Bulgarian Academy Of Sciences Research Articles

One Hundred and Thirty-Five Years of Ornithology in Bulgaria: The Role of the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in the Development of Ornithology in Bulgaria—Representatives, Collections and Achievements

For the first time, an attempt has been made to present, chronologically and in a systematized form, the development of ornithological studies at the National Museum of Natural History in Sofia (Bulgaria) from its foundation in the last decades of the 19th century to the present day. This 135-year period (1889–2024) includes the work of 12 curators of the ornithological collections. Their major contributions and most-significant ornithological publications are also presented.

Десети форум „Българска граматика“ на тема „Феноменът устна реч“

The 10th edition of the Forum on Bulgarian Grammar, titled The Spoken Language Phenomenon, was held in Sofia on 20 and 21 October 2023. The Forum was organised by the Institute for Bulgarian Language Prof. Lyubomir Andreychin at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Department of Bulgarian Language at the Konstantin Preslavsky University of Shumen. It was dedicated to one of the most distinguished Bulgarian linguists of our time – Corresponding Member Prof. Dr. Todor Boyadzhiev.

MONITORING OF GLACIERS ON HORSESHOE ISLAND, ANTARCTICA BASED ON A DEEP LEARNING APPROACH FROM HIGH-RESOLUTION ORTHOPHOTOS (TAE-6 & TAE-7)

Abstract. Global climate change is a phenomenon that seriously affects the balance of a wide variety of ecosystems and is the intense focus of climate scientists and environmental researchers. In this context, periodic monitoring of glacier areas in terms of a better understanding of atmosphere-ocean interactions; thus, predicting the effects of climate change and planning against future threats by evaluating environmental impacts is an important research area. Especially the polar regions, where the melting of glaciers and the rise of sea levels are visibly observed, are important for climate scientists in providing crucial observations to understand and predict global climate change. In this study, within the scope of the international bilateral cooperation project carried out in cooperation with Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) (Project No: 121N033), the spatial changes in snow/glacier areas obtained from UAV Photogrammetry products generated during the 6th and 7th Antarctic National Science Expeditions. Snow/glacier areas were segmented with the K-Net deep learning approach which has been previously tested for accuracy and provides glacier mapping with accuracy metrics over 99%, on the high spatial resolution orthophotos produced during the two periods. The snow/glacier areas difference between the two periods were calculated and compared and water bodies which are critical areas, were specifically examined. The result of this comparison shows that the glacier area decreased by approximately 11% in just 1 year. However, to better understand these changes in snow/glacier areas, the region needs to be observed closely for longer time periods. It is thought that future studies will contribute to efforts to manage global environmental impacts and cope with climate change by focusing on monitoring and better understanding changes in these critical regions.

Four Innovative Drone Interceptors

Recent innovations in unmanned aerial vehicles facilitate the availability of these sophisticated devices to almost all individuals, entities and companies anywhere in the world. The various benefits drones offer might be employed in both legal and illegal scenarios. Misuse of drones is only limited to one's imagination. Common plots encompass terrorist acts, smuggling of materials over borders, spying, etc.
 The advance of drone technologies asks for adequate and proportional anti-drone developments.
 This paper focuses on a few recent anti-drone inventions established during 2023 in Space Research and Technology Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Four inventions of anti-drone interceptors are presented here. These devices are drones themselves. The inventions elaborate on the method of interception and neutralisation rather than on the detection and tracking process. All four innovations are small in size, lightweight and can be carried in multiple numbers and launched by a single person. The interceptors might be reused for several launches.

