ALTICORE: an initiative for coastal altimetry

ALTICORE (value-added ALTImetry for COastal REgions) is an international initiative whose main objective is to encourage the operational use of altimetry over coastal areas, by improving the quality and availability of coastal altimetry data. The ALTICORE proposal has recently been submitted for funding to the INTAS scheme (www.intas.be) by a consortium of partners from Italy, France, UK, Russia and Azerbaijan. ALTICORE is also meant as a contribution to the ongoing International Altimeter Service effort. In this work we will describe the anticipated project stages, namely: 1) improvement of the most widely distributed, 1 Hz, data by analyzing the corrective terms and providing the best solutions, including those derived from appropriate local modelling; 2) development of a set of algorithms to automate quality control and gap-filling functions for the coastal regions; 3) development of testing strategies to ensure a thorough validation of the data. The improved products will be delivered to ALTICORE users via Grid-compliant technology; this makes it easier to integrate the local data holdings, allows access from a range of services, e.g. directly into model assimilation or GIS systems and should therefore facilitate a widespread and complete assessment of the 1Hz data performance and limitations. We will also outline the design and implementation of the Grid-compliant system for efficient access to distributed archives of data; this consists of regional data centres, each having primary responsibility for regional archives, local corrections and quality control, and operating a set of web-services allowing access to the full functionality of data extraction. We will conclude by discussing a follow-on phase of the project; this will investigate further improvements on the processing strategy, including the use of higher frequency (10 or 20 Hz) data. Phenomena happen at smaller spatial scales near the coast, so this approach is necessary to match the required resolution. The whole project will hopefully promote the 15-year sea surface height from altimetry to the rank of operational record for the coastal areas

О НЕОБХОДИМОСТИ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ КОМПЛЕКСНОГО МОНИТОРИНГА КАСПИЙСКОГО МОРЯ

The article deals with the organization of comprehensive monitoring of the Caspian Sea. We discuss the goals and objectives of the environmental monitoring, as well as the functions of federal services and agencies in the organization and implementation of the monitoring. The basic characteristics of the marine observation network in the seas of Russia are shown. We discuss modern satellite environmental monitoring methods, as well as specific applications of satellite data for the study and monitoring of the Caspian Sea region. Particular attention is given to satellite monitoring of oil pollution of the sea.В статье рассматриваются вопросы организации комплексного мониторинга Каспийского моря. Обсуждаются цели и задачи фонового мониторинга окружающей природной среды, а также функции федеральных служб и агентств по организации и осуществлению мониторинга. Приводятся основные характеристики морской наблюдательной сети в морях России. Обсуждаются современные спутниковые методы мониторинга экологического состояния морей, а также конкретные области применения спутниковой информации для изучения и мониторинга региона Каспийского моря. Особое внимание уделено спутниковому мониторингу нефтяного загрязнения моря

Oil pollution in the southeastern Baltic Sea by satellite remote sensing data in 2004-2015

The results of satellite monitoring of oil pollution in the Southeastern Baltic Sea in 2004-2015 are discussed in the paper. Interannual and seasonal variability of oil pollution is investigated. A steady decrease in total oil pollution was observed from 2004 to 2011. After a sharp increase of oil pollution in 2012, oil pollution level has established at 0.39 PI Index. Maximum of oil spills is observed in the spring and summer, which is probably due to favorable weather conditions for the detection of oil spills on radar images. According to the analysis of the shapes of the detected oil spills, it was concluded that the main polluters of the sea surface are vessels. No oil spills originated from the oil platform D-6 was detected in 2004-2015. Results of numerical experiments with the Seatrack Web oil spill model show that in the case of potential discharge of oil from the D-6 platform, oil will not reach the Curonian Spit beaches during 48 h after an accident

Oil pollution of the southeastern Baltic Sea by satellite remote sensing data and in-situ measurements

Results of operational satellite monitoring of oil pollution of the sea surface together with in-situ measurements of the oil products concentration in the water column for the first time allowed to establish relation between the surface pollution originated from ships, and the general characteristics of spatial and temporal distribution of oil products in the water column in the Southeastern Baltic Sea. Areas with heightened concentrations of oil products in the surface and bottom layers were determined for the study area. The main directions of the contamination propagation are agreed with the main direction of annual mean transport of substances in the Gdansk Basin

Изменения параметров экстремальных температурных событий западной части Российской Арктики по данным реанализов ERA5 и MERRA-2 в 1980–2022 гг.

