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Paper analyzes thermal anomalies of Kazan city according to satellite images in thermal infrared range. Main goal of the study is to create maps of thermal anomalies in Kazan city, followed by recommendations to reduce impact of “heat island” phenomenon on the environment. Landsat satellite images for May and February were used as initial materials. Configuration of the “heat island” in different seasons of the year was studied. The study allowed us to identify areas in the city where differences in temperature and associated heat radiation were less intense, almost unchanged, or showed an increase. Thus, it was shown that within big industrial centers of a city separate foci of abnormally high temperatures are revealed. Classification of conditions according to the temperature level of city territories is developed. According to the results of the study, set of recommendations to reduce the negative consequences of the “heat island” impact on the urban ecosystem is proposed.

The new space project of M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University on elaboration of multiple satellites for real time monitoring in the near-Earth space of radiation environment, natural (asteroids, meteoroids) and artificial (space debris) potentially dangerous objects, electromagnetic transients, such as cosmic gamma ray bursts, terrestrial gamma ray flashes, optical and ultraviolet bursts in the Earth atmosphere is presented. It is intended to install on the satellites the following instruments for space monitoring of dangerous objects and hazards: spectrometers of electrons and protons, complex of instruments for study of transient electromagnetic phenomena including gamma ray spectrometer, detectors of ultraviolet and optical emission and wide-field optical cameras. Successful implementation of the project for the first time in the world allows realization of a space system prototype for monitoring and preventing of space hazards for both ongoing and planned space missions, and also for aircraft flying in the upper atmosphere. There are also discussed results of experiments on-board Lomonosov in view of good experience of wide field camera use for monitor observations in space. These results formed the base of scientific program for the new project Universat- SOCRAT.

Internet-based system of Space Monitoring Data Center (SMDC) of Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics of Moscow State University (SINP MSU) has been developed to predict and analyze radiation conditions in near-Earth space. This system contains satellite measurement databases and operational models and devoted to collect, store and process space weather monitoring data in the near real-time. SMDC operational services acquire data from ACE, SDO, GOES, Electro-L, Meteor-M satellites and use them for forecasting, now-casting and post-casting of space weather factors. This paper is intended to give overview of operational services of SMDC Internet-based system and demonstrate their possibilities and limitations to analyze space weather phenomena and predict radiation and geomagnetic conditions in the near-Earth space during February 14–March 5, 2014. This prolonged period of high level solar and geomagnetic activity demonstrates various manifestations of the space weather: solar proton events, geomagnetic storms and outer radiation belt (RB) dynamics. Solar sources of interplanetary space disturbances and their influence on geomagnetic and radiation state of the Earth’s magnetosphere were described using output coming from SMDC’ Web-based applications. Validation of SMDC’s operational models was performed based on the quality of description of the physical conditions in near-Earth space during space weather events observed from February 14 to March 5, 2014. The advantages and disadvantages of SMDC operational services are illustrated and discussed based on comparison with data obtained from satellites.

The Ionosphere missions are the part of Ionosond-2025 space project, which main scientific objectives are monitoring of physical processes in the Earth upper atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere, as well as of solar activity. Within the framework of the Ionozond-2025 project, it is planned to launch four spacecraft Ionosphere and one satellite Zond. The Zond satellite is planned to be launched in 2025. The main task of Zond mission is patrol of solar activity. The launch of the first pair of spacecraft is planned in early 2022, the second pair - late 2022 or early 2023. In case of successful implementation of the program of experiments on the Ionosphere satellites, control of the physical parameters of electromagnetic fields and corpuscular radiation in the near-Earth space will be provided, new information will be obtained on the geophysical processes occurring in the magnetosphere, ionosphere and upper atmosphere in their connection with solar activity.

Studies conducted as part of the Federal target program “Research and Development in Priority Directions for the Development of the Russian Science and Technology Complex for 2014–2020”, showed high efficiency of interaction of calculated norms of mineral fertilizers with modern bioagents RECB-50B, RECB-95B and adaptogenic drugs. At the same time, the actual yield of spring rapeseed of the Gedemin variety exceeds the planned one (3 t/ha) by 9.3–12.3 %, respectively, the chemical load on the environment is reduced and the cost of production of oilseeds is reduced.

