Formation and assessment of ecological risks of urban landscapes in industrial cities of Belarus

The problems of the formation of hazardous natural and man-made processes in industrial cities, contributing to the emergence of environmental risks, are presented. To date, an extensive literary material has been accumulated on this problem, concerning the causes of its occurrence, analysis of the patterns of development, and the possibilities of managing risks, including the environmental ones. It has been established that the list of reasons for the formation of risks in cities lacks one of the most important factors that we have discovered – the structure of urban landscapes, which are quite large objects of urban development. To identify the role of these objects in the formation of environmental risks, the cities of Orsha and Pinsk were selected. These cities were laid down almost simultaneously at the beginning of the 11th century, but they have a different history of development. Maps of urban landscapes of cities were compiled, geochemical studies of their soil cover were carried out, geochemical and thermal anomalies of the surface were revealed, the volumes of ecosystem services (carbon absorption) by green spaces were calculated. It was found that urban landscapes perform various functions in the system of environmental risks: some of them contribute to the development of hazardous processes, others – to mitigate them. So, soil pollution with heavy metals (with an excess of the content of Pb, Cr and Cu over the MPC by 1.2–5.6 times in Pinsk), the strongest heating of the surface (8–16 °C higher than the air temperature in Pinsk and Orsha) and low carbon deposition (100–500 t per year) are typical for urban landscapes of the historical center, urban landscapes with a predominance of industrial buildings, urban landscapes for complex residential multi-storey, public and industrial buildings. Urban landscapes, in the structure of which there are elements of landscape and recreational areas of public use (parks, forest parks, squares), as well as agricultural lands and water bodies, are characterised by a low content of heavy metals in soils (below the MPC in Pinsk, below the background in Orsha), low surface temperature (2–3 °C higher than the air temperature), high volume of carbon deposition (2.6–2.8 thsd t per year). An assessment of the probability of risks associated with the described processes was carried out, which helped to find out that they correspond to the categories of «acceptable» and «neglected», options for risk management were proposed.

Economic-geographical assessment of the demographic situation and economic potential of the inter-capital Belarusian-Russian borderlands

Geographic research of the phenomenon of inter-capital space of the Belarusian-Russian border region is an actual research area problem for the socio-economic geography of Belarus and Russia. This is due to the objective need to develop mechanisms of overcoming the demographic and economic peripherality of the region and embedding regional economic systems of border regions into the system of local relations. The purpose of the research is to identify the current distinctive features of the demographic and economic development of the inter-capital space of the Belarusian-Russian border region with the establishment of its niche from the point of the central-peripheral approach. During the analysis of the demographic situation of the inter-capital space of the Belarusian-Russian borderlands, it was established that, generally, in 1999–2019, its main feature was peripherality with the three zones established – the central demographic periphery, the buffer demographic periphery and the demographic semi-periphery – with a predominance in the structure of the first zone. Geographically, the central periphery zone is formed mainly by the rural borderland areas. According to the results of the analysis of the industrial development level, it was discovered that the inter-capital space of the Belarusian-Russian borderlands is characterised by a high degree of spatial inequality due to the development of large industrial centers around the existing periphery. This research had established a spatial differentiation of the transportation accessibility (by the connectivity of administrative centers of the borderlands) and the productivity of road transportation. The economicgeographical analysis of the foreign trade had revealed the diversity of directions and intensity of foreign goods trade between the Belarusian-Russian borderlands, mainly expressed in the predominance of the export-oriented regions with the per capita foreign trade turnover estimated at up to 2000 US dollars.

Shifts in the geographical and commodity structure of production and world export of high-technology industrial products with different R&D intensity

The industrialisation of the world economy continues to develop not only at the expense of economically developed, but also at the expense of developing countries. This leads to a spatial regrouping of forces in the architecture of world industry at the regional and global levels. Changes can be traced both in production and in trade in products of hightechnology industries. The purpose of the study is to characterise modern processes in the global manufacturing industry, to show the changing role of regions in the world industry and world trade in products of knowledge- and technologyintensive (KTI) industries with varying degrees of research and development (R&D) intensity, to identify the role of a new leading region, as well as the positions of China and other countries. In the course of the research, Asia’s stable leadership in the production and export of products of high-technology industries with varying degrees of R&D intensity was established. It is shown that at present the Asia region is the leader, first of all, due to the industrial development of China, the share of which is about 30 % in the production of products of the world manufacturing industry. At the same time, the share of China in the manufacturing industry of the Asian region (the modern leader of the world industry) exceeds 50 % (as well as in the trade in industrial products of the countries of this region) already. China came out on top in the export of all groups of high-technology goods with varying degrees of R&D intensity, including in the export of high-technology goods with high R&D intensive (23 and 20 % of world exports, respectively). China is the leader in the production (26 %) and export (12 %) of high-technology goods with medium-high R&D intensity also. The strengthening of the position of the Asian region in the world industry and world trade of knowledge- and technology-intensive goods in the second decade of the 21st century is revealed.

