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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]

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]

Emelyanov E. M. Geochemical and geoecological situation in the areas of the Skagerrak and the Baltic Sea where chemical munition was dumped. Geologija. Vilnius. 2007. No. 59. P. 8-29. ISSN 1392-110X Kravtsov, Paka, 2000; Paka, Spiridonov, 2002; Paka, 2004; Emelyanov, Kravtsov, 2007 investigated the geological structure and geoecological situation in all three areas of chemical munition (CM) dumping. In this paper, we shortly describe the first two sites. The results of geochemical, hydrochemical and geoecological research are presented. The geological structure of the sites where chemical munition (CM) had been dumped is more or less simple, glaciomarine, the bottom is somewhat inclined, with some steps on the bottom in the Skagerrak (depth 180-220 m), and flat (horizontal) in the Bornholm Deep. The bottom is covered mainly by mud (thickness about 1-3 m) in both areas. However, in both sites there are places where the thickness of the Holocene mud is strongly reduced or the mud cover is fully absent. The strong nearbottom currents in these places are able to resuspende the mud and redeposit it. In those places in the Bornholm Deep (depth 80-105 m), on the bottom surface hard moraine or lake clay is lying. The shells and bombs at these places are rolling and are able to move very far from the dumped areas. The upper layer (0-5 cm) of the mud contains up to 6.29% of Corg., 0.35% of P, 0.72% of Mn and up to 227 ppm of As. The contents of all the other toxic elements studied (Pb, Cd, Hg, Cu, Zn) are in the Clarke (mean) concentrations (see Tables 1-8). Arsenic, as one of the most toxic elements, is released during hydrolysis of CM and disperses in the mud up to average contents of 10-30 ppm. Overclarke contents of this element are concentrated in iron sulphides (up to 440 ppm of As) in the stagnant environment or in the iron-manganese nodules or crusts (up to 1021 ppm of As) in the oxic zone. No signs of the distribution of dispersed arsenic from dumped CM areas over the whole Bornholm Deep were detected. This element is concentrated in some places near sunken warships with CM. According to our data (Emelyanov, Kravtsov, 2007), the background concentrations of As in the mud and its over-concentrations in sulphide and iron-manganese nodules are not ecologically dangerous to man. They are not dangerous for building in the future cable lines and pipelines on the bottom outside of the conventional areas of dumped CM, and these lines will not stimulate CM hydrolysis and the distribution of arsenic over the Bornholm Deep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]