Last Interglacial paleosols with Argic horizons in Upper Austria and Central Russia

The paleosols of the Last Interglacial are presented in many loess sequences of the European temperate zone by soils with Argic horizon, that are considered to be the pedological response to the bioclimatic conditions of that period. We studied micromorphological, physical/chemical (bulk chemical composition, texture and dithionite-extractable iron) and mineralogical characteristics of two profiles – an Eemian Luvisol in Upper Austria (Oberlaab) and a Mikulino Albeluvisol in Central Russia (Alexandrov Quarry near Kursk) to compare them with recent analogous soils and to make further paleoecological and chronological inferences. Both profiles showed a set of characteristics indicative for weathering of primary minerals, clay transformation illuviation and surface redoximorphic (stagnic) processes. Paleosols demonstrate more advanced development than the Holocene analogues manifested however in different pedogenetic characteristics. The Eemian Luvisol in Upper Austria is characterized by stronger clay illuviation manifested in higher clay content and abundance of illuvial clay pedofeatures in the Bt horizon. Mikulino Albeluvisol in Central Russia is more strongly affected by eluvial and stagnic processes evidenced by deeper and more intensive accumulation of bleached silty material and clay depletion. We suppose that the properties of parent material are responsible for these differences. Russian Albeluvisol is formed on the Dnepr loess poor in weatherable minerals and having limited capacity for buffering acidity and clay formation. The higher development status of the Last Interglacial paleosols compared to the Holocene soils having however same type pedogenesis implies longer soil formation period, that agree with some of the paleobotanical proxies and could include besides MIS 5e part of MIS 5d; the warmer and moister paleoclimate during MIS 5e could also account for more advanced paleosol development Several phases of clay illuviation interrupted by frost structuring and deformation are detected in the Eemian Bt horizon in Upper Austria. It suppose even longer development that could extend to the Early Würmian interstadials (late substages of MIS5).researc

Grain size and mineralogical indicators of weathering in the Oberlaab loess-paleosol sequence, Upper Austria

Grain size analyses, bulk and clay mineralogical data were used to characterize weathering within the loess-paleosol-sequence of Oberlaab in Upper Austria. Soil horizons can be clearly identified by the calculation of weathering index Kd from granulometric parameters. The mineralogical composition of the bulk samples shows increasing weathering intensity from the top to the bottom. The weakest weathering stage 1 is not present in Oberlaab, because all samples are free of carbonate minerals. Weathering stage 2 can be found in the upper part of the profile, whereas stage 3 is mainly present in the lowermost horizons. The highest weathering stages 4 and 5 are not present in Oberlaab. The clay mineral distribution in the profile is dominated by the disappearance of primary chlorite in the upper part of the profile and the neoformation of vermiculites from illite by pedogenesis in the lower part. Two different types of mixed layer minerals were found in the pedocomplexes. An illite/chlorite mixed layer mineral occurs following the disappearance of chlorite and is present in the Eemian luvisol. The second mixed layer mineral consists of illite/vermiculite and is present in the whole profile. The weathering stages obtained from the clay mineral composition are slightly lower than that of bulk mineralogy, but reach as well stage 3 in the lower part of the profile.researc

The fuzzy model of ships collision risk rating in a heavy traffic zone

The fuzzy model to determine the risk collision rating of ships in a heavy traffic zone is proposed. Fuzzy system includes four inputs and one output linguistic variables, describing collision risk rating. The fuzzy sets corresponding to the term of these linguistic variables and their graphical view is represented. The product base contains 400 fuzzy rules, making by a maneuverable plane-table

Hybrid optical fiber for light-induced superconductivity

We exploit the recent proposals for the light-induced superconductivity mediated by a Bose-Einstein condensate of exciton-polaritons to design a superconducting fiber that would enable long-distance transport of a supercurrent at elevated temperatures. The proposed fiber consists of a conventional core made of a silica glass with the first cladding layer formed by a material sustaining dipole-polarised excitons with a binding energy exceeding 25 meV. To be specific, we consider a perovskite cladding layer of 20 nm width. The second cladding layer is made of a conventional superconductor such as aluminium. The fiber is covered by a conventional coating buffer and by a plastic outer jacket. We argue that the critical temperature for a superconducting phase transition in the second cladding layer may be strongly enhanced due to the coupling of the superconductor to a bosonic condensate of exciton-polaritons optically induced by the evanescent part of the guiding mode confined in the core. The guided light mode would penetrate to the first cladding layer and provide the strong exciton-photon coupling regime. We run simulations that confirm the validity of the proposed concept. The fabrication of superconducting fibers where a high-temperature superconductivity could be controlled by light would enable passing superconducting currents over extremely long distances

Higher Professional and Pedagogical Education: Determinants of Quality, Tasks, Solutions and their Conceptual Basis

