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This article describes the methodical problems of the ranking of Russian universities by the independent ranking agency RatER. The main features of this ranking system are public estimations of the quality of the higher education in Russia. The results of the sociological study were processed by the original statistical methods. The procedure involves the opinions of the graduate students, teaching staff, employers and independent experts. The interviews show the current state of the education system in different regions of the Russian Federation. The paper also attempts to provide some recommendations for the development of the proposed ranking method. (Contains 1 footnote.)

This article is dedicated to the stages of development of international research cooperation in the framework of research and education projects focusing on the study of marine and polar territories of the Russian Federation and the Federative Republic of Germany. The largest and most stable projects are the establishment of the Russian-German laboratory of polar and marine research named after the Russian polar explorer of German origin, Otto Schmidt, — OSL — on the premises of AARI, the Russian-German education project — the Applied polar and marine studies master's programme (POMOR) — implemented by the Russian and German partners at Saint Petersburg State University, and the Laptev Sea system research programme bringing together around 20 Russian and German organisations.

We have reported previously on our development and testing of a new method for using coronal images to improve coronal magnetic field models. In this technique, which we call image-optimization, coronal magnetic field models are extrapolated from synoptic photospheric magnetograms. The resulting models are then compared to morphological constraints derived from images of the solar corona, and the photospheric magnetograms are perturbed iteratively via an optimization algorithm to achieve optimal agreement with the image-based constraints. Here we present results from the first application of this technique using Mauna Loa Solar Observatory K-Coronagraph images and Global Oscillation Network Group synoptic magnetograms to create optimized models for two time periods, 2014 November 16–29 and 2016 May 16–29. We find that for both time periods the optimization algorithm converges well and results in better agreement between the model and the images, relatively small changes to the synoptic magnetogram, and an overall increase in the amount of open magnetic flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an extensive database of ultraviolet images of the nighttime sector of the northern auroral oval obtained from the POLAR spacecraft and data analysis tools adopted from statistical mechanics of turbulent flows, we identify scaling relations describing substorm time variability of the auroral intensity as a function of spatial scale and auroral intensity level. By extrapolating these relations to scales smaller than those resolved by previously flown auroral missions, we derive contrast and sensitivity constraints for a next-generation global auroral imager. The outcomes of this analysis, combined with the results reported by Uritsky et al. (2010), make it possible to optimize sensitivity and resolution requirements for future auroral imaging missions intended to observe auroral structure and dynamics across wide ranges of spatial and temporal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed an original method for migration velocity analysis for vertical seismic profile (VSP) data. The method is based on VSP imaging with the primary reflected data and surface-related multiples. Velocity updates are carried out by matching the images obtained by these two types of waves. To do it automatically, we have introduced an objective function of the crosscorrelation type and developed a gradient-based maximization algorithm. On synthetic walk-away VSP data sets, we found that maximization of the crosscorrelation of the images provided by the two different types of waves allowed the retrieval of the interval velocities below the borehole receivers -- a problem that was considered to be challenging with a VSP acquisition. Also, the possibility of the lateral velocity gradient reconstruction was developed on a simple synthetic model. On the real walk-away VSP data set from the North Sea, we found that the method could also be used for estimation of effective anisotropy parameters below the borehole receivers. In all of our examples, the velocity model refinement based on the presented method led to significant improvements of the seismic images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the methodical problems of the ranking of Russian universities by the independent ranking agency RatER1 . The main features of this ranking system are public estimations of the quality of the higher education in Russia. The results of the sociological study were processed by the original statistical methods. The procedure involves the opinions of the graduate students, teaching staff, employers and independent experts. The interviews show the current state of the education system in different regions of the Russian Federation. The paper also attempts to provide some recommendations for the development of the proposed ranking method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]