Abstract: The observation of snow cover by the staff of the Geographical Faculty of Moscow State University of the meteorological observatory has long been researched. This article describes the snow accumulation features and the snow cover's stratigraphy. The third cyclone arrived in Moscow on the night of December 14. There had been a large number of snowdrifts since the beginning of the snow accumulation, and the 49 cm mark was recorded at the MSU weather station. The difficulties of classifying layers in the snow column have been investigated by many glaciologists, something that is also considered in this paper. Machine learning methods were used to classify stratigraphic layers in the snow column according to measurements from the snow micro pen device. The ice crystal shapes within the snow column, resulting from metamorphism (rounded, faceted, thawed), exhibit variations in both density and parameters derived from the snow micro pen device data processing. Specifically, MPF(N) represents the average resistance force, SD(N) denotes its standard deviation, and cv signifies its covariance. This diversity allows for the categorization of processed device data and the incorporation of new measurement data without relying on direct manual drilling results. The obtained device data underwent thorough processing. Through comparison with data from direct snow stratigraphy surveys, the stratigraphic layers of the snow column were classified. Subsequently, utilizing the classified data of the device's stratigraphic layers, K-nearest neighbors clustering enabled the classification of new data obtained from the device without the need for additional manual surveys in the future.

Keywords: snow cover, research, heterogeneity of the snow layers, winter period, snow layer, winter season, meteostation, snow thickness, MSU, spatial temporal heterogeneities

Abstract: Methane is one of the most significant greenhouse gases. Unlike carbon dioxide, methane is a short – lived greenhouse gas with a lifetime of about 10 years, however, due to significantly higher greenhouse activity (according to scientists, it is at least 25 times greater than that of carbon dioxide), its effect on total global warming is very significant. Global warming processes have the greatest impact on the biosphere and ecosystem of the Arctic territories. The melting of permafrost can lead to changes in soil composition and geological processes. Therefore, the formation of methane in the Arctic and subarctic territories is quite an urgent issue. The purpose of this work is to study the amount of methane released in landfills of municipal solid waste. The article discusses the results of a study of methane formation processes at landfills close to the post-operational period. The data in the work were obtained by applying the technology of drilling an array of municipal waste. The article considered the polygons of the Subarctic and Arctic zones. The paper presents averaged data on the results of methane extraction at various landfills. It was found that the volume fraction of methane in the composition of landfill gas from the waste array disposed of over the past two years can reach 61%. However, in the approved methodology for calculating emissions from landfills of municipal solid waste (MSW), accounting for emissions over the past two years is advisory in nature, which creates prerequisites for adjusting the methodology based on the results of instrumental measurements. The results obtained make it possible to more accurately assess the carbon units obtained by introducing the best available technologies at MSW landfills, which is especially important in the framework of the implementation of the state policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic for the period up to 2035.

Keywords: landfill gases, subarctic zone, climate change, mining, methane, municipal solid waste, emissions, MSW landfill, measurement techniques, Arctic

Abstract: Transport links and provision of hard-to-reach settlements and mining enterprises play an important role in the economic development of the Arctic regions. In winter, winter roads are used as transport arteries; their mode of operation depends on the characteristics of the ice. Winter roads are used in Russia, Canada, USA, Finland, and China. Due to climate warming, the timing of the formation of ice cover on rivers is shifting to later times, and in the spring the ice is destroyed earlier. This could affect the delivery of vital supplies to remote regions. According to recent forecasts, it is assumed that heavy vehicles will not be able to use winter roads by the end of the 21st century. The purpose of the study is to analyze changes in the characteristics of ice cover on the rivers of the Northeast of Russia. To do this, a series of data was collected for the period 1940–2018 on the thickness of the ice cover at 80 hydrological stations located in the basins of the Yana, Indigirka, Kolyma rivers, rivers of the Chukotka Peninsula and the Sea of Okhotsk basin. The catchment areas range from 18.3 to 635,000 km2, and the duration of the continuous series ranges from 2 to 67 years. Three statistical nonparametric tests (Mann-Kendall, Pettitt and Theil-Sen) were used for evaluation. The following characteristics were considered: the maximum ice thickness and the date of its formation, the dates when the ice thickness reached 60 and 90 cm. During the period under review, the maximum ice thickness decreased by an average of 40 cm, while the date of reaching the maximum values remained almost unchanged. The period for the formation of river ice with a thickness of 60 and 90 cm, necessary for the passage of cars and trucks, respectively, has shifted by almost a month. The start date of freeze-up occurs on average 3–4 days later, and the end date of freeze-up occurs 5–8 days earlier. On average, the duration of freeze-up decreased by 5–15 days. The results obtained must be taken into account when drawing up the work schedule for winter roads. This is especially important for regions where communication between populated areas and mining enterprises is possible only through river arteries.

