The analysis of groundwater recharge in Mongolia using vadose zone modeling

Knowledge of groundwater recharge (GR) is vital for optimal water resources management under an arid continental climate. However, in vast territories such as Mongolia, direct measurements of GR are unfeasible because they mandate excessive costs, stemming from time-consuming and labor-demanding efforts. A valid alternative to direct measurements is numerical models based on the monitoring of precipitation (P) and evapotranspiration (ET) for simulating GR. While direct measurements of ET are logistically problematic and unpractical for large-scale applications, a reliable prediction may be derived from crop reference evapotranspiration (ET0) which is calculable from limited data and will feed numerical models to evaluate a (pseudo) realistic GR as output. The crop reference evapotranspiration (ET0) was calculated employing the Hargreaves (Har) temperature-based ET0 method that closely simulated the internationally recognized standard FAO Penman-Monteith (FAO-56 PM) method (calculated with available data at limited locations). The set of weather data required for FAO-56 PM is still mostly unavailable or not easily accessible in data-limited countries such as Mongolia. The Har temperature-based method showed good potential to replace FAO-56 PM in the region according to our analysis. A time-variable and spatially-variable crop coefficient (Kc) was used to convert Har ET0 into a biome-specific potential evapotranspiration (ETp) for 41 study locations. However, there were no readily available estimates of Kc in natural vegetation specific to Mongolia. A dynamic (time-variable) radiation-dependent (in Gobi Desert) or LAI-dependent (in steppe) Kc was adopted from the literature and used for the first time in Mongolia. The LAI dependent Kc was also adjusted due to the climate features of the region. The developed Kc values are important to convert ET0 to ETp with consideration of region’s climate and any factors affecting the vegetation. The mean annual ET0 ranged from 685 mm to 1129 mm, while the ETp ranged from 147 mm to 695 mm. The GR rates were calculated using the estimated ETp as input in the HYDRUS-1D numerical vadose zone model for 41 study locations across Mongolia. The mean annual GR rates were smaller than 12 mm in study locations and the GR tends to decrease when vegetation cover increases. Advisors: Vitaly A.Zlotnik and Erin Haacke

Observation of Ω Contribution in the c1(3872) → Π+π−j/ψ Decays

Resonant structure in the dipion mass spectrum produced via \decay{\Bu}{\X\Kp}, \decay{\X}{\jpsi \pip \pim}, with \decay{\jpsi}{\mu^+\mu^-} is analyzed using Run 1 and Run 2 data samples from the LHCb experiment. The spectrum is dominated by \rhoz\to\pi^+\pi^-, but cannot be described by this contribution alone. A significant $\omega\to\pi^+\pi^-$ contribution, interfering with \rhoz, is observed for the first time. This is a more significant observation ($\u3e7.1\sigma$) of \X\to\omega\jpsi decays, than previously achieved with $\omega\to\pi^+\pi^-\pi^0$ decays. The relative contribution of $\omega$ to the total \X\to\pi^+\pi^-\jpsi rate is at the level expected from the measured \X\to(\omega\to\pi^+\pi^-\pi^0)\jpsi rate, if the interference between the $\rho^0$ and $\omega$ amplitudes is neglected, $(1.9\pm0.4\pm0.3)\%$. The interference enhances the importance of $\omega$ contribution by an order of magnitude to $(21.4\pm2.3\pm2.0)\%$. The results support interpretations of the \X state as an exotic hadron, since its isospin violating \rhoz\jpsi decay rate, relative to isospin conserving \omega\jpsi decay, is an order of magnitude larger than expected for an ordinary charmonium state

