Siberian Region Research Articles

Ensuring coherence between China’s “Belt and Road” initiative and Eurasian Economic Union Project

The article examines the transport development of the intracontinental spaces of Eurasia and their interrelations with the Belt and Road initiative and the activities of the EAEU in infrastructure construction. The emergence of the Initiative is due to several large-scale global economic processes, such as the shift of the center of world production to Asia, China’s leading role in the global economy, its desire to form a different, more equitable model of world economic relations, the growth of geopolitical, transport and economic dynamics of intra-continental events. The central element of the Initiative is China’s willingness to finance local infrastructure projects in which there is a common interest. The integration project is focused on the state sovereignty of the participating countries, the transformation of the EAEU into a dynamically developing region of Eurasia, and the economic attraction for third countries. The EAEU sees the creation of a modern communications infrastructure (the Eurasian transport framework) as the main prerequisite for achieving these objectives. One of the important results of the conjugation of the mega-project and the activities of the EAEU has been a multiple increase in trade and transport communications between China and the EAEU countries. The implemented, ongoing and recommended projects of international transport corridors ensure the permissive effect of intra-continentality and a wider use of the advantages of the Central Eurasia position for the development of the countries of Central Asia, Western China and the Siberian regions of Russia.

The effect of functional asymmetry of the brain on the consumption of psychoactive substances by adolescents in South Siberian regions: prevention strategies

Introduction. It is assumed that the functional asymmetry of the brain must be taken into account in a complex of other predisposing factors that influence the tendency to various kinds of deviations in adolescents, in particular, the consumption of psychoactive substances.Purpose setting. The aim of the study was to study the relationship between functional asymmetry of the brain and the consumption of psychoactive substances (alcohol, nicotine) in adolescents of the South Siberian regions (Tuva, Altai).Methodology and methods of the study. 2 559 adolescents aged 14–17 years, students of educational institutions were examined. All students completed a specially designed questionnaire on their substance use. Motor, sensory and mental asymmetry have been studied. The test «Self-assessment of mental states of personality» was applied for adolescence by G. Aizenk in the interpretation of O. V. Zikeeva. The statistical analysis was carried out in the SPSS-26 program.Results. It has been shown that right-hemisphere adolescents have significantly more pronounced anxiety, frustration and rigidity, indicating a violation of social adaptation and predisposing to the consumption of psychoactive substances, which indirectly confirms the influence of functional asymmetry of the brain. Right- brain adolescents are more vulnerable to nicotine and alcohol. Conclusion. The results obtained allow us to substantiate prevention strategies that should take into account the functional asymmetry of the target audience’s brain.

To the issue of identifying multi-temporal complexes in urban cultural layer (based on excavations of Sophia-Uspensky Cathedral, Tobolsk Kremlin)

The paper describes archaeological complexes identified among materials of the excavations inside Sophia-Uspensky Cathedral in Tobolsk Kremlin. The archaeological works were imposed on the cape. The cape hosted the town, the Kremlin and, later, the residency of the highly placed clergyman. History of these processes is kept as records. It helps compare the processes with archaeological materials and distinguish multi-temporal complexes among them. The excavations revealed traces of an ancient settlement. The settlement dated back to the early Iron Age – early Middle Ages and had existed long before the town was established. The research apparently identifies the cultural layer dated the late 1500s – middle 1600s. This layer refers to the activities of the first Russian settlers in Siberia. The same period applies to discovered burials of the Orthodox Christian cemetery by the wooden Church of Our Savior. The researchers especially highlight layerings and objects from the construction of brick Sophia-Uspensky Cathedral (late 1600s). They reflect the beginning of stone construction in Siberia. In the excavations, the researchers discovered several brick tombs. These tombs were made for burying highly placed clergymen known by their names. The findings and multi-temporal complexes allow to describe main phases of Troitsky cape development. They also show how the status of this territory changed. The archaeological materials are a valuable source of information about the material culture, funeral rites, stone architecture of both the town and the whole vast Siberian region.