Preface

The International Summer School on Vacuum, Electron and Ion Technologies (VEIT) has been organized biennially since 1978, when the series of VEIT Schools was launched by the Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, with the aim to act as a forum for exchange and dissemination of knowledge and ideas on the latest developments in electron-, ion-, and plasma-assisted technologies. The organizers of the 2023 edition of the event were the Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria and the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The School is a major scientific event and a meeting place for young scientists involved in research and development associated with high-tech industries. Many former School participants went on to become successful scientists in their field of research in leading institutions and companies all over the world. The School Proceedings have been published in special issues of the international journals Vacuum, Plasma Processes and Polymers, Journal of Physics: Conference Series.The twenty-third edition of VEIT was held in the Black Sea resort Sozopol, Bulgaria, from 18 to 22 September 2023. It was attended by 108 participants (33 students and young researchers) from 16 countries on two continents: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Netherlands, Ukraine, UK.The School Program covered a large spectrum of fundamental problems of the nanotechnologies, the interaction of charged particles with solid surfaces, the deposition and characterization of thin films, which were balanced out by reports on a wide range of significant high-technology applications – from equipment for deposition of hard coatings or thin optical/protective films to nanostructures prepared via evaporation, sputtering or irradiation. By their subjects, the lectures and reports were grouped for presentation and discussion in three sessions, each of them including oral presentations at plenary sessions and posters.List of Chairs of the School, International Advisory Committee, Local Organizing Committee, Invited Speakers, Participants are available in the pdf.

Preface

The International Conference Kliment’s days 2023 (KD2023) is a notable event held from 9-11 November 2023 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The annual scientific conference is organised by the Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. KD2023 served as a platform for the exchange of knowledge, sharing experiences, and fostering collaboration on innovative approaches within the fields of Biodiversity and Biological Education, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, and Ecology and Sustainable Development. The conference featured a plenary session during which esteemed speakers present the following plenary lectures:• Boris Kryštufek, Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Back to the future: reemergence of natural history.• Ariola Bacu, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Albania, Biological indicators & single-cell cytotoxicity sensing - lessons learned on the quality of waters.• Adele Muscolo, Department of Agraria, “Mediterranean” University, Reggio Calabria, Italy, Fertilizer produced with wastes modulates antioxidant compounds and activities in tomato.• Ioannis P. Gerothanassis, Section of Organic Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, Greece, Ligand-observed NMR: principles and applications in the field of biocatalysed reactions, ligand-macromolecular interactions and investigations at the cellular level.• Miodrag Stojkovic, SPEBO Medical, Leskovac, Serbia, Human pluripotent stem cells – a unique tool to decipher specific cell responses, diseases, and biomarkers.• Antoaneta Trendafilova, Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria, Secondary metabolites in Inula species from the Bulgarian flora and biotechnological approaches for their accumulation (as part of the Satellite Scientific Symposium “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants for Innovative Bioactive Products - MAPBIO”).A total of 148 participants actively engaged in KD2023, which included the parallel Satellite Scientific Symposium (MAPBIO). In addition to the plenary lectures, the conference featured 16 oral presentations delivered by a diverse group comprising four foreign authors, twelve Bulgarian authors, including five young scientists and PhD students. During the poster session, over 112 poster presentations were presented with over 200 participants, encompassing 15 foreign authors and 76 young scientists, students and PhD students. Additional information about the KD2023, including program, book of abstracts, etc. can be found on the official website of the conference: https://www.biofac.info.The successful execution of KD2023 was made possible through the support of the University Science Fund, as well as the dedicated efforts of the scientific and organizing committee. The active involvement of student volunteers in the event, along with the contributions of all third parties, played a crucial role in ensuring the event’s success.We are delighted to note the widespread resonance of the event within the scientific community, drawing participants from a diverse range of countries, including Albania, Slovenia, Greece, Italy, the Republic of Kosovo, the Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, etc. The conference also attracted participants from various Universities and institutions in Bulgaria.The use of the Morressier platform facilitated a seamless reviewing process, showcasing the responsive collaboration between the editorial team, reviewers, participants, and the Morressier team.List of Editors, Conference Committee are available in this Pdf.

Peer Review Statement

All papers published in this volume have been reviewed through processes administered by the Editors. Reviews were conducted by expert referees to the professional and scientific standards expected of a proceedings journal published by IOP Publishing.• Type of peer review: Single anonymous• Conference submission management system: Morressier• Number of submissions received: 42• Number of submissions sent for review: 42• Number of submissions accepted: 41• Acceptance Rate (Submissions Accepted / Submissions Received × 100): 97.61%• Average number of reviews per paper: 2.05• Total number of reviewers involved: 19• Contact person for queries:Name: Borislava GeorgievaAffiliation: Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chaussee, 1784 Sofia, BulgariaEmail: b.georgiewa@abv.bg, b.georgieva@ie.bas.bg* means value has been edited