The Universat-SOCRAT project is developed in the Moscow State University aiming to forecast space-related risks for aviation, suborbital, and orbital flights and provide new knowledge on the magnetosphere and atmosphere of the Earth. An essential part of the system is a multi-satellite constellation, which would operate in the low-Earth orbit. Among other things, it would monitor the radiation and magnetic-wave environment in the vicinity of the Earth: in space and atmosphere. An Earth observation system, which operates in gamma and visible spectral range, should allow attribute detected changes in the environment to the atmospheric phenomena. We have already designed the instruments to detect increases in the flux of energetic charged particles (solar energetic particles, galactic cosmic rays, and electrons precipitating from radiation belts), geomagnetic disturbances, and electromagnetic transients in the atmosphere. The first stage of the program started on July 5, 2019, with a successful launch of three 3U CubeSats from the Vostochny cosmodrome. These satellites carry instruments for monitoring space radiation and prototype of the device for observing the Earth’s atmosphere in the ultraviolet range. The collected data has confirmed the advantages of multi-satellite observations for the goals of the project. During this year, we plan to launch two more 6U CubeSats with charged particle and gamma-ray detectors, magnetometers, and instrument for detecting of atmospheric electromagnetic transients. We suppose that these satellites will lay the foundation of the space threat monitoring system.

This article discusses the study of the process of ravine erosion using geoinformation technologies and Earth remote sensing data. Ravine erosion, which develops on the territory of the Verkhneuslonsky municipal region of the Republic of Tatarstan, is considered as a multifactorial process. The possibility of using freely available data to study the factors affecting ravine erosion is evaluated. It is shown that in modern conditions of increased anthropogenic environmental impact, especially in areas heavily divided by ravines, the use of GIS technology is sufficient in order to monitor and quickly respond to negative erosion processes occurring on agricultural lands.

Currently, there are 0.21 hectares of arable land for every inhabitant of the planet. According to the UN forecast, the availability of arable land in the future will decrease to 0.14 ha/person not only due to population growth, but also due to land allotment for the construction of settlements, industrial facilities, hydroelectric power stations, mining and, most importantly, for strengthening erosion processes of anthropogenic nature. So, over the past 30 years, 58 hectares of arable land of the Bolsheelovskoye JV of the Elabuga municipal district of the Republic of Tatarstan has been withdrawn from agricultural circulation. In addition, a comparative assessment of the initial soil cartogram with a map compiled 30 years later using the geographic information system showed a 2-fold increasing area of medium washed-out soils and the transition of 100 hectares of unwashed-out arable land to the category of slightly washed. Based on the research results, we developed a set of anti-erosion measures, including the planting of stock-regulating and field-protecting forest strips, strip lane placement of crops and increasing soil fertility based on the biologization of farming.

A lack of observable quantities renders it generally difficult to confront models of Space Weather with experimental data and drastically reduces the forecast accuracy. This is especially true for the region of Earth’s atmosphere between altitudes of 90 km and 300 km, which is practically inaccessible, except by means of remote sensing techniques. For this reason auroral emissions are an interesting proxy for the physical processes taking place in this region. This paper describes two future space missions, AMICal Sat and ATISE, that will rely on CubeSats to observe the aurora. These satellites will perform measurements of auroral emissions in order to reconstruct the deposition of particle precipitations in auroral regions. ATISE is a 12U CubeSat with a spectrometer and imager payloads. The spectrometer is built using the micro-Spectrometer-On-a-Chip (μSPOC) technology. It will work in the 370–900 nm wavelength range and allow for short exposure times of around 1 s. The spectrometer will have six lines of sight. The joint imager is a miniaturized wide-field imager based on the Teledyne-E2V ONYX detector in combination with a large aperture objective. Observation will be done at the limb and will enable reconstruction of the vertical profile of the auroral emissions. ATISE is planned to be launched in mid 2021. AMICal Sat is a 2U CubeSat that will embed the imager of ATISE and will observe the aurora both in limb and nadir configurations. This imager will enable measuring vertical profiles of the emission when observing in a limb configuration similar to that of ATISE. It will map a large part of the night side auroral oval with a resolution of the order of a few km. Both the spectrometer and imager will be calibrated with a photometric precision better than 10% using the moon as a wide-field, stable and extended source. Ground-based demonstrators of both instruments have been tested in 2017 in Norway and Svalbard. Even though some issues still need to be solved, the first results are very encouraging for the planned future space missions. Data interpretation will be done using the forward Transsolo code, a 1D kinetic code solving the Boltzmann equation along a local vertical and enabling simulation of the thermospheric and ionospheric emissions using precipitation data as input.