Comprehensive assessment of adaptability, stability and stress resistance of diploid winter rye varieties under conditions of Western Siberia

Currently, the adaptability and stability of the trait under study, i.e., the ability of a variety to maintain the optimal level of the trait in different soil and climatic conditions, is of particular importance in the breeding process. A research was conducted to comprehensively study the parameters of adaptability, stability and stress resistance in terms of yield of diploid winter rye varieties of different ecological and geographical origins in the conditions of Western Siberia. The experimental part of the study was carried out during 2019–2021, at the experimental site of SibNIIRS - a branch of the ICG SB RAS, located in the West Siberian region. The material for the research was: 6 varieties of winter rye from of the FRC «N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Genetic Resources» (Korotkostebelnaya 69, Sibirskaya 87, Chulpan, Pamyati Kunakbaeva, Sinilga, Alisa) and 8 varieties from the Republican unitary enterprise «Research and Practical Center of National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus for Arable Farming» (Lota, Kalinka, Golubka, Vostok, Verdun, Talisman, Zubrovka, Yubileinaya). According to the results of two-factor analysis of variance, the yield was influenced by genotypic differences between varieties - 77.34% (P < 0.05) and the prevailing growing conditions in different years of research - 11.98% (P < 0.05). The varieties Sibirskaya 87 (689.0 g/m2) and Yubileinaya (706.0 g/m2) were characterized by productivity at the level or higher than the standard Korotkostebelnaya 69 (650 g/m2). As a result of a comprehensive assessment using ranking for adaptability, stability and stress resistance, the following winter rye varieties were identified: Yubileynaya (102), Korotkostelnaya 69 (97), Sibirskaya 87 (87), Zubrovka (79), Alisa (77), Talisman (74). The selected varieties are capable of producing relatively high yields in the contrasting conditions of Western Siberia.

Genome-wide association study revealed some new candidate genes associated with flowering and maturity time of soybean in Central and West Siberian regions of Russia.

The duration of flowering and maturity is an important agricultural trait determining the suitability of a variety for cultivation in the target region. In the present study, we used genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) to search for loci associated with soybean flowering and maturity in the Central and West Siberian regions of Russia. A field experiment was conducted in 2021/2022 at two locations (Orel and Novosibirsk). A germplasm collection of 180 accessions was genotyped using SoySNP50K Illumina Infinium Bead-Chip. From the initial collection, we selected 129 unrelated accessions and conducted GWAS on this dataset using two multi-locus models: FarmCPU and BLINK. As a result, we identified 13 loci previously reported to be associated with duration of soybean development, and 17 new loci. 33 candidate genes were detected in these loci using analysis of co-expression, gene ontology, and literature data, with the best candidates being Glyma.03G177500, Glyma.13G177400, and Glyma.06G213100. These candidate genes code the Arabidopis orthologs TOE1 (TARGET OF EAT 1), SPL3 (SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN LIKE 3), the DELLA protein, respectively. In these three genes, we found haplotypes which may be associated with the length of soybean flowering and maturity, providing soybean adaptation to a northern latitudes.

Suicides in Siberia from 1925 to 1937: Causes, Dynamics, and Significance

This article attempts to establish the causes, trace the dynamics, and assess the significance of suicides that occurred in the Siberian and West Siberian regions between 1925 and 1937. The research is based on a diverse array of sources, including statistical compilations, minutes from meetings, resolutions from party, Soviet, and Komsomol bodies, reports from special commissions, administrative correspondence, and materials from periodical publications. Through a comprehensive analysis of this heterogeneous information, the article demonstrates an increase in the number of suicides in Siberia, elucidates the demographic and social-professional composition of those who voluntarily ended their lives, and identifies the methods employed as well as the most common reasons for suicide. These parameters are analyzed in comparison with similar indicators across the RSFSR and the USSR, revealing the presence of regional specificity. The article challenges the prevailing historiographical view that placed sole responsibility for suicides on the individuals themselves. It presents evidence that one significant avenue for combating suicides involved holding accountable those whose actions or inactions contributed to these tragic events. The conclusion drawn is that, despite failing to achieve tangible success in preventing suicides, the higher political leadership at both regional and provincial levels managed to create an illusion that this phenomenon had been entirely eradicated.

