Search

The paper assesses the chemical transformation of surface waters in the southeastern part of the Khibiny Mountainous Massif after launching the Oleniy Ruchey apatite–nepheline ore deposit in 2012. The influence of the Oleniy Ruchey Mine was reflected in an increase in water mineralization (by an order of magnitude) and in a change in the basic ion ratios in water objects receiving runoff from mines, rock, and tailing dumps compared to the watercourses unaffected by the mining enterprise's activities. Natural hydrocarbonate–sodium water with a mineralization of 10 mg/L was transformed into the nitrate–sodium or sulfate–calcium water. The content of nitrogen group compounds in the Lake Komarinoe water, which receives wastewater from the tailing dumps over the ten-year history of the mining and processing plant, has increased by two orders of magnitude, and the nitrate became basic ion. The concentrations of other basic ions and mineralization in this lake increased by an order of magnitude, as the content of trace elements (Sr, F, Mo), which belong to the main rock-forming minerals of apatite–nepheline deposits. Compared to the background water bodies, the mine wastewaters have the elevated mineralization (up to 260 mg/L), pH value (up to 10), and a modified chemical composition. They are characterized by a hydrocarbonate–sodium composition with a large proportion of nitrates and sulfates. Mine wastewaters have elevated contents of nutrient compounds, organic matter, and some trace elements (Al, Fe, Sr, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Cr). It has been established that the geochemical modifications in the quality of surface water are locally developed, being typical of water bodies receiving wastewater from a mining enterprise, in contrast to metallurgical plants, the atmospheric emissions of which caused pollution over tens and hundreds km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'smart city' has received growing attention as a concept that could play an essential role in the sustainability of the Arctic. Today, the idea is associated with information and communication technology (ICT) when used in urban areas to improve quality of life, offer more efficient and effective use of cities' infrastructures, foster social inclusion, and mitigate environmental harm. However, the relationship between smart cities and Arctic sustainability remains ambiguous, especially from perspectives beyond those of techno-optimism. Our aim in this paper is to critically discuss the value of smart city concept for Arctic cities, from an urban dynamic perspective. To this end, this paper reflects on how the sustainability of Arctic cities can be challenged by urban dynamics in metrics for (1) smart city development, (2) politics and bureaucratization, and (3) the role of citizens. The paper has several implications for academia, practitioners, and policymakers: for the former, it advances an alternative debate to explore the complex relations between smart city development and Arctic sustainability; for practitioners and policymakers, it indicates the problematic but often hidden side of smart city development, stressing the need to carefully translate the concept and its promises to fit the unique Arctic context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes up the call for political geographers to engage more directly with Wittgenstein's later philosophy of language, namely his emphasis on language as activity and practice. In particular, it considers his approach to linguistic demonstration over representation, whereby the reader is not 'told' but 'shown.' This arguably instructive conceptualisation of the functioning of language is here applied to a space of geopolitics, focusing on the political potentialities of articulating an Arctic otherwise through selective bilingualism and language‐use. More specifically, the paper centres on the particular use of North Sámi language in a conference space otherwise dominated by English and Norwegian. The act of 'articulating otherwise' is not here an act of defiance but rather an invitation for re‐conceptualisation. In making Indigenous voices heard on their own terms, it is not only the words but even more so the act of their utterance that carries political power. The paper therefore argues that political geographers ought to (re)direct attention to language‐use and the socio‐political practices of linguistic world‐making. By drawing on Wittgenstein's approach to language‐use, what here becomes clear is that geopolitical questions too are negotiated not through given answers but rather through the interactive process of reaching these together – insights that in turn allow us to consider how agency and change may play out through language‐use, potentially articulating geopolitics otherwise. This paper takes up the call for political geographers to engage more directly with Wittgenstein's later philosophy of language, namely his emphasis on language as activity and practice. The paper focuses on the potentialities of articulating an Arctic otherwise through selective bilingualism and Sámi language‐use in a conference space. It argues that political geographers ought to (re)direct attention to language‐use and the socio‐political practices of linguistic world‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By exhaustively reviewing the literature related to marine geohazards, this paper reports on their uncertainties. Examples of marine geohazards include submarine landslides, fluid flows in the underground, scour events, and seabed gouging by ice. Key uncertain variables of interest to marine geohazard assessments are identified and structured by relating a framework defining the main generic components of any risk description to the task of describing risk in the marine geohazards field. Furthermore, issues related to the sources of uncertainty are scrutinised and some recommendations on how to address the identified large uncertainties in geohazard risk assessments are made. Specific considerations are proposed for analysing geohazards in the Arctic, where exploration and development activities are currently regaining momentum. Ultimately, based on the large uncertainties identified, we also strive to identify knowledge gaps to orientate scientific research efforts in the field of marine geohazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of the region's diverse peoples and unique environments, Arctic political analyses frequently remain focused on the traditional level of the state and inter‐state relations. While states undoubtedly play a significant role in Arctic governance arrangements, this paper seeks to direct attention to the agency of the many people and actors performing politics in the region. A more 'peopled' analysis includes renewed attention to professionals – e.g., state personnel, politicians, and diplomats – as well as non‐state actors involved in Arctic politics through different avenues and with different levels of agency. This paper focuses on the so‐called Barents Cooperation, a peace‐building initiative set up in the wake of the Cold War between Nordic states and Russia in the Barents Euro‐Arctic border region. It draws on interviews with professionals involved in the daily running of the Barents Cooperation, including its funding of 'grassroots' and people‐to‐people activities, to ask what can lessons can be learnt about Arctic political participation beyond the state. Based on their reflections, key challenges, successes, and future opportunities are highlighted, and the paper argues for strengthening both the analytical attention to and the practical agency of a wider range of political actors. Geopolitical analyses frequently remain focused on the traditional level of the state and inter‐state relations. While states undoubtedly play a significant role in Arctic governance arrangements, this paper seeks to direct attention to the agency of the many people and actors performing politics in the region, focusing on the political initiative The Barents Cooperation. The paper argues for strengthening both the analytical attention to and the practical agency of a wider range of political actors in geopolitical analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars of critical geography and geopolitics have long noted the intersection between research and strategic interest in the polar areas. This article focuses on how this link is displayed in the case of Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago under Norwegian sovereignty. While Norway' research policy in Svalbard has traditionally been welcoming and supportive of international research activity with little interference in the organization of research, the Norwegian government recently introduced a new policy for the research community Ny-Ålesund. The article reviews the changes introduced as well as the response from involved research organizations. It shows interdependence between political ambitions and research priorities and, given the status of Svalbard, a more complex relationship than is the case for research in polar areas outside national jurisdiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In early studies, northern vegetation response to global warming recognised both increases in biomass/cover and shrinking of species' distributional ranges. Subsequent field measurements focussed on vegetation cover and biomass increases ("greening"), and more recently decreases ("browning"). However, satellite observations show that more than 50% of arctic vegetation has not changed significantly despite rapid warming. While absence of change in remote sensing data does not necessarily mean no ecological change on the ground, the significant proportion of the Arctic that appears to be stable in the face of considerable climate change points to a greater need to understand Arctic ecosystem stability. In this paper, we performed an extensive review of the available literature to seek balances or imbalances between research focussing on "greening", "browning" and "stability/no change". We find that greening studies dominate the literature though two relatively small areas of the Arctic are disproportionately represented for this main change process. Critically, there are too few studies anywhere investigating stability. We highlight the need to understand the mechanisms driving Arctic ecosystem stability, and the potential longer-term consequences of remaining stable in a rapidly changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased warming in the Arctic is of great concern. This is particularly due to permafrost degradation, which is