Keywords: ice reduction, cryosphere, Arctic regions, ice phenomena, aufeis, climate change, ice cover period, winter road, the North-East of Russia, river ice thickness

Abstract: Aufeis is one of the most dangerous natural phenomena. The negative impact of aufeis is determined by the unexpected flooding of the territory and subsequent freezing of water, the formation of ice barriers, the icing of underground structures and communications (mines, tunnels, culverts, and sewer wells), as well as the icing of roads and railways, coastal hydraulic structures, etc. There are cases when explosions of aufeis mounds produce catastrophic disturbances within a few seconds. The aufeis that forms annually in the valley of the Buluus Creek is one of the most famous and studied aufeis of Central Yakutia. The aufeis was sampled from a vertical section. The aufeis is layered, and the thickness of the layers is 3-10 cm. In the upper part of the aufeis, the ice layers are thicker than in the lower. Sampling from the aufeis ice was carried out using a 5.1-cm-diameter steel crown driven by a Bosch electric drill. Measurements of the isotopic composition of oxygen and hydrogen in ice were performed using a Picarro L 2130-i laser isotope analyzer. The isotopic composition of the Buluus ice varies in a narrow range: δ18O values vary from −20.2 to −21.9‰, δ2H values vary from −159.5 to −173.7‰. Generally, the ice is isotopically slightly enriched compared to the surface water of the Ulakhan-Taryn creek, where the δ18O value is −22.18‰ and the δ2H value is −175.1%. Groundwater is isotopically close to the creek water; its isotope composition is also isotopically enriched compared to the ice of the aufeis, with δ18O values varying from −22.17 to −22.25‰ and δ2H values varying from −173.7 to −175.1‰.

Keywords: Central Yakutia, middle taiga, cryogenic soils, Lena River, Ulakhan-Taryn stream, Buluus, hydrogen isotope, oxygen isotope, permafrost, aufeis

Abstract: The object of the study was the unexplored soil cover of the Olsky section of the Magadan Nature Reserve. For this purpose, a route survey was conducted of 12 of the most characteristic tracts of the site available for hiking. The research methods generally accepted in Russian soil science were used. 11 soil subtypes were identified for the first time within the boundaries of the site, among which the most common are soils of the alphegumus and humus–accumulative departments, developing on granitoid derivatives overlain from above by an Aeolian cover of volcanic ash with a thickness of up to 0.25 m. A soil map has been compiled on which 9 contours of soil cover structures are outlined, among which the most widely represented combinations of ochreous podburs with sod-podburs illuvial-ferruginous ochreous, dry peat-ochreous podzols with ochreous podzols and dry peat-lithozems humus-peat, as well as ochreous gleevate podzols.  11 soil subtypes were identified for the first time within the boundaries of the site, among which the most common are soils of the alphegumus and humus–accumulative departments developing on granitoid derivatives overlain from above by an Aeolian cover of volcanic ash with a thickness of up to 0.25 m.A soil map has been compiled on which 9 contours of soil cover structures are outlined, among which the most widely represented combinations of ochreous podburs with sod-podburs illuvial-ferruginous ochreous, dry peat-ochreous podzols with ochreous podzols and dry peat-lithozems humus-peat, as well as ochreous gleevate podzols. The conclusion is made about the overwhelming influence of Kamchatka volcanism on soil formation and soil cover of the research area. The obtained results can be used for environmental purposes to replenish information about the environmental components of one of the poorly studied sites of specially protected natural territories of the North of the Far East, as well as in domestic soil science to clarify the genetic features of the influence of Kamchatka volcanism on the land cover of the vast oceanic region of the Pacific Ocean.

Keywords: ancient Kamchatka volcanism, the structure of the soil cover, natural areas, environment, soil map, region, Soil science, ochreous subtypes of soils, soil cover, soil