Associations of polymorphisms of glutathione-S-transferase and N-acetyltransferase 2 genes in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The development of personalized medicine is inextricably linked with the study of the patient’s genetic profile, which determines not only the features of the course of the disease, but also the risks of its occurrence. Purpose. The aim of the work was to study possible associations between the genetic polymorphisms GSTT1, GSTM1, NAT2 and predisposition to the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children of the East Siberian region. Material and methods. A total of 82 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 227 healthy volunteers with no history of hematological pathology were examined. Deletion polymorphisms in the glutathione S-transferase GSTT1 and GSTM1 genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with electrophoretic detection of amplification products in agarose gel; the type of acetylation was determined by genotyping SNP rs1495741 of the NAT2 gene by conducting a polymerase chain reaction in real time. The material for the study was DNA samples isolated from buccal epithelium samples. Results. Statistical processing allowed us to draw the following conclusions: the rate of acetylation of xenobiotics does not affect the risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children of the Caucasian ethnic group of the East Siberian region. Conclusion. There is no associative relationship between deletions in the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes and the risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children of the Caucasian ethnic group of the East Siberian region. It was found that the risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children was significantly higher with the variant of combinations of alleles of the rapid type of NAT2 acetylation and normal activity of GSST1 and GSTM1 (G/G, active, active).

Variability of genetic diversity of spring barley by hordeincoding locus over a 40-year period of scientific breeding in the Krasnoyarsk Territory

The article discusses and summarizes the results of studies of polymorphism of hordeins (HRD) of spring barley by electrophoresis at the Krasnoyarsk Research Institute of Agriculture (KNIISH) for the period from 1988 to 2021. The analysis of the dynamics of the genetic diversity of barley varieties from the ecological and breeding nurseries of the KNIISKh, released and approved for use in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, showed a significant narrowing of the frequency of occurrence and the loss of a number of alleles characteristic of the conditions of the Yenisei Siberia, and the appearance of rare variants for the Siberian region. Based on long-term observations of the composition of hordeins of breeding samples (promising and rejection) created in different areas of breeding, a number of alleles were found to be associated with economically valuable traits.

Wildfire-smoke-precipitation interactions in Siberia: Insights from a regional model study

Powerful wildfires occurring in Siberia each summer emit large amounts of smoke aerosol that, according to studies of the environmental impacts of biomass burning (BB) aerosol in different regions of the world, can affect precipitation and other weather parameters and induce feedback on fires. However, the knowledge of smoke-weather interactions and fire-weather feedback in Siberia is presently limited. To advance this knowledge, we performed coupled-meteorology-chemistry simulations of aerosols and weather in a Siberian region covering taiga and tundra using the CHIMERE chemistry-transport model and the WRF meteorological model. We addressed a monthly period of July 2016 and considered several modeling scenarios in which aerosol-radiation interaction (ARI) and aerosol-cloud interaction (ACI) were taken into account jointly or separately. The simulation results were combined with emission and precipitation data retrieved from satellite observations. The joint analysis of the simulated precipitation fields and satellite-observation-based data revealed that in the taiga, the inhibiting effect of Siberian smoke on precipitation induced a significant positive feedback on BB aerosol emissions that, according to our estimates, enhanced by 27 (±7) % respective to a hypothetical situation in which smoke-weather interactions were absent. At the same time, an increase of precipitation over active fire spots due to ACI and ARI in tundra led to the formation of a negative feedback loop between fire emissions and BB smoke, resulting in a reduction of BB aerosol emissions there by 14 (±6) %. Hence, this study revealed evidence for significant feedback of smoke-induced precipitation changes on fire emissions in Siberia. Given the global importance of Siberia as a major carbon sink, this feedback needs to be studied further and accurately taken into account in projections of climate change both on regional and global scales.

