Ocean-bottom seismographs based on broadband MET sensors: architecture and deployment case study in the Arctic

The Arctic seas are now of particular interest due to their prospects in terms of hydrocarbon extraction, development of marine transport routes, etc. Thus, various geohazards, including those related to seismicity, require detailed studies, especially by instrumental methods. This paper is devoted to the ocean-bottom seismographs (OBS) based on broadband molecular–electronic transfer (MET) sensors and a deployment case study in the Laptev Sea. The purpose of the study is to introduce the architecture of several modifications of OBS and to demonstrate their applicability in solving different tasks in the framework of seismic hazard assessment for the Arctic seas. To do this, we used the first results of several pilot deployments of the OBS developed by Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IO RAS) and IP Ilyinskiy A.D. in the Laptev Sea that took place in 2018–2020. We highlighted various seismological applications of OBS based on broadband MET sensors CME-4311 (60 s) and CME-4111 (120 s), including the analysis of ambient seismic noise, registering the signals of large remote earthquakes and weak local microearthquakes, and the instrumental approach of the site response assessment. The main characteristics of the broadband MET sensors and OBS architectures turned out to be suitable for obtaining high-quality OBS records under the Arctic conditions to solve seismological problems. In addition, the obtained case study results showed the prospects in a broader context, such as the possible influence of the seismotectonic factor on the bottom-up thawing of subsea permafrost and massive methane release, probably from decaying hydrates and deep geological sources. The described OBS will be actively used in further Arctic expeditions

Fundamental social motives measured across forty-two cultures in two waves

How does psychology vary across human societies? The fundamental social motives framework adopts an evolutionary approach to capture the broad range of human social goals within a taxonomy of ancestrally recurring threats and opportunities. These motives—self-protection, disease avoidance, affiliation, status, mate acquisition, mate retention, and kin care—are high in fitness relevance and everyday salience, yet understudied cross-culturally. Here, we gathered data on these motives in 42 countries (N = 15,915) in two cross-sectional waves, including 19 countries (N = 10,907) for which datawere gathered in both waves. Wave 1 was collected from mid-2016 through late 2019 (32 countries, N = 8,998; 3,302 male, 5,585 female; Mage = 24.43, SD = 7.91). Wave 2 was collected from April through November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic (29 countries, N = 6,917; 2,249 male, 4,218 female; Mage = 28.59, SD = 11.31). These data can be used to assess differences and similarities in people’s fundamental social motives both across and within cultures, at different time points, and in relation to other commonly studied cultural indicators and outcomes

Ecological and environmental transition across the forested-to-open bog ecotone in a west Siberian peatland

Climate change may cause increasing tree cover in boreal peatlands, and the impacts of this encroachment will be noted first at forested-to-open bog ecotones. We investigate key metrics of ecosystem function in five such ecotones at a peatland complex in Western Siberia. Stratigraphic analysis of three cores from one of these transects shows that the ecotone has been dynamic over time with evidence for recent expansion of forested peatland. We observed that the two alternative states for northern boreal peatlands (forested/open) clearly support distinct plant and microbial communities. These in turn drive and respond to a number of feedback mechanisms. This has led to steep ecological gradients across the ecotones. Tree cover was associated with lower water tables and pH, along with higher bulk density, aquatic carbon concentrations, and electrical conductivity. We propose that the conditions found in the forested peatland of Western Siberia make the carbon sink more vulnerable to warmer and drier conditions

Ancient DNA reveals prehistoric gene-flow from Siberia in the complex human population history of north east Europe

North East Europe harbors a high diversity of cultures and languages, suggesting a complex genetic history. Archaeological, anthropological, and genetic research has revealed a series of influences from Western and Eastern Eurasia in the past. While genetic data from modern-day populations is commonly used to make inferences about their origins and past migrations, ancient DNA provides a powerful test of such hypotheses by giving a snapshot of the past genetic diversity. In order to better understand the dynamics that have shaped the gene pool of North East Europeans, we generated and analyzed 34 mitochondrial genotypes from the skeletal remains of three archaeological sites in northwest Russia. These sites were dated to the Mesolithic and the Early Metal Age (7,500 and 3,500 uncalibrated years Before Present). We applied a suite of population genetic analyses (principal component analysis, genetic distance mapping, haplotype sharing analyses) and compared past demographic models through coalescent simulations using Bayesian Serial SimCoal and Approximate Bayesian Computation. Comparisons of genetic data from ancient and modern-day populations revealed significant changes in the mitochondrial makeup of North East Europeans through time. Mesolithic foragers showed high frequencies and diversity of haplogroups U (U2e, U4, U5a), a pattern observed previously in European hunter-gatherers from Iberia to Scandinavia. In contrast, the presence of mitochondrial DNA haplogroups C, D, and Z in Early Metal Age individuals suggested discontinuity with Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and genetic influx from central/eastern Siberia. We identified remarkable genetic dissimilarities between prehistoric and modern-day North East Europeans/Saami, which suggests an important role of post-Mesolithic migrations from Western Europe and subsequent population replacement/extinctions. This work demonstrates how ancient DNA can improve our understanding of human population movements across Eurasia. It contributes to the description of the spatio-temporal distribution of mitochondrial diversity and will be of significance for future reconstructions of the history of Europeans.Clio Der Sarkissian, Oleg Balanovsky, Guido Brandt, Valery Khartanovich, Alexandra Buzhilova, Sergey Koshel, Valery Zaporozhchenko, Detlef Gronenborn, Vyacheslav Moiseyev, Eugen Kolpakov, Vladimir Shumkin, Kurt W. Alt, Elena Balanovska, Alan Cooper, Wolfgang Haak, the Genographic Consortiu

