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Environmental classifications are of paramount importance for assessing the impacts of land-use changes, for prioritizing conservation efforts, and for developing effective management strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of human activities. The aim of our research was to provide as complete an analysis as possible of the studies that have been carried out using the Braun-Blanquet approach. The global review of studies based on the Braun-Blanquet approach includes 1168 papers and was conducted using the PRISMA 2009 methodological recommendations, strict criteria for the selection/quality of papers, and modern methods of data analysis and visualization using VOSviewer software developed by Nees Jan van Eck and Ludo Waltman (Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) of Leiden University in the Netherlands) (version 1.6.18), which ensures a representative sample, minimization of subjective judgements, and reliability of conclusions. It was noted that the number of publications on Braun-Blanquet is growing exponentially. This is an indication of the scientific interest in this methodology and its continuous further development. Based on a detailed analysis of the keywords, the main research directions and challenges are identified. These include improving the conceptual and methodological foundations of the Braun-Blanquet approach; improvement in regional vegetation classifications, synthesizing them and producing a comprehensive classification for large areas as a basis for biodiversity conservation and sustainable land use; expansion of the geography; compilation and updating of databases of phytosociological data; management of dynamics and vegetation; discussion of the important problem of continuity and discreteness of vegetation in the context of ecological classifications; and vegetation mapping. The top 20 journals publishing the most cited articles were identified, as well as the top 20 most cited journals whose high citation rate is due to the large number of high-quality articles. The analysis of the bibliographic network of papers in dynamics has shown that the structure of relationships is not constant and has changed significantly. The analysis of the authors' publication activity showed that the vast majority of researchers have a low publication activity and have published only one to three papers. A peculiarity also emerges: if all the most cited authors are concentrated in Eurasia, then most of the most actively published authors are outside Eurasia. The importance of the Braun-Blanquet approach for the study and classification of forest vegetation should be emphasized. In this case, the Braun-Blanquet approach is integrated into forest typologies, increasing their ecological validity and environmental relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) has emerged as a practical and effective technique for studying slow and steady geodynamic movements, enabling continuous monitoring and precise quantification of deformation over different timescales. In Morocco, a network of GNSS stations has been established, offering valuable insights into tectonic processes. This paper focuses on investigating the geodynamic motion of the northwest Moroccan Atlantic Margin. By utilizing GNSS data, subsidence rates and horizontal velocity fields were determined for the first time, providing valuable information for oil and gas exploration activities. The study reveals an active uplift rate of 1 mm/year and a westward horizontal motion of 2.04 mm/year in the Essaouira segment. The paper presents a case study of the Essaouira–Agadir basin (EAB) onshore segment and investigates the anomalous displacement observed in this region compared to other coastal GNSS stations. Possible explanations for the observed movements include local processes such as salt tectonics and regional northwest–southeast compression related to Africa–Eurasia convergence. We suggest that the anomalous movement detected in this work is due to the regional northwest–southeast compression related to Africa–Eurasia convergence imparting an extrusion of the EAB to the west. This research contributes to a better understanding of the geodynamics in the northwest Moroccan Atlantic margin, thereby providing valuable insights for ongoing efforts in oil and gas exploration. Furthermore, it indicates the continued activity of the Agadir fault, which would exhibit a sinistral wrench movement, thus posing a threat to the city of Agadir and its inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper is devoted to analytical review of regularities of spatial and temporal changes of chemical composition and density of heavy oils of Eurasia, which are envisaged as main reserve of world's oil production industry for future years. The contents of sulfur, paraffin, resin, asphaltene and light fraction in heavy oils and their density were analysed statistically with use the global database on petrochemistry created by Institute of petroleum chemistry. The database includes above 3,660 samples of heavy oils from 62 principal oil-bearing basins in Eurasia. The basic regularities of regional distribution of heavy oils are considered. It is shown that the heaviest oils of Eurasia are in oil-bearing basins of Southern Europe and Southern Asia. The regularities of heavy oil density changes depending on occurrence depth are given. It is shown oil density decreases with depth growth. Maximum values of density of heavy oils are observed in Cenozoic rocks and their minimum values are in Proterozoic rocks. In average, heavy oils are sulfur, high resin, high asphaltenes ones containing small paraffin and small light fractions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A warming climate is altering land-atmosphere exchanges of carbon, with a potential for increased vegetation productivity as well as the mobilization of permafrost soil carbon stores. Here we investigate land-atmosphere carbon dioxide (CO2) dynamics through analysis of net ecosystem productivity (NEP) and its component fluxes of gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) and soil carbon residence time, simulated by a set of land surface models (LSMs) over a region spanning the drainage basin of northern Eurasia. The retrospective simulations were conducted over the 1960-2009 record and at 0.5° resolution, which is a scale common among many global carbon and climate model simulations. Model performance benchmarks were drawn from comparisons against both observed CO2 fluxes derived from sitebased eddy covariance measurements as well as regional-scale GPP estimates based on satellite remote sensing data. The site-based comparisons show the timing of peak GPP to be well simulated. Modest overestimates in model GPP and ER are also found, which are relatively higher for two boreal forest validation sites than the two tundra sites. Across the suite of model simulations, NEP increases by as little as 0.01 to as much as 0.79 gCm in future model development and intercomparison