Comparative analysis of the nutritional composition, phytochemicals, and antioxidant activity of chia seeds, flax seeds, and psyllium husk

Currently, the cultivation of chia has expanded globally owing to its abundance of nutrients and bioactive compounds. This study aimed to explore the nutritional profile, fatty Acid composition, flavonoids (TFC), and antioxidant activity (AA) of chia seed (Salvia hispanica) cultivated under the climatic conditions of the Siberian region compared with flax seed (Linum usitatissimum) and psyllium husk (Plantago ovata). Additionally, the influence of different green solvent (water:ethanol) ratios on the TPC, TFC, and AA was examined. Results demonstrated that chia seeds have considerably greater dietary fiber (27.50 ± 0.021%) and protein contents (23.50 ± 0.015%) compared to flax seed and psyllium husk (P < 0.05). The major fatty acid were found to be α-Linolenic acid in chia seed, flax seed and psyllium husk extract were found to be with relative percentages of 62.65%, 52.40%, and 59.66%, respectively. Chia seed also demonstrated considerably greater TPC (2.17 ± 0.08 mg GAE/g), TFC (1.08 ± 0.20 mg QE/g), and AA (88.13 ± 0.11) than flax seed and psyllium husk (P < 0.001). Pearson's correlation (R2 = 0.987) demonstrated a substantial link between TFC and their respective AA. This study revealed that chia seed extracts accumulate a tremendous number of nutritional profile and phytochemicals, as well as demonstrate excellent antioxidant activity. Therefore, it is important to consider the possibility of cultivating chia seeds in the Siberian area since the climatic conditions do not have an effect on the nutritional and phytochemical components of the seeds.

Predicting September Arctic Sea Ice: A Multimodel Seasonal Skill Comparison

Abstract This study quantifies the state of the art in the rapidly growing field of seasonal Arctic sea ice prediction. A novel multimodel dataset of retrospective seasonal predictions of September Arctic sea ice is created and analyzed, consisting of community contributions from 17 statistical models and 17 dynamical models. Prediction skill is compared over the period 2001–20 for predictions of pan-Arctic sea ice extent (SIE), regional SIE, and local sea ice concentration (SIC) initialized on 1 June, 1 July, 1 August, and 1 September. This diverse set of statistical and dynamical models can individually predict linearly detrended pan-Arctic SIE anomalies with skill, and a multimodel median prediction has correlation coefficients of 0.79, 0.86, 0.92, and 0.99 at these respective initialization times. Regional SIE predictions have similar skill to pan-Arctic predictions in the Alaskan and Siberian regions, whereas regional skill is lower in the Canadian, Atlantic, and central Arctic sectors. The skill of dynamical and statistical models is generally comparable for pan-Arctic SIE, whereas dynamical models outperform their statistical counterparts for regional and local predictions. The prediction systems are found to provide the most value added relative to basic reference forecasts in the extreme SIE years of 1996, 2007, and 2012. SIE prediction errors do not show clear trends over time, suggesting that there has been minimal change in inherent sea ice predictability over the satellite era. Overall, this study demonstrates that there are bright prospects for skillful operational predictions of September sea ice at least 3 months in advance.

Использование молекулярно-генетических маркеров для идентификации генов чувствительности к фотопериоду в селекционном материале сои

Soybean is one of the important oil and forage crops. It contains large amounts of oil, protein, vitamins, and other valuable nutrients. Annually, sowing area under soybean in Russia enlarges towards central and Siberian regions. However, soybean is very sensitive to photoperiod that is a key factor in regulation of soybean growth and development. The identification of gens controlling a photoperiodic sensitivity in soybeans is important for breeding of new adaptive cultivars. DNA-markers are an effective instrument for the selection of valuable genotypes from breeding germplasm. In this work, we identified gens contributing the most of decrease in soybean sensitivity to a day length. There were estimated six cultivars, five lines F6–F7, and five hybrids F1 of soybean. We used six molecular markers. Due to results, the early maturing cultivars Elana and Barguzin had the largest amount of recessive alleles; the cultivar Mamont had the largest amount of dominant alleles that characterizes it as middle maturing. The rest samples had two or three recessive alleles and belong to maturity groups from early to middle early. The analysis of hybrid combinations showed that a molecular marker for a Е3-gen is inherited co-dominantly. This allowed using it to control transferring of desired gens at crosses in progeny. Thus, the usage of the molecular-genetic markers was effective in selection by a studied trait and can be used in the breeding process.

