Search Results (61)

The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global mean, driving unprecedented sea ice loss and threatening permafrost coasts and human settlements. Existing pan-Arctic vulnerability indices typically rest on satellite-era baselines and on expert-driven weighting schemes whose robustness is rarely tested. Here, we present an integrated, multi-centennial framework that jointly ingests SIBT1850 sea ice concentration (1850–2017), extended to 2024 with the NOAA/NSIDC Climate Data Record of Passive Microwave Sea Ice Concentration v6 (G02202 v6), together with ESA CCI Permafrost products (1997–2019), the Arctic Coastal Dynamics database, and pan-Arctic settlement inventories. Using non-parametric Mann–Kendall trend tests, Sen’s slope, and the Pettitt change point test across nine Seas (S1–S9), five permafrost-adjacent core seas exhibit summer Sen’s slopes of −0.105 to −0.185% yr⁻¹ with Pettitt change points clustered in 1929–1953 (mean 1936), whereas three of four support seas cluster around 1978, suggesting an approximately bimodal regime shift timing that we interpret cautiously given the limited sample. A Composite Vulnerability Index integrating six normalised indicators identifies the Chukchi (CVI = 0.630) and East Siberian (0.624) seas as the highest-priority hotspots at the SIBT1850 baseline. A satellite-era robustness check using NSIDC G02202 v6 confirms that the Chukchi–East Siberian–Laptev corridor remains in the top three highest-vulnerability basins under the 1850–2024 extension, with the Beaufort Sea retaining rank 5, validating the basin mean conclusions of the SIBT1850-based analysis. Robustness checks—PCA re-weighting, one-at-a-time and global (Sobol, PAWN) sensitivity analyses, and Monte Carlo Dirichlet perturbation—confirm that the top-two ranking is stable across weighting schemes (baseline–PCA Spearman ρ = 0.80). We explicitly avoid claiming forecasting validation, operational testing, or benchmarking against existing pan-Arctic vulnerability indices, all of which we identify as priority directions for future work. The framework provides a transparent, reproducible basis for prioritising adaptation across the Chukchi–East Siberian–Laptev corridor. Full article

Fine-scale detailed estimation of sea ice concentration (SIC) is pivotal for maritime safety, scientific exploration, and environmental surveillance. However, current datasets frequently present challenges due to their limited resolution, thereby hindering fine-scale analysis of sea ice conditions. This paper introduces a novel Deep Self-Attention Residual U-Net (Deep SARU-Net) architecture to address the limitations inherent in existing super-resolution estimation techniques. By harnessing distinctive multi-stage self-attention mechanisms, orthogonal rectangular convolutional kernels, and residual modules, this architecture significantly augments both the precision and generalizability of SIC super-resolution estimation tasks. Experimental results demonstrate that in the vicinity of the Chukchi Sea, the Deep SARU-Net method exhibits superior performance in terms of both RMSE and SSIM values compared to other models, showcasing its efficacy. Furthermore, generalization analyses across diverse sea regions confirm the model’s universality. Full article

Sea ice dirtiness is an important characteristic that is a marker of many processes occurring in sea ice cover throughout the period of ice formation. Data on dirty ice in the Arctic are scarce; the observations are spatially limited as they usually obtained during ship-based expeditions. There are also automated methods for dirty ice detection from satellite data. The paper presents, for the first time, maps of ice dirtiness in the East Siberian Sea based on four-class classification, drawn manually using satellite images in the visible range for the entire available period of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data from 2000 to 2025. The spatial and temporal variability of dirty ice, as well as the conditions and causes of its formation, are studied. The study reveals that there are sea areas where the ice is always heavily dirty. At the same time, the area and location of dirty ice in the sea varies greatly from year to year. Our analysis of the interannual variability of dirty ice in the East Siberian Sea reveals an increase in dirty ice area, which is associated with the intensification of dynamic processes leading to ice contamination during its formation. The study finds that vast areas of dirty ice are formed immediately after strong wind-wave activity, which induces resuspension of sediments in the shallow water. The influx of ice from the Chukchi Sea also makes a significant contribution to the amount of dirty ice in the East Siberian Sea. Full article