European Journal of Geography (Year 2023): Reviewer Appreciation & Publication Recap

European Journal of Geography (Year 2023): Reviewer Appreciation & Publication Recap

Thread Dolls: Bone Heads Belonging to Islamic Rag Dolls in the Collection of the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

In the collections of the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences are stored four bone objects that are of an extraordinary and unconventional nature. They are anthropomorphic faces made of bone with an elongated irregular rectangular shape (in some places with rounded areas), pointed at one end. The aim of this publication is to present more information on the chronology, interpretation and cultural affiliation of these interesting artefacts. The artefacts were received by NAIM–BAS in the 1980s, with no information available on the circumstances of their acquisition and no receipt from the previous owner. There is no information whatsoever about their original archaeological environment, and whether or not they were acquired as a result of regular archaeological research, or whether they were the subject of unauthorised archaeological activity, such as the illegal trafficking of movable cultural property etc. Based on a brief overview, it can be said that the finds from NAIM–BAS can be attributed to the period of Islamic art generated during the Arab expansion in the lands of the Near East between the 7th–10th/12th centuries. Their interpretation as parts of several rag or dressed dolls is based on the definitions of similar finds from the territories of present-day Israel, Egypt and Palestine. This conclusion is based on the archaeological context in which these objects were found, as well as the hypotheses circulating in scholarly circles regarding their use and place in the daily life of people during this period. Taking into account the geographical area of their distribution, the archaeological context and the anthropomorphic specifics, it can be assumed that the finds from the NAIM–BAS collection are probably of similar origin, interpretation and chronology, although their natural area of manifestation is far removed from the borders of the Bulgarian lands and the European Southeast.

Mercury in geological materials from Bulgaria: Significance, applications, new analytical capabilities, and initial results

The chemical properties of mercury (Hg) such as volatility, organic affinity, multiple oxidation states and extreme biotoxicity, determine its various industrial applications, but also health hazard concerns. Mercury data on geologic materials are important for characterizing the main sources and sinks of Hg, for tracking volcanic activity in the geology past, for refining regional and global stratigraphic correlations, and for minimizing anthropogenic mercury emissions. Newly obtained Hg and CHNS analyzers available at the Geological Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, facilitate new geologic and environmental research in Bulgaria. Here we show initial results for the accuracy and precision of our Hg analyses based on repeated measurements of certified reference material NIST 2702 and identify avenues for further analytical improvements. The encouraging results allow for the initiation of diverse geological and ecological studies that are needed, but currently lacking in Bulgaria.

Psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) in the entomological collection of the National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

The entomological collection of the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia (NMNHS) preserves a total of 89 specimens representing 25 species of jumping plant lice (Hemiptera: Psylloidea). These were recorded and digitised in the Specify platform as part of the Distributed System of Scientific Collections project (DissCo-BG). This paper summarises all available data on these specimens. Twenty-four species were collected in Bulgaria, one species in Greece. Voucher specimens for Psylloidea published in a historical treatise on the Bulgarian fauna of Hemiptera by Dimitar Joakimov were not found in the NMNHS and are most likely lost. However, Joakimov’s collection, later acquired and supplemented by the museum, contains unpublished material, including three species reported here for the first time from Bulgaria: Aphalara maculipennis Löw, 1886, Cacopsylla ulmi (Foerster, 1848) and Dyspersa abdominalis (Flor, 1861).

Physics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (1946–1988)

Physics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (1946–1988)

Second Information Day: Research Infrastructure Services in the Humanities and Social Sciences

The main results of the work of the team of Institute of Mathematics and Informatics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences on the project CLaDA- BG – the Bulgarian National Interdisciplinary Research e-Infrastructure for Resources and Technologies in Favor of the Bulgarian Language and Cultural Heritage, Part of the EU Infrastructures CLARIN and DARIAH, will be presented during the Information Day within the DiPP2023 conference. The main emphasis will be placed on current and ongoing developments and implementations of CultIS - a web-based software platform for the intelligent digital management and presentation of large data sets and knowledge from the field of culture, humanities and social sciences.

