scholarly journals Radioactive contamination mitigation in the Arctic region

2019 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Sarkisov
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Contamination ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Model Studies ◽  
Radiochemical Plant ◽  
Nuclear Weapon Testing ◽  
Weapon Testing ◽  
The Arctic Region

This article discusses the most significant sources of large-scale radioactive contamination to which the Arctic has been exposed since the middle of the last century, which are identified as 1) radioactive fallout and deposition from nuclear weapon testing; 2) plum waste from the Sellafield radiochemical plant (United Kingdom) and Cap de la Ag (France) nuclear fleet operation; 3) radioisotope thermoelectric generators; and 4) submerged and sunken radioactive objects. The article assesses the comparative contribution and associated radioecological risks of these sources, and special attention is focused on the “nuclear legacy” of the USSR/Russian nuclear fleet and the search for solutions. The article describes the content and implementation results of the “Development of a Strategic Master Plan for Disposition of Decommissioned Russian Nuclear-Powered Fleet and Rehabilitation of Hazardously Radioactive Sites and Facilities of Its Support Infrastructure” which was developed with broad international cooperation. Attention is drawn to remaining environmental problems associated with submerged and sunken objects that contain spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste in the Arctic, and the article presents generalized data on such objects and associated risks of water contamination as identified by analyses of model studies of possible accident consequences.

Global mapping of seasonal variations in tides from tide gauge and satellite altimeter data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inger Bij de Vaate ◽  
Henrique Guarneri ◽  
Cornelis Slobbe ◽  
Martin Verlaan
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Altimeter Data ◽  
Tide Gauges ◽  
Tidal Constituents ◽  
The Arctic Region

<p>The existence of seasonal variations in major tides has been recognized since decades. Where Corkan (1934) was the first to describe the seasonal perturbation of the M2 tide, many others have studied seasonal variations in the main tidal constituents since. However, most of these studies are based on sea level observations from tide gauges and are often restricted to coastal and shelf regions. Hence, observed seasonal variations are typically dominated by local processes and the large-scale patterns cannot be clearly distinguished. Moreover, most tide models still perceive tides as annually constant and seasonal variation in tides is ignored in the correction process of satellite altimetry. This results in reduced accuracy of obtained sea level anomalies. </p><p>To gain more insight in the large-scale seasonal variations in tides, we supplemented the clustered and sparsely distributed sea level observations from tide gauges by the wealth of data from satellite altimeters. Although altimeter-derived water levels are being widely used to obtain tidal constants, only few of these implementations consider seasonal variation in tides. For that reason, we have set out to explore the opportunities provided by altimeter data for deriving seasonal modulation of the main tidal constituents. Different methods were implemented and compared for the principal tidal constituents and a range of geographical domains, using data from a selection of satellite altimeters. Specific attention was paid to the Arctic region where seasonal variation in tides was expected to be significant as a result of the seasonal sea ice cycle, yet data availability is particularly limited. Our study demonstrates the potential of satellite altimetry for the quantification of seasonal modulation of tides and suggests the seasonal modulation to be considerable. Already for M2 we observed changes in tidal amplitude of the order of decimeters for the Arctic region, and centimeters for lower latitude regions.</p><p> </p><div>Corkan, R. H. (1934). An annual perturbation in the range of tide. <em>Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Containing Papers of a Mathematical and Physical Character</em>, <em>144</em>(853), 537-559.</div>

scholarly journals Features of creating multi-time thematic animations of the Arctic environment pollution on the example of Novaya Zemlya

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Andrey Medvedev ◽  
Natalia Alekseenko ◽  
Maria Arsentyeva
Keyword(s):  
Time Scales ◽  
Radioactive Contamination ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Nuclear Test ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Novaya Zemlya Archipelago ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Arctic Region

