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The purpose of the paper is to evaluate what constitutes car accidents and identify the territorial dispersion with the highest number of collisions. In this paper the main forces and circumstances causing automobile accidents in Lithuania are investigated referring to the general analysis of road traffic collision, while the examination of their territorial dispersion is done taking into consideration the following indicators: the number of the accidents and the statistics of injuries and deaths in 2000-2012. The chosen method of black spots enabled to reveal the roads where people were most often injured or killed during the motor vehicle collisions. In this paper much attention is given to combined analysis of the causes of motor vehicle collision. The examined combined approach towards the phenomenon assisted the investigation of the causes involving not only external aspects of the issues of road traffic safety but also the inner reasons of the phenomenon analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to review current knowledge on channels development in mountain basins in arid zones. The research was intended to describe the main triggering factors responsible for the development of ephemeral river channels in such areas. A detailed study was made of the Upper Dades basin located on the southern slopes of the High Atlas Mountains (Morocco). In this paper we analyse the morphometry of channels of different orders in three small basins chosen for a thorough study in order to present the details of channel characteristics. The results show that the development of stream channels of the same order may vary greatly. This is mainly due to variation between the basins in lithology, vegetation cover, precipitation amounts and hillslope sediment supply. We prove however that the key agents of stream channel development are the energy of water and associated mass gravity movements in the period when water is absent. The morphological component provides strong evidence for this conclusion. The results show that runoff energy generally compensates for the low amount of water in 2nd and 3rd order channels where erosion is dominant. The 4th order channels are therefore better adapted to evacuate significant discharges (weak slope, large channel) which therefore decreases the erosive capacity of their stream flows. In this paper we also discuss whether the impact of the limited hillslope vegetation and the supply of coarse-grained sediment in the channels are important in the development of channels in mountain basins in arid regions. We conclude that intense rainfall-runoff events that lead to short-lived but high-energy flash floods have a more significant impact in contemporary channel development. Channels, especially those of 3rd and higher order, tend to be very unstable during large floods. We show that channels located in small basins in mountains in arid zones are in a state of almost permanent non-equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to classify the lakes of Lithuania by their functional use. The paper is based on the previous research experience. The classification is prepared with the view that currently the basic functions of Lithuanian lakes are considered to be recreation and communication while additional ones are commercial fishing, industry and energy, agriculture and domestic use. The following categories of lakes were differentiated according to the efficiency of functional usage: category I - lakes in which recreational activities are developed; category II - lakes which are used for communication and commercial fishing; category III - lakes that are used for energy and in industry, agriculture and for domestic needs. In order to put the lakes into groups the essential factors that have the greatest impact on the lake function choice were determined. It was found that the lake area and landscape of the lake shore mostly influence the choice of spectrum of potential lake functions. It is noted that the functional usage of a lake grows with the increase of a lake area (in particular the change is prominent at the 50 hectare threshold) and the change of the landscape of a lake shore in the following sequence: swamp ? forest ? grassland ? populated area. These factors (lake area and the landscape of a lake shore) are 1 level factors. The conservation status of the territory and the accessibility of a lake by road have less impact on the functional use of a lake. The lakes that are difficult to access by road usually have a narrower potential of functional use. The lakes that are in protected territories formally lose some of their potential functions, but in reality the ban to perform them is often neglected. The access of lakes by roads and conservation status of territory are considered to be the factors of the 2 level in terms of the choice of development of potential lake functions. It was found that at present Lithuanian lakes can be divided into three types according to their functional usage. The lakes with swampy shores that have very limited possibilities of usage are attributable to the first type. The lakes of second type are smaller than 50 hectares and their shores are dominated by forests or grasslands. Lakes of this type are most suitable for the development of recreational activities. The third type includes lakes smaller than 50 hectares that are by populated areas and the lakes that are bigger than 50 hectares. These water bodies have the most extensive spectrum of potential functions but they often do not correspond to the conservation status of the territory and general environmental regulations. It is concluded that it is necessary to take the following measures to develop the functional usage of lakes in Lithuania in an orderly way: a) to consider lake priority functions, the ones which have the lowest and most manageable impact on the lake ecosystem, b) to try to adjust the range of lake functions in such a way that they are consistent with each other (this is particularly important for the lakes that are by protected areas, towns and large lakes which currently perform many functions), c) to regulate the system of lake management and protection according to the situation in Lithuania (current EU directives are often not suitable for the conditions of the country). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It would be hard to seriously argue about the positive general influence of EU support on the economic development in such small (NUTS 2 size) and relatively poorly developed countries like Lithuania. However the actual impact of such support on spatial development inside the country is quite uncertain. The urban system with many medium size cities, which was developed in Lithuania during the Soviet period, ensures polycentric development of the country. Social relations between different regions and even municipalities are quite weak and rapid economic development in one part could make little impact on the quality of life in another. The paper aims to reveal the distribution of EU support inside the country, trying to verify a popular pre-assumption that most of the benefits of such support goes to major cities, especially capital Vilnius. Such pre-assumption often leads to the idea of necessity to change the principles of distribution of EU support and the whole regional governance of Lithuania. The author also tries to introduce alternative ways of measurement of impact of EU support on spatial development of the country, which would be based on the establishment of its impact on subjective indices such as quality of life or level of happiness in various localities. This paper stresses the need to pay attention to inter-subjective aspects of consequences of implementation of EU regional policy in different localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The type and character of precipitation reaching earth's surface mainly depend on the thermodynamic state of the troposphere. Numerous thermal parameters are used to determine precipitation type, among them the depth of the thermal layer, freezing height, inversion levels, critical temperatures of isobaric surfaces, etc. The study focuses on relations between thickness and temperature parameters above the canopy layer and the precipitation type. The study period covers 1997-2006 cold seasons (November-March). The parameters used in the study are: 1000-500 hPa integrated thickness (ST1000500) and partial thickness ST1000850, ST850700, ST850500, ST700500; also 925 hPa, 850 hPa, 700 hPa, 500 hPa level temperature (T925, T850, T700, T500). Precipitation type data for Lithuanian territory were compiled using the network of the National Weather Board (LHMT) first-order stations (Biržai, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Varėna, and Vilnius). Free atmosphere data were obtained from NCeP 2 database (http://nomad3.ncep.noaa.gov/ncep-data/) and the Kaunas radio-sounding station. The threshold values of the thermal parameters were calculated using one standard deviation (SD) statistical model. If the derived thickness or temperature fall into the ±SD interval, then the value is classified as varying around "normal" ("normal" pertains to statistical representation) (Heppner, 1992). All precipitation types were grouped into three categories: snow (snow, ice pellets), rain (rain, drizzle) and winter mix (snow with rain, sleet). The first part of the paper presents typical values of thickness and temperature for different precipitation types and their spatial and temporal variability. Integrated thickness (ST1000500) near the coastline seems to be always about 23 gpm thinner for snow pattern than in the rest of Lithuania. For rain, ST1000500 appears to be almost constant in the whole territory. However, thickness parameters show a large spatial and temporal variation. The mean values of integrated thickness related to snow type patterns are highest in late autumn, later they start to drop and in early spring reach the lowest values. There is no such seasonal trend for rain patterns: thickness values are also highest in late autumn, but in mid-winter they become minimal, while at the end of winter again begin to rise. A similar trend was observed for typical temperatures at the standard layers. The threshold values of the thermal parameters are presented in the second part of the paper. These values should be used in the diagnosis of precipitation type. The best indices in the diagnosis appear to be ST1000500 and ST1000850. These parameters indicate the correct number of precipitation type events in 82% of show cases and in 85% of rain cases. Snow is most likely to occur when ST1000500 < 5285 gpm and ST1000850 < 1285 gpm, while rain is most probable at ST1000500 > 5285 gpm and ST1000850 > 1295 gpm. The best temperature indices appear to be at the 925 hPa level (T925).… [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of globalization geo-social territorial structures (sociotopes, sociomorphotopes, socioecological patrimonies) which can be defined and explored by social ecology and social geography are becoming increasingly important. The aim of the work is to present the concept of socioecological patrimonies or paternalized sociotopes based on the objectives set. Socioecological properties of patrimony formation were established -- a group of people whose psychological state is characterized by attachment to a particular location. Attachment occurs periodically experiencing a range of human emotions in a certain area, and place of residence within a certain radius becomes constant and highly significant, and forms local identity, which after some time becomes native land or universalized patrimony, named pattern in contemporary social ecology. The concept of paternalized sociotopes (patrimonies) helps to divide the public living space, expresses the determination of territorial identity of geosocial units and presents real social geographic cells. It is necessary to distinguish not only patrimonies sets but also classify them according to their major typological features: social acceptability, communication intensity, the stability of the structure, intensity of expression and the origin of organic quality, which would not only identify the key characteristics of these patrimonies but also