This study announces the anomalous phase separation in CoNiP alloy electroplating. The observed phenomenon of the formation of magnetic bubbles was described for the first time for this triple CoNiP system. This study briefly covers all stages of magnetic bubble formation, starting from the formation of an amorphous phosphor-rich sublayer, followed by nucleation centers, and finally cobalt-rich bubbles. An explanation for the anomalous mechanism of bubble formation was found in the effects of additives and the phenomena of depolarization and superpolarization., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

NiFe films with a composition gradient are of particular interest from the point of view of fundamental science and practical applications. Such gradient magnetic structures may exhibit unique functional properties useful for sensory applications and beyond. The issue surrounds the anomaly concerning the compositional gradient formed near the substrate in electrolytically deposited binary and ternary iron-containing alloys, which has not previously been clearly explained. In this work, light is shed on this issue, and a clear relationship is found between the structure and surface properties of the substrate, the initially formed NiFe layers and the film composition gradient.

Newly formed black holes of stellar mass launch collimated outflows (jets) of ionized matter that approach the speed of light. These outflows power prompt, brief and intense flashes of γ-rays known as γ-ray bursts (GRBs), followed by longer-lived afterglow radiation that is detected across the electromagnetic spectrum. Measuring the polarization of the observed GRB radiation provides a direct probe of the magnetic fields in the collimated jets. Rapid-response polarimetric observations of newly discovered bursts have probed the initial afterglow phase, and show that, minutes after the prompt emission has ended, the degree of linear polarization can be as high as 30 per cent-consistent with the idea that a stable, globally ordered magnetic field permeates the jet at large distances from the central source. By contrast, optical and γ-ray observations during the prompt phase have led to discordant and often controversial results, and no definitive conclusions have been reached regarding the origin of the prompt radiation or the configuration of the magnetic field. Here we report the detection of substantial (8.3 ± 0.8 per cent from our most conservative simulation), variable linear polarization of a prompt optical flash that accompanied the extremely energetic and long-lived prompt γ-ray emission from GRB 160625B. Our measurements probe the structure of the magnetic field at an early stage of the jet, closer to its central black hole, and show that the prompt phase is produced via fast-cooling synchrotron radiation in a large-scale magnetic field that is advected from the black hole and distorted by dissipation processes within the jet.

We report on design, manufacture, and testing of a Slewing Mirror Telescope (SMT), the first of its kind and a part of Ultra-Fast Flash Observatory-pathfinder (UFFO-p) for space-based prompt measurement of early UV/optical light curves from Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). Using a fast slewing mirror of 150 mm diameter mounted on a 2 axis gimbal stage, SMT can deliver the images of GRB optical counterparts to the intensified CCD detector within 1.5~1.8 s over ± 35 degrees in the slewing field of view. Its Ritchey-Chrétien telescope of 100 mm diameter provides a 17 × 17 arcmin² instantaneous field of view. Technical details of design, construction, the laboratory performance tests in space environments for this unique SMT are described in conjunction with the plan for in-orbit operation onboard the Lomonosov satellite in 2013.

Galactic cosmic rays consist of protons, electrons and ions, most of which are believed to be accelerated to relativistic speeds in supernova remnants. All components of the cosmic rays show an intensity that decreases as a power law with increasing energy (for example as E(-2.7)). Electrons in particular lose energy rapidly through synchrotron and inverse Compton processes, resulting in a relatively short lifetime (about 10(5) years) and a rapidly falling intensity, which raises the possibility of seeing the contribution from individual nearby sources (less than one kiloparsec away). Here we report an excess of galactic cosmic-ray electrons at energies of approximately 300-800 GeV, which indicates a nearby source of energetic electrons. Such a source could be an unseen astrophysical object (such as a pulsar or micro-quasar) that accelerates electrons to those energies, or the electrons could arise from the annihilation of dark matter particles (such as a Kaluza-Klein particle with a mass of about 620 GeV).