Arctic sea ice variations exhibit relatively strong statistical associations with precipitation variability over northeastern and southern China. Using Arctic Ocean reanalysis data from the EU Copernicus Project, this study examines the time-lagged statistical relationships between winter Arctic sea ice conditions and subsequent spring precipitation variability over China through wavelet analysis and Granger causality tests. Singular value decomposition (SVD) identifies the Barents, Kara, East Siberian, and Chukchi Seas as key regions exhibiting strong associations with spring precipitation anomalies. Increased winter sea ice in the East Siberian and Chukchi Seas generates positive geopotential height anomalies over the Arctic and negative anomalies over Northeast Asia, adjusting upper-level jet streams and influencing precipitation patterns in Northeast China. Conversely, increased sea ice in the Barents–Kara Seas leads to persistent negative geopotential height anomalies simultaneously occurring over both the Arctic and South China regions, enhancing southern jet stream activity and intensifying warm-moist airflow at the 850 hPa level, thus favoring precipitation in southern China. Compared to considering only climate factors such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and Arctic Oscillation (AO), the inclusion of Arctic sea ice significantly enhances the influence of multiple climate factors on precipitation variability in China. Full article

Siliceous plankton are vital for understanding modern and past marine environments. However, few studies have been carried out on silicoflagellates, a group of siliceous phytoplankton. The determination of reliable environmental reconstructions using silicoflagellates is hindered by the lack of consensus on the optimal counting number. In this study, sinking particles and surface sediments collected from the Chukchi Sea, western Arctic Ocean, were used to investigate the composition of silicoflagellates and to determine the optimal counting number of silicoflagellate assemblages. The silicoflagellate assemblage in the western Arctic is dominated by Octactis speculum, followed by Staphanocha medianoctisol in secondary abundance, while Octactis octonaria and Stephanocha quinquangella are present in very low frequencies. Employing an analysis of relative abundances and their corresponding coefficient of variations (CVs) for different silicoflagellate species across a counting gradient, we established an optimal counting number of 100–200 silicoflagellate skeletons for samples with high abundance. In contrast, the entire sample slide should be counted due to the low absolute abundance of silicoflagellates in surface sediments. Full article

Low-frequency ocean noise (50–500 Hz) was recorded by a single omnidirectional hydrophone in the open waters of the Chukchi Plateau from 31 August 2021 to 6 September 2021 (local time). After other non-wind interference was filtered out, wind-generated noise source levels (NSLs) were extracted from the wind-generated noise. The correlation coefficients between the one-third octave wind-generated NSLs and sea surface wind speed exceed 0.84, an improvement of approximately 10% compared to those between the raw data and the wind speed. For 200–500 Hz, the wind-generated NSLs are highly consistent with Wilson’s (1983) estimated curve. The 50–300 Hz results closely match those of Chapman and Cornish (1993) from vertical line array (VLA) measurements. Both demonstrate the feasibility of extracting wind-generated NSLs by utilizing a single omnidirectional hydrophone in the Chukchi Plateau’s open waters. Furthermore, the research results of wind speed dependence and frequency dependence can be applied to calculate wind-generated NSLs in the Chukchi Plateau. Wind-derived ocean ambient noise data are useful for background correction in underwater target detection, recognition, tracking, and positioning. Full article

The Chukchi Sea is an open estuary in the southwestern Arctic. Its near-surface salinities are higher than those of the surrounding open Arctic waters due to the key inflow of saltier and warmer Pacific waters through the Bering Strait. This salinity distribution may suggest that interannual changes in the Bering Strait mass transport are the sole and dominant factor shaping the salinity distribution in the downstream Chukchi Sea. Using satellite sea surface salinity (SSS) retrievals and altimetry-based estimates of the Bering Strait transport, the relationship between the Strait transport and Chukchi Sea SSS distributions is analyzed from 2010 onward, focusing on the ice-free summer to fall period. A comparison of five different satellite SSS products shows that anomalous SSS spatially averaged over the Chukchi Sea during the ice-free period is consistent among them. Observed interannual temporal change in satellite SSS is confirmed by comparison with collocated ship-based thermosalinograph transect datasets. Bering Strait transport variability is known to be driven by the local meridional wind stress and by the Pacific-to-Arctic sea level gradient (pressure head). This pressure head, in turn, is related to an Arctic Oscillation-like atmospheric mean sea level pattern over the high-latitude Arctic, which governs anomalous zonal winds over the Chukchi Sea and affects its sea level through Ekman dynamics. Satellite SSS anomalies averaged over the Chukchi Sea show a positive correlation with preceding months’ Strait transport anomalies. This correlation is confirmed using two longer (>40-year), separate ocean data assimilation models, with either higher- (0.1°) or lower-resolution (0.25°) spatial resolution. The relationship between the Strait transport and Chukchi Sea SSS anomalies is generally stronger in the low-resolution model. The area of SSS response correlated with the Strait transport is located along the northern coast of the Chukotka Peninsula in the Siberian Coastal Current and adjacent zones. The correlation between wind patterns governing Bering Strait variability and Siberian Coastal Current variability is driven by coastal sea level adjustments to changing winds, in turn driving the Strait transport. Due to the Chukotka coastline configuration, both zonal and meridional wind components contribute. Full article