The relevance of the topic research is confirmed by the high demand for vocational education teachers in secondary vocational educational institutions. The training of such teachers in institutions of higher education is associated with difficulties for which decisions are unsystematic. Consequently, such decisions require rethinking.The study examines the solutions, the essence of which is in the implementation of standards and quality assurance recommendations in the European Higher Education Area, taking into account the interdependence of the main spheres of a society, the integration of the technocratic and humanitarian paradigms in the training of future teachers of vocational education, and the orientation of higher vocational education for sustainable development of a society and knowledge-based economy. The research problem consists in the need to define a conceptual basis capable of coordinating these decisions. The definition this basis has become the goal of the study.The methods of investigation were terminological analysis, system analysis, socio-pedagogical analysis, etc.The author considers  the revealed interdependence of not only the tasks facing educational practice, but also their solutions to be an essential result of the research. The conceptual basis for the coordination of the considered decisions is defined.Key conclusions: the development of higher professional and pedagogical education in the direction of meeting the requirements of all interested parties for its quality, in our view, should be considered in the context of the concept as "quality culture

Trends in the Development of the Educational Environment in conditions of Socio-Economic Transit

For the social design of the educational environment in the conditions of an intensively developing region, it is necessary to determine the basic prerequisites and trends of social changes in Russian society.The preconditions for such changes that we hade identified earlier made it possible to approach the following problem in detail: the problem of determining the trends in the development of the educational environment. The basis of the goal-setting was the idea of studying the trends in the development of the regional educational environment.A set of research methods was used to consider the situation in the Republic of Tatarstan and included, in particular, sociological observation, sociological survey, content analysis, system analysis.The educational environment in the work is understood as a set of conditions external to the individual (ensuring its social development in accordance with public expectations, as well as opportunities for its development), which determines socialization as a process and the result of the acquisition and appropriation of experience of social life activity (Education As A Process Of Social Types Formation /2015). The structure of the educational environment includes the value component and three spheres: the central (nuclear), external (developing) and mesosphere (The actual status of the municipal educational environment / 2016).In accordance, the tendencies of changing the educational environment in relation to its central sphere, the mesosphere, the external sphere and the value component are presented as results

Caracterización arqueométrica en el estudio de tecnologías productivas: contenedores cerámicos en México y Andalucía durante el periodo virreinal

In this paper we present archaeometric partial results of analysis of a set of sherds of Ibero-american shipping containers recovered in archaeological excavations in Mexico City, dating to the viceregal period. The goal of this analytical research is to identify aspects of production and technology in Spain and the relevance of the so called olive jars in New Spain.En este artículo se presentan resultados arqueométricos parciales en el análisis de un conjunto de fragmentos de contenedores cerámicos recuperados en excavaciones arqueológicas en la Ciudad de México, cuya cronología corresponde al periodo virreinal. La finalidad de estos análisis es la identificación de aspectos de la producción y la tecnología en España y la relevancia de las llamadas botijas en Nueva España

Impactos de la actividad volcánica en época prehispánica: Estudios edáficos en los sitios arqueológicos de Cerro del Teúl y El Pitayo, Tres Mezquites en el occidente de México

Volcanic activity in ancient Mesoamerica was decisive for many populations since it influenced daily life and the way of understanding the world. Eruptive events can provoke the total or partial abandonment of the sites, changes in the social organization, and, inclusively, changes in the pedogenesis with alteration of the natural resources. The impact of volcanic activity can be detected easily. However, it can also be “hidden” among the soil and archaeological materials; consequently, its identification and analysis are essential to understanding archaeological stratigraphy. To document the above, this work presents the results obtained at two sites in western Mexico: Cerro del Teúl in Zacatecas (ca. 100-1531 d.C.) and El Pitayo in Michoacán (200- 600 d.C.). In the case of Cerro de Teúl, the construction fills were analyzed in two stratigraphic profiles: the Patio Hundido (PH21) and the Main Plaza (P2M80). In El Pitayo, construction fills and soil horizons were analyzed in two profiles located in a trench with an E-W orientation (East Trench and South Trench). The main objective was to identify the impact of volcanic activity on the archaeological stratigraphy and the transformations of volcanic materials as a consequence of natural and anthropogenic processes, using colorimetric, granulometric, and micromorphological analyses. In addition, the chemical composition (by X-ray fluorescence) and the petrography of the volcanic ash found in the sites were determined and compared with that from surrounding volcanoes. According to the results, the ash observed in Cerro Teúl originated from the Jala eruption of the Ceboruco volcano, dated 990-1020 AD. This eruption did not produce the site abandonment, as the site was rapidly re-occupied, and the ash was left between the construction fills. In the case of El Pitayo, according to archaeological evidence (the ages of the abandoned artifacts and the absence of volcanic glass on the lower floors of the construction), it is probable that the landslide was emitted during the first half of the 6th century and the site contin- ued developing after the event. The geochemical and mineralogical composition of the volcanic materials found in the excavations has an intermediate-acid affinity, which contrasts with the monogenetic volcanism in the area; however, as the material is reworked, it is probable that the original mineralogical composition has been modified by transport and erosional processes, or diluted by the mixture with more acid sources, as evidenced by the domain of volcanic glass with heterogeneous textures and morphologies. Until now, there is a possible source of emission of the volcanic material associated with that found in the “black earth” at the site of El Pitayo, which is the El infiernillo volcanic event, located south of Michoacán and which has a date of 1500- 1370 BC (Mahgoub et al., 2017). However, the “black earth” that covered the site is after this dating, so chronologically it would not correspond to an eruption that occurred during the occupation of the site, but it allows us to associate it as a product of a landslide from Cerro El Arco, since that the geochemical characterization of the volcanic glass shows a very close affinity to this El Infiernillo event