Traveling exhibition project in the Western Siberian region of Russia: On the river ecology of the Ob River and its tributaries

The Ob River and its tributaries in the Arctic region have interesting ecological and ethical characteristics. Museum exhibits play an important role in educating people of all ages. However, in Western Siberia, where the Ob River flows, there are no exhibits that scientifically explain the nature of the local rivers. Another issue is that small towns are scattered over large areas, making it difficult to educate residents through a single museum exhibition. Therefore, this study applied the knowledge gained from traveling exhibition research carried out in Japan to Russian regional towns, developed a traveling exhibition package for learning about the Ob River and its tributaries in a fun and hands-on manner, and traveled to three cities in Western Siberia. We were able to develop a traveling exhibition that allowed visitors to learn about the Ob River from a perspective that integrated the arts and sciences, and that was also entertaining, with many interactive exhibits. This was significant because a wide range of people, regardless of ethnicity, were able to experience and learn from the exhibition.

Siberian Regionalism as a Phenomenon of Social Thought in Late Imperial Russia

Abstract This article considers regionalism (oblastnichestvo) as an independent direction in the history of Russian thought and culture. Four varieties of regionalism are pointed out: Russian, Ukrainian, Siberian, and Western Russianism (zapadnorussizm), which held the principles of federalism in common. The philosophical and methodological basis of regionalism was narodnichestvo (populism)—the ideology and movement of the intelligentsia in Russia in the second half of the nineteenth century. Narodnichestvo was against serfdom and capitalist development in Russia, and for the overthrow of the autocracy by means of a peasant revolution, positivism, and Slavophilism. The program of the regionalists was addressed to the provincial intelligentsia and was largely aimed at the formation of an intelligentsia called to serve their region. The program of Siberian regionalism is considered in more detail.

Снижение экологической нагрузки на регион за счет рационального способа утилизации фторангидрита

The article considers the chemical industry technologies contaminating the environment with sulfate-calcium waste in three regions of the former Soviet Union, i.e., the Tomsk region (SHK LLC, Seversk), the Perm territory (Galopolimer JSC, Perm), and East Kazakhstan region (UMZ JSC, Ust-Kamenogorsk). The differences and similarities of technological processes of anhydrous calcium sulfate production in the above-mentioned regions have been considered. Some properties of sulfate calcium (acid fluoride) that until recently was the main environmental contaminator used in the technology of hydrogen fluoride production have been specified. The objective of the study is to provide generalized positive results obtained by the authors of the article in the field of optimization of sulfuric decomposition of fluorspar not changing the production conditions and the quality of the main product — hydrogen fluoride. As a result of the process, the solid waste of hydrogen fluoride production is transformed into a target product, i.e., a technogenic anhydrite binder that can be an alternative to Portland cement and gypsum binders in the construction industry. Therefore, acid fluoride waste is removed from the hydrogen fluoride technology, and the environmental contamination with sulfate-calcium waste is prevented. In addition, a new trend in the construction industry is set, which is the industry production of anhydrite materials and products. The list of pilot-industrial and semi-industrial tests of the production of various anhydrite products has been provided (as an image listing the fields of use of acid fluoride in the industry of construction materials). In conclusion, the amount of environmental damage caused by the acid fluoride waste has been specified. In the Ob basin of the West Siberian region, it was 270 million rubles for 2023.

Linking Post-fire Tree Density to Carbon Storage in High-Latitude Cajander Larch (Larix cajanderi) Forests of Far Northeastern Siberia