Atmospheric sounding using the Tu-134 Optik aircraft-laboratory was conducted in September 2020 over the seas of the Russian sector of the Arctic Ocean, namely the Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, Chukchi and Bering seas. Unique samples of atmospheric aerosols at altitudes from 200 and up to 10,000 m were taken, including samples for the identification of cultivated microorganisms and their genetic analysis. Data on the concentration and diversity of bacteria and fungi isolated from 24 samples of atmospheric aerosols are presented; the main phenotypic and genomic characteristics were obtained for 152 bacterial cultures; and taxonomic belonging was determined. The concentration of cultured microorganisms detected in aerosols of different locations was similar, averaging 5.5 × 10³ CFU/m³. No dependence of the number of isolated microorganisms on the height and location of aerosol sampling was observed. The presence of pathogenic and condto shitionally pathogenic bacteria, including those referred to in the genera Staphylococcus, Kocuria, Rothia, Comamonas, Brevundimonas, Acinetobacter, and others, as well as fungi represented by the widely spread genera Aureobasidium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Penicillium, capable of causing infectious and allergic diseases were present in most analyzed samples. Obtained data reveal the necessity of systematic studies of atmospheric microbiota composition to combat emerging population diseases. Full article

The interannual features of the salinity in the Chukchi Sea during the ice-free period of a year are investigated on the base of Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite measurements and GLORYS12v1 reanalysis data. Analysis of salinity measurements revealed two types of Bering Summer Waters (BSW) propagation: “western” and “eastern”. The first is characterized by the penetration of Pacific waters into the northwest part of the sea, as well as the propagation of BSW to 180°W and 72.5°N. During the “eastern” type, salty waters are pressed to the eastern part of the shelf. Their area decreases and the northern boundary of the BSW area shifts to 174–176°W. Areas with low salinity, ~29 psu, are observed in the western part of the sea. Our study reveals that the formation of these types is affected not only by the inflow of Pacific waters through the Bering Strait but also by the East Siberian Current (ESC). Both factors are related and lead to correlated changes in the salinity of the Chukchi Sea waters. ESC carries Arctic freshwaters from west to east and leads to a decrease in salinity in the western part of the sea. At the same time, southward ESC caused the blockage of the northward currents in the Bering Strait and a decrease in the influx of saline Pacific waters in the southern part of the Chukchi Sea. The intensification of ESC occurred in 1994, 2002, 2012, and 2016, when the volume transport of ESC increased by approximately 0.2 Sv, while the influx through the Bering Strait decreased. As a result, in the years with intense ESC, the spatial structure of the salinity of the Chukchi Sea changed significantly and the shelf-averaged salinity decreased by 0.3–0.5 psu. Full article

Growing interest in finding the optimal route through the arctic ocean, and sea ice concentration is also emerging as a factor to be considered. In this paper, an algorithm to calculate the sea ice concentration was developed based on the images taken during the Arctic voyage of the Korean icebreaker ARAON in July 2019. A sea ice concentration calculation program was developed using the image processing functions in open-source image processing library, called OpenCV. To develop the algorithm, parameter studies were conducted on red, green, blue (RGB) color space and hue, saturation, value (HSV) color space, and k-means clustering. To verify the algorithm for sea ice concentration calculation, it was applied to images taken during Araon’s Arctic voyages. Lens curvature and view point were corrected through camera calibration. To improve the accuracy of sea ice concentration calculation, a binarization model based on random forest was proposed. A parameter study for training image numbers and tree numbers was conducted to establish the random forest model. The calculated sea ice concentrations by random forest and k-means clustering were compared and discussed. Full article

Microplastic pollution has emerged as a global environmental concern, exhibiting wide distribution within marine ecosystems, including the Arctic Ocean. Limited Arctic microplastic data exist from beached plastics, seabed sediments, floating plastics, and sea ice. However, no studies have examined microplastics in the sea ice of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area, and few have explored Arctic marginal seas’ water column. The majority of the microplastic data originates from the Eurasian Arctic, with limited data available from other regions of the Arctic Ocean. This study presents data from two distinct campaigns in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Western Arctic marginal seas in 2019 and 2020. These campaigns involved sampling from different regions and matrices, making direct comparisons inappropriate. The study’s primary objective is to provide insights into the spatial and vertical distribution of microplastics. The results reveal elevated microplastic concentrations within the upper 50 m of the water column and significant accumulation in the sea ice, providing evidence to support the designation of sea ice as a microplastic sink. Surface seawater exhibits a gradient of microplastic counts, decreasing from the Chukchi Sea towards the Beaufort Sea. Polyvinyl chloride polymer (~60%) dominated microplastic composition in both sea ice and seawater. This study highlights the need for further investigations in this region to enhance our understanding of microplastic sources, distribution, and transport. Full article