Characterization of Magnetite–Silica Magnetic Fluids by Laser Scattering

The paper is concerned with structural, morphological and magnetic properties of magnetite-silica magnetic fluids. The granulometric composition of the magnetic fluids was investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, the phase composition was studied by X-ray diffraction and reflection high-energy electron diffraction, and magnetic properties were studied by vibrating sample magnetometry. In order to reveal the particle size distribution, dynamic light scattering and a proposed modification of depolarized dynamic light scattering were employed. The shape and dimensions of magnetic nanoparticles and also their aggregates are described. While the aspect ratio for the aggregates was 0.5–0.99, individual nanoparticles had an average aspect ratio of 0.9 and were nearly spherical. The sedimentation stability of a diluted magnetic fluid was also investigated. When the fluids were diluted 200 times, the stability was partially lost, and the nanoparticles aggregated, thereby forming clusters, and precipitated

Aggregation Properties of Albumin in Interacting with Magnetic Fluids

In this study, interactions of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles with serum albumin biomolecules in aqueous solutions were considered. The studies were conducted with the laser correlation spectroscopy and optical analysis of dehydrated films. It was shown that the addition of magnetite to an albumin solution at low concentrations of up to 10−6 g/L led to the formation of aggregates with sizes of up to 300 nm in the liquid phase and an increase in the number of spiral structures in the dehydrated films, which indicated an increase in their stability. With a further increase in the magnetite concentration in the solution (from 10−4 g/L), the magnetic particles stuck together and to albumin, thus forming aggregates with sizes larger than 1000 nm. At the same time, the formation of morphological structures in molecular films was disturbed, and a characteristic decrease in their stability occurred. Most stable films were formed at low concentrations of magnetic nanoparticles (less than 10−4 g/L) when small albumin–magnetic nanoparticle aggregates were formed. These results are important for characterizing the interaction processes of biomolecules with magnetic nanoparticles and can be useful for predicting the stability of biomolecular films with the inclusion of magnetite particles

Biosorbents based on pine sawdust and malt sprouts for preconcentration and ICP-OES determination of nonferrous, heavy, and precious metals in the environmental samples

Текст статьи не публикуется в открытом доступе в соответствии с политикой журнала.Pine sawdust and malt sprouts modified with orthophosphoric acid and carbamide have been proposed for solid-phase extraction (SPE) of nonferrous, heavy, and precious metals and their subsequent determination in the environmental samples by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Modified adsorbents were characterized by SEM, TGA, and FT-IR and compared with native matrixes. SPE of some nonferrous and precious metal ions by biosorbents was studied. Depending on the SPE conditions, it was possible to separate nonferrous and heavy metals from alkali and alkaline earth metals. The proposed adsorbents are effective for preconcentration of nonferrous and heavy metals from natural waters and precious metals from solutions after digestion of geological samples

Biosorbents based on pine sawdust and malt sprouts for preconcentration and ICP-OES determination of nonferrous, heavy, and precious metals in the environmental samples

<p>Pine sawdust and malt sprouts modified with orthophosphoric acid and carbamide have been proposed for solid-phase extraction (<b>SPE</b>) of nonferrous, heavy, and precious metals and their subsequent determination in the environmental samples by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (<b>ICP-OES</b>). Modified adsorbents were characterized by SEM, TGA, and FT-IR and compared with native matrixes. SPE of some nonferrous and precious metal ions by biosorbents was studied. Depending on the SPE conditions, it was possible to separate nonferrous and heavy metals from alkali and alkaline earth metals. The proposed adsorbents are effective for preconcentration of nonferrous and heavy metals from natural waters and precious metals from solutions after digestion of geological samples.</p