allow them to predict the behavior of a variety of space and time circumstances. The paper analyzed the structure of patrimonized sociotopes, which is based on the physiological and sociological space uniting the main subjects -- the people and the social ties connecting them to the general area of residence. Given these facts, the pattern classification model was concluded, which aims to reveal the basic classification criteria. The first level contains determining whether rural or urban area is. Then the set area is analyzed under the above typological key features: positive or negative, potent or slight, steady or temporary, overtime or secluded, and, finally, naturally formed or expressly formed. In particular, it is important to identify the positive and negative patrimonies by their social acceptability as positive sociotopes can help raise public corporate angles, direction of the evolution and negative sociotopes can be important for their problems in order to increase the effectiveness of social management. This model of classification and patrimonies analysis methodology consists of significant areas in planning practice. The concept of paternalized sociotopes can help humanize and optimize spatial planning processes as structured groups are easier to influence and motivate participation, collective decision-making and promoting common development of landscape management policy. The main task could be the necessity of strengthening the geosocial research of agrarian communities and the need to make the geosocial structures become an integral part of our land management plans, projects and training of spatial planning specialists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our country has so far not given sufficient attention to the sphere of landscape planning, particularly its methodology. There are still some traditions to avoid and ignore (such as urban planning, engineering planning) or unreasonably restrict the use (such as landscape architecture, forestry, land use) of the "landscape" term, even confuse landscape with the natural environment or plantations, which is especially evident in the field of spatial planning. Therefore unavoidable are such undesirable phenomena as uncoordinated wandering through various options for the landscape concept, lack of effective landscape planning methodology, insufficient integration of landscape planning in an integrated spatial planning, prolonged agony of special landscape planning, flawed methodological as well as legal landscape planning and landscape design churning. Cultural landscape is usually called Home of Nation, its living environment, therefore, for the state and society arises an obligation to develop a variety of ways to use and protect the landscape and to ensure that all types of landscapes are formed from the principles of sustainable and balanced development and would become a quality result of coexistence of human and natural environment, satisfying requirements for residential, work, leisure and environmental quality. Cultural landscape structure optimization guidelines and criteria for the national planning system are recommended to be determined using a paradigm system of landscape forming that comprises: 1) Sustainable and balanced development paradigm, 2) Geographical landscape forming paradigm, 3) Architectural landscape forming paradigm, 4) Cultural landscape structure optimality paradigm, 5) Cultural landscape forming process optimality paradigm. The land management oriented sustainable and balanced development paradigm should be understood as development of society and its activities that includes: 1) assessment of the needs of future generations, 2) compatibility of all currently available interests, 3) security of the priority of the public (community) interest. The third point of the recommended sustainable development paradigm is dictated by the realities of life, illustrating that personal interests do not express common ones guaranteeing the survival of civilization. The common interests cannot be left alone with increasingly destruction-tended individual who is immersed in the environment of growing consumption. On the other hand, it is appropriate to supplement this paradigm with an emphasis on the development of culture. Culture Factor in a modified sustainable development paradigm is seen as a particularly important securing balance of different interests and rationality of human activities. Thus, only the society of a certain high cultural level is capable of realizing sustainable development goals and objectives, what is clearly confirmed by the universal practice of land management. So, there can be the fourth point in this paradigm: 4) achievement of a high level of socio-economic and ecological culture. To summarize the methodological work experience, the following four methodological landscape concept plan directions can be given: 1) Environmental landscape management plan as a planning document, focusing on the various protected areas and buffer zones appointment, bio-ecological communication and geo-ecological stability and quality assurance; 2) Perceptual landscape management plan as a planning document that focuses on visual communication and information, and potential areas of aesthetic interpretation and regulation, environmental psycho-ecological quality; 3) Technocratic landscape management plan as a planning document, focusing on a variety of engineering management measures design, landscape structure fulfilling primarily the technological and economic interests of the formation; 4) Integrated landscape plan as a planning document that combines the above approaches, mainly the first and the second ones. The Lithuanian Landscape Planning System needs to be improved on the basis of integrating both the German (landscape plans are required for all land management sectors) and the UK (providing opportunities to develop a variety of specialized uses of landscape plans) experience in landscape planning and its organization. It is also necessary to separate the landscape planning and landscape design concepts and spheres. The proposed landscape planning system is presented in a special