Assessment of the pathogenesis of visual impairment naval specialists of the arctic zone of the russian federation during the polar night

Introduction. The climatogeographic conditions of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation are determined by the proximity to the North Pole of the Earth and are characterized by a number of certain cyclical changes that do not take place in the middle latitudes — the polar day and the polar night. The high-latitude location determines the long period of the polar night, lasting from 98 to 133 days. Being the hallmark of the Arctic, the polar night is an integral part of service in the Arctic region, it has an impact on every geographically involved person, without exception.Purpose of work. To assess the mechanisms of the pathogenesis of visual impairment that develop during the polar night in naval specialists.Materials and research methods. The study involved 92 people. The surveyed contingent is male contract servicemen of the Navy, aged from 21 to 45 years. The analysis of the morbidity structure according to the ophthalmological profile was carried out during the polar night from November 20, 2020 to January 20, 2021 using an epidemiological method of a case-control study. The assessment of unfavorable climatic and geographical factors of the Arctic region during the polar night was carried out by the method of analytical observation and data recording from November 20, 2020 to January 20, 2021 using the example of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, Belushya Guba village. On the basis of an integral analysis of epidemiological indicators, climatogeographic and clinical and morphological observations, a pathophysiological assessment of diseases of the organ of vision, developing during the polar night in naval specialists, was carried out.Research results show a high level of ophthalmological morbidity during the polar night among naval specialists serving on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.Conclusions. Climatogeographic factors of the Arctic region have a polyetiological effect on the formation of mechanisms of pathogenesis of disorders of visual functions that develop in naval specialists during the polar night.

DEPLOYMENT OF PROFESSIONAL VHF COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS IN THE ARCTIC REGION

The importance of the Northern Sea Route as a global transport corridor, used for transportation of national and international cargo, will only increase because of the currently observed climatic changes. Currently, the only stable communication system there is satellite. The paper presents the results of software modeling of a technological radio communication line based on the VHF trunking network for sea vessels following a group along the Northern Sea Route.

Creative industries in the Arctic: a review of Russian scientific literature

The article reviews the points of view of Russian researchers on the development of creative industries in the Arctic. The main issues that are considered by domestic authors in the works on the development of creative industries in the Russian Arctic are identified, the opinions of the authors on the potential and problems of the development of the Arctic creative industries in the Russian Federation are analyzed. It is concluded that the works of Russian researchers mainly consider such issues as the essence of the concept of "creative industries", the relevance of the development of Arctic entrepreneurship in the Russian Federation, the prospects for the development of creative industries in the Arctic regions of Russia, the level of development of creative industries as a measure of economic development, potential of creative practice in the Arctic region, issues of forming an active creative class, the attractiveness of the Arctic region for the development of creative industries and key problems of the development of creative industries in the Russian Arctic. According to most authors, the main task of the creative industries in the Russian Arctic is to ensure the dynamic development of small businesses in this macroregion. The potential of creative practice in the Arctic region, from the point of view of domestic authors, lies in the development of tourism and social innovation, as well as in the preservation and reproduction of the national culture of the indigenous peoples of the North and the Arctic. The formation of an active creative class in the region is difficult due to the impact of such factors as the mono-sectoral nature of local economies, a high concentration of capital in the field of environmen.

Involvement of 'Outsiders' in the Arctic Region

Since ancient times people have had access to the Arctic Circle, however, the last few decades have seen recent technological advancements that have allowed the area to be explored more comprehensively. This has created a significantly more complex picture than before as it has been called the new “Great Game.” With the rising interests of eight nations and other non-Arctic countries in the region, overlapping territorial claims have the potential to create new challenges. It is anticipated that increased interest will lead to an increase in the number of vessels transiting the region, despite harsh climate conditions. Meanwhile, the Arctic is experiencing environmental change that is inescapably leading to a new geopolitical reality. Authors, such as Jason Dittmer, have claimed that “The Arctic is evolving from a regional frozen backwater into a global hot issue.” This article discusses the colliding interests and current state of affairs of the three Arctic Council Asian observer countries, China, Japan, and South Korea, as well as those of two observer organizations, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Union (EU). Sustainability is one of the major priorities of these countries, which has been reflected in their Arctic policies. The reason for examining China, Japan, and South Korea is that they are growing superpowers and industrialized countries with varying interests in regards to the Arctic region.

An Overview of National and International Environmental Laws pertaining to Arctic States and Their Work with the Arctic Council

The latest International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report published in August 2021 demonstrated that the Arctic region drastically feels the impacts of climate change. Several laws and policies contribute to the governance of the reduction of emissions which impact the Arctic polar region. This work will analyse the inclusion of language relating to the Arctic region in several key Arctic countries’ climate policies and in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted in requirement of being parties to the Paris Agreement. Arctic policies of these same countries will then be analysed to determine the degree to which they stipulate action relating to the Arctic environment. Finally, the several research projects and initiatives conducted by the Arctic Council’s two working groups, the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) and the Arctic Contaminants Action Programme (ACAP), will be overviewed to demonstrate their contributions to the best available science and practice in the region. This paper will look into how, and to what extent, the research of the Arctic Council working groups can be considered a mechanism of soft law in Arctic environmental governance. Consideration will also be given to how this relates to soft law governance stemming from the Law of the Sea (LOSC).

