The effect of microorganisms on processes of weathering primary minerals

Microflora and microorganism effects on weathering, decomposition, and secondary synthesis of primary mineral

Long-term forecasting of changes of snowiness and avalanche activity in the world due to global warming

The technique of definition of depth of the snow cover, number of days with the snow cover, number of days with intensive snowfalls, duration of avalanche prone period by the standard meteorological data (precipitation and temperature) is developed (Glazovskaya, T.G., S.M. Myagkov and V.F.Okolov. 1978). It has allowed to estimate changes of snowiness and avalanche activity using Global Circulating Model GFDL (USA) for a CO2 - doubling (2050 year). The results of accounts are submitted as maps on all continents. The possible increase almost of all characteristics of snowiness and avalanche activity is expected in today's low-snow continental areas, reduction - in fue heavy snow regions. Depth of fue snow cover maximum can increase up to 40-50 cm, decrease - up to 30-40 cm; the number of days with fue snow cover will decrease almost everywhere for 1,5-2 months. The computed changes correspond to maximum changes, because in GFDL Model maximum expected changes of air temperature (3,5 - 4 degrees) are taken into account

Forecast of avalanche danger for the intracontinental regions of Northeast of Eurasia

The research area includes the Kolyma riverhead with tributaries. For this territory the extreme continental climate with very frost winters is common. The duration of snow cover is 200-230 days. The domination of low temperatures with small thickness of snow cover causes strong recrystallization of snow pack. On the other hand the intensity of titis process often is not high. Significant loosening determines an unstable condition of snow on mountain slopes. Under certain conditions even tile small increase of loading is capable to cause avalanching. The origin of tile majority of avalanches (more than 60 %) is connected with fresh snow fall on tile friable base. A network of avalanche research and meteorological stations in tilis area is scarce. In such conditions only background (area) forecast is possible. At the creation of tile forecast technique tile analysis of large number of the factors of avalanching process in the region was carried out. The forecast includes computation and an expert estimation of snow-avalanche situation. The data of meteorological station Kulu, located at the center of area, are used as the basis of the technique. The sum of precipitation, its intensity, temperature of air and its change during the snowfall are distinguished as predictors. The final forecast and definition of possible places of crashing of avalanches occurs with the improvement of the data of other avalanche research and meteorological stations. The character of winter is also taken into account. The forecast is made on nearest 12 hours 2 times per day. It has an altemative character

Методика учёта лавинной опасности при территориальном планировании в России

The legislation of the Russian Federation establishes the need to take into account hazardous natural processes and their parameters in territorial planning, as well as presentation of them in the relevant documentation in the form of maps. In a number of countries, there is a long-standing practice of mapping the avalanche zones basing on the definition of different levels of danger, which are used to limit or ban the construction in avalanche zones, as well as to project the anti-avalanche activities. Russia has experience in assessing risk and mapping the avalanche danger, but the practice of making such plans in our country is still not developed. The purpose of this work is to determine and plot on map avalanche zones on the example of one of the actively developed mountain regions of Russia. The all-season mountain resort «Gorky Gorod», located on Krasnaya Polyana in the Krasnodar region, was chosen as the object of study. Two approaches to the accounting and mapping of avalanche hazard in territorial planning were tested. In the first case, occurrence and pressure of avalanches were the determining factors. In the second case, critical avalanche pressure values were used to determine their destructive impact effect. To determine indexes (indicators) of the avalanche hazard, the simulation of snow avalanches in the RAMMS program was performed. According to the results of modeling for area of the «Gorky Gorod» resort schemes of the avalanche zones were constructed on the basis of two different approaches, having no account for the anti-avalanche measures used there. A more detailed plan based on a combination of these two approaches had also been drawn up and analyzed. The required criteria for determining the boundaries of zones with different levels of the danger are the subject for discussion. However, the proposed division of avalanchedangerous territory into zones with different levels of the hazard at the stage of territorial planning meets the requirements of the legislation and contributes to improving human security, reducing the avalanche risk, and mitigating the consequences of emergencies caused by avalanches.Исследование, направленное на совершенствование учёта лавинной опасности при территориальном планировании, выполнено для горного курорта «Горки Город» на Красной Поляне в Краснодарском крае. Апробированы два подхода к учёту лавинной опасности и их комбинации. Значения показателей лавинной опасности определены путём моделирования лавин в программе RAMMS. По результатам моделирования для территории курорта «Горки Город» составлены планы лавиноопасных зон. 

The significance of the contemporaneous Logoisk impact structure (Belarus) and Afro-Arabian flood volcanism

The relationships between meteorite impact craters, flood basalt volcanism and sudden environmental perturbation on Earth have been debated extensively. We present only the second example of contemporaneous meteorite impact and flood basalt volcanism: the 17 km diameter Logoisk impact structure (Belarus) and Afro-Arabian flood volcanism. The new precise 40Ar/39Ar age of 29.71 ± 0.48 Ma for Logoisk is coincident with the acme of flood volcanism. We argue that at least one crater the size of Logoisk is likely to form during the emplacement of a flood volcanic province, and that contemporaneity of impacts and flood volcanism was the norm. The absence of a biotic effect from the combined Logoisk–Afro-Arabian volcanism we attribute to the magnitude of these combined events, which are both significantly smaller than the other known example of the Chicxulub impact event and the Deccan Traps flood volcanism

Geomorphologic and geobotanical features of slushflows (Khibiny mountains instance)

The research area includes the Kolyma riverhead with tributaries. For this territory the extreme continental climate with very frost winters is common. The duration of snow cover is 200-230 days. The domination of low temperatures with small thickness of snow cover causes strong recrystallization of snow pack. On the other hand the intensity of titis process often is not high. Significant loosening determines an unstable condition of snow on mountain slopes. Under certain conditions even tile small increase of loading is capable to cause avalanching. The origin of tile majority of avalanches (more than 60 %) is connected with fresh snow fall on tile friable base. A network of avalanche research and meteorological stations in tilis area is scarce. In such conditions only background (area) forecast is possible. At the creation of tile forecast technique tile analysis of large number of the factors of avalanching process in the region was carried out. The forecast includes computation and an expert estimation of snow-avalanche situation. The data of meteorological station Kulu, located at the center of area, are used as the basis of the technique. The sum of precipitation, its intensity, temperature of air and its change during the snowfall are distinguished as predictors. The final forecast and definition of possible places of crashing of avalanches occurs with the improvement of the data of other avalanche research and meteorological stations. The character of winter is also taken into account. The forecast is made on nearest 12 hours 2 times per day. It has an altemative character