expected to accelerate microbial breakdown of soil organic carbon, with its further release into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). The fine-scale variability of CO2 fluxes across highly mosaic Arctic tundra landscapes can provide us with insights into the diverse responses of individual plant communities to environmental change. In the paper, we contribute to filling existing gaps by investigating the variability of CO2 flux rates within different landscape units for dominant vegetation communities and plant species across typical tundra of the southern part of the Taimyr Peninsula, Siberia. In general, the variability of soil CO2 flux illustrates a four-fold increase from non-vascular vegetation, mainly lichens and mosses (1.05 ± 0.36 µmol m−2 s−1), towards vascular plants (3.59 ± 0.51 µmol m−2 s−1). Barren ground ("frost boils") shows the lowest value of 0.79 ± 0.21 µmol m−2 s−1, while considering the Arctic "browning" phenomenon, a further substantial increase of CO2 flux can be expected with shrub expansion. Given the high correlation with top soil temperature, well-drained and relatively dry habitats such as barren ground and non-vascular vegetation are expected to be the most sensitive to the observed and projected temperature growth in the Arctic. For mixed vegetation and vascular species that favor wetter conditions, soil moisture appears to play a greater role. Based on the modeled seasonal pattern of soil CO2 flux and precipitation records, and applying the rainfall simulations in situ we outlined the role of precipitation across enhanced CO2 emissions (i.e., the "Birch" effect). We found that a pulse-like growth of soil CO2 fluxes, observed within the first few minutes after rainfall on vegetated plots, reaches 0.99 ± 0.48 µmol m−2 s−1 per each 1 mm of precipitation, while barren ground shows 55–70% inhibition of CO2 emission during the first several hours. An average additive effect of precipitation on soil CO2 flux may achieve 7–12% over the entire growing season, while the projected increased precipitation regime in the Arctic may strengthen the total CO2 release from the soil surface to the atmosphere during the growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sea ice albedo can amplify global climate change and affect the surface energy in the Arctic. In this paper, the data from Visible and Infra-Red Radiometer (VIRR) onboard Fengyun-3C satellite are applied to derive the Arctic sea ice albedo. Two radiative transfer models, namely, 6S and FluxNet, are used to simulate the reflectance and albedo in the shortwave band. Clear sky sea ice albedo in the Arctic region (60°~90°N) from 2016 to 2019 is derived through the physical process, including data preprocessing, narrowband to broadband conversion, anisotropy correction, and atmospheric correction. The results are compared with aircraft measurements and AVHRR Polar Pathfinder-Extended (APP-x) albedo product and OLCI MPF product. The bias and standard deviation of the difference between VIRR albedo and aircraft measurements are −0.040 and 0.071, respectively. Compared with APP-x product and OLCI MPF product, a good consistency of albedo is shown. And analyzed together with melt pond fraction, an obvious negative relationship can be seen. After processing the 4-year data, an obvious annual trend can be observed. Due to the influence of snow on the ice surface, the average surface albedo of the Arctic in March and April can reach more than 0.8. Starting in May, with the ice and snow melting and melt ponds forming, the albedo drops rapidly to 0.5–0.6. Into August, the melt ponds begin to freeze and the surface albedo increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a multidisciplinary study with the aim of assessing the potential combined risk from consuming locally harvested food products in the Euro-Arctic region of Norway, Finland, and Russia. The three important contaminant groups—radioactive substances, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs)—were measured in food samples such as berries, mushrooms, fish, birds, reindeer, and moose; they were sampled in 2013–2015. To assess the combined pollution levels and investigate the trends, similarities, and variations between different contaminant groups, subsequent multivariate statistical analysis was performed. The results showed that, in general, the levels of radioactive substances, toxic elements, and POPs were below the permitted EU maximum content in food products. However, statistical analysis revealed some correlations, similarities, and peculiarities between the accumulation of different contaminants in various species, which allowed for a better understanding of the mechanisms of accumulation and interaction between different contaminant groups. It also gave a better insight into the possible added risks and helped pinpoint species that could serve as reference markers for the accumulation of different contaminants in food. Mushrooms, fish, and reindeer were found to be important markers in the combined risk assessments for the contents of metals and radioactive substances. Further research, as well as the development of methodologies for combined assessments, are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore a concept of exercise design within emergency management competence development. The paper presents recommendations for exercise design aspects that may be suitable for gaining collaboration skills and knowledge that responders need in unknown events of high complexity. This study explores the practice of tabletop exercises with complex scenarios that engage participants to discover organizational roles and responsibility division in collaborative action. Empirically, we base our analysis on maritime search and rescue nuclear preparedness exercises in the Arctic seas. We focus on elements that are essential for learners to increase their knowledge of operational complexity and collaborative performance, including understanding one's own and others' roles and responsibilities, formation of interagency teams, their boundaries and interaction between authorities and levels, mutual recognition of risks and learning about resource capacities and their limitations. The study draws conclusions on aspects that are critical for designing emergency management tabletop exercises, in particularly discussions in mixed groups for interpretative learning; own practice reflection for integrative learning; formulating general collaborative competence objectives, and complexity and realism of scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After describing how the marine environment is tottering in the face of the triple environmental crisis, this article explores the limited governance progressions at the global and regional levels in addressing the threats of pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss in the especially vulnerable Arctic. For pollution, key limitations include slow and arduous processes to add chemicals for control under the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions and reliance at the regional level on a fragmented array of pollution studies and projects but without specific region-wide legally binding pollution standards. For climate change, the world is not on track to meet the Paris Agreement's temperature targets which is especially problematic for the Arctic cryosphere while the Arctic Council has largely been limited to providing general statements of concern and aspirational calls for enhanced climate mitigation and adaptation actions. For marine biodiversity losses, a pan-Arctic network of marine protected areas has yet to be developed and various implementation challenges surround the Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean including the need to ensure adequate financial, human resource and technical support. The paper concludes by highlighting some promising future governance directions. They include: the conclusion of a global treaty on plastic pollution; implementation of a new Global Framework on Chemicals – For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste; expected further clarifications from international tribunals on State responsibilities to address climate change; and regional implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the new agreement under the UN Convention on Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the new Regional Arctic Ocean/sea ice Reanalysis (RARE) with a domain that spans a subpolar/polar cap poleward of 45°N. Sequential data assimilation constrains temperature and salinity using World Ocean Database profiles as well as in situ and satellite SST, and PIOMAS sea ice thickness estimates. The 41-yr (1980–2020) RARE1.15.2 reanalysis with resolution varying between 2 and 5 km horizontally and 1–10 m vertically in the upper 100 m is examined. To explore the impact of resolution RARE1.15.2 is compared to a coarser-resolution SODA3.15.2, which uses the same modeling and data assimilation system. Improving resolution in the reanalysis system improves agreement with observations. It produces stronger more compact currents, enhances eddy kinetic energy, and strengthens along-isopycnal heat and salt transports, but reduces vertical exchanges and thus strengthens upper ocean haline stratification. RARE1.15.2 and SODA3.15.2 are also compared to the Hadley Center EN4.2.2 statistical objective analysis. In regions of reasonable data coverage such as the Nordic seas the three products produce similar time-mean distributions of temperature and salinity. But in regions of poor coverage and in regions where the coverage changes in time EN4.2.2 suffers more from those inhomogeneities. Finally, the impact on the Arctic of interannual temperature fluctuations in the subpolar gyres on the Arctic Ocean is compared. The influence of the subpolar North Pacific is limited to a region surrounding Bering Strait. The influence of the subpolar North Atlantic, in contrast, spreads throughout the Nordic seas and Barents Sea in all three products within two years. Significance Statement: The Arctic Ocean/sea ice system plays crucial roles in climate variability and change by controlling the northern end of the oceanic overturning circulation, the equator to pole air pressure gradient, and Earth's energy balance. Yet the historical ocean observation set is sparse and inhomogeneous, while ocean dynamics has challengingly fine horizontal and vertical scales. This paper introduces a new Regional Arctic Ocean/sea ice Reanalysis (RARE) whose goal is to use the combined constraints of mesoscale ocean dynamics, historical observations, surface meteorology, and continental