AbstractWith climate warming and drying, fire activity is increasing in Cajander larch (Larix cajanderi Mayr.) forests underlain by continuous permafrost in northeastern Siberia, and initial post-fire tree demographic processes could unfold to determine long-term forest carbon (C) dynamics through impacts on tree density. Here, we evaluated above- and belowground C pools across 25 even-aged larch stands of varying tree densities that established following a wildfire in ~ 1940 near Cherskiy, Russia. Total C pools increased with increased larch tree density, from ~ 9,000 g C m−2 in low-density stands to ~ 11,000 g C m−2 in high and very high-density stands, with increases most pronounced at tree densities &lt; 1 stem m−2 and driven by increased above- and belowground (that is, coarse roots) and live and dead (that is, woody debris and snags) larch biomass. Total understory vegetation and non-larch coarse root C pools declined with increased tree density due to decreased shrub C pools, but these pools were relatively small compared to larch biomass. Fine root, soil organic matter (OM), and near surface (0–30 cm) mineral soil (MS) C pools varied little with tree density, although soil C pools held most (18–28% in OM and 44–51% in MS) C stored in these stands. Thus, if changing fire regimes promote denser stands, C storage will likely increase, but whether this increase offsets C lost during fires remains unknown. Our findings highlight how post-fire tree demographic processes impact C pool distribution and stability in larch forests of Siberian permafrost regions.

Повышение эффективности селекции сои с пониженной реакцией на длину дня на примере сорта Липчанка

A very early maturing soybean cultivar Lipchanka with a reduced response on a day length was isolated from the hybrid combination F4 D-12/14 × L-247 by traits of productivity, cold resistance, photoperiodic sensitivity, and the morphotype of the flower ovary style. The Lipchanka variety belongs to a very early maturity group, at the latitude of Krasnodar (45°) it ripens in 95 days, and in terms of yield exceeds the standard cultivar Barguzin by an average of 0.11 t/ha. In a competitive variety testing in Krasnodar in 2021–2023 its yield was 1.32–3.19 t/ha. In a competitive variety trial in Lipetsk at a latitude of 52°, the duration of the growing season of this cultivar averaged 105 days with a yield of 2.41–2.67 t/ha, which exceeded the standard variety Barguzin by 0.09 t/ha. Under the conditions of the Kaluga region, at a latitude of 54°, the cultivar Lipchanka had a growing season of 113 days and successfully ripened until mid-September. The height of Lipchanka plants at the latitude of Krasnodar was 70–85 cm. In the Lipetsk region, the plant height of Lipchanka varied within 70–95 cm. In the conditions of the Kaluga region, the height of the cultivar Lipchanka was 71 cm. The new very early maturing soybean cultivar Lipchanka has reduced sensitivity to the range of day lengths formed at latitudes of 45–54°, high yield in the long-day conditions of the Central Black Earth region, and successful ripening in the conditions of the Central region of the Russian Federation. Such features of the cultivar allows to recommend it for cultivation in the Central, Volga-Vyatka, Central Black Earth, North Caucasus, Middle Volga, Lower Volga, Ural, and West Siberian regions of the Russian Federation.

РУССКИЙ СИБИРЯК В НЕСОВМЕСТИМОЙ СОВМЕСТИМОСТИ ЗАПАДА И ВОСТОКА

The history of “Russian Eurasia” represents a variant of the formation of a socio-cultural community of Russian Siberians in the process of adaptation of the population to the challenges of the factors of the new environment. The natural, social, ethnocultural characteristics of the Siberian region were transformed under the influence of factors of Russian material and spiritual culture. At the same time, within the culture of the first Russian generations of Siberia and in the consciousness of its bearers, changes in conformity with the environment took place according to the feedback principle of small impulses of “micromutations”. During the XVII–XVIII centuries the results of the mutual adaptation of the society of Russian old-timers and the environment was the formation of a new “place of development”, sub-ethnic identity, self-awareness and character. Mentality and traditions in the process of cultural adaptation in the 18th–19th centuries are fixed in cultural traditions in the recombination of mutations that underwent natural selection at the level of genetic programs and the structure of ethnic constants. The society of old-timers continuously socialized new settlers into their midst. The stage-by-stage dynamics of adaptation contained stages of material, social and psychological “getting used to” them in the community of Russian old-timers. The process of one and a half centuries of adaptation to an extreme environment transformed the traditional irrational, sensory-emotional “worldview” into the rational, pragmatic psychology of “western man.” A process in which rational “thought gave birth” to stereotypes of an active, pragmatic transformer of the world. At the same time, in the value attitudes of the Orthodox-pagan worldview of the world, the attitudes of conscientiousness, humility, sympathy, mercy, and compassion increased compensatoryly among the old-timers. These value factors, according to Russian and generally Eastern traditions, were determined by the concept of “soul”. In the postulates of Russian culture, this factor is reflected in the saying “The soul gives birth to character.”Hence, the harsh realities of physical adaptation of the old-timers formed in them external behavioral rationality, the origins of psychological attitudes go back to Slavic-Russian ethnic spirituality. As a result of the ethnopsychological analysis, the author of the paper made an innovative conclusion: the incompatibility of the civilizational poles of rationality and spirituality was overcome by the formation of the quality of moral rationality in the character of the Russian Siberian.

