Predicting kimberlite diamond deposits in the north of the Siberian Platform on the basis of interpretation of satellite imagery

An essentially new method for the allocation of diamondiferous kimberlite pipes against surrounding rocks is proposed. The method is based on the interpretation of multispectral LANDSAT-7 ETM+ satellite images; it allows one to find the most promising areas within perspective sites revealed by other methods. It is demonstrated that application of GIS technologies for comprehensive use of geological, geophysical, and mineralogical data and the results of the interpretation of satellite images is efficient for predicting kimberlite diamond deposits in both studied areas and poorly explored territories.     

Present-Day Methods of Processing of Visual Observations of Meteor Streams and Their Potentialities

The state of the art in the theory of processing of visual observations of meteor streams is considered. Of the three widely used methods of visual-observation processing, the method developed at the Engel'gardt Astronomical Observatory provides the highest accuracy of conversion to the hourly rate of meteors. For the first time, the dependence of the fine structures of the Geminid, Perseid, and Leonid streams on the minimum detected mass of meteor bodies is obtained from visual observations. A shift in the position of an activity maximum for smaller masses in the direction of lower solar longitudes is confirmed for the Geminids. For the Perseids, an activity maximum for meteor bodies with mass exceeding 0.01 g, sets in earlier than for smaller particles. In the Leonid swarm, no correlation was found between the node longitude of the mean swarm orbit and mass of meteor bodies.     

Analysis of the upper limit of the Southworth-Hawkins <Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis> criterion for the Pons-Winneckid and Perseid meteoroid streams

The value of the upper limit of the Southworth-Hawkins D criterion for the Pons-Winneckids (June Bootid) and Perseids meteor streams is analyzed on the basis of the comparison of the parent comet orbit with the model orbits of meteoroids ejected at different points of the comet orbit with the most likely ejection velocities. The change of the D values is investigated depending on the dynamic evolution of the streams by integrating forward the orbital elements of the model particles using the Cowell method taking into account the perturbations from all planets. It is shown that after ten rotations, for Pons-Winneckids the upper limit of the D criterion is higher than 0.5 and for Perseids the D criterion does not exceed 0.2.     

Mass distribution of lyrid meteoroids

Long-term visual observations of the Lyrid meteoroid shower have been analyzed to determine the mass distribution of Lyrid meteoroids. The value of the parameter S has been confirmed to be less than 1.8, which is normally assumed for meteoroid streams. The inclination of the descending and ascending branches of the S curve, depending on the longitude of the Sun, does not seem to exceed 3°. Observations carried out from 1987 until 2007 reveal that the minimum value of S corresponding to the longitude of the Sun 32.19 ± 0.04° is equal to 1.54 ± 0.02 (2000.0). The analysis of the S parameter derived from visual observations did not discover any particularities in the mass distribution of the meteoroids in the stream connected with the assumed 12-year enhancement period in the activity of the Lyrids.     

Application of Multispectral LANDSAT Space Imaging for the Evaluation of Radionuclide-Contaminated Sites in the Russian Zone of the Chernobyl Disaster on the Example of Kaluga and Bryansk Oblasts

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - The possibility of differentiating between clean and heavily contaminated sites of the “field” and “forest” types is assessed...     

Semimajor axes of the orbits and ejection velocities of Perseid meteoroids

Photographic orbits of meteors are combined with modeling of the ejection of Perseids during the perihelion passage of comet Swift-Tuttle in 1862 to analyze the most likely ejection velocities of particles from the comet nucleus. Given the scatter of the semimajor axes of observed Perseids with masses greater than 10^–4 g, the most likely interval of ejection velocities spans 0 to 300 m/s for particles ejected in the plane of the comet orbit in the retrograde direction and in the direction of the comets anomalous tail.__________Translated from Astronomicheskii Vestnik, Vol. 39, No. 2, 2005, pp. 184–190.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Ishmukhametova, Kondrateva.     

Use of High-Resolution Satellite Imagery in Prospecting for Coastal Placers and Deposits of Hydrocarbons in the Northern Seas of Russia

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - To assess the capabilities of high-resolution multispectral satellite imagery in prospecting for coastal placers and deposits of hydrocarbons in the...     

Application of Remote-Sensing Observations for Detecting Patterns of Localization of PGM Mineralization of Western Bushveld

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - The differentiated Bushveld complex is studied by remote-space and gravimagnetic methods. The syncline of Western Bushveld is recognized in the...     

Using Resource-P (Geoton) High Resolution Satellite Imagery to Predict the Locations of Diamond-Bearing Kimberlites in the Wintercoast Mineragenic Zone (Arkhangelsk Region)

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - Satellite imaging is interpreted to reveal deep faults that mark the boundaries of structural blocks and hidden basement faults with feathering of the...     

Application of Remote-Sensing Observations for Detecting Patterns of Localization of Cu–Ni Mineralization of the Norilsk Ore Region

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - The methods of a complex analysis of materials of space, gravimetric, and magnetometric surveys were developed on the basis of a study of reference...