The dynamics of the ISS-measured radiation dose variations since August 2000 is studied. Use is made of the data obtained with the R-16 instrument, which consists of two ionization chambers behind different shielding thicknesses. The doses recorded during solar energetic particle (SEP) events are compared with the data obtained also by R-16 on Mir space station. The SEP events in the solar maximum of the current cycle make a much smaller contribution to the radiation dose compared with the October 1989 event recorded on Mir space station. In the latter event, the proton intensity was peaking during a strong magnetic storm. The storm-time effect of solar proton geomagnetic cutoff decreases on dose variations is estimated. The dose variations on Mir space stations due to formation of a new radiation belt of high-energy protons and electrons during a sudden commencement of March 24, 1991 storm are also studied. It was for the first time throughout the ISS and Mir dose measurement period that the counting rates recorded by both R-16 channels on ISS in 2001-2002 were nearly the same during some time intervals. This effect may arise from the decreases of relativistic electron fluxes in the outer radiation belt., (c2004 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Experimental data about high-energy particle fluxes obtained in 1990-2000 in the Riabina-2 experiment on board MIR orbital station are analyzed in the sense of data failures. There are two types of failure. The first type is represented as sharp positive or negative spikes on the relatively smooth time profiles of the particle fluxes. The second type is randomly distributed data gaps with durations of up to tens minutes. These two kinds of the data failures are formalized in the form of "failure occurrence probability" (FOP). The comparison analysis of the FOP with solar activity, solar wind conditions and geomagnetic activity shows that one half of the observed data failures are owing to noise originating mostly from electronic equipment on board MIR station. The other half of the data failures are closely connected to geomagnetic storms and interplanetary disturbances. The space station surface charge and radio signal distortion in disturbed ionosphere are considered as possible phenomena responsible for the data failures., (c2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Neutron measurement results obtained at SINP MSU since 1970 are presented. These measurements were made using techniques based on neutron moderation and subsequent detection in a Li6I(Eu) crystal or a He3 coronal counter. The measurements were mainly carried out in orbits with inclination of 52 degrees and altitudes of 200-450 km. The spatial and angular distributions of the measured neutron fluxes were studied. The albedo neutron flux was estimated according to the count rate difference for opposite detector orientations towards Earth and away from it. This flux is comparable to the local neutron flux outside the Brazil anomaly region, where local neutrons dominate. Neutron fluxes, generated by solar protons, were detected during a solar flare on June 6, 1991 for the first time. Their spectrum was estimated as a power law with alpha>2., (c2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.)

The results are presented of measurements high-energy particles in a customary manned space station orbit (a 350-450-km altitude, a 51.6 degrees inclination; Salyut-6 and 7, MIR). The particles were recorded by the chambers composed of the Lavsan (polyethyleneterephtalate) solid-state nuclear track detector layers mounted outside a spacecraft for 1-3 years. A high resolution has been attained in the charge and energy spectra of 30-200 MeV/n Fe group particles. The results of measuring the particle fluxes in the space station orbits are used to restore the initial particle energy spectra in terms of the models that describe the galactic and solar cosmic rays and their penetration to the Earth's magnetosphere. The analysis demonstrates a high effectiveness of the described methods when applied to quite a number of space physics problems., (c2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Dose variations, associated with the 11-year solar activity cycle, seasonal variations of particle fluxes in the Earth's radiation belts at the station orbit, and solar proton events are studied, using prolonged measurements of radiation doses inside orbital station Mir. Daily averages of radiation doses during the declining phase of the 22nd solar cycle and during transition to the 23rd solar activity cycle reached very large values for astronauts and significantly exceed the values calculated according to existing models.

Results of a detailed analysis of heavy ion fluences measured on the Salyut and MIR orbital stations from 1978 to 1990 are presented. The analysis has made use of new models that describe the cosmic ray fluxes and their transition through the magnetosphere. The penetration of solar cosmic ray particles to the orbit, the increase of the (Sc-Cr)/Fe flux ratio in the orbit, and the occurrences of 200-500 MeV/nucl heavy nuclei in <30 degrees latitudes have been analyzed.

A dynamic galactic cosmic ray model is proposed to quantitatively describe the z=1-28 ions and electrons of E=10-10(5) MeV/nucleon and their particle flux variations around the Earth's orbit and beyond the Earth's magnetosphere due to diverse large-scale variations of solar activity factors. The variations of large-scale heliospheric magnetic fields and the galactic cosmic ray flux variation time delays relative to solar activity variations are simulated. The lag characteristics and sunspot number predictions having been determined in detail, the model can be used to predict galactic cosmic ray flux levels.

A survey of empirical models of particles (electrons, protons and heavier ions) of the Earth's radiation belts developed to date is presented. Results of intercomparison of the different models as well as comparison with experimental data are reported. Aspects of further development of radiation condition modelling in near-Earth space, including dynamic model developing are discussed.

The present paper analyses the problems of modeling galactic cosmic ray particle fluxes. A model representation which enables the particle energy spectra for large-scale solar activity induced modulations to be calculated is described.