consider different kinds of linear cloud anomalies appearing in satellite images over active crustal faults. The spatiotemporal relationship between earthquakes and cloud anomalies was studied by statistical methods. It has been shown that these cloud anomalies in the atmosphere can be used for short-term prediction of the earthquake time and region. Also, we consider the earthquake-related evolution of the giant thunderstorm cloud near the epicenter before the earthquake.     

Patterns in the daily periodicity of low magnitude seismicity in Kamchatka

A daily periodicity in small (K ≤ 8. 0) Kamchatka earthquakes has been detected, with the maximum occurring during the nighttime. The effect was not observed throughout the area of study, but only in several zones. We show that the results are not affected by human and weather factors. A hypothesis is put forward to explain the physical causes of the effect, viz., that the daily periodicity of small earthquakes could be due to natural VLF electromagnetic radiation acting on the geologic medium. It is pointed out that the effect is related to the previously identified effect of natural electromagnetic radiation modulating the intensity of geoacoustic emission from rocks.     

Strong historical earthquakes in the northwestern Issyk Kul’ basin (northern Tien Shan)

The northern Tien Shan is the northern front of the Himalayan mountain belt, which resulted from the collision between the Indian and Eurasian Plates. This region encompasses the most active seismic zones of the orogen, which generated the strongest (M > 8) earthquakes. Since there are scarcely any written accounts, the only way to trace back strong earthquakes is the paleoseismologic method. Since 1984 we have been studying the northwestern Issyk Kul’ basin, where there are differently directed anticlines, which constitute the Kungei meganticline. Here, several active tectonic structures (faults, folds) are located, whose development was accompanied by strong earthquakes. Our field studies of 2008 in the Iiri-Taldybulak Valley, along the adyrs (foothills) of the Kungei-Ala-Too Range, revealed two unknown historical earthquakes. The first one, which occurred along the southern rupture in the late 7th century A.D., gave rise to a seismic scarp; the latter broke through the river floodplain and a tash-koro (ancient settlement). The second one, which occurred along the northern rupture in the late 9th century A.D., increased the height of the seismic scarp, existing on the Early Holocene and older terraces. Note that this region already records a strong seismic event around 500 A.D. Archeologic data have revealed one more strong earthquake, which took place in the 14th century A.D. Note that the above-mentioned strong seismic events are coeval with the decline of the nomadic cultures (Wusun, Turkic, Mogul) in the northern Tien Shan and Zhetysu (Semirech’e).