Quantitative petrography: approaches and applications

Quantitative petrography is a scientific and industrial direction of geology, which made huge progress due to developments and inventions in information technology and optics in the last decade. This article is introducing the modern and scientific directions of quantitative petrography and describes their current state of art as well as methodical approaches and their application. The research objects of quantitative macropetrography are hand specimens, borehole cores and polished tiles, and of micropetrography are thin and polished sections of rocks samples, splitted rock surfaces and immersion preparations. The goal of the research is to develop and present new methodological approaches of digital microscopy for the analysis of ores, rocks and minerals, as well as to investigate the morphological image analysis capabilities for the transforming from the classical description methods to quantitative petrography.

Criteries and prospects of diamonds of the Vitebsk granulite massif

The article describes the history of studying the diamond content of tectonic structures of the territory of Belarus. Based on the results of magnetometric, mineralogical, tectonic studies carried out by industrial geologists and scientists over the past 50 years, new scientifically substantiated criteria for the search for explosion pipes have been developed using Clifford’s rule, according to which kimberlite explosion pipes are developed within the Archean cratons, where the thickness of the lithosphere is 175–270 km, and are absent in the zones of Early Proterozoic stabilisation and tectonomagmatic activation. Explosion tubes on the African-Arabian, East Siberian, Sino-Korean and East European platforms demonstrate their confinement to the Archean cratons and may be associated with zones of paleosubduction of the Proterozoic oceanic crust beneath the Archean cratons. Based on this, the authors scientifically substantiated the hypothesis that during the closure of the Early Proterozoic paleoocean separating the Fenno-Scandinavian craton from the Volga-Ural and Sarmatian cratons, subduction of the younger crust took place under these cratons, the southwestern corner of which on the territory of Belarus is the Vitebsk granulite massif. The article concludes that the Vitebsk granulite massif is the most promising in terms of diamond-bearing on the territory of Belarus, and within its limits – the Smolensk regional deep fault at the intersection of this fault of northeastern striking with the Odessa-Gomel regional deep fault of submeridional striking south of the city of Orsha. Recommendations are given for further study of promising areas in order to determine their diamond content.

Assessment of soil erosion hazard and its mapping using GIS technologies

The article presents a method for creating a territory erosion hazard integrated map using RUSLE integral model, Earth remote sensing data and GIS technologies. The studies carried out on this topic are presented, the analysis of which has shown a more active use of integral indicators of water-erosion processes in foreign scientific works. Urgency of updating methodology for studying erosion processes has been substantiated. Theoretical foundations of the application of integral models of soil erosion are given, the application of the RUSLE model is substantiated, and the optimal way of using this model is proposed. The research methodology has been developed, consisting of primary processing of remote sensing data, calculation of the factors of erosion development and creation of a territory erosion hazard integrated map. Based on the processing of aerial photography materials, a point cloud, a digital elevation model and an orthomosaic map of the study area were created. The results of the geoinformation analysis of the remote sensing data, which included calculation of the soil erodibility factor and the topographic factor, are presented. Based on the integral indicator of watererosion hazard, a complex map of the erosion hazard of the territory has been created. Main patterns of geographical distribution of the values of the integral indicator of the water-erosion hazard of the territory are revealed, devised methodology is assessed. It was found that the schematic map reflects the general pattern of water erosion processes: they are more active in places where more dissected relief is spread. Influence of the soil factor on the pattern of the schematic map is shown: the pattern in the territories occupied by sod-podzolic loamy soils qualitatively differs from the pattern on the lands where sod-podzolic sandy loam soils are widespread. Patterns on the schematic map of different parts of the developed linear forms of relief, formed by temporary streams, are described. It is shown that the proposed method can be used to assess the water-erosion hazard of the territory. The need to take into account a larger number of factors and to refine the assessment of existing ones is concluded.