Multicopters for Geophysical Research

The current paper presents three multicopters developed at the Space Research and Technology Institute – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. These unmanned aircraft designs are aimed at geophysical research and are particularly usable for detection of objects on ground surface and underground. The detection is realized by taking advantage of certain objects' properties. Metals and other conductors are identified by their electrical conductivity. Ferromagnetic objects are discovered by observing their magnetic permeability. Voids and other objects are localized utilizing the difference of the dielectric permittivity that is encountered on the boundary of the object and surrounding ground or rock.
 Some of the potential targets discoverable with the described geophysical drones are military land mines (including anti-personnel and anti-tank mines), ammunition depots, reservoirs, pipelines, underground galleries, voids, bunkers, tunnels, etc.
 All three developments are subject to patent protection.

Radiation protection studies for the INRNE-BAS cyclotron facility using Monte Carlo FLUKA code

The Bulgarian National Cyclotron Centre at the Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (INRNE-BAS), is going to be a new facility dedicated to production of medical radioisotopes and research in the corresponding fields. This work details the shielding requirements of the facility and the preliminary radiological studies that we have carried out. The activity concentration of the long-lived radioisotopes is also evaluated which provides a useful guideline for the decommissioning plan of the facility. For these purposes we have performed simulations with the Monte Carlo particle transport and interaction code FLUKA.

XXII International Conference and School on Quantum Electronics: “Laser Physics and Applications”

The International School on Quantum Electronics “Laser Physics and Applications” was held for the first time as far back as 1980. Since then it has taken place biennially and has become an important international event in the field of laser physics and laser applications attracting participants from many countries, especially from south-eastern Europe. Traditionally, its program includes lectures delivered by prominent scientists dealing with investigations of basic physical phenomena, processes of interaction of laser radiation with matter and latest scientific results obtained in the research areas of quantum electronics and optics, as well as the technological practical applications of new ideas, devices, instruments and laser systems. Special attention is paid to the active participation of students and young scientists who have the opportunity to present their results and meet and share experience with outstanding professionals in their particular fields of research.The topics include the following:• Laser-matter interactions • Laser spectroscopy and metrology • Laser remote sensing and ecology • Lasers in biology and medicine • Laser systems and nonlinear optics • Alternative techniques for material synthesis and processing The 22nd edition of the ICSQE was held as a virtual forum due to the restrictions related to COVID-19 pandemic from September 19th to 23rd, 2022. The Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, located in Sofia, Bulgaria, hosted the conference organization. The Big Blue Button on-line system was used as a technical platform for the meeting. The technical sessions of the International School on Quantum Electronics included 22 invited talks (30 min + 5 min Q&A), a Mini-Symposium “Extreme light infrastructure”, 11 oral contributions (30 min + 5 min Q&A) and in total 51 poster presentations divided into 5 sessions (1 hour each). The platform was available 24 hours, allowing discussions in addition to the technical program. The total number of participants was 90 from 16 countries.The XXII International Conference and School on Quantum Electronics: “Laser Physics and Applications” was held by the financial support from the Bulgarian National Science Fund under Project No. KP-06-MNF/4, 20.07.2022.List of Committees, International Advisory Committee, Program Committee, Local Organizing Committee, Lecturers, Oral Presentations, Poster Presentations are available in this pdf.

Quality of Life

The thematic focus of this issue of Postmodernism Problems is the dynamics and transformations in the quality of life of social communities in Bulgaria and Romania. The publications in it are the result of the implementation of a joint research project under the inter-academic cooperation between the Bulgarian and Romanian Academies, and more specifically between the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Research Institute for Quality of Life at the Romanian Academy on the topic: “Transformations in the quality of life of social communities in the conditions of globalization: challenges and perspectives (2022 – 2023)”. The concept of quality of life has a very high heuristic potential as it affects a wide range of contexts, including social development, politics, employment, and international relations. In this issue of Postmodernism Problems, we tried to present some specificities of Bulgaria and Romania in terms of the state, dynamics, and perspectives of the quality of life in both countries in the aspect of its various objective and subjective indicators. The results show that there are many similarities between the two countries, both historically and culturally, and in the most recent developments of Bulgaria and Romania after 2007 in relation to EU membership. This familiar context has repercussions on social processes related to changes in the quality of life of local communities. The study of transformations in the quality of life of different social communities in the two neighboring countries enriches the research field on the topic and allows for an analysis of what is happening in two related national contexts in the conditions of globalization.