The air temperature in the Arctic zone of Russia is increasing at a rate of 0.71 °C per decade, which is three times faster than the global average. The warming of climate is accompanied by an increase in its extremeness, which leads to an increase in the number of dangerous hydrometeorological phenomena. The most significant changes occurred in the statistics of large-scale summer heat waves in European Russia. One of the most important goals in studying current climate changes is to study the frequency of extreme hydrometeorological phenomena, in particular, heat or cold waves. In this paper, we investigate the average daily anomalies relative to the annual variation of air temperature at a height of 2 meters from the surface in the region of the western part of the Russian Arctic (60°–75° N, 30°–85° E), according to ERA5 and MERRA-2 atmospheric reanalyses for the period 1980–2022. Their root-mean-square deviations and the distribution of their average number per year are calculated. We have plotted the fields of average values and the rate of changes in the amplitude, duration and number of anomalous temperature events which exceed two standard deviations in the study region. Areas of increase and decrease in the amplitude, duration and number of extreme events, both with positive and negative temperature anomalies, are displayed. In general, it can be concluded that, on average, the amplitudes of positive extreme air temperature anomalies in the study area slightly increase. The duration of positive extreme anomalies is growing everywhere at a rate of 0.2 days per 10 years. The duration of negative extreme anomalies slightly decreases. The number of events with negative extreme anomalies has been decreasing at a rate of –0.5 to –3 events per year for 10 years, while the number of events with positive extreme anomalies has been increasing from 0.1 to 1 events per year for 10 years.The results obtained significantly expand our knowledge of the spatiotemporal features of the ongoing changes in the extreme climate of the western part of the Russian Arctic, which is of paramount importance for the analysis and forecasting of the development of natural and socio-economic systems in the region under study.Исследованы среднесуточные аномалии температуры воздуха на высоте 2 метра от поверхности (ТВП) в регионе западной части Российской Арктики (60–75° с. ш., 30–85° в. д.) по данным реанализов ERA5 и MERRA-2 за период 1980–2022 гг. Рассчитаны их среднеквадратические отклонения и распределение их среднего количества за год. Показано, что экстремальные события с положительными аномалиями ТВП усиливаются, удлиняются и учащаются над частью акваторий Баренцева, Карского и Белого морей, а также над некоторыми участками суши исследуемого региона. При этом амплитуда, продолжительность и число экстремальные событий с отрицательными аномалиями ТВП в этих районах сокращаются

О НЕОБХОДИМОСТИ СПУТНИКОВОГО МОНИТОРИНГА ТРАНСГРАНИЧНЫХ ВОД РОССИИ

The article provides information on transboundary watercourses and international lakes of the Russian Federation. We discuss the goals and objectives of environmental monitoring. Particular attention is given to the possibilities of satellite monitoring of transboundary water bodies of the Russian Federation.В статье приводится информация о трансграничных водотоках и международных озерах Российской Федерации. Обсуждаются цели и задачи мониторинга природной среды. Особое внимание уделено возможностям спутникового мониторинга трансграничных водных объектов Российской Федерации

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ВЛИЯНИЯ ДИНАМИЧЕСКИХ И ЦИРКУЛЯЦИОННЫХ ПРОЦЕССОВ НА РАСПРОСТРАНЕНИЕ АНТРОПОГЕННЫХ И БИОГЕННЫХ ЗАГРЯЗНЕНИЙ МОРСКОЙ ПОВЕРХНОСТИ НА ОСНОВЕ КОМПЛЕКСНОГО ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ СПУТНИКОВОЙ ИНФОРМАЦИИ