runoff in a data assimilation framework to reconstruct historical variability. RARE is used to produce a 41-yr ocean/sea ice reanalysis 1980–2020 whose results are described here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic sea ice change is one of the critical factors affecting the global climate environment; hence, it is crucial to obtain sea ice thickness with high accuracy while studying polar and global climate change. In the process of using altimetry data to estimate sea ice thickness, the mean sea surface height will bring greater uncertainty to the extraction of sea ice freeboard, which will affect the accuracy of sea ice thickness. Also, the influence of snow cover on radar signal penetration will bring greater uncertainty to sea ice thickness. In this paper, we present a processing chain for sea ice thickness estimation. First, we compare the effect of four different MSS models on the freeboard estimation. Then, considering the incomplete penetration of radar signals and the different speeds of radar signals penetrating the snow layer and the vacuum, the traditional sea ice thickness model is optimized to obtain the sea ice thickness. Compared with the Operation IceBridge (OIB) sea ice thickness, the accuracy of sea ice thickness obtained by the optimized model is better than 0.350 m, with a root mean square error of 0.260 m and a mean bias of 0.048 m. The comparison results show that the combination of the latest DTU18 MSS model and sea ice thickness optimization model effectively improve the accuracy of sea ice thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is predicted to have dramatic effects on Arctic freshwater ecosystems through changes to the abiotic template that are expected to influence biodiversity. Changes are already ongoing in Arctic systems, but there is a lack of coordinated monitoring of Arctic freshwaters that hinders our ability to assess changes in biodiversity.To address the need for coordinated monitoring on a circumpolar scale, the Arctic Council working group, Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna, established the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program, which is an adaptive monitoring program for the Arctic centred around four ecosystem themes (i.e., Freshwater, Terrestrial, Coastal, Marine). The freshwater theme developed a monitoring plan for Arctic freshwater biodiversity and recently completed the first assessment of status and trends in Arctic freshwater biodiversity.Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program–Freshwater has compiled and analysed a database of Arctic freshwater monitoring data to form the first report of the state of circumpolar Arctic freshwater biodiversity. This special issue presents the scientific analyses that underlie the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program–Freshwater report and provides analyses of spatial and temporal diversity patterns and the multiple‐stressor scenarios that act on the biological assemblages and biogeochemistry of Arctic lakes and rivers.This special issue includes regional patterns for selected groups of organisms in Arctic rivers and lakes of northern Europe, Russia, and North America. Circumpolar assessments for benthic diatoms, macrophytes, plankton, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish demonstrate how climate change and associated environmental drivers affect freshwater biodiversity. Also included are papers on spatial and temporal trends in water chemistry across the circumpolar region, and a systematic review of documented Indigenous Knowledge that demonstrates its potential to support assessment and conservation of Arctic freshwaters.This special issue includes the first circumpolar assessment of trends in Arctic freshwater biodiversity and provides important baseline information for future assessments and studies. It represents the largest compilation and assessment of Arctic freshwater biodiversity data to date and strives to provide a holistic view of ongoing change in these ecosystems to support future monitoring efforts. By identifying gaps in monitoring data across the circumpolar region, as well as identifying best practices for monitoring and assessment, this special issue presents an important resource for researchers, policy makers, and Indigenous and local communities that can support future assessments of ecosystem change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arctic Council working group, the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) established the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme (CBMP), an international network of scientists, governments, Indigenous organizations, and conservation groups working to harmonize and integrate efforts to extend and develop monitoring and assessment of the Arctic's biodiversity. Its relevance stretches beyond the Arctic to a broad range of regional and global initiatives and agreements. This paper describes the process and approach taken in the last two decades to develop and implement the CBMP. It documents challenges encountered, lessons learnt, and solutions, and considers how it has been a model for national, regional, and global monitoring programmes; explores how it has impacted Arctic biodiversity monitoring, assessment, and policy and concludes with observations on key issues and next steps. The following are overarching prerequisites identified in the implementation of the CBMP: effective coordination, sufficient and sustained funding, improved standards and protocols, co-production of knowledge and equitable involvement of IK approaches, data management to facilitating regional analysis and comparisons, communication and outreach to raising awareness and engagement in the programme, ensuring resources to engage in international fora to ensuring programme implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionosphere can impair the accuracy, availability and reliability of satellite-based positioning, navigation and timing. The Arctic region is particularly affected by strong ionospheric gradients and phase scintillation, posing a safety issue for critical infrastructure and operations. Ionospheric warning and impact maps can provide support to Arctic operations, but to produce such maps threshold values have to be determined. This study investigates how such thresholds can be derived from the GPS and Galileo satellite signals. Rapid changes in total electron content (TEC) or scintillation-induced receiver tracking errors could result in cycle slips or even loss of lock. Cycle slips and data outages are used as a measure of impact on the receiver in this paper. For Galileo, 73.6% of the impacts were cycle slips and 26.4% were outages, while for GPS, 29.3% of the impacts were cycle slips and 70.7% were outages. Considering the sum of cycle slips and outages, it is worth noting that the sum of impacts for Galileo signals is larger than for GPS. A range of possible explanations have been examined through hardware-in-the-loop simulations. The simulations showed that the GPS L2 signal was not adequately tracked during rapid TEC changes and TEC changes were underestimated, thus the GPS cycle slips, derived from L1 and L2 derived TEC changes, were not all registered. These results are important in designing threshold values for TEC and for scintillation impact maps as well as for the operation of GNSS equipment in the Arctic. In particular, the results show that ionospheric changes could be underestimated if GPS L1 and L2 were used in isolation from other dual frequency combinations. It is the first time this analysis has been made for Greenland and the first time that the dual frequency derivation of ionospheric delay using GPS L1 and L2 has been shown to underestimate large TEC gradients. This has important implications for informing GNSS operations that rely on GPS to provide reliable estimates of the ionosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long‐term absorption by the oceans of atmospheric carbon dioxide is leading to the slow decline of ocean pH, a process termed ocean acidification (OA). The Arctic is a challenging region to gather enough data to examine the changes in carbonate chemistry over sufficient scales. However, algorithms that calculate carbonate chemistry parameters from more frequently measured parameters, such as temperature and salinity, can be used to fill in data gaps. Here, these published algorithms were evaluated against in situ measurements using different data input types (data from satellites or in situ re‐analysis climatologies) across the Arctic Ocean. With the lowest uncertainties in the Atlantic influenced Seas (AiS), where re‐analysis inputs achieved total alkalinity estimates with Root Mean Squared Deviation (RMSD) of 21 μmol kg−1 and a bias of 2 μmol kg−1 (n = 162) and dissolved inorganic carbon RMSD of 24 μmol kg−1 and bias of −14 μmol kg−1 (n = 262). AiS results using satellite observation inputs show similar bias but larger RMSD, although due to the shorter time span of available satellite observations, more contemporary in situ data would provide further assessment and improvement. Synoptic‐scale observations of surface water carbonate conditions in the Arctic are now possible to monitor OA, but targeted in situ data collection is needed to enable the full exploitation of satellite observation‐based approaches. Plain Language Summary: The long‐term absorption by the oceans of atmospheric carbon dioxide is leading to the slow decline of ocean pH, a process termed ocean acidification (OA). Sea surface salinity and temperature measurements from satellites or in situ re‐analysis products can be used as input to empirical algorithms to calculate OA parameters. This paper provides a first analysis of published Arctic Ocean empirical algorithms to estimate surface water OA parameters using observation‐based data sets. Results show promise in the Atlantic influenced Seas using both in situ re‐analysis and satellite products, but satellite salinity is relatively recent, and a paucity of in situ data in the satellite salinity era precludes a robust assessment. To fully exploit satellite‐based approaches, efforts need to focus on collecting in situ data while these satellites are overhead and operating in orbit. Key Points: Observation‐based data sets enable synoptic spatio‐temporal assessments of Arctic Ocean carbonate system parametersRe‐analysis and satellite products predict total alkalinity with accuracies of ∼21 μmol kg−1Targeted in situ data collection is needed to fully exploit satellite observations in the Arctic to enable carbonate system monitoring [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper explores S M Nazmuz Sakib's hypothesis of aerosol-sea ice feedback and its implications for climate system dynamics. The hypothesis suggests that changes in aerosol emissions significantly impact sea ice concentration and thickness in the Arctic, which, in turn, affect aerosol transport and deposition over the Tibetan Plateau. The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the hypothesis, including the underlying facts, a proposed formula for the aerosol-sea ice feedback, and the potential variations of this feedback based on regional and temporal patterns of aerosol emission changes. Furthermore, the paper introduces the Sea Ice-Aerosol-Cloud Feedback (SIACF) Index and its application to historical incidents related to aerosol emission changes. The SIACF Index provides a quantitative measure to evaluate the influence of changes in aerosol emissions on sea ice concentration and thickness. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of testing this hypothesis through global aerosol models, observations, and historical incidents to gain a deeper understanding of aerosol-climate interactions and develop effective mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the potential of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) monitoring for an advanced understanding of snow cover processes and structure. For this purpose, the study uses the Hansbreen (SW Spitsbergen) records that are among the longest and the most comprehensive snow-cover GPR monitoring records available on Svalbard. While snow depth (HS) is frequently the only feature derived from high-frequency radio-echo sounding (RES), this study also offers an analysis of the physical characteristics (grain shape, size, hardness, and density) of the snow cover structure. We demonstrate that, based on GPR data (800 MHz) and a single snow pit, it is possible to extrapolate the detailed features of snow cover to the accumulation area. Field studies (snow pits and RES) were conducted at the end of selected accumulation seasons in the period 2008–2019, under dry snow conditions and HS close to the maximum. The paper shows that although the snow cover structure varies in space and from season to season, a single snow pit site can represent the entire center line of the accumulation zone. Numerous hard layers (HLs) (up to 30% of the snow column) were observed that reflect progressive climate change, but there is no trend in quantity, thickness, or percentage contribution in total snow depth in the study period. HLs with strong crystal bonds create a "framework" in the snowpack, which reduces compaction and, consequently, the ice formation layers slow down the rate of snowpack metamorphosis. The extrapolation of snow pit data through radar profiling is a novel solution that can improve spatial recognition of snow cover characteristics and the accuracy of calculation of snow water equivalent (SWE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special geographical location of the polar regions increases the difficulty of modeling surface emissivity, thus the physical retrieval algorithms of the temperature and humidity profiles for microwave radiometers mainly focus on the regions between 60°S and 60°N. In this paper, the deep neural networks (DNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) models are first implemented to retrieve atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles in real time from FY-3D/MWHTS in Arctic regions and are compared with the physical retrieval algorithm. The hyperparameters of the machine learning models are determined using the grid search and 10-fold cross-validation. Results show that, compared with the physical retrieval algorithm, the retrieval accuracies of the atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles of the DNN and LSTM models in June 2021 are higher over sea ice, and the maximum retrieval accuracies are improved by about 3.5 K and 42%. Over land, the retrieval accuracies of the atmospheric temperature profiles for the DNN and LSTM models in June 2021 are improved by about 5 K. The retrieved humidity results for these two models are not compared with the physical retrieval algorithm, which fails for the humidity profile retrieval over land. In addition, the retrieval results of the DNN-based and LSTM-based models using the independent validation data in February, April, and September are also evaluated over different surface types. The RMSEs of the retrieved temperature profiles for the two models are within 4 K, except for the near-surface, and the humidity profiles are within 25%, except for in February. The temperature profiles in September and the humidity profiles in February are somewhat reduced compared to other months because of the highly variable emissivity properties in autumn and winter. Overall results show that the machine learning method can well-evaluate the retrieval capability of FY-3D/MWHTS of the atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles in Arctic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper represents the final part of a series of studies aimed at creating the most reliable and representative earthquake catalog covering the Russian and European Arctic. The earthquake catalog of the Gakkel and Knipovich ridges, as well as the Svalbard Archipelago with a unified magnitude scale, was formed based on the combination of four regional Russian catalogs and the ISC catalog. The merging of catalogs was carried out using the modification of the author's methodology, which allowed for the identification of records in different datasets related to the same seismic event. The modification was introduced due to significant changes over time in the source catalogs. The unified proxy moment magnitude scale was formed based on regression analysis of the different magnitude estimates provided by various agencies. The integrated catalog included 17,922 earthquakes that occurred during the period 1962–2022. Analysis of the integrated catalog showed that the level of registration in the studied area significantly varies over space and time. Before 1995, the catalog contained only strong and moderate earthquakes, and the magnitude of complete registration Mc was 5.0 in the Gakkel Ridge, 4.7 in the Knipovich Ridge, and 4.5 in the Svalbard Archipelago. The number of recorded events increased in the period 1995–2011, and Mc decreased to 4.0 in the Gakkel and Knipovich ridges and to 2.8 in the Svalbard Archipelago. The best level of registration in the Svalbard Archipelago and the Knipovich Ridge was achieved after 2012, when Mc reached 1.7 and 2.8, respectively. In the Gakkel Ridge, despite a noticeable increase in the number of reported events from 2012, the magnitude of complete registration did not improve and was 4.0. The presented integrated earthquake catalog is intended for a wide range of studies of the seismic regime of the Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ciencia Ergo Sum is the property of Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The centennial response of land‐terminating glaciers in Greenland to climate change is largely unknown. Yet, such information is important to understand ongoing changes and for projecting the future evolution of Arctic subpolar glaciers, meltwater runoff, and sediment fluxes. This paper analyses the topography, geomorphology, and sedimentology of prominent moraine ridges and the proglacial areas of ice cap outlet glaciers on the Qaanaaq peninsula (Piulip Nunaa). We determine geometric changes of glaciers since the neoglacial maximum; the Little Ice Age (LIA), and we compare glacier behaviour during the LIA with that of the present day. There has been very little change in the rate of volume loss of each outlet glacier since the LIA compared with the rate between 2000 and 2019. However, the percentage of each glacier that is likely composed of cold‐based ice has increased since the LIA, typically by 20%. The LIA moraines comprise subrounded, striated, and faceted clasts that evidence subglacial transport, and outwash plains, flutes, kames, and eskers that evidence subglacial motion and meltwater within temperate ice. Contrastingly, contemporary ice margins and their convex ice surfaces comprise pronounced primary foliation, ephemeral supraglacial drainage, sediment drapes from thrust plane fractures, and an absence of open crevasses and moulins. These calculations and observations together lead us to interpret that these outlet glaciers have transitioned towards an increasingly cold‐based thermal regime despite a warming regional climate. Thermal regime transitions control glacier dynamics and therefore should be incorporated into glacier evolution models, especially where polythermal glaciers prevail and where climate is changing rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retusa pertenuis is still formally considered a junior subjective synonym of Retusa obtusa, despite previous data indicating R. pertenuis and R. obtusa differ significantly in copulatory system morphology. In this paper, we study the species identity and population structure of R. pertenuis with an integrative approach combining morphological and molecular data. The external morphology, head copulatory system and gizzard plates were studied using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. We also obtained two mitochondrial (COI and 16S) and two nuclear (H3 and 28S) markers to test the monophyly of R. pertenuis and R. obtusa. Populations from the White Sea, Sea of Okhotsk and Sea of Japan were studied using COI and 18S molecular markers. Our results show that Retusa obtusa sensu lato represents a species complex of at least four species: the nominative species occurring in the North Atlantic, the widely distributed R. pertenuis and two additional species whose identities should be clarified in further studies. Retusa pertenuis geographic range encompasses the North Atlantic, Eurasia's northern seas, the Canadian Arctic, the Bering Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan. Within R. pertenuis's range, this species demonstrates a wide variability in shell morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two Polar Regions Arctic and Antarctica are geographically different, the Arctic, an ocean covered by ice and Antarctica, a landmass surrounded by waters of the Southern Ocean. The Arctic is governed by the 'Arctic Council', comprising the five Arctic littoral countries who have their respective national jurisdictions over the Arctic region and function under various international treaties and conventions. The Antarctic continent does not belong