studies. Resulting improvements in parameterizations and processes driving productivity and soil respiration rates will increase confidence in model estimates of net CO2 exchange, component carbon fluxes, and underlying drivers of change across the northern high latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial ecosystems of northern Eurasia are greening, yet few studies have provided definitive attribution for the changes. While prior studies point to increasing temperatures as the principle environmental control, influences from moisture and other factors are less clear. We assess how changes in temperature, precipitation, cloudiness and forest fires contribute to the trend in Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) derived from satellite data across northern Eurasia. For the period 1982-2008 we find that GPP, estimated using ensemble satellite NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) observations from GIMMS3g and VIP datasets, is most sensitive to temperature, precipitation and cloudiness during summer, the peak of the growing season. For regional median GPP, summer temperature explains 33.3% of the variation in GPP, while the other environmental variables explain from 2.2 to 11.8%. Warming over the period analyzed, even without a sustained increase in precipitation, led to a significant GPP increase over 67.3% of the region. A significant decrease in GPP was found over 6.2% of the region, primarily the dryer grasslands in the south-western. For this area, precipitation positively correlates with GPP, as does cloudiness. This shows that the south-western part of northern Eurasia is relatively more vulnerable to drought than other areas. Our results further advance the notion that air temperature is the dominant environmental control for the recent GPP increases across northern Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large scale databases are critical for helping scientists decipher long-term patterns in human evolution. This paper describes the conception and development of such a research database and illustrates how big data can be harnessed to formulate new ideas about the past. The Role of Culture in Early Expansions of Humans (ROCEEH) is a transdisciplinary research center whose aim is to study the origins of culture and the multifaceted aspects of human expansions across Africa and Eurasia over the last three million years. To support its research, the ROCEEH team developed an online tool named the ROCEEH Out of Africa Database (ROAD) and implemented its web-based applications. ROAD integrates geographical data as well as archaeological, paleoanthropological, paleontological and paleobotanical content within a robust chronological framework. In fact, a unique feature of ROAD is its ability to dynamically link scientific data both spatially and temporally, thereby allowing its reuse in ways that were not originally conceived. The data stem from published sources spanning the last 150 years, including those generated by the research team. Descriptions of these data rely on the development of a standardized vocabulary and profit from online explanations of each table and attribute. By synthesizing legacy data, ROAD facilitates the reuse of heritage data in novel ways. Database queries yield structured information in a variety of interoperable formats. By visualizing data on maps, users can explore this vast dataset and develop their own theories. By downloading data, users can conduct further quantitative analyses, for example with Geographic Information Systems, modeling programs and artificial intelligence. In this paper, we demonstrate the innovative nature of ROAD and show how it helps scientists studying human evolution to access datasets from different fields, thereby connecting the social and natural sciences. Because it permits the reuse of "old" data in new ways, ROAD is now an indispensable tool for researchers of human evolution and paleogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the concept of science diplomacy in the context of Eurasian history with a particular focus on the period of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. The Mongol Empire held sway over much of Eurasia and thus participated in diplomatic activity within and outside of Mongol domains. Scientists and intellectuals routinely headed diplomatic embassies sent and received by the Mongol Empire. Diplomats were valued for their knowledge and skills and served as interlocutors and translators for the Mongol Khans. These scientist-diplomats were key figures in the court and were essential in facilitating exchanges, building connections and fostering relations. As polyglots and polymaths they were able to operate in a multi-cultural environment. They were part of the complex framework of the Mongol Empire that brought to bear a kind of Eurasian development model that relied on expertise, knowledge and resources that could be utilised across the empire. Set within this context, the paper describes the creation of a politico-science complex in Mongol Eurasia with a special emphasis on the relationship between the Mongol Khans and their partners, chief among them were scientists and intellectuals. The Mongol Empire as an empire built upon exchanges summarises how scientific exchanges were both a product of and a driver for diplomatic relations in this period. Thus, the historical connection between diplomacy and science in Eurasia is a necessary component in understanding the modern notion of science diplomacy beyond a European context and applied more globally both in terms of time and space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is a well-known and fundamental tool for crustal monitoring projects and tectonic studies, thanks to its high coverage and the high quality of the data they provide. In particular, at slowly convergent margins, where deformation rates are of the order of a few millimetres per year, GNSS monitoring proves to be beneficial in detecting the diffuse deformation responsible for tectonic stress accrual. Its strength lies in the high precision achieved by GNSS permanent stations, especially when long-term data and stable structures are available at the stations. North-eastern Italy is a tectonically active region located in the northernmost sector of the Adria microplate, slowly converging with the Eurasia plate, characterized by low deformation rates and moderate seismicity. It greatly benefits from continuous and high-precision geodetic monitoring, since it has been equipped with a permanent GNSS network providing real-time data and daily observations over 2 decades. The Friuli Venezia Giulia Deformation Network (FReDNet) was established in the area in 2002 to monitor crustal deformation and contribute to the regional seismic hazard assessment. This paper describes GNSS time series spanning 2 decades of stations located in north-eastern Italy and surroundings as well as the outgoing velocity field. The documented dataset has been retrieved by processing the GNSS observations with the GAMIT/GLