Air temperature in Novaya Zemlya Archipelago and Vaygach Island from 1832 to 1920 in the light of early instrumental data

In this article, the results of an investigation into the air temperature conditions in Novaya Zemlya Archipelago and Vaygach Island (NZR) from 1832 to 1920, on the basis of all available early instrumental data gathered during exploratory and scientific expeditions, are presented. Traditional analysis based on mean monthly data was supplemented by an approach less popular in the scientific literature, i.e. the additional use of daily data. Moreover, the daily data used were not limited only to mean daily air temperature, but include also maximum daily temperature, minimum daily temperature and diurnal temperature range. Such rich sets of data allowed for more comprehensive and precise recognition of air temperature conditions in the NZR. Based on these kinds of daily data, it was also possible to calculate the number of so-called ‘characteristic days’ (i.e. the number of days with temperatures exceeding specified thresholds) and day-to-day temperature variability and, for the first time, to determine different characteristics of thermal seasons (duration, onset and end dates) according to Baranowski's (1968) proposition. The results were compared with contemporary temperature conditions (1981–2010) to estimate the range of their changes between historical and present times. Analysis reveals that in 1832–1920, the NZR was markedly colder than today in all seasons. Coldest was autumn (on average by ca 5 °C), and least – summer (by 1.6 °C). Mean annual air temperature was colder than today by about 3 °C. The majority of mean monthly air temperatures in historical times lie within two standard deviations from the modern mean. This means that values of air temperature in historical times lie within the range of contemporary air temperature variability. Different air temperature characteristics calculated on the basis of daily data for the NZR for historical/contemporary periods also confirm the occurrence of climate warming between the studied periods

Air temperature conditions in northern Nordaustlandet (NE Svalbard) at the end of World War II

This article presents the results of an investigation into air temperature conditions in northern Nordaustlandet (NE Svalbard) based on meteorological observations made by German soldiers towards the end of World War II (1944/1945) and 4 months after its end. Traditional analysis using mean monthly data was supplemented by a detailed analysis based on daily data: maximum temperature, minimum temperature and diurnal temperature range. The latter kind of data made it possible to study such aspects of climate as the number of “characteristic days” (i.e., the number of days with temperatures exceeding specified thresholds), dayto-day temperature variability, and duration, onset and end dates of thermal seasons. The results from Nordaustlandet for the warmest period of the early 20th century warming period (ETCWP) were compared with temperature conditions both historical (the end part of the Little Ice Age) and contemporary (different sub-periods taken from the years 1981–2017) to estimate the range of warming during the ETCWP. Analysis reveals that the expedition year 1944/1945 in Nordaustlandet was, in the majority of months, the warmest of all analysed periods, that is, both historical and contemporary periods. The study period was markedly warmer than 1981–2010 (mean annual −6.5 vs. −8.4 °C) but colder than the periods 2011–2016 (−5.7 °C) and 2014–2017 (−5.8 °C). The majority of mean monthly air temperatures in the ETCWP lies within two standard deviations of the modern 2014–2017 mean. This means that values of air temperature in the study period lie within the range of recent temperature variability. All other thermal characteristics show changes in accordance with expectations associated with general warming of the Arctic (i.e., a decrease in diurnal temperature range and number of cold days, and an increase in number of warm days). The latter days were most common in the ETCWP

The influence of atmospheric circulation on the spatial diversity of air temperature in the area of Forlandsundet (NW Spitsbergen) during 2010–2013

The relationship between atmospheric circulation and climate in Svalbard has been described in dozens of studies. However, the data used for that purpose usually came from permanent stations on the coast. The influence of atmospheric circulation on topoclimatic diversity has not been explored so often, and hardly at all for other periods than the Arctic summer. In this article, the relationships between circulation and air temperature are described using daily data sourced from six sites located around Forlandsundet (NW Spitsbergen) during 2010–2013. The analysis was conducted independently for three seasons identified as: winter (Nov–Mar), spring/autumn (Apr–May and Sep–Oct) and summer (Jun–Aug) and also for three air temperature parameters: diurnal mean (Ti), maximum (Tmax) and minimum (Tmin) temperature. The atmospheric circulation in the studied area was described using Tadeusz Niedźwiedź’s classification of diurnal circulation types for Svalbard. The influence of atmospheric circulation on the spatial pattern of air temperature is not uniform across the Forlandsundet region; in particular, important differences were observed between coastal and inland parts of the study area. Thus, generalization of relationships between air temperature and atmospheric circulation for the entire area of Spitsbergen based on data only from coastal stations is not appropriate. The influence of atmospheric circulation on the spatial pattern of air temperature in the Forlandsundet region also changes through the year. In the cold season (Sep–May) it differs significantly from that observed in summer (Jun–Aug), and this feature is also seen in analyses of the 10% highest (≥ 90th percentile) and lowest (≤ 10th percentile) thermal differences. In summer, the influence of atmospheric circulation on air temperature in the topoclimatic scale is definitely less stable than in the cold season

Spatial differentiation of air temperature and humidity on western coast of Spitsbergen in 1979-1983

Spatial differentiation of temperature and relative humidity of air on western coast of Spitsbergen in 1979-1983 is presented. Applying the author's classification of types of atmospheric circulation in the studied area, its influence on distribution of these elements is shown. Air temperature in the area is related more to the degree of climate continentality than to its latitude. The lowest mean 5-year temperatures were calculated for stations with highest degrees of thermic continentality (Svea Gruber and Svalbard Lufthavn). The highest thermic differentiation occurs from November to March (1-4°C) and the lowest in May-June and August-October (0.0-1.5°C). It is opposite if relative humidity is concerned: the highest differences occur in summer (10-15%) and the lowest in winter (0-9%). Influence of atmospheric circulation on air temperature is larger during a polar night than a polar day. Again, it is opposite in the case of relative humidity. In both analyzed seasons the highest thermic differentiation occurred at the circulation type Ca. However, it was the lowest during a polar night at advection of air from northern and southern sectors, and during a polar day at advection from a northern sector and at the type Cc

„Niezbędne i użyteczne”

Latem 2022 roku minęło 290 lat od największego w dziejach Rzeczypospolitej pokazu artystyczno-militarnego. Wielki Kampament Augusta Mocnego, który rozegrał się w 1732 roku u podnóża Skarpy Warszawskiej, był szeroko zakrojonym przedsięwzięciem logistycznym, inżynieryjno-budowlanym oraz wizerunkowym. Obok militarnej rewii prezentującej sprawność i stan uzbrojenia wojsk polskich, litewskich i saskich pod koroną Wettynów, bezprecedensowym zjawiskiem było stworzenie tymczasowej rezydencji dla monarchy. Na szczycie cy- pla Skarpy Warszawskiej nazwanego Króliczą Górą, w miejscu hodowli łownych królików, stworzone zostało tymczasowe założenie pałacowo-ogrodowe projektu Carla Friedricha Pöppelmanna. Niewielki, dwukondygnacyjny pawilon mieścił w swoim wnętrzu zarówno prywatne apartamenty królewskie, jak i rozległą salę biesiadną z otwartą galerią. Widok z galerii pawilonu posadowionego na wysokości 107 m n.p.m. obejmował nie tylko dwa place manewrowe sięgające brzegu Wisły, ale także cały około-warszawski odcinek jej doliny. Pawilon poprzedzony został ozdobnym ogrodem, którego główną dekoracją, oprócz parterów gazonowych, były drzewka pomarańczowe. Dzięki wykonanym przez Autora badaniom możliwe jest poznanie wartości funkcjonalnych i artystycznych królewskie- go obozowiska na Króliczej Górze. Założenie pałacowo-ogrodowe było jednym z ważniejszych węzłów kompozycyjnych rozległego zespołu krajobrazowego królewskich posiadłości Augusta Mocnego w Warszawie. Jednak ta bezprecedensowa w historii sztuki ogrodowej i architektury Rzeczypospolitej miniatura królewskiej rezydencji przestała istnieć już w 1736 roku.:PL 1) Wprowadzenie 2) Determinanty dziejowe i krajobrazowe w procesie powstawania rezydencji polowej na Króliczej Górze 3) Problem autorstwa projektu rezydencji polowej na Króliczej Górze 4) Królewski ogród polowy i jego kompozycja 5) Adaptacja rezydencji polowej do lokalnej topografii Skarpy Warszawskiej 6) Podsumowanie 7) Bibliografia EN 1) Foreword 2) Historical and landscape determinants in the process of establishing the field residence on Rabbit Hill 3) The issue of the authorship of the design of the field residence on the Rabbit Hill 4) The royal field garden and its composition 5) Adaptation of the field residence to the local topography of the Warsaw Escarpment 6) Conclusions 7) Bibliograph

Air temperature in the Canadian Arctic in the mid-nineteenth century based on data from expeditions

The paper presents the first results of the project aimed at collecting and analysing early instrumental records from the Arctic, from the period 1846-1854. Air temperature is characterized for the Canadian Arctic using data from various expeditions and a comparison with the present-day climate is also made

Variability of total and solid precipitation in the Canadian Arctic from 1950 to 1995

Trends in solid and total precipitation, as well as in the ratio of solid to total precipitation (hereinafter S/T ratio), in the Canadian Arctic in recent decades have been investigated. In addition, the influence of air temperature and circulation factors (atmospheric and oceanic) on the above-mentioned precipitation characteristics have been examined. Recently updated and adjusted data by the Canadian Climate Centre from 16 stations located in the Canadian Arctic and two stations from the sub-Arctic were used for the investigation. The southern boundary of the study area was taken after Atlas Arktiki (Tresjinkov, A. 1985. Glavnoye Upravlenye Geodeziy i Kartografiy: Moscow; 204 pp). The majority of the data cover the period from 1950 to 1995. A statistically significant increase in all kinds of areally averaged seasonal and annual precipitation for the Canadian Arctic over the period 1950–95 has been found. On the other hand, the S/T ratio did not change significantly, except for summer values, and its behaviour was also in accord with small variations noted in air temperature. An increase in air temperature in the Canadian Arctic most often led to a rise in all kinds of annual precipitation sums, but only when the warmest and coldest years were chosen based on individual stations. The pattern of the relationship is significantly more complicated, and can even be opposite to that presented above, when the sets of the warmest and coldest years are chosen based on the areally averaged annual temperature for the Canadian Arctic. Significantly more stable results of changes were found for the S/T ratio, which in warmer periods was usually lower. However, more detailed and reliable investigations of temperature–precipitation relationships conducted for individual stations showed that though the S/T ratio in warmer periods may well be lower, this only applies to the southern (warmer) part of the Canadian Arctic (<70 °N). During periods with high positive values of the North Atlantic Oscillation Index (NAOI), a decrease in precipitation is observed in the south-eastern part of the Canadian Arctic, i.e. in the area where strong cooling was also observed. During El Niño events most of the Canadian Arctic had both greater precipitation and a higher S/T ratio than during La Niña events. The most unequivocal results of precipitation and S/T ratio changes were found for changes in the Arctic Ocean circulation regimes. In almost the whole study area, a lower precipitation and S/T ratio were noted during the anticyclonic circulation regime in the Arctic Ocean

Spatial variation of air temperature in the Arctic in 1951-1990

The paper presents a spatial distribution of changes of air temperature (T) in the Arctic. Estimates of their spatial relations in the study region were based on a correlation analysis. T in the Arctic is most strongly correlated spatially in winter and spring, and least in summer. The radius of extent of statistically significant correlation coefficients of changes of T at the stations Svalbard Lufthavn, Ostrov Kotelny and Resolute A is equal to 2000-2500 km in winter and 1500-2000 km in summer. An attempt was done to delimit the regions of consistent occurrence of the anomalies T with respect to the signs and magnitudes, as well as of the regions with the most coherent T. The Wroclaw dendrite method was used to solve this problem. Relations of the mean areal T of the climatic regions and of the Arctic as a whole, with the northern hemisphere of temperature and selected climatic factors are presented

Changes in seasonal and annual high-frequency air temperature variability in the Arctic from 1951-1990

A detailed analysis of intraseasonal (within season) and interannual (between years) temperature variability for the whole Arctic for the period 1951–90 is provided. For this purpose four temperature variables were used: average (TMEAN), maximum (TMAX) and minimum (TMIN) temperatures, and the diurnal temperature range (DTR). The source data for the analysis were the daily TMAX and TMIN for ten stations representing almost all climatic regions in the Arctic. The methods of calculation of temperature variability were mostly taken from Plummer (1996; Australian Meteorological Magazine 45: 233). Thus the results presented for the Arctic can be fully compared with existing results for the other parts of the world (China, the former USSR, the USA and Australia). Regional trends in intraseasonal and interannual temperature variability were mixed and the majority of them were insignificant. Trends in intraseasonal variability were positive in the Norwegian Arctic and eastern Greenland and negative in the Canadian and Russian Arctic. Small increases in interannual variability for all temperature variables were observed annually in the Norwegian Arctic and eastern Greenland, and in the Canadian Arctic. These were largely a result of increases in winter and transitional seasons respectively. On the other hand, opposite tendencies, both on a seasonal and an annual basis, occurred in the Russian Arctic. Statistically significant negative trends in intraseasonal variability were noted mainly in the Canadian Arctic, whereas such trends in interannual variability were noted mainly in the Russian Arctic. The absence of significant changes in intraseasonal and interannual variability of TMEAN, TMAX, TMIN and DTR is additional evidence (besides the average temperature) that in the Arctic in the period 1951–90 no tangible manifestations of the greenhouse effect can be identified

Spatial and temporal changes in extreme air temperatures in the Arctic over the period 1951-1990

A detailed analysis of the spatial and temporal changes in mean seasonal and annual daily maximum (Tmax) and minimum (Tmin) air temperatures and diurnal temperature range (DTR) in the Arctic over the period 1951–1990 is presented. This analysis is preceded by a description of the spatial distributions of the mean seasonal and annual 40-year extreme temperatures (i.e. Tmax and Tmin). The rate of decrease of the mean Arctic Tmin is about twice as weak as the rate for Tmax in the period 1951–1990. As a result, a decrease in DTR is observed. Not all areas of the Arctic, however, show such tendency, e.g. large parts of the Canadian Arctic do not. The increases in DTR here are more common in summer than in winter. The decrease in DTR is related partly to increases in cloud cover, especially in the warm half-year when solar radiation is present in the Arctic. On the contrary, in the cool half-year (mainly during polar night) the day-to-day changes of temperature, governed at this time by very variable atmospheric circulation, have a greater impact than the cloudiness. The increase in variability of Tmax and Tmin has not occurred in the most recent decades. No evidence of any greenhouse warming in the Arctic over the period 1951–1990 is seen. Most of the Tmax and Tmin trends are not statistically significant