to any single country as per the 'Antarctic Treaty'; it "freezes" territorial claims of the continent and devotes Antarctica to peace and science. Though the Treaty takes a "bifocal" approach to neither recognise nor deny territorial claims, however there are currently 55 contracting parties associated to research activities on the continent. Though the Polar Regions are increasingly getting securitised due to their natural wealth and resources, this paper concludes that the regions should be a place of peace and cooperation to preserve its vulnerable and unique environment for humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of many studies published since the late 1920s reveals that the main driving mechanisms responsible for the early-twentieth-century Arctic warming (ETCAW) are not fully recognized. The main obstacle seems to be our limited knowledge about the climate of this period and some forcings. A deeper knowledge based on greater spatial and temporal resolution data is needed. The article provides new (or improved) knowledge about surface air temperature (SAT) conditions (including their extreme states) in the Arctic during the ETCAW. Daily and subdaily data have been used (mean daily air temperature, maximum and minimum daily temperature, and diurnal temperature range). These were taken from 10 individual years (selected from the period 1934–50) for six meteorological stations representing parts of five Arctic climatic regions. Standard SAT characteristics were analyzed (monthly, seasonal, and yearly means), as were rarely investigated aspects of SAT characteristics (e.g., number of characteristic days, day-to-day temperature variability, and the onset, end, and duration of thermal seasons). The results were compared with analogical calculations done for data taken from the contemporary Arctic warming (CAW) period (2007–16). The Arctic experienced warming between the ETCAW and the CAW. The magnitude of warming was greatest in the Pacific (2.7°C) and Canadian Arctic (1.9°C) regions. A shortening of winter and lengthening of summer were noted. Furthermore, the climate was also a little more continental (except the Russian Arctic) and less stable (greater day-to-day variability and diurnal temperature range) during the ETCAW than during the CAW. Significance Statement: It is well established that human activity (particularly increased greenhouse gas emissions) is the primary driving mechanism of the recent dramatic warming in the Arctic. However, the causes of a similar warming here in the first half of the twentieth century remain uncertain. The limited knowledge about the climate of that period—which mainly results from the low resolution of data—is a significant obstacle to a definitive determination of the forcing mechanisms. Therefore, the main aim of our paper is to improve our understanding of specific aspects of weather and climate (including extremes) using long-term series of daily and subdaily data that have rarely been applied for this purpose. This new, more comprehensive knowledge about the historical Arctic climate should allow the scientific community (particularly climate modelers) to better validate both climate models and reanalysis products and, consequently, to more precisely identify the causes of the early-twentieth-century Arctic warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is devoted to the analysis of the current and the forecast of the prospective state of introducing digital technologies into the oil and gas mining industry of the Russian Arctic. The authors of the paper analyzed the global trends that define the process of digital technologies' introduction into the oil and gas mining industry. They also reviewed the Russian companies' experience in this sphere. The main trends and prospects for the development of oil and gas resources extraction in the Russian Arctic in the digitalization sphere were identified. Together with this, the researchers considered prospects for digital technologies' introduction into the oil and gas industry, observing their competition with RES. As a result, the authors have come to the following conclusions: (1) in Russian companies, digitalization is being more actively introduced into the processes of general enterprise management. (2) The main purpose of Russian oil and gas sector digitalization is to increase the efficiency of business process management, while the key constraining factors of digitalization are the lack of qualified personnel, lack of material and technical base and cyber-security threats aggravation. (3) The prospects of introducing a new package of sanctions can become both an incentive for a qualitative leap in Russian software development/implementation and an obstacle to the development of Arctic projects due to their rise in price. (4) The COVID-19 pandemic factor is one of the incentives for the widespread introduction of production and various business processes automation in the oil and gas industry, as well as the development of digital communications. (5) The leader in the digital technology development industry among Russian oil and gas companies is "Gazprom Neft" PJSC, followed by "NK Rosneft" PJSC. (6) "Gazprom" PJSC continues to lag behind in the sphere of digitalization; however, qualitative changes here should be expected in 2022. (7) The "sensitivity parameters" influencing the industry digitalization process in the Arctic region are the high dependence on foreign technological solutions and software, characteristics of the entire Russian oil and gas industry, and the problem of ensuring cybersecurity in Arctic oil and gas projects and power outages. (8) For the Arctic regions, the use of RES as the main source of electricity is the most optimal and promising solution; however, hydrocarbon energy will still dominate the market in the foreseeable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities located in the Arctic often have extreme geographic and environmental contexts and unique sociopolitical and economic trajectories that, when combined with amplified effects of climate change in the region, impact future sustainable development. Well-recognized and standardized sustainable development indicator (SDI) frameworks such as ISO 37120 or UN-Habitat City Prosperity Index are often used to compare data across cities globally using comprehensive sets of indicators. While such indexes help characterize progress toward development and guide short- and long-term decision-making, they often lack relevance to specific contexts or characterize future visions of urban growth. To evaluate the extent of these deficiencies and to provide a comparative analysis of approaches to sustainable urban growth in the Arctic, this paper analyzes city planning documents for five northern cities - Anchorage (USA), Utqiagvik (USA), Reyjavik (ISL), Iqaluit, (CAN), Whitehorse, (CAN) - for goals, targets, and indicators and compare these to thematic areas and indicators defined by ISO 37120:2018 Sustainable Cities and Communities. The results confirm that although international SDI frameworks may be useful for comparative analysis of cities across diverse regions, they exclude important local factors that influence goal-oriented urban sustainability planning strategies employed in the Arctic region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sources and fluxes of methane to the atmosphere from permafrost are significant but poorly constrained in global climate models. We present data collected from the variable permafrost setting of the outer Mackenzie River Delta, including observations of aquatic methane seepage, core determinations of in situ methane occurrence and seep gas isotope geochemistry. The sources and locations of in situ geologic methane occurrence and aquatic and atmospheric gas release appear to be controlled by the regional geology and permafrost conditions. Where permafrost is >250 m thick, thermogenic gas deposits at depth are isolated by laterally continuous, low permeability ice‐bearing sediments with few through‐going thawed taliks. Thus, the observed in situ methane and aquatic gas seepage appears to be dominated by microbial methane. In contrast, where permafrost is <80 m thick, taliks are more likely to be through‐going, providing permeable conduits from depth and migration pathways for both thermogenic and biogenic gas. Continuous annual fluid sampling of two lakes and a river channel documents aquatic methane flux from microbial sources, more deeply buried thermogenic sources, and mixtures of both. Using estimates of in situ methane concentration from deep core samples and observations of in situ free gas occurrences, we conclude that the reservoir of in situ geologic methane within ice bonded permafrost is substantial and that this methane is presently migrating with ongoing atmospheric release. It is our assessment that the permafrost setting, and processes described are sensitive to future climate change as the permafrost warms. Plain Language Summary: Methane is released from permafrost, yet the amount and sources of the methane are poorly understood. This paper presents data on methane released from water environments and stored in soil from the permafrost areas of the outer Mackenzie River Delta, NWT. It also uses isotope geochemistry to determine the source (type) of the methane ‐ either biogenic (produced by living organisms) or thermogenic (produced by breaking down of organic matter by heat). The sources and locations of the methane gas release appear to be controlled by the regional geology and permafrost conditions. We conclude that the methane stored within and beneath the ice bonded permafrost is substantial and that this methane is presently migrating to aquatic systems with ongoing atmospheric release. It is our assessment that this permafrost setting and the potential for increased methane release are sensitive to future climate change as the permafrost warms. Key Points: A unique annual record of dissolved methane geochemistry documents active microbial and geologic methane sources in a delta lake and channelSeep gas chemistry, geophysical, and core data allow appraisal of permafrost controls on subsurface methane dynamics in the Mackenzie DeltaThe large inventory of stored methane and the dynamic permafrost processes described are potentially responsive to future climate change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using L-band microwave radiative transfer theory to retrieve ice and snow parameters is one of the focuses of Arctic research. At present, due to limitations of frequency and substrates, few operational microwave radiative transfer models can be used to simulate L-band brightness temperature (TB) in Arctic sea ice. The snow microwave radiative transfer (SMRT) model, developed with the support of the European Space Agency in 2018, has been used to simulate high-frequency TB in polar regions and has obtained good results, but no studies have shown whether it can be used appropriately in the L-band. Therefore, in this study, we systematically evaluate the ability of the SMRT model to simulate L-band TB in the Arctic sea ice and snow environment, and we show that the results are significantly optimized by improving the simulation method. In this paper, we first consider the thermal insulation effect of snow by adding the thermodynamic equation, then use a reasonable salinity profile formula for multi-layer model simulation to solve the problem of excessive L-band penetration in the SMRT single-layer model, and finally add ice lead correction to resolve the large influence it has on the results. The improved SMRT model is evaluated using Operation IceBridge (OIB) data from 2012 to 2015 and compared with the snow-corrected classical L-band radiative transfer model for Arctic sea ice proposed in 2010 (KA2010). The results show that the SMRT model has better simulation results, and the correlation coefficient (R) between SMRT-simulated TB and Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite TB is 0.65, and the RMSE is 3.11 K. Finally, the SMRT model with the improved simulation method is applied to the whole Arctic from November 2014 to April 2015, and the simulated R is 0.63, and the RMSE is 5.22 K. The results show that the SMRT multi-layer model is feasible for simulating L-band TB in the Arctic sea ice and snow environment, which provides a basis for the retrieval of Arctic parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arctic is rapidly warming posing a significant threat to underlying permafrost. Permafrost degradation has already resulted in extensive damage to the Arctic's built infrastructure, putting communities and industries at risk. Projected climate warming will further reduce the capacity of permafrost to support infrastructure, thereby requiring a rethinking of construction and development of permafrost regions in the future. This paper focuses on three Arctic regions with a substantial presence of population and infrastructure on permafrost: USA (Alaska), Canada, and Russia. The three regions' permafrost construction practices are examined in order to identify best practices and major gaps. We identify a lack of standardized, codified construction guidelines; an absence of permafrost-geotechnical monitoring in communities; barriers to integrating climate scenarios into future planning; limited data sharing; and low numbers of permafrost professionals as major constraints limiting the region's resilience in the face of climate change. Refining building practices and standards, implementing operational permafrost monitoring systems, developing downscaled climate projections, and integrating local knowledge will minimize the impacts of permafrost degradation under rapidly warming climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The on-going reduction of sea-ice in the Arctic is now facilitating maritime activities in areas previously considered inaccessible. Numerous statistics indicate that fishing and tourism are clearly gaining momentum within the wider region under discussion. Furthermore, a certain number of private companies and state-affiliated actors are setting into motion plans for promoting the use of the so-called arctic passages, while certain interesting business projects are already underway; the Yamal LNG Project is for example clearly standing out. As human presence and operations are expected to intensify within that inherently risky region, the first aim of this paper is to qualitatively identify certain business opportunities associated with the Arctic and then highlight their interrelation with the prevailing patterns of maritime traffic. Additionally, on the basis of the report titled 'Arctic Shipping Status Report – Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) Use by Ships in the Arctic 2019' (ASSR #2) that was released during October 2020 by the Arctic Council's Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME), it explains the use of the various types of fuels in the region under discussion and highlights certain environmental risks. Finally, it briefly assesses the overall effectiveness of a (proposed) regulatory intervention of completely banning the use of HFO in the Arctic. This initiative can indeed have a positive contribution to protecting the region's pristine environment, but any regulations of this type must also consider the issue of fishing vessels, which are not covered under the scope of International Maritime Organization's (IMO) International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the existence of seasonal or perennial sea ice cover, the determination of the Arctic sea surface is more difficult than that of mid-low latitudinal oceans. Focusing on the sea surface height in the ice-covered region, this paper constructs a new Arctic mean sea surface (MSS) model, named SUST22, by combining the measurements from ICESat and Cryosat-2 missions. The lead detection methods of ICESat and Cryosat-2 are first studied and modified to acquire sea surface measurements with better accuracy. The results have shown that the standard deviation of Cryosat-2-derived Arctic sea surface height is about 3–4 cm in 10-km resolution grids, while the value of ICESat is 5–6 cm. Then the MSS construction procedure is discussed and the SUST22 MSS model is constructed. The new model is compared with the other four Arctic MSS models. The best agreement is found between SUST22 and DTU21 with an average difference of −4.0 ± 5.2 cm. These models are also validated by ICESat-2 samples. The average difference between ICESat-2 and SUST22 is 15.8 ± 7.4 cm, which shows that the new model SUST22 presents better consistency with the ICESat-2 than any of the other models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic tundra consists of diverse habitats that differ in dominant vegetation, soil moisture regimes, and relative importance of organic vs. inorganic nutrient cycling. The Arctic is also the most rapidly warming global area, with winter warming dominating. This warming is expected to have dramatic effects on tundra carbon and nutrient dynamics. We completed a meta‐analysis of 166 experimental warming study papers to evaluate the hypotheses that warming changes tundra biogeochemical cycles in a habitat‐ and seasonally specific manner and that the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycles will be differentially accelerated, leading to decoupling of elemental cycles. We found that nutrient availability and plant leaf stoichiometry responses to experimental warming were variable and overall weak, but that both gross primary productivity and the plant C pool tended to increase with growing season warming. The effects of winter warming on C fluxes did not extend into the growing season. Overall, although warming led to more consistent increases in C fluxes compared to N or P fluxes, evidence for decoupling of biogeochemical cycles is weak and any effect appears limited to heath habitats. However, data on many habitats are too sparse to be able to generalize how warming might decouple biogeochemical cycles, and too few year‐round warming studies exist to ascertain whether the season under which warming occurs alters how ecosystems respond to warming. Coordinated field campaigns are necessary to more robustly document tundra habitat‐specific responses to realistic climate warming scenarios in order to better understand the mechanisms driving this heterogeneity and identify the tundra habitats, communities, and soil pools most susceptible to warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides the results of a study on fungal species diversity in the active and permafrost layers of peatlands within frozen peatbogs in the flatland areas of the cryolitozone, European Northeast of Russia (forest-tundra zone, southern and northern tundra subzones). Fungal taxonomic list includes eighty-three species from seventeen genera and two forms of Mycelia sterilia. The phylum Mucoromycota is represented by fifteen species (18% of total isolate number), and these species exhibit the following distribution by genus: Mucor (four), Mortierella (seven), Umbelopsis (three), Podila (one). Ascomycota is represented by sixty-eight species from thirteen genera. The genus Penicillium dominates the species saturation (thirty-seven species, 44%). Soil microfungal complex is represented by rare species (51%), random species (32%), frequent species (15%), and dominant species (2%). In peat soils, dominant species are Penicillium canescens (72%) and non-pigmented (albino) Mycelia sterilia (61%); abundant species are Talaromyces funiculosus (41%), Pseudogymnoascus pannorum (36%), albino Mycelia sterilia (29%), Umbelopsis vinacea (25%), Mortierella alpina (17%), Penicillium decumbens (21%), P. spinulosum (20%), and P. canescens (17%). In active layers of peat soils, abundant species are Penicillium thomii (14%), Mycelia sterilia (13%), Penicillium spinulosum (13%), Penicillium simplicissimum (13%) in forest-tundra; Talaromyces funiculosus (21%), albino Mycelia sterilia (15%), Umbelopsis vinacea (14%) in southern tundra; Penicillium decumbens (23%), P. canescens (17%), P. thomii (13%) in northern tundra. In permafrost peat layers, abundant species are Penicillium spinulosum (17%), Talaromyces funiculosus (34%), and Umbelopsis vinacea (15%) in forest-tundra; Pseudogymnoascus pannorum (30%) and Mortierella alpina (28%) in southern tundra; Pseudogymnoascus pannorum (80%) in northern tundra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of state capitalism is attracting growing attention in economic geography and political economy. We contribute to the debate by exploring the authoritarian state capitalism variant whereby the state moves beyond a predominantly regulatory role and appears as the dominant actor. We take Russia to be a prominent example of authoritarian state capitalism because the central state has subjugated economy, created organisational structures and designed development strategies to serve the interests of the kleptocrat, inverting the conventional meaning of 'state capture'. The paper illustrates the centrality of the state by exploring two state-sponsored megaprojects: (i) the upgrade of the Northern Sea Route and (ii) the construction of innovation clusters (Skolkovo). In the first case, the state directs resources to the Northern Sea Route to secure Russia's control of the Arctic. In the second case, the state attempts to replicate the perceived developmental success stories of the West by fostering technology clusters. Each illustrative case offers an instructive insight into Russia's authoritarian state capitalism characterised by tensions between its own political and economic repertoires and a contentious relationship with the Western-dominated liberal capitalist world order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on an ethnography incorporating interview, linguistic landscape and observational data, this research illustrates how temporary linguistic value is negotiated and how an Arctic tourism destination is made fit for consumption for a specific audience. Set within a tourism resort in the Finnish Arctic during two weeks in Winter when the region habitually receives a large influx of Russian-speaking visitors, we illustrate how Russian is conceptualized as a means of economic practice by stakeholders in the local tourism industry. While some offer services specifically for a Russian-speaking audience as part of a short-term high-risk/high-reward investment, others regard Russian as an expression of a negative niche market that compromises the overall image of the Arctic as a global tourism destination. We discuss these different understandings of commodity value and highlight, how stakeholders in the local tourism economy imagine and discursively construct Russian-speaking tourists. In doing so, this paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the conditions of language commodification and the processes involved in the valuation and devaluation of linguistic resources within temporary linguistic markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pechora Bay is a hydrologically and ecologically important area of the Barents Sea but there are still gaps in our knowledge of biodiversity of the area, including macrozoobenthos. In the first half of the twentieth century, the Pechora Bay was noted as a type locality for the bivalve mollusc Portlandia aestuariorum. Only a few surveys of macrozoobenthos have been conducted since and the last work from this area indicated the absence of P. aestuariorum. In this paper, we described macrozoobenthos and hydrological conditions of the bay based on the data collected in field campaigns in 2020–2021. All estuarine stations corresponded to a monodominant community of Macoma balthica poor in biomass (27.29 ± 20.82 g m−2) and species richness (33 species of macrozoobenthos recorded from 10 stations). The seaward most station was occupied by a marine assemblage of macrozoobenthos dominated by polychaetes Nephtys longosetosa and Cistenides hyperborea. Macrozoobenthos of the bay forms an ecocline from estuarine to marine species along the gradient of salinity. No significant differences in macrobenthic abundance, biomass and species richness were found between the 2 years of sampling and described fauna corresponds well to communities sampled in 1990s. Portlandia aestuariorum was absent in all our samples, which supports the hypothesis of disappearance of this previously common bivalve mollusc from the area, but the question of the driver of the change in macrozoobenthos remains open and requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of a comprehensive analysis of bottom sediment samples taken in 2020 during the Roshydromet marine scientific research in Stepovoi and Litke bays of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and in the coastal zone of the Kara Sea near Amderma village. All sediment samples were analyzed for the concentration of radionuclides 137Cs, 90Sr, 238Pu, 239 + 240Pu, and some samples were analyzed for the content of toxic chemicals: heavy metals, persistent organochlorine compounds, and aliphatic hydrocarbons. The analysis of the results showed that the levels of radionuclides and toxic chemicals in bottom sediments of Stepovoi Bay are generally consistent with the data of similar surveys in previous years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how teaching sustainable development (SD) is organized in the Russian universities responsible for training specialists for the Arctic. The empirical data for the study are drawn from Russian universities' curricula and course syllabi. The paper discusses both achievements and problems related to the integration of SD courses into university programs. On the one hand, SD-related disciplines became an integral part of many natural and social sciences training programs. On the other hand, some problems can be identified: First, very few courses and programs are based on the so-called integrated approach to the SD concept which includes all components of sustainability. Second, not all UN Sustainable Development Goals are properly covered by university curricula. Third, some university teachers prefer the concept of resilience rather than sustainability, considering it more realistic. Fourth, many SD courses and programs tend to ignore indigenous knowledge about SD strategies. Fifth, not all Arctic SD-related university programs and courses are properly equipped with teaching materials. Finally, many SD courses are of a purely theoretical character and, for this reason, not very helpful for practical application of knowledge and skills acquired by students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After describing how the marine environment is tottering in the face of the triple environmental crisis, this article explores the limited governance progressions at the global and regional levels in addressing the threats of pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss in the especially vulnerable Arctic. For pollution, key limitations include slow and arduous processes to add chemicals for control under the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions and reliance at the regional level on a fragmented array of pollution studies and projects but without specific region-wide legally binding pollution standards. For climate change, the world is not on track to meet the Paris Agreement's temperature targets which is especially problematic for the Arctic cryosphere while the Arctic Council has largely been limited to providing general statements of concern and aspirational calls for enhanced climate mitigation and adaptation actions. For marine biodiversity losses, a pan-Arctic network of marine protected areas has yet to be developed and various implementation challenges surround the Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean including the need to ensure adequate financial, human resource and technical support. The paper concludes by highlighting some promising future governance directions. They include: the conclusion of a global treaty on plastic pollution; implementation of a new Global Framework on Chemicals – For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste; expected further clarifications from international tribunals on State responsibilities to address climate change; and regional implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the new agreement under the UN Convention on Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China and Russia have different interests in the Arctic but are forced to look for possible ways of cooperation in energy projects in the current external conditions. This changes the priorities of both countries and, accordingly, transforms the risks. Objectives of the research: to build an algorithm for identifying anthropogenic environmental risks in the context of two major players economic activities in the Arctic region: the Russian Federation and China. In the paper, we formulated an algorithm of environmental risk identification. We identified environmental hazards from the main parameter—the type of economic activity for the extraction of energy resources, premises, and factors for the occurrence of environmental hazards and compiled criteria for risk selection. Methods used: complex analysis (mixed method research): empirical and comparative methods, methods of expert assessments, the method of inductive statistics (inferential statistics) to compare the perception of risk at the level of different groups. Results: the algorithm has been formed for determining risks in the changed external conditions. Major anthropogenic environmental risks are identified from the perspective of the main players in the Arctic—Russia and China, which can help to make the necessary decisions on time and partially prevent environmental degradation. This makes it possible to identify the risks associated with conducting economic activities for the extraction of energy resources in the Arctic region. Therefore, this study contributes to a more accurate identification of anthropogenic environmental risks in the Arctic region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The warming at high latitudes that remains in recent years has a direct impact on Arctic and Subarctic landscapes. Possible changes in these landscapes with climate warming are closely related with regulatory mechanisms for the underlying surface temperature. The features of the formation of radiation and evapotranspirational mechanisms of surface temperature regulation in the tundra (from Arctic to southern) and the forest-tundra landscapes of Novaya Zemlya and Western Siberia are studied in this paper. The MODIS data of surface spectral characteristics are used: albedo (Al) and surface temperature (Ts) for July 2000–2019. The radiation mechanism of surface temperature regulation is shown to dominate in glacial and polar desert landscapes of the Arctic and Subarctic with the prevalence of stony and rubble types of surfaces with lichens. At the same time, in the mountainous and Arctic tundra of Novaya Zemlya, the radiative mechanism of surface temperature regulation is practically independent of weather anomalies and currently weakly depends on the surface air temperature trend. In the continental tundra and forest tundra, the evapotranspirational type of surface temperature regulation begins to predominate. This is facilitated by an increase in average monthly air temperatures up to 15–16°C, which favorably affects the diversity of vegetation. In the subzone of the southern tundra and forest tundra, the relation between albedo and surface temperature depends on the height of the terrain, the exposure of slopes, and (especially) on extreme temperature anomalies. In lowlands (hydromorphic complexes), in cold years, against the background of waterlogging, the radiative type of surface temperature regulation prevails, while in warm years, a decrease in humidity leads to the maximal development of vegetation, and the communication mechanism can turn into an evapotranspirational one. At higher elevations, the reverse process, which is also associated with changes in moisture conditions, is observed. In the forest tundra, upon an increase in air temperature and an increase in the height of the vegetation cover, the evapotranspiration mechanism of the relation between the Al–Ts spectral parameters weakens. Thus, in the southern tundra and forest tundra, the existence of two stable positions of equilibrium between the spectral properties of the surface depending on the illumination and temperature anomalies is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an intervention on the understanding of state identity in relation to (anticipatory) changes that have occurred, are taking place, and are expected to happen in the Arctic. Focusing specifically on the Finnish state's approach to the Arctic, we offer the concept of 'anticipatory state identity' in order to comprehend the role of 'anticipation' in developing and projecting a 'state identity.' In so doing, we argue that what drives Finland's vision to project itself to be(come) an 'Arctic state' is fuelled not only by placing a firm foothold in a region of increasing geopolitical importance but also by a consensus among wide‐ranging actors in prioritising Finnish Arcticness in its foreign policy. As such, we first shed light on the concept of 'anticipatory state identity.' Then we discuss the global and regional shifts that eventually drove Finland to focus on its Arcticness. Third, we delve into the components and enactments through which Finland projects its Arctic identity. Finally, we conclude that anticipatory state identity bridges the gap between a state's imagination of itself in the future and how such imaginations are materialised and embedded within state policies through a repetitive deployment of narratives and discourses by numerous practitioners in the present. Accordingly, the applicability of the concept moves beyond the Arctic context as it enables reading of (re)forming state identity in line with its anticipatory vision. With 'anticipatory state identity', we argue that what drives Finland's vision to project itself to be(come) an 'Arctic state' is fuelled not only by placing a firm foothold in a region of increasing geopolitical importance but also by a consensus among wide‐ranging actors in prioritising Finnish Arcticness in its foreign policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the long-term studies of mesoscale cyclones in the Arctic region that started in 1960, this atmospheric phenomenon has not been fully understood yet and is extremely difficult to predict. This is mainly due to the lack of satellite monitoring of the atmosphere in the northern polar latitudes with a high temporal resolution and an extremely sparse network of ground-based observations in the Arctic. On February 28, 2021, the Russian Arktika-MNo. 1 satellite was launched, which is the world's first hydrometeorological satellite operating in a highly elliptical Molniya-type orbit. The launch of this unique satellite with a multichannel scanning unit (MSU-GS) as the main onboard mission equipment opened a possibility of obtaining data on the state of the atmosphere over the entire Arctic region with a frequency of 15/30 min during the working section of the satellite orbit. In particular, obtaining these data makes an invaluable contribution to solving the problems of monitoring and studying mesoscale cyclones in the northern polar latitudes, which is clearly shown in the present paper. The first summary results of monitoring mesoscale cyclones are presented as a map of their occurrence frequency. The potential of using the Arktika-M No. 1 MSU-GS data coupled with data of the regional hydrodynamic forecast model to perform synoptic analysis by the example of the manifestation of mesoscale cyclogenesis in the Barents Sea on May 31, 2021, is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early twentieth-century warming (ETCW), defined as occurring within the period 1921–50, saw a clear increase in actinometric observations in the Arctic. Nevertheless, information on radiation balance and its components at that time is still very limited in availability, and therefore large discrepancies exist among estimates of total solar irradiance forcing. To eliminate these uncertainties, all available solar radiation data for the Arctic need to be collected and processed. Better knowledge about incoming solar radiation (direct, diffuse, and global) should allow for more reliable estimation of the magnitude of total solar irradiance forcing, which can help, in turn, to more precisely and correctly explain the reasons for the ETCW in the Arctic. The paper summarizes our research into the availability of solar radiation data for the Arctic. An important part of this work is its detailed inventory of data series (including metadata) for the period before the mid-twentieth century. Based on the most reliable data series, general solar conditions in the Arctic during the ETCW are described. The character of solar radiation changes between the ETCW and present times, in particular after 2000, is also analyzed. Average annual global solar radiation in the Russian Arctic during the ETCW was slightly greater than in the period 1964–90 (by about 1–2 W·m−2) and was markedly greater than in the period 2001–19 (by about 16 W·m−2). Our results also reveal that in the period 1920–2019 three phases of solar radiation changes can be distinguished: a brightening phase (1921–50), a stabilization phase (1951–93), and a dimming phase (after 2000). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arctic is warming at more than twice the rate of the global average. This warming is influenced by clouds, which modulate the solar and terrestrial radiative fluxes and, thus, determine the surface energy budget. However, the interactions among clouds, aerosols, and radiative fluxes in the Arctic are still poorly understood. To address these uncertainties, the Ny-Ålesund Aerosol Cloud Experiment (NASCENT) study was conducted from September 2019 to August 2020 in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. The campaign's primary goal was to elucidate the life cycle of aerosols in the Arctic and to determine how they modulate cloud properties throughout the year. In situ and remote sensing observations were taken on the ground at sea level, at a mountaintop station, and with a tethered balloon system. An overview of the meteorological and the main aerosol seasonality encountered during the NASCENT year is introduced, followed by a presentation of first scientific highlights. In particular, we present new findings on aerosol physicochemical and molecular properties. Further, the role of cloud droplet activation and ice crystal nucleation in the formation and persistence of mixed-phase clouds, and the occurrence of secondary ice processes, are discussed and compared to the representation of cloud processes within the regional Weather Research and Forecasting Model. The paper concludes with research questions that are to be addressed in upcoming NASCENT publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are great expectations around the future of autonomous vehicles (AVs). Such visions often picture vehicles that work everywhere without human interference. In this article we use empirical data from a pilot project taking place in the Norwegian Arctic to explore the place-specificity of such technologies. The case study is used to demonstrate how new configurations of emergent technologies are shaped by the places where the trial unfolds; and how insights produced through working on and with this site contribute to changing visions of AV technologies into questioning issues of transferability and scalability. In this way, the paper contributes to discussions of how pilot projects and testing of emergent technologies in the real world relates to the re-configuring of visions and expectations. The paper highlights how emerging technologies might transform societies, infrastructures and vehicles towards more computerized configurations in ways that are not anticipated or discussed in public and therefore seldom governed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper unpacks the material practices and narrative strategies surrounding the aerial work of the 1924 Oxford University Arctic Expedition to Spitsbergen (now Svalbard). Examining the fluid nature of British tropes of polar heroic masculinities, the paper illustrates the adaptability of such tropes in the face of technological change. Specifically, it demonstrates how aviation was mobilised to construct a masculinist explorer subject conceived as simultaneously traditional and modern at a time when the Heroic Era of British exploration was said to have subsided. Significantly, the 1924 expedition was organised largely by and for undergraduate explorers, many of whom saw polar travel as a rite of passage not unlike military service. Hence, the expedition narrative connects to a culture of undergraduate Arctic exploration emerging from Oxbridge during the 1920s. In tracing the 1924 air programme, the paper examines the tensions between polar heroics and new technologies of travel, the significance of nationalist rivalries and failed ambitions in negotiating the status of polar aviation, and problematises the separation of aerial and earth-bound perspectives on polar travel. Focusing on the labour dedicated to bringing aerial technology to the north, the corporeality of the aerial perspective, and iterations of the vertical reciprocity between ground and air, the paper draws out how aircraft was configured both as an instrument for dispassionate observation and as a legitimate vessel for passionate exploration, mirroring and adapting nineteenth century rhetoric of British polar heroics. It is suggested that understanding such historically rooted mechanisms and their adaptability to cultural and technological change remain relevant in terms of contextualising British imaginaries of the Arctic. • Traces the aerial programme of the 1924 Oxford University Arctic Expedition. • Analyses adaptations of heroic travel narratives to technological change. • Hones in on cultures of varsity exploration emerging from Oxbridge in the 1920s. • Problematises the separation of aerial and earth-bound perspectives on polar travel. • Aviation used to form masculinist explorer subject, at once traditional and modern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]