scheme (Figure). For landscape planning perspective it is appropriate to use the recommended outlook of landscape planning documents and content elements presented in the paper, expressing both the process and its results, and the improved benchmark model, i. e. proposals as they could be done in the best methodology. Finally, the Landscape Planning Policy of the Ministry of Environment not complying with the European Landscape Convention and EU attitudes must be changed in the ordinary version of the Territorial Planning Act so that our country would return to normal landscape planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper summarizes the results of geographic research into criminal events registered by police in Vilnius city in 2012. All registered events that amount to more than 20 000 have been localised by their street addresses and categorised by type. The authors propose a concentric criminality model where crime rates in correspondingly public sites, homes and other territories are influenced by the parameters of both society and urban environment that are dynamically related. Statistical grid maps showing relative criminality rates allow for making assumptions on the influence of diverse factors besides population density. They can also be used for prevention planning. Spatial analysis reveals dependence between relative criminality rate and constructive and morphometric characteristics of the territory that is in turn related with the specific social structures (urban communities) inside the city. Statistical grid maps can also be used for prevention planning. They show concentration of criminal activity in central and in densely populated areas, however impact of population density on crime rates is not as high as it could be expected - the correlation is only about 0.45. Crimes concentrate around some objects such as airport, railway station and some of the large shopping centres. It is likely that the major part of crimes can be explained by socio-demographic characteristics of different urban communities. Detailed results of the research are available for public view as a statistical grid at www.geoportal.lt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban landscape - the space in which anthropogenic and natural elements of the interaction is strongest. The aim of this article is to contribute to landscape structure opti-mality evaluation problem. This paper presents the original methodology of urban landscape naturalness assessment in a model of Širvintos town. Its novelty consists of the vertical dimension into the evaluation of naturalness. In this work naturalness is defined as the naturalness of landscape structure characteristic reflecting natural elements (objects) occupied the spatial part of the landscape around the whole landscape complex. Methodology of research involves several steps. In the first stage, it is important to determine the urban landscape border of Širvintos town. In the second stage - to distinguish landscape zones by technogenization and function. In the third stage anthropogenic and natural elements inventory in reference areas of the landscape is performed. In this stage also it is very important to indicate plot area and high of elements which product represents spatial volume. The fourth stage involves the identification of landscape structure naturalness. Each city and landscape areas are characterized by different anthropogenic and natural elements of the spatial volume ratio. The relationship of the variation is classified into 4 ranges, landscape structure naturalness degrees: 1) artificial areas, 2) partly artificial areas, 3) partly natural areas, 4) natural areas. The study showed that Širvintos city landscape is natural, though a large part of the city occupies partly artificial and partly natural areas. The investigation reveals the possibilities for further research, especially for small town landscape structure optimality evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban rivers are highly disturbed ecosystems. Indeed, urban rivers have been dammed and sometimes buried. The aim was to reduce the risk of flooding and solve health problems due to water pollution. In the mid-20th century, many cities have turned banks into parking. Cities and rivers were therefore separated due to urban development. Since the 1960s and 1970s, the water policy was to build or upgrade the wastewater treatment plants and water treatment plants. In Europe and North America, however, the legislation has evolved over the last fifteen years for increased and overall protection of aquatic ecosystems. The hydromorphological river restoration is now a priority of the new water policy in Europe. This is why cities are experimenting with today's renaturation projects of urban rivers: both territorial marketing and sustainable development. This article defines the concept of renaturation. The paper also presents two case studies: Quebec in Canada and Lyon in France to evaluate the advantages and limitations of this concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this paper is to analyse and evaluate retail trade indicators in Lithuania, reveal the changes during the period 1990-2010, define retail development features, major retail chain parts in the market. The target of the study is retail trade, except the sale of motor vehicles and motorcycles. The social, economic and political processes during the first year of the first decade brought huge changes in retail trade as well as other sectors of Lithuanian economy. Changes in retailing affected social-economical status along with household and disposable income. The demographic variations and consumption patterns reflect the overall national economic trends. Retailing promotes country's economic growth, purchasing power and consumption. The analysis showed that the greatest impact on the retail sector and its territorial changes was made by economic-social factors such as GDP, market potential, average wages, purchasing power, commodity prices, population and its age structure, consumption and savings. Other factors are as follows: geographic location, foreign buyers from the East (Belarus, Russia, etc.), product range and transport infrastructure. While analysing changes in number, size and turnover of retail stores during the period of 1990-2010, maximal and minimal ranges were distinguished. The maximal change range: regional centres that attracted numbers of the inhabitants to purchase goods were cities with higher purchasing power of the residents. Cities particularly standing out in this range were Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai. Cities with lower capacity were Panevėžys, Utena, Marijampolė, Tauragė. The maximal changes were determined by the increasing number of new retail units in Rietavas, Pagėgiai and Kalvarija municipalities. Many of the rural arias did not satisfy the basic needs of the local residents therefore they had to travel to the centres of district or region. One of the regions with maximal changes, Mažeikiai, had residents with higher purchasing power that was encouraged by Orlen Lietuva, the major oil company in the Baltic region, a slower decrease of population and customers from Latvia. Ignalina region was influenced by tourism, increasing sales in small retail shops by the lakes and resorts. The minimal change of retail business appeared in South-eastern municipalities of Lithuania such as Trakai, Elektrėnai, boarders with Belarus - Švenčionys and Šalčininkai, in the Western part of the country - Šilutė, Kelmė, Neringa municipalities and newly established Kazlų Rūda municipality. These changes were encouraged by an increasing trend to shop in bigger shopping centres that offer wider assortment and discounts, also, decreasing demographic numbers. Neringa municipality was influenced by tourists who chose to dine at local catering establishments, though the retail trade did not include the indicators of this sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thesis issues deal with the Lithuanian lake catalog credibility potential to reveal infallible information considering lake morphometric parameters change evaluation in due time. The paper analyses Lithuanian lakes with an area greater than 50 ha, morphometric parameters (water level altitude a, area A and length L of the shoreline). In the catalogs, the data on Lithuanian lakes differs in content and quality, yet has one thing in common - morphometric indices calculated according to the maps. In this work the methodology used for comparison of lakes morphometric indices was chosen according to specific data used in the analysis. Specific data was mostly selected due to the peculiarities of primary sources of information - such as lakes registers. This allows the methodology for the analysis of data to be divided into three main stages: 1) selection of information sources, 2) sampling, and 3) selection of analytical methods. Most cadastral information about lakes presenting data sources differs significantly in volume, used methods, and the quality of maps. Therefore, some of them may not even be compared to each other. The most appropriate pieces for comparison were those of 1953 and 1964 lake cadastres. Unfortunately, not all data is comparable in lake numbers as well as in morphometric parameter values. However, most of these differences can be easily explained. The main parameters to evaluate were the potential changes that occurred among a lake area (A) and a shoreline length (L). Additionally, these parameters were examined as a sequence to water level change (Δa). It was ascertained that all the investigated lake characteristics declined during the period between cadastres. Correlation coefficients (rδA-dL, rδA-Δa, rδL-Δa) characterizing relations between changes were positive, therefore proving that there might have been more similar character changes. The analysis of data variation overlap shows that the most reliable morphometric indicator of early lakes is the area of a lake. The change of the latter was often coherent to other parameters (altitude, shoreline length) alterations. The comparison between other characteristics shows that when the actual altitude of water level is increasing, negative changes in the number of coincidences decrease. This means that morphometric indices of upper lakes declined significantly less often in comparison to lakes which are located in the lower regions. Herewith, change in the distribution of tendencies overlap in various area intervals - as well as the correlation analysis - shows that changes in number are almost unlinked with a lake area. According to analysis of lake physical data congruence within time, it is stated that there are no relations between parameters characterizing lakes hydrographic activity and morphometric characteristics of lake changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data from Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) automatic stations have been used all over the world for a wider range of purposes than just icy (slippery) road surface forecasts. The aim of this paper was to apply Lithuanian RWIS data to spatial temperature field analysis. The research area is central Lithuania, consisting mainly of Kaunas and the neighboring districts. The data used in the research were obtained from two different types of stations: automatic RWIS stations and meteorological stations. This information was compiled from the archives in Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service and Lithuanian Road Administration. The chosen time period was 2007 and 2009 (GMT). Firstly, the evaluation of data suitability for spatial analysis was performed. Secondly, the analysis itself was done by drawing two types of maps representing the monthly mean temperature and a map of the yearly amplitude (year 2009). The first mean monthly temperature map type included data only from meteorological stations, whereas the second type was made combining data from both meteorological stations and RWIS. The chosen method for data interpolation was based on spline functions. It was found that if RWIS data is included into temperature field, a vast gradient appears between Babtai and Gynėvė RWIS stations. This results in considerable disparity in temperature zones in the northern area. It was also noted