Aerosols in the central Arctic cryosphere: satellite and model integrated insights during Arctic spring and summer

Abstract. The central Arctic cryosphere is influenced by the Arctic amplification (AA) and is warming faster than the lower latitudes. AA affects the formation, loss, and transport of aerosols. Efforts to assess the underlying processes determining aerosol variability are currently limited due to the lack of ground-based and space-borne aerosol observations with high spatial coverage in this region. This study addresses the observational gap by making use of total aerosol optical depth (AOD) datasets retrieved by the AEROSNOW algorithm over the vast cryospheric region of the central Arctic during Arctic spring and summer. GEOS-Chem (GC) simulations combined with AEROSNOW-retrieved data are used to investigate the processes controlling aerosol loading and distribution at different temporal and spatial scales. For the first time, an integrated study of AOD over the Arctic cryosphere during sunlight conditions was possible with the AEROSNOW retrieval and GC simulations. The results show that the spatial patterns observed by AEROSNOW differ from those simulated by GC. During spring, which is characterized by long-range transport of anthropogenic aerosols in the Arctic, GC underestimates the AOD in the vicinity of Alaska in comparison with AEROSNOW retrieval. At the same time, it overestimates the AOD along the Bering Strait, northern Europe, and the Siberian central Arctic sea-ice regions, with differences of −12.3 % and 21.7 %, respectively. By contrast, GC consistently underestimates AOD compared with AEROSNOW in summer, when transport from lower latitudes is insignificant and local natural processes are the dominant source of aerosol, especially north of 70° N. This underestimation is particularly pronounced over the central Arctic sea-ice region, where it is −10.6 %. Conversely, GC tends to overestimate AOD along the Siberian and Greenland marginal sea-ice zones by 19.5 % but underestimates AOD along the Canadian Archipelago by −9.3 %. The differences in summer AOD between AEROSNOW data products and GC-simulated AOD highlight the need to integrate improved knowledge of the summer aerosol process into existing models in order to constrain its effects on cloud condensation nuclei, on ice nucleating particles, and on the radiation budget over the central Arctic sea ice during the developing AA period.

Impact of COVID-19 on the efficiency of business in Southern Siberian regions: Spatial and sectoral aspects

The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the biggest global crises of the 21st century, affecting all economic sectors, and Russia was no exception. Russian researchers have shown that the losses from the pandemic varied widely across sectors and regions: the service sector and large cities with high population density suffered the most. However, spatial and agglomeration effects at the micro level have been little studied in the context of COVID-19. Here, we show that during the pandemic, the influence of neighbouring firms on each other decreased, but the positive impact of agglomeration effects on firm performance increased. Using multilevel models and geographically weighted regressions, we constructed separate regressions for 2019 and 2020 explaining the sales margin of South Siberian firms by their individual, spatial and regional characteristics. Entertainment, service and transport companies were the most affected, which is consistent with the results of other studies. We also obtained new results: neighbours’ performance affected positively the firm performance in 2019, but during the pandemic the influence of neighbours became insignificant, a high level of digitalisation helped firms to survive the pandemic, and quarantine restrictions in the region had little impact on business performance. The findings can help develop an effective strategy to combat the economic impact of the pandemic and support businesses. We expect our study to improve understanding of what happens to firms during a pandemic and quarantine. The results may be useful outside the COVID-19 context: spatial and agglomeration effects also operate for firms outside the pandemic.