Ambient noise plays a crucial role in influencing the observation quality at seismic stations. By studying the distribution patterns of ambient noise, we can gain initial insights into the noise conditions within a specific research area. This paper investigates the properties of ambient noise in different frequency bands under environmental settings in the Chukchi Sea region, utilizing data collected from ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs) deployed during the Ninth Chinese National Arctic Scientific Survey. The probability density function (PDF) method is used to reveal the distinctive features of ambient noise. In addition, by comparing the crowed number values of ambient noise in the Chukchi Sea area with the global new low-noise model (NLNM) and new high-noise model (NHNM), a more comprehensive understanding of the patterns, distribution characteristics, and sources of ambient noise in the Arctic Chukchi Sea area is gained. The study suggests that the overlying sea ice in the Arctic Chukchi Sea area can suppress the microseismic band ambient noise, and the overall level of ambient noise in the Chukchi Sea area lies between the land seismic ambient noise level and the ambient noise level in the middle- and low-latitude sea areas. Meanwhile, an abnormal power spectrum caused by different levels of natural earthquakes is observed. This study fills the gap by using seafloor seismic instruments to investigate ambient noise in the Chukchi Sea area. Full article

The paper explores the potential of the biomorphic approach to context-based design with a focus on special-purpose mobility in the Arctic. The study seeks to contribute to the analytical and conceptual basis for developing the transport component of the Arctic life-support system, i.e., a set of objects and technologies, and knowledge and skills for handling them, allowing a person to survive and comfortably exist in severe environmental conditions. The central argument is that the system should incorporate structural components that possess not only technical but also artistic and emotional characteristics that align with the geographic (environmental and climatic), socio-cultural, and psychological peculiarities of use. This can be achieved by drawing inspiration from local nature. We probe the visual image of “soft military presence” using two case studies in different parts of the Russian Arctic: the Yamal and Chukchi peninsulas. Full article

The main parameters of wind waves in the World Ocean are connected with global climate change. Renewable energy technologies, intensive shipping, fishery, marine infrastructure, and many different human marine activities in the coastal zone and open sea need knowledge about the wind-wave climate. The main motivation of this research is to share various wind wave parameters with high spatial resolution in the coastal zone via a modern cartographic web atlas. The developed atlas contains information on 13 Russian Seas, including the Azov, Black, Baltic, Caspian, White, Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, Chukchi, Bering Seas, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Sea of Japan/East Sea. The analysis of wave climate was based on the results of wave modeling by WAVEWATCH III with input NCEP/CFSR wind and ice data. The web atlas was organized using the classic three-tier architecture, which includes a data storage subsystem (database server), a data analysis and publishing subsystem (GIS server), and a web application subsystem that provides a user interface for interacting with data and map services (webserver). The web atlas provides access to the following parameters: mean and maximum significant wave height, wave length and period, wave energy flux, wind speed, and wind power. The developed atlas allows changing the map scale (zoom) for detailed analysis of wave parameters in the coastal zones where the wave model spatial resolution is 300–1000 m. Full article

An analysis of archival and literary materials, as well as recently collected data in coastal areas at 14 locations in the Eurasian seas showed that the diversity of biomass-dominating key bryozoan species is low, totaling 26 species, less than 1/15 of the total bryozoan fauna richness. Their number decreases eastward from 17 species with an average total biomass of >16 g/m² in the Barents Sea to three species with an average biomass of about 3 g/m² in the East Siberian Sea. In the Chukchi Sea, their number and average biomass increase to 10 species and ~12 g/m², respectively. Average biomass strongly correlates with the number of species in each sea. Furthermore, variation in biomass is significantly correlated with the composition of bottom sediments and, in some locations, with depth. The marked decrease in the number of key species along the vector from Barents→Kara→Laptev→East Siberian Sea is due to a decline in the number of boreal and boreal–Arctic bryozoans of Atlantic origin. In contrast, the appearance of boreal and boreal–Arctic Pacific species is responsible for the increase in key species in the Chukchi Sea. Full article