The article provides information about a research dedicated to the study of anthropogenic and biogenic pollution in the Russian seas on the basis of integrated use of satellite information, performed in Russian Space Research Institute. We discuss the goals and objectives of the project, state of the problem, methods and tools used for implementation of the project. Particular attention is paid to the expected results to be obtained upon completion of the project at the end of 2016.В статье приводится информация о работах по исследованию антропогенных и биогенных загрязнений в морях России на основе использования комплексной спутниковой информации, которые проводятся в ИКИ РАН. Обсуждаются цели и задачи исследований, состояние проблемы, методы и средства, используемые для выполнения работ. Особое внимание уделено ожидаемым результатам, которые будут получены в конце 2016 г

Nitrogen fixation in the South Atlantic Gyre and the Benguela Upwelling System

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2011. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Research Letters 38 (2011): L16608, doi:10.1029/2011GL048315.Dinitrogen (N2) fixation is recognized as an important input of new nitrogen (N) to the open ocean gyres, contributing to the export of organic matter from surface waters. However, very little N2-fixation research has focused on the South Atlantic Gyre, where dust deposition of iron (Fe), an important micronutrient for diazotrophs, is seasonally low. Recent modeling efforts suggest that N2-fixation may in fact be closely coupled to, and greatest in, areas of denitrification, as opposed to the oceanic gyres. One of these areas, the Benguela Upwelling System, lies to the east of the South Atlantic Gyre. In this study we show that N2-fixation in surface waters across the South Atlantic Gyre was low overall (<1.5 nmol N l−1 d−1) with highest rates seen in or near the Benguela Upwelling System (up to ∼8 nmol N l−1 d−1). Surface water dissolved Fe (dFe) concentrations were very low in the gyre (∼0.3 nM or lower), while soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations were relatively high (∼0.15 μM). N2-fixation rates across the entire sampling area were significantly positively correlated to dFe, but also to SRP and NO3−. Thus, high NO3− concentrations did not exclude N2-fixation in the upwelling region, which provides evidence that N2-fixation may be occurring in previously unrecognized waters, specifically near denitrification zones. However the gene encoding for a nitrogenase component (nifH) was not detected from known diazotrophs at some stations in or near the upwelling where N2-fixation was greatest, suggesting the presence of unknown diazotrophs in these waters.Funding for this research was provided by NSF grants OCE‐0452883 (to E.A.W. and M.A.S.), OCE‐0825922 (to E.A.W.), and The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (JPZ)

Mesoscale Atlantic water eddy off the Laptev Sea continental slope carries the signature of upstream interaction

A mesoscale eddy formed by the interaction of inflows of Atlantic water (AW) from Fram Strait and the Barents Sea into the Arctic Ocean was observed in February 2005 off the Laptev Sea continental slope by a mooring equipped with a McLane Moored Profiler. The eddy was composed of two distinct, vertically aligned cores with a combined thickness of about 650 m. The upper core of approximately ambient density was warmer (2.6°C), saltier (34.88 psu), and vertically stably stratified. The lower core was cooler (0.1°C), fresher (34.81 psu), neutrally stratified and ∼0.02 kg/m3 less dense than surrounding ambient water. The eddy, homogeneous out to a radius of at least 3.4 km, had a 14.5 km radius of maximum velocity, and an entire diameter of about 27 km. We hypothesize that the eddy was formed by the confluence of the Fram Strait and Barents Sea AW inflows into the Arctic Ocean that takes place north of the Kara Sea, about 1100 km upstream from the mooring location. The eddy's vertical structure is likely maintained by salt fingering and diffusive convection. The numerical simulation of one-dimensional thermal and salt diffusion equations reasonably reproduces the evolution of the eddy thermohaline patterns from the hypothesized source area to the mooring location, suggesting that the vertical processes of double-diffusive and shear instabilities may be more important than lateral processes for the evolution of the eddy. The eddy is able to carry its thermohaline anomaly several thousand kilometers downstream from its source location