that there is a relatively smaller temperature anomaly in the southern region near Dzūkai Highlands and a slight positive temperature anomaly in the south-eastern part of the region during winter months. It was concluded that RWIS stations represent their background temperature field well and their data can be used in further analyses. Nevertheless, it is recommended to use data from as many stations as possible and to take into consideration the impact of dependency on the local environment and microclimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the integrated water vapor (IWV) climatological regime and dynamics over the Baltic Sea region. It is the authors' ongoing work on the distribution of atmospheric moisture over the Baltic region, based on climatic remote sensing database. IWV daily means were obtained from the Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM SAF) archives for period 2004-2011. It was found that IWV long-term mean over the Baltic region is 15.38 kg/m². IVG average gradient is oriented north-south direction. The average difference between northern and southern part of the area is 2.1 kg/m². IVG has a seasonal variation: IVG maximum amount of midsummer at least three times higher than the late winter minimum. The largest horizontal IVG gradients are over the sea-land boundary areas. In October-March period IVG mean is higher 3% over sea surface than over land. In April-September IVG mean is 5% less over sea surface than over land. Homogeneity analysis showed that the ATOVS and SSMI / IVG data series over the central part of the Baltic are homogeneous only in the cold season from November to April. These data sets combined into one long data set helped to determine the climatic IVG indicators over the Central Baltic in 1989-2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that the Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed sea of the North Atlantic Ocean, it is characterized by variability of different hydrophysical and hydrochemical parameters according to the recent studies. Over one hundred years of observations of water temperature and salinity variations have shown that thermohaline regime (circulation, system) has begun to change: trends of increasing water temperature and decreasing water salinity were determined. Scientists from the Baltic countries seek to attract societies' attention to the possible structures of the Baltic Sea hydrology and changes in water balance associated with climate change. This paper searches for the impact of low-frequency atmospheric fluctuations in Atlantic and Pacific surface temperature on water temperature and salinity changes in the Baltic Proper in 1960-2009. The previous studies have shown that there are weak links between the Baltic Sea water temperature, salinity and NAO (North Atlantic oscillation) and AO (Arctic oscillation) that affect the Baltic region. Recently, it was also found that the Baltic Sea hydrophysical and chemical parameters depend on large distance relationships between climate anomalies teleconnection. The determined relationships between the multi-annual average temperature and salinity of the Baltic Sea water column and seasonal, annual indices of the Atlantic Ocean (AMO, AMM, Atlantic Tripole) are weak, whereas links between the Baltic Sea investigated parameters and Pacific index: ONI (Oceanic Nino Index) are very weak (r = -0.32). The strongest correlation exists between water temperature and the NAO (0.36 = r = 0.45), AMM (0.37 = r = 0.40) and between water salinity and NAO (-0.38 = r = -0.51), PNA (Pacific- North American index) (0.27 = r = 0.34). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contains an analysis of capability of HECHMS modeling system for simulation and forecast of flash floods in the Jūra River. The set of HEC-HMS system models which requires the minimum input data and is calibrated with smallest number of parameters was used. The study aims to assess whether the existing and readily available hydrological and meteorological data is sufficient to simulate and predict flash floods in the Jūra and similar Lithuanian rivers. The HEC-HMS modeling system was calibrated for nine major flash floods of the Jūra River. The optimal sets of calibration parameters were very different for all floods. One set of parameters which would be acceptable for all flash floods was not found. Therefore, the HEC-HMS modeling system in the analyzed setup and with at present available data can be used to simulate the past flash floods, but is not capable of forecasting. More data about the state of the river basin before the rainfall event is needed for forecasting of flash floods in the Jūra River. It is likely that the availability of data on soil moisture could increase the forecasting potential of HEC-HMS modeling system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is based on the classification of river waters into salmonid and cyprinid. The main objective is to assess the compliance of Lithuanian river water temperature with the ecological requirements, referring to the temperatures mentioned in the organic classification. Data of river hydrological stations for the period 2003-2007 were used to evaluate water temperature. We measured what average decimal pointed and maximum water temperatures correspond to the temperatures mentioned in organic classification; river sections were grouped according to relationship between the average and maximum temperatures nature; organic temperature date of different river section groups. After various calculations, the rivers were divided into three groups according to the slope and the average temperature, and it was shown that correlation coefficients of the river groups are in the range of reliability when set significance level is 0.01 (1%). According to the provisions of the Freshwater Fish Directive, the water surface quality was divided into five classes: 1) very good, 2) good, 3) satisfactory, 4) poor, and 5) very bad. The data analysis of river waters and the average and maximum temperatures of a five-year period (2003-2007) showed that from the hydrological stations of 47 rivers in 14 water quality was very good / good, in 28 satisfactory and in 5 poor. Very poor water condition was not found in the analyzed rivers. The examination of the river groups crossing over 18 °C, 21.5 °C and 24 °C temperatures revealed that each of the river groups showed that the crossing dates are available at different times as the rivers have been classified in accordance with the slope values and temperature values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes the integrated water vapor content (IVG) variability in the southern Baltic Sea during the period 1988-2005 using Special Sensor Microwave (SSM/I) data. IVG means were obtained from satellite-based database applications (CM SAF) archives. It was found that the mean of IVG was 13.58 kg/m2 in analyzed area. IVG fluctuations are seasonal. The driest climate in the southern Baltic Sea is in period of December-March (cold period) and the wettest -- June-September (warm period). IVG reached mean maximum in July (21.45 kg/m2) and minimum -- in March (8.59 kg/m2). 1993 and 1996 were anomaly years. In those years IVG means were lower than the observed long-term mean. In 1993 IVG mean was 12.8 kg/m2 and in 1996 - 12.9 kg/m2. The analysis showed that IVG means values were higher than the long-term mean in 1999 (0.72 kg/m2). IVG means were higher than the multiannual average values (respectively 0.67, 0.58 and 0.59 kg/m2) in 1999--2000 and 2002. The main reasons leading to IVG anomalies are SST variations over the period, excluding the year 1999. The eastern Baltic Sea surface temperature positive deviations of October-December months affected positive anomalies of IVG. Sea surface temperature fluctuations of July-September months affected IVG negative variations, excluding the year 1999. In April 1999 the positive temperatures anomalies were higher more than +4.0 °C in the Baltic states (Annual Bulletin…, 2000). It was found that the highest IVG values in warm period (July-September) were in regions closer to the coast (55°-57° N and 19°- 21° E), and in the period of January-March the lowest IVG means were in 56°-57° N and 17°-21° E area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the recent years, scientific research has shown that various parameters such as water temperature, salinity, river runoff, sea level, etc, have been changing. The main two reasons for the changes are the Baltic Sea natural variability and human impact on climate change which affect the climate of the Baltic Sea; also, this is one of the fundamental subjects of climate change debate. This paper investigates the sea temperature and salinity change in 1960--2009 in the Baltic Proper. For the observation period, an increase in water temperature and a decreasing trend for water salinity were established. A comparison of the surface and bottom water temperature and salinity change cycles has shown that the cycles of temperature and salinity changes are better expressed at the bottom than on the surface and last 12 to 30 years. The cycle of sea bottom salinity change, like on the surface, lasts 40 years or more. The study has revealed weak or very wear links between the traditional seasonal (winter, spring, summer, autumn) and annual NAO, AO indices and the mean annual sea water temperature and salinity data in the Baltic Sea. Moderate negative correlational relationships have been established between the extended winter season (December--March), the NAO, AO indices and the bottom water salinity in the Baltic Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, two indexes - the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Seleninov Hydrothermal Coefficient (HTC) - were used for the identification of droughts. SPI was used for the whole period. Also, summer periods were analyzed using the HTC and SPI. Droughts and dry periods were identified using different SPI time scales: SPI1, SPI3, SPI6, SPI9, SPI12, SPI24, SPI48 and SPI60. Different time scales might define different types of droughts. The SPI values obtained with and without data set reconstruction were compared. The results showed that it was better to use data sets with data reconstruction. A comparison of the SPI index in different time scales and of the SPI and HTC values (Table 6) showed the highest correlation between SPI3 and summer HTC and between one-month HTC and SPI1. The SPI as a time scale is lower, the greater the shorter-term droughts recorded. By contrast, the SPI time scale is longer if there are less droughts but they are longer (Table 7). This tendency is characteristic of droughts of varying intensity. However, a number of extremely dry and extremely wet months according to SPI long time scale calculations aren't defined as extremely dry according to SPI low-step scale calculations. Extremely dry months (except SPI48) according to all time scales (SPI1, SPI3, SPI6, SPI9, SPI12, SPI24, SPI48, SPI60) were recorded only in 1909. The lowest SPI values across all the time steps were fixed at the beginning of the last century (Table 4). The number of extremely dry months was higher than that of extremely wet ones across all the time steps during the study period (1891-2010) (Fig. 3). The driest summer months were fixed in the first thirty years of the study period (in 1891-1920) in SPI3, SPI6, SPI9, SPI 12, SPI48, SPI60 time steps, while in the SPI1 time step the driest months were fixed in the last thirty years (1981-2010) (Fig. 4). There is a tendency that the low values of the SPI index are recorded more frequently for SPI in low time steps over the past decades in the summer months. According to both SPI3 and all summer HTC values, three extremely dry summers - 1914,1964 and 1992 - were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main object of the paper article is water resources of Lithuanian rivers, which were calculated using a long data series of the runoff. Water resources are based on the balance equation. This means that this equation includes only the runoff formed in the Lithuanian territory, from neighboring countries to Lithuania and through them into the sea. The average and dry annual water resources have been calculated at a 95% probability. The average perennial water resources of Lithuanian