Russia, NATO and the Arctic: Rivalry, Security, Possible Scenarios of Geopolitical Competition

The article is devoted to the analysis of key aspects of the geopolitical struggle for the Arctic region. The relevance of the research stems from the fact that due to climate change and the reduction of ice cover in the Northern Hemisphere, the Arctic is of increasing interest to world powers, which are competing for control over new deposits of natural resources and strategic dominance in the region. It is emphasized that the Arctic has become a region where leading states are trying to implement various geopolitical strategies. On the one hand, the four members of the Arctic Five under the auspices of NATO are trying to implement a scenario in which the polar zone is divided into stable zones of influence. On the other hand, there are the interests and position of Russia, which is concerned about the increased military activity of the United States and NATO in the region. The purpose of the article is to study the problems of the Arctic militarization, which will make it possible to identify challenges and threats in this region for Russias national strategy. The research methodology is based on theoretical analysis and dialectical method. In addition, the study used formal logical methods and various approaches to information processing (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction). The forecasting method helped to determine the range of possible military and political trends in the region. The article identifies the potential interests of Russia, the United States and NATO in the context of increased attention to the Arctic region in recent years. The study reflects a comparative analysis of the policies and interests of the member states of the Arctic Five and NATO, namely Denmark, Canada, Norway and the USA, their practical steps in the High North. The author describes possible prospects for interaction and dialogue on countering the main threats to international security within the framework of a comprehensive strategy. Considering the role and rivalry between Russia and NATO in the Arctic, the article highlights the authors forecasts of further military and political presence of NATO in the Arctic and the necessary actions for Russia to defend its northern territories.

Geologic and geophysical exploration of the Russian Arctic in search for new oil and gas regions

Many specialists who studied Russian Arctic and subarctic regions consider that the latter should be rich in various minerals, for example, gold, tin, coal, kimberlites and, especially in oil and gas. The purpose of the article is to show the potential of regional geological and geophysical (remote sensing) methods for the study of tectonic and morphological features of the structure of the Arctic region subsoil allowing to conduct a regional study of potential resources of oil and gas in the Arctic shelf areas as well as in the mountainous or swampy Subarctic regions of Eastern Siberia inaccessible for other exploration methods (for example, seismic surveying). This article presents the results of the conducted scientific work, which together with other geological and geophysical methods will make it possible to carry out better aerospace studies of the tectonic structure of the Arctic region. In particular, the article introduces a block diagram of a computer software package for mathematical processing and the geological and geophysical interpretation of remote sensing data obtained as a result of measurements over the Arctic and Subarctic regions. The findings obtained on morphological (concentric) structures of the central type formed as a result of the occurrence of paleo-mantle plumes are compared with independent data on geological and geophysical sections of the earth's crust constructed in the zones where these structures are located. The obtained data on the oil and gas potential of some regions of the Arctic and Subarctic are compared with the results of forecasts made by other researchers and organizations.

Peculiarities of Financing Road Activities in the Arctic Region: the Experience of the Murmansk Oblast

The article presents the results of a study of the peculiarities of financing the road economy of the Murmansk region — the Arctic region, the development of transport, including road, infrastructure of which acquires particular importance in the light of the implementation of national interests and priority directions of Russian state policy in the Arctic. In the course of work, the author considered the dynamics of spending funds from the Road Fund of the Murmansk region for 2012–2020. It has been determined that the existing volume of financing of the regional road infrastructure does not allow the region to fully implement the tasks of developing road infrastructure and improving the quality of highways (primarily local ones). It is concluded that additional funds are needed to finance the road infrastructure of the Arctic regions, including through the use of public-private partnership mechanisms. The results of the study can be used in the formation of a policy in the field of road facilities in the Murmansk region, as well as in further research on the financial support of road activities and the functioning of road funds.

Elemental Concentrations of Major and Trace Elements in the Spring Waters of the Arctic Region of Russia

The Arctic region of Russia is rich with natural water resources. Some residents of this area prefer to use water from spring sources instead of tap water. However, the elemental composition for most of the springs is unknown, making it very important to regularly update water quality data. In this paper, the chemical composition of 24 natural springs near large cities of the Murmansk region were identified via titration, potentiometry, and mass spectrometry analysis with the low detection limits. The concentrations of a considerable number of micro-components have been determined for the first time. Concentrations of some hazardous pollutants have been found in spring water that exceed Russian hygienic limits by 2.5 times. In terms of chemical indicators, it was shown that in accordance with European and national water standards, only half of the tested natural water sources in the Murmansk region can be used for drinking water. The preferential spring was recommended near each major city in the region according to a set of chemical parameters. The results of chemical composition of the spring waters were disseminated publicly by placing the tags with QR codes with the link to the cloud storage near each studied spring.

Introduction to the volume, and definition and use of the term ‘tectono-sedimentary element’

The present volume is rooted in a map of sedimentary successions of the Arctic Region by Grantz et al. (2011), and contains a brief, but comprehensive compilation of geological and geophysical data characterizing all significant sedimentary successions in the Arctic, which cover 57% of the polar area north of 64°N. Two main goals have been designated: (i) to provide, based on the present-day knowledge and data, a characterization of all Arctic sedimentary successions (or sedimentary accumulations), and (ii) to supply a snapshot of hydrocarbon-related exploration in the Arctic at the end of the second decade of this millennium. To achieve these goals, we represent sedimentary successions as consisting of one or several “Tectono-Sedimentary Elements” (TSE). This concept allows delineation, mapping, and characterization of 9 categories of TSEs based of main tectonic regimes that formed accommodation space.A TSE characterization template has been developed as an efficient method of organising and presenting the most important information about stratigraphy, structure, and petroleum geology of a TSE, including most significant exploration facts. This organizational architecture is the backbone of the volume and is a key feature that distinguishes it from other similar works about the sedimentary basins.