Precipitation extremes over territory of Belarus under current climate change

The study presents an investigation of current and future changes in precipitation regime over territory of Belarus. An assessment of precipitation means and extremes and droughts indices was provided for period of 1948–2019 and more detailed analysis have been carried out for period of climate change in 1989–2019. The precipitation expected changes were studied for period of 2021–2099. It was established that precipitation growth up to 20–30 % in winter during 1989–2019 in comparison by 1948–1988, is connected with increase the number of days with weak precipitation and caused by growing duration of liquid precipitation falling. In summer the reducing of rain falling duration was noticed over territory of Belarus. At the same time the significant growth of precipitation maximal totals per day by 20–30 % was detected. The largest growth was found in the south of the country. Dry days number raised by 1–4 days and dry and hot days numbers raised by 1–2 days per decade. The repeatability of atmosphere droughts of different gradations increased up to 2–26 % by the majority of meteorological stations. According to climate projections based on the EURO-CORDEX-11, the growth of yearly and seasonal precipitation is expected over territory of Belarus. The precipitation increase is connected with growth of intense precipitation. At the same time, the dry periods duration is projected to rise in the warm part of the year. These tendencies are characterised the climate extremeness increase in the current century.

About the causes of pine drying in the Belarusian Polesje

Тhe results of identifying the causes of mass drying of pine trees in the Belarusian Polesje are presented. The object of the study is its modern generations on the former depleted sandy arable land and in natural conditions of growth. It is revealed that in the conditions of groundwater reduction after drainage reclamation in modern climatic conditions, the increase in the inflow of direct solar radiation in the 21st century was the limiting factor for the suppression of the stem productivity of pine, which led to the death of the stand.

Site selection for solar photovoltaic system installation using analytical hierarchy process model in Azerbaijan

The most suitable sites for solar photovoltaic power installations are determined through a comprehensive assessment of the meteorological, economic and environmental criteria of the energy potential areas. The basic criteria for location selection are evaluated using an analytical hierarchy process method based on multi-criteria decision-making technique for large-scale solar photovoltaic projects. The analytical hierarchy process model is also applied to evaluate areas of high solar potential and factors that are primary criteria for determinate the site suitability index modelling. This method considers various conditions, such as production and technological considerations, which aim to maximise the short-term profit from the project and the efficiency of power generation. In the study, a consistency ratio of suitable localities was determined and proper alternatives for the construction of photovoltaic installations were evaluated. In addition to local meteorology and related satellite measurement data, the country’s radiation values also were compared by converting a digital elevation model data using the tool «Area solar radiation» in GIS. As a result of calculating the site suitability index with the ArcGIS weighted overlay tool, it was concluded that 1.17 % (1016.8 km2) of the country are the most suitable sites for the installation of solar PV systems. These areas mainly include Khizi, Gobustan, Hajigabul, Beylagan, Sharur, Babek and Jeyranchol zones. The total number of locations identified accross the country, classified into 3 categories according to their level of suitability, includes 40 sites. Eight of these high suitability sites, all in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, contain 11 % (109.2 km2) of the total potential area. The remaining 32 sites, corresponding to areas with medium and low energy potential, cover 28 % (284.6 km2) and 61 % (623 km2), respectively. When these areas are completely covered with PV panels, it will be possible to fully supply the energy demand of the country with solar energy.

The importance of topography in the occurrence of glacial valleys in Belarus

The relief of the ice-sheet bed predetermines the location of the valleys both in vast regions and in local, relatively limited areas. The influence of the relief in a large region on the formation of valleys occurs in lowland, more dissected northern and western regions of Belarus. Here, the bedrock relief plays a key role in appearance the hollow-like Vidzovsky, Polotsk and Surazh glacial erosion depressions and in isolation of the elevations separating them. The distribution of these largest forms of glacial erosion is associated with the regional picture of the glacial ice flow in topographic depressions, increased erosion of the ice bed, which developed under the glacial streams and lobes of the Scandinavian ice sheet. The degree and character of the relief dissection, the size, surface slope and orientation of the depressions, river paleo-valleys, elevations, and escarps had a leading role in the location of valleys in local, relatively limited areas. Their significance for the formation of valleys was to determine the local picture of the glacial flow and the areas where stresses were concentrated at the bed and glacial erosion intensified. The formation of tunnel valleys was possible in depressions and in the dissected relief of the glacial bed, which contributed to the accumulation of meltwater, the formation of subglacial lakes, as well as the concentration of meltwater in the subglacial channels.