Disasters – Sociocultural Effects on the Quality of Life of Local Communities

This article presents an analysis of the impact of disasters on the quality of life of local communities. Its empirical basis is collected field material within the framework of a study conducted by the Institute for Еthnology and Folklore Studies with the Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences as part of the project "Local Disasters and Quality of Life: Cultural Strategies in Overcoming Natural, Technological and Biological Catastrophes", funded from National Science Fund of the Ministry of Education and Science. The empirical data, on the basis of which the theoretical analysis is carried out, concern two natural disasters that occurred in Bulgaria - the earthquake in Pernik in 2012 and the flood in the Asparuhovo district in 2014. Research results show that the disaster affects, albeit to different degrees and in different ways, all components of the "quality of life" category, changing them at the moment or creating conditions for their later change. It has a powerful impact on the material and economic side of people's lives as the basis of their social well-being, which is entirely in a negative direction. Also negative is the impact of the disaster event on the affected person's physical and mental health, sense of security, tranquility, and mental balance. Unexpectedly, it turns out that disaster can also positively impact people's quality of life. This is most often in terms of their social connectedness and cohesion when the disaster event catalyzes social connections and support. Striving to restore the pre-disaster quality of life leads to social change that reflects the experience of survival through changes in local traditions and everyday life and the creation of new cultural memory and places of memory, thus building a new post-disaster model of social relations, accumulating gained experience and refracting it through the unique situation.

A Critical Reflection on the "Deficits to be Overcome" in Urban Agriculture in Bulgaria

What are the real vs. the potential effects of urban agriculture (UA) on the welfare of communities living in the city and the close-by areas – this is amongst the main queries posited by the book "Urban Agriculture for Improving the Quality of Life. Examples from Bulgaria", edited by Donna Pickard. A multidisciplinary study that leans on scientific data and unravels the interplay between the impact of UA practices and the quality of life. Content-wise, this research involves multi-layered analyses on the subject – UA has been viewed through social, educational, economic, spatial, and ecological aspects. At the beginning of the book, there is a text about the historical dimension of UA in Bulgaria, revealing curious information about what urban agriculture looked like in the 1930s in Sofia. An intriguing find, for instance, is that people working in the newly established National Assembly raised poultry in a parliamentary annex building during the first years of their service. The book has been awarded the scientific and applied achievement of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IPhS-BAS) for 2022 after the General Assembly of Scientists vote in January 2023. The values of this scientific work are listed below.

Social Inclusion of the Elderly as an Indicator of the Quality of Life

The article analyzes the quality of life of elderly people aged over 55 years in Bulgaria concerning their social inclusion in society; the analysis is based on a representative social survey of people aged 55+ entitled “Study on the Quality of Life of People Aged 55+ in Bulgaria”, conducted in 2022 by the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. One thousand thirty respondents were surveyed. In the article, the quality of life of elderly people in terms of their social inclusion is studied through objective and subjective indicators. The survey results indisputably show that, by objective indicators of social inclusion of elderly people, the degree of social engagement of people aged 55+ in Bulgaria is not exceptionally high; such engagement consists, above all, of frequent social contact with close relatives, friends and neighbors, and assisting relatives, friends, and neighbors. The levels of social inclusion fall sharply regarding formalized social participation in volunteer activities for various organizations or even attendance at cultural events and interest clubs. However, we find that in terms of subjective assessments, the level of social engagement of elderly people corresponds fully to their needs and expectations for a whole and meaningful life, which thus makes satisfaction with the degree of social inclusion as a subjective indicator of the quality of social life, a factor that links the two levels of quality of life – individual and social. Thus, although objective indicators of social inclusion of elderly people in our country do not always indicate high levels of social engagement, subjective satisfaction with social inclusion points to a quality of life at the social level that fulfills the conditions for social cohesion and integration of elderly people in the life of society.