International river basin organizations: variation,options and insights

Permanent international river basin organizations (IRBOs) come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from those which are mainly facilitative in nature to those empowered to act on their own. Although differences in IRBO types may have important impacts on transboundary water resources management, systematic analysis of variation in their structure and responsibilities is scant. This paper synthesizes and applies a typology to determine the structural composition, abundance, spatial distribution, scale and in-basin configurations of the different forms of IRBOs. The results provide a set of options for future IRBOs, and serve to ground-truth and nuance theoretical divisions between different types of organizations in transboundary basins.     

A criterion for convection of elementary excitations in crystalline solids

A universal method is suggested that provides empirical estimates of the kinetic coefficients in the equations of quasiparticle transfer in crystalline structures. The method is based on a criterion for the onset of Landau convection and on an analysis of experimental data on the electric and thermal resistance and the thermal expansion coefficient for crystals with different types of interatomic bonds.     

A new method for evaluating the order parameter in application to nickel and beta-brass

An analysis of experimental data on the resistivity and thermal expansion coefficient for nickel and beta-brass reveals a simple relationship between the order parameter and the isobaric thermal strain of these materials. Expressions are obtained for evaluation of the order parameter of ferromagnetic metals and ordered alloys from the results of the resistivity and thermal expansion measurements.     

Water User Groups in Central Asia: Emerging Form of Collective Action in Irrigation Water Management

This paper examines the recent emerging informal Water Users Groups (WUGs) on the Ferghana Valley for managing of the water at the former collective farm level and potential for strengthening of the weak Water Users Associations (WUAs) through replication of WUGs formation. Due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asian states have introduced reforms in different sectors including the water resources sectors. As a part of the water resources management reforms, Water Users Associations (WUAs) formation has implemented to manage water resources infrastructure and water distribution. WUGs have been emerging because WUAs have not been very efficient and effective due to their top-down implementation approach. In future, WUGs are very effective institutional mechanism of water resources management, and a useful support instrument to WUAs.     

The correlation between electrical resistivity of metals and thermal deformation

A simple expression is given, which defines the unique correlation between phonon electrical resistance and the product of true coefficient of volumetric thermal expansion into temperature from ～0 K to melting temperature. This expression is derived as a result of correlation analysis of experimental data on electrical resistivity and coefficient of thermal expansion of non-transition metals. This expression is validated within the phenomenological theory of condensed media.     

Re-examining conflict and cooperation in Central Asia: a case study from the Isfara River,Ferghana Valley

While conflict and cooperation in Central Asia are mainly focused on the larger basins (Amu and Syr Darya) and the implementation of the agreement reached directly after independence (1991), here an analysis of the history of water-sharing agreements in the Isfara Basin is presented. The paper reveals that there have been fierce negotiations and renegotiations even during the Soviet Union period between the Central Asian riparian republics; agreement was reached mainly though engineering solutions that brought more water to the basin. The paper highlights that although water-sharing agreements were reached early on, the technical capability of implementing these agreements was lacking. Similarly, even after independence, agreements had been reached but lack of water control hindered their implementation.     

Improving the production of granulated FS15G ferrosilicon

Methods of improving granulated FS15G ferrosilicon (including its chemical and granulometric composition) are described. Particular attention is paid to attaining more spherical granules and to the influence of alloying with aluminum, boron, and manganese.