The analysis of the magnetic survey data suggests the presence of a frontal zone of intense magnetic anomalies in a number of the Pacific island-arc systems. These zones with amplitudes of 100-300 nT are observed within the Kuril-Kamchatka and Aleutian island arc systems, in Southern and Central America, and Alaska. As demonstrated by the solution of the inverse problem and petromagnetic investigation of the rocks, these zones are presumably related to the serpentinite bodies which form as a result of the hydration of the upper mantle peridotites by the oceanic water penetrating through a system of cracks and fractures into the subducting slab at its bend. The rock magnetic studies show that magnetite is the main carrier of magnetization in these serpentinite bodies. Hydration of the subducting slab also causes hydration of the mantle rocks of the overriding plate with the formation of the magnetized serpentinite wedge. The decompaction of ultrabasic rocks under hydration is marked by a decrease in the gravity field and velocities of elastic waves. As the subducting plate loses water, it becomes embrittled and becomes the localization region for the epicenters of the strongest earthquakes. Magnetic survey can be used for revealing the potential sources of catastrophic earthquakes.

We briefly review the scientific creativity of Yu. V. Novozhilov.

We briefly review the scientific creativity of Yu. V. Novozhilov.

Research areas of Yu. V. Prokhorov and his school in the 1999-2013 time period are presented. In these studies several problems of the theory of probability, where the uniform distribution is the target limiting or initial distribution, have been solved. A number of moment inequalities for classical distributions are established. Based on generalized moment identities, new methods for solving the linearization problem for polynomials orthogonal with respect to classical distributions are elaborated. Some methods for obtaining moment characterizations of probabilistic distributions are suggested as well. Possible ways to extend studies in each of these directions are described.

The article focuses on Professor Yuri Vasil'evich Polezhaev, director of the Division of Heat and Mass Transfer and Physical Gas Dynamics of the Institute of Physicotechnical Problems of Energetics at the Joint Institute of High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences. It discusses his achievements and contributions in the field of thermodynamics. Polezhaev is the world-known scientist in thermal engineering, and is a recipient of various prestigious awards given to scientists.