rivers are 24.844 km³ / year, of them 8.883 km³ / year is the transit from Belarus, Poland and Kaliningrad Region to Lithuania, 15.961 km³ / year is formed in Lithuania and 7.471 km³ / year are effluents through Latvia into the Baltic Sea from Kaliningrad Region into the Curonian Lagoon. The Nemunas basin floats 21.501 km³ / year to the Curonian Lagoon. The present water resources are by 4.5% less in comparison with water resources of in the year 1996. Cyclic water change is typical of the Lithuanian rivers. The Nemunas-Smalininkai hydrological station has noted 7 cycles in a long data series. The average term of a cycle is 27 years (14 years of a wet and 13 years of a dry period). The runoff of the Nemunas river differs in the duration of dry and wet periods (by about 16%). The runoff of rivers in Southeast and Western Lithuania differs by 21-23% and in Middle Lithuania by 28%. The long data series of the Nemunas-Smalininkai runoff have a negative trend because of a decrease in the last four decades. The runoff measured by this water management station consists of river runoff from the southeastern and middle parts of Lithuania. The annual runoff has a positive trend in the majority of Western Lithuanian rivers in the period 1961-2003. The minimum runoff of a dry period shows no trend in most Lithuanian rivers, except Western Lithuania where a positive trend was estimated in the period 1961-2003. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a survey of the dynamics of the regional distribution of Lithuanian rural population in the 20th century. The survey is based on the data of population censuses and current statistics. The territorial distribution of rural population in different years of the 20th century and its regional differences are discussed. The reasons for different dynamic patterns of the distribution are indicated. The dynamics of the number and density of rural population in the nearest future is predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of dry spells in Lithuania covers a period of forty years: from 1961 to 2000. The identification of dry spells was managed without additional soil moisture and temperature parameters and involved only various precipitation indices. For this reason, the monthly precipitation rates recorded at Lithuanian meteorological stations were used in this paper. Such precipitation indices were the Standardized Precipitation index (SPI) and Percentage of Normal (PN) index. The SPI was designed to quantify the precipitation deficit for multiple time scales. Dry spell was identified at 1-, 3-, 6-, 12, 24-, 48-month timescales. These timescales define different types of drought and reflect the impact of drought on the different water resources. The second index (PN) reflects one of the simplest methodologyies, but easy to interprete. Using SPI 1-, 3- and 6- month timescales, there were eight extremely dry spells (ESL) - in 1964, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1992, 1996, 2000 warm seasons. Additional five ESL were identified using reduced SPI timescales (mostly 1- and 3-month): 1969, 1970, 1983, 1994, and 1999. Other officially recognized droughts were also identified using only one SPI timescale index. Such dry spells were recorded in 1972, 1963, 1983 and 1997.The cluster and principal component analysis (by the varimax rotation technique) was applied to the daily 500 hPa level geopotential height field (averaged to ten days) during identified periods of dry spells. Extracted six clusters and five principal components showed several most prominent atmospheric circulation patterns responsible for the formation and maintenance of droughts in Lithuania. These atmospheric patterns are related either to the Scandinavian anticyclogenesis or to the small-gradient anticyclonic field occupying larger Europe. The other patterns describing the rest of data variance represent blocking flow and large-scale wave patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific heritage of Academician Vytautas Gudelis contains books, scholarly and social papers, actual interviews, notes and remarks, manuscripts and correspondence. The article aims to review his fundamental books in which the subject-matter and contents reflect his competency to deal with actual problems, to summarize results of investigations, to get across his widths of view for society. The first books written by V. Gudelis in the 1960s were like streamlets yet, like small rivulets in their headwaters, like the Nemunas or the Neris in their sources, which gradually develop into a powerful stream in which to be alive and well was Professor's mission. This stream embraces the Curonian Lagoon, the Baltic Sea, and the Curonian Spit - their past, their development, their present and future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of an analysis of the space variability of water electric conductuvity C of a cluster of 15 lakes located in the northern part of the Lakaja River catchment (Lake Stirniai sub-catchment). The size of the chosen lakes varies within 2.9 and 819 hc. The hydrophysical survey of the lakes on 14 August 2007 was carried out and surface water electric conductivity was measured in situ. The data showed a considerable space variability forming a very wide range from 14 to 310 μS cm-1. The lowest C values were noted in closed lakes (two lakes, the mean value of C is 20 μS cm-1) in which alimentation is determined by direct atmospheric precipitation. The most numerous, represented by as many as 9 lakes, are the water bodies with the C between 240-310 μS cm-1 which have a perennial surface outflow. The C values of lakes with surface outflow during wet decades or seasons only take an intermediate position between the above-mentioned extremes. So it was established that the C values differentiate according to surface outflow regularity. The latter depends on the underground alimentation which increases in lower sections of a hydrographic system. This is why a statistically important relationship (the coefficient of correlation R = 0.79) between the C and water stage of the lake has been established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]