Evaluating the meat market integration in the capital city and rural areas

In 2018, our country earned MNT 400.0 billion from meat export, which it has reached the highest level in history. However, the price of meat increased due to decrease in the supply of meat in the markets of Ulaanbaatar city (capital city of Mongolia) then the government took measures to limit the export of meat. This study determines the degree of integration between the central market (or Ulaanbaatar) and the local meat market. To assess the market integration, we estimate the Ravallion\u27s test based on a dynamic regression model using monthly beef price data. The test estimates separately the integration of two markets in the short term (in the form of strong and weak internals) and in the long term. As a result, the meat market of both Arkhangai, Dornod, and Khentii provinces, which were included in the research, has only long-term integration with the market of Ulaanbaatar city, while Khuvsgul province has no integration. Moreover, the results of Ravallion\u27s test were confirmed by estimating both co-integration model and error-correction model. In response to the increase in the price of meat in Ulaanbaatar, the price of meat in Khentii province increases the most scale, while market prices in Dornod province respond faster than the other three provinces. The policy recommendations from the results are: First, the fact that the meat markets of the capital and local areas have not been integrated in a short period of time indicates that the market is not working efficiently. Secondly, one of the ways to not increase the price of meat in Ulaanbaatar city along with the increase of meat export is to prepare the meat for export from provinces far away from Ulaanbaatar, whose markets are not integrated Нийслэл, орон нутгийн махны зах зээлийн интеграцийг үнэлэх нь Манай улс 2018 онд махны экспортоос 400,0 тэрбум төгрөгийн орлого олж, түүхэн дээд түвшин хүрсэн байдаг. Гэтэл Улаанбаатар хотын хүнсний захуудад нийлүүлэлт буурснаар махны үнэ өсч, засгийн газраас махны экспортыг хязгаарлах хариу арга хэмжээ авсан юм. Энэхүү судалгааны ажлаар Улаанбаатар ба орон нутгийн махны зах зээлийн хоорондох интеграц хэр хэмжээнд байгааг тодорхойлов. Бид үхрийн махны сарын үнийн мэдээлэл ашиглан динамик регрессийн загварт тулгуурласан Ravallion-ий тестээр зах зээлийн интеграцийг шалгав. Уг тест нь хоёр зах зээлийн интеграцийг богино хугацаа (дотроо хүчтэй ба сул гэсэн хэлбэртэй) болон урт хугацаагаар үнэлгээ өгдөг. Улмаар судалгаанд хамрагдсан Архангай, Дорнод, Хэнтий аймгуудын махны зах зээл Улаанбаатар хотын зах зээлтэй зөвхөн урт хугацааны интеграцтай, харин Хөвсгөл аймаг интеграцгүй байгааг тогтоов. Мөн урт хугацааны хамаарал (co-integration), алдаа-засварлах загвар (ECM)-ыг давхар үнэлэхэд Ravallion-ий тестийн үр дүнг бататгав. Тухайлбал, Улаанбаатар хотын махны үнийн өсөлтийн хариуд Хэнтий аймагт махны үнэ хамгийн ихээр өсдөг бол Дорнод аймгийн зах зээлийн үнэ бусад гурван аймагтай харьцуулахад хурдан хариу үзүүлдэг байна. Судалгааны үр дүнгээс гарах бодлогын санал, дүгнэлт нь: Нэгт, Нийслэл, орон нутгийн махны зах зээл богино хугацаанд интеграцлагдаагүй байгаа нь тэр хэрээр зах зээл үр ашигтай ажиллахгүй байгааг харуулж байна. Хоёрт, Махны экспортыг нэмэгдүүлэхтэй хамт Улаанбаатар хотын махны үнийг өсгөхгүй байх нэг арга зам нь экспортын мах бэлтгэлийг Улаанбаатар хотоос алслагдсан, зах зээл нь интеграцлагдаагүй аймгуудаас бүрдүүлэх, энэ чиглэлийн зах зээл, зохицуулалтыг шинээр бий болгох явдал юм.  Түлхүүр үг: Бүс нутгийн зах зээлийн интеграц, махны зах зээл, Ravallion-ий тес

Germplasm Collection and Dry Matter Production of Mongolian Forage Plants

Mongolian rangelands harbour 564 genera, 128 families and 2,823 species of plants (Gubanov, 1996). Approximately 600 species can be used as forage plants (Yunatov, 1968). There are 5 to 6 species of perennial forage plants that are unique to Mongolia and the country has a domestic cultivar Burgaltai of lucerne. This paper provides the results of a study on vegetative and seed yield of germplasm collected from naturally occurring forage plants during 1976-2003. To date, seeds have been collected and are involved in the experimental work from approximately 70 percent of forage plants available at the forage plant seed bank of the Animal Husbandry Research Institute where there are over 2000 samples available

Antibacterial and photocatalytic effects of newly synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles derived from Mongolian honey

Development of bio-compatible, bio-safe and environmentally friendly nanoparticles is a matter of urgency for research in the field of nanotechnology. In this study, we aimed to prepare zinc oxide nanoparticles from Mongolian honey as raw material and to determine its biological activities. Honey-based zinc oxide nanoparticles were obtained by green synthesis method, and their characteristics and biological activities were evaluated. Developed zinc oxide nanoparticles from Khentii honey and Selenge honey were at a size of 16.02 nm and 95.23 nm, respectively. A characteristic band of Khentii honey-based zinc oxide nanoparticles was observed at 466 cm–1 and a band of Selenge honey-based zinc oxide nanoparticles was also observed at 434 cm–1. Antibacterial and photocatalytic effects were detected for the developed nanoparticles. The study suggested that newly synthesized honey-based zinc oxide nanoparticles might be an effective tool against bacterial infection

Physico-chemical quality of Bactrian camel milk

Present study was carried out to investigate the quality of camel milk. A wide variation was observed in the quality of raw camel milk. Specific gravity ranged between 1.014 and 1.017 (1.015±0.001), pH 6.53 and 6.77. Total solids, fat, protein, casein, lactose, ash and minerals contents ranged between 14.23 and 12.13, 5.56 and 8.29, 1.8 and 5.0, 1.8 and 3.2, 0.78 and 2.76, 2.9 and 4.12, 0.85 to 1.00 0.20 and 0.28 g per 100 g, respectively.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5564/mjc.v12i0.171 Mongolian Journal of Chemistry Vol.12 2011: 50-5