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> The Arctic region is currently at the next stage of increased interest not only from the Arctic States, but also from the entire world community. The main pollutants in the region are oil and gas products, heavy metals, chemical and radioactive contamination. The Arctic region of the Russian Federation has experienced a strong anthropogenic impact of radionuclides due to the use of nuclear energy. The main source of pollution is nuclear testing. About 132 tests were conducted on Novaya Zemlya, including 87 atmospheric, 3 underwater and 42 underground tests. Another source of radioactive contamination is the operation of the naval and civil nuclear fleet, as well as nuclear power plants (on the Kola Peninsula and in Bilibino). Until 1963, most of the tests were carried out in the atmosphere and under water, but after the signing of the Moscow Treaty on August 5, 1963, which prohibits the testing of nuclear weapons in three environments (under water, in the atmosphere and outer space), all tests were carried out underground, in tunnels and wells.</p><p>The object of research and mapping is the territory of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and the nuclear test site located on it. On the territory of the nuclear test site constantly there was an assessment of the radioecological situation. The scientific community is interested in the processes taking place on the New Earth. The territory of the archipelago is constantly involved in various Arctic programs aimed at monitoring the level of environmental pollution and reducing the number of sources of pollution.</p><p>The aim of this work is to create multi-time animations of nuclear tests and the results of radionuclide pollution. These animated cartographic images differ not only in their time scales, but also a large set of qualitative and quantitative characteristics that characterize the results of anthropogenic influence.</p><p>As sources for creation of cartographic animations were: field data, remote sensing data (RS), Open sources, marine navigation maps, DEM’s (AsterDem, ArcticDem, GEBCO), meteorological data, thematic maps (including atlases), topographic maps, literary sources. The main part of the information about Novaya Zemlya archipelago was taken from the works of the Arctic marine complex expedition, which are devoted to the nature, history, archeology and culture of the archipelago. To obtain complete information about the explosions and their energy release ranges, additional open sources were used, from which it is possible to learn about the type of explosion, its power and location (geographical coordinates).</p><p>Dynamic geo-imagery was developed and established by the following method: study of object mapping and the collection of primary spatial data – creation script dynamic geo-imagery – the creation of a geodatabase of research – the creation of the thematic maps and layout of geo-imagery in the graphic editor – create animations with different time scales.</p><p>During the creation of cartographic animations based on the collected data, a multi-time multi-scale cartographic animation was developed, which allowed using the original graphical solution to visualize three interconnected time scales, which allowed to visualize the processes of infiltration and propagation of radioactive inert gases.</p>

scholarly journals China’s Arctic Policy: Challenges to Regional Security (1990s – 2020s)

2021 ◽  
pp. 377-388
Author(s):  
Oleksandr Horobets ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
The World ◽  
Arctic Policy ◽  
The Arctic Region

The article analyzes the evolution of China's Arctic policy, which has expanded over three decades from individual polar research to observer status in the Arctic Council and the existence of a state Arctic strategy. China and Russia have established mutually beneficial cooperation in the Arctic region in such conditions, when in many areas there are fundamental contradictions between the countries. The West did not have a long-term strategy capable of responding to current security challenges, including in the Arctic. When Russia tried to regain lost positions on the world stage in 2007-2008, China became an increasingly influential player in the world. If before the Arctic had been outside the lines of rivalry for decades, the question of the Far North as an arena of military competition began to take first place. China has become a long-term threat to both the United States and Russia. In previous years, with the help of the China, Moscow had the opportunity to receive the necessary investments and technologies for large-scale Arctic projects. The more Beijing attempts to establish itself as an influential player in the Arctic, the more the threat to other Arctic countries will grow. The Russian Federation has positioned itself as a leader in the region. The country's policy was aimed at strengthening this status through regional control and expansion of the military presence. This led to a response from the United States and NATO countries. In Russia it was assessed as a threat. The question arises as to what the strategy of the United States should be, and whether it will be possible to resist the costly arms race. If not, then the competition will be concentrated in the political and economic spheres. A particular aspect is the rapid militarization of the Arctic region after 2014, primarily due to changes in Russia's military strategy, which extends to the North. This has led to the tensions between the United States and Russia. China has not yet resorted to expand its military power in the Arctic. China's policy of economic and infrastructural influence is opposed to military methods. The effectiveness of Chinese non-military methods of influence is assessed

scholarly journals Dynamics of disturbance level of total electron content at high and middle latitudes according to GPS data

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Наталья Перевалова ◽  
Natalia Perevalova ◽  
Илья Едемский ◽  
Ilya Edemsky ◽  
Ольга Тимофеева ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Total Electron Content ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Continuous Series ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Ionospheric Disturbances ◽  
Minimum Level ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
The Arctic Region

We study the level of total electron content (TEC) disturbance in ionospheric mid-latitude and high-latitude regions during 2013. TEC behavior is calculated using data from two GPS stations: MOND (Mondy) and NRIL (Norilsk). TEC variations are calculated from two-frequency phase measurements for all radio rays. We analyze the TEC variations in two time ranges: 10 and 40 min. These ranges correspond to middle- and large-scale ionospheric disturbances respectively. The TEC disturbance level is characterized using the special index WTEC. WTEC allows us to receive multi-day continuous series of average TEC variation intensity. We reveal that at high latitudes WTEC variations agree well with AE ones. The correlation between WTEC and Dst variations is much less. The minimum level of TEC disturbance is independent of the season in the Arctic region; diurnal WTEC variations are more pronounced for medium-scale ionospheric disturbances than for large-scale ones. At mid-latitudes, the WTEC behavior agrees well with the Dst and Kp variations only during strong magnetic storms. The minimum level of TEC disturbance is higher in summer than in winter. At mid-latitudes, the sunset terminator generates gravitational waves. In the Arctic region, terminator-generated waves are not observed.

scholarly journals Cross-polar transport and scavenging of Siberian aerosols containing black carbon during the 2012 ACCESS summer campaign

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 10969-10995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Christophe Raut ◽  
Louis Marelle ◽  
Jerome D. Fast ◽  
Jennie L. Thomas ◽  
Bernadett Weinzierl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Carbon ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Convective Precipitation ◽  
Svalbard Archipelago ◽  
Wet Removal ◽  
The Arctic Region

Abstract. During the ACCESS airborne campaign in July 2012, extensive boreal forest fires resulted in significant aerosol transport to the Arctic. A 10-day episode combining intense biomass burning over Siberia and low-pressure systems over the Arctic Ocean resulted in efficient transport of plumes containing black carbon (BC) towards the Arctic, mostly in the upper troposphere (6–8 km). A combination of in situ observations (DLR Falcon aircraft), satellite analysis and WRF-Chem simulations is used to understand the vertical and horizontal transport mechanisms of BC with a focus on the role of wet removal. Between the northwestern Norwegian coast and the Svalbard archipelago, the Falcon aircraft sampled plumes with enhanced CO concentrations up to 200 ppbv and BC mixing ratios up to 25 ng kg−1. During transport to the Arctic region, a large fraction of BC particles are scavenged by two wet deposition processes, namely wet removal by large-scale precipitation and removal in wet convective updrafts, with both processes contributing almost equally to the total accumulated deposition of BC. Our results underline that applying a finer horizontal resolution (40 instead of 100 km) improves the model performance, as it significantly reduces the overestimation of BC levels observed at a coarser resolution in the mid-troposphere. According to the simulations at 40 km, the transport efficiency of BC (TEBC) in biomass burning plumes was larger (60 %), because it was impacted by small accumulated precipitation along trajectory (1 mm). In contrast TEBC was small (< 30 %) and accumulated precipitation amounts were larger (5–10 mm) in plumes influenced by urban anthropogenic sources and flaring activities in northern Russia, resulting in transport to lower altitudes. TEBC due to large-scale precipitation is responsible for a sharp meridional gradient in the distribution of BC concentrations. Wet removal in cumulus clouds is the cause of modeled vertical gradient of TEBC, especially in the mid-latitudes, reflecting the distribution of convective precipitation, but is dominated in the Arctic region by the large-scale wet removal associated with the formation of stratocumulus clouds in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) that produce frequent drizzle.

scholarly journals Scenario Modeling of Sustainable Development of Energy Supply in the Arctic

Resources ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 124
Author(s):  
Yuriy Zhukovskiy ◽  
Pavel Tsvetkov ◽  
Aleksandra Buldysko ◽  
Yana Malkova ◽  
Antonina Stoianova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Energy Supply ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Infrastructure ◽  
Scenario Modeling ◽  
Development Scenarios ◽  
The Arctic Region

The 21st century is characterized not only by large-scale transformations but also by the speed with which they occur. Transformations—political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal-in synergy have always been a catalyst for reactions in society. The field of energy supply, like many others, is extremely susceptible to the external influence of such factors. To a large extent, this applies to remote (especially from the position of energy supply) regions. The authors outline an approach to justifying the development of the Arctic energy infrastructure through an analysis of the demand for the amount of energy consumed and energy sources, taking into account global trends. The methodology is based on scenario modeling of technological demand. It is based on a study of the specific needs of consumers, available technologies, and identified risks. The paper proposes development scenarios and presents a model that takes them into account. Modeling results show that in all scenarios, up to 50% of the energy balance in 2035 will take gas, but the role of carbon-free energy sources will increase. The mathematical model allowed forecasting the demand for energy types by certain types of consumers, which makes it possible to determine the vector of development and stimulation of certain types of resources for energy production in the Arctic. The model enables considering not only the growth but also the decline in demand for certain types of consumers under different scenarios. In addition, authors’ forecasts, through further modernization of the energy sector in the Arctic region, can contribute to the creation of prerequisites that will be stimulating and profitable for the growth of investment in sustainable energy sources to supply consumers. The scientific significance of the work lies in the application of a consistent hybrid modeling approach to forecasting demand for energy resources in the Arctic region. The results of the study are useful in drafting a scenario of regional development, taking into account the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as identifying areas of technology and energy infrastructure stimulation.

scholarly journals Soviet experience of development of the Soviet Arctic in view of modern problems. Review of Zubkov K.I., Karpov V.P. Development of the Russian Arctic: Soviet experience in the context of current national strategy (on the example of the Ural Far North and Western Siberia). Moscow: Political encyclopedia, 2019. 367 p.

2020 ◽  
pp. 180-185
Author(s):  
M.G. Agapov
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Western Siberia ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
National Strategy ◽  
Russian Arctic ◽  
Far North ◽  
The Arctic Region ◽  
Soviet Experience

Discussed in this review are the results of the research presented in the monograph of specialists in North-ern studies K.I. Zubkov and V.P. Karpov «Development of the Russian Arctic: Soviet experience in the context of current national strategy (on the example of the Ural Far North and Western Siberia)». The reviewer notes that, in general, the study follows the pattern of state-centrism, teleologism and geopolitical alarmism typical for modern Russian Arctic historiography. Among the most important theses of the authors of this peer-reviewed monograph, are the following ones: (1) the transport and economic development was the basis of the Russian / Soviet Arctic exploration program; (2) the Soviet strategy of the Far North development dictated mainly the technocratic and commodity character of the territory exploitation; (3) modern Russia inherits the definition of the priorities of the state policy in the Arctic Region from the Soviet Union and relies on the territorial and production complexes cre-ated back in the USSR. The reviewer expresses serious doubts about the scientific productivity of the classic geopolitical paradigm used by the authors of the monograph: geared towards large-scale generalizations, it is simply unable to capture the full range of contradictions arising in the process of exploration of the Arctic Region. Hence the authors’ tendency to present the entire process of Arctic Region exploration as predetermined, while in reality the history of the Russian Arctic Region colonization is full of collisions; it is more intermittent than consis-tent. In particular, draws attention the constant reproduction of the same topoi in the rhetoric of Arctic Region ex-ploration. For example, from age to age, it has been repeated that the Northern Sea Route is just about to be-come the largest transnational waterway. The reviewer notes the ambiguity of practical recommendations of the authors. Thus, repeatedly expressing the idea of Russia’s interest in the international cooperation in the develop-ment of the Arctic, the authors are concerned to the same extent that foreign partners may force Russia out of the region. The review is aimed at opening a debate on approaches to understanding the Soviet experience in the Arctic Region development.

scholarly journals Precision CMB measurements with long-duration stratospheric balloons: activities in the Arctic

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S288) ◽  
pp. 208-213
Author(s):  
P. de Bernardis ◽  
S. Masi ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Microwave Background ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Microwave Background ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
The Arctic Region

AbstractWe report on the activities preparing long duration stratospheric flights, suitable for CMB (Cosmic Microwave Background) measurements, in the Arctic region. We focus on pathfinder flights, and on two forthcoming experiments to be flown from Longyearbyen (Svalbard islands): the OLIMPO Sunyaev-Zeldovich spectrometer, and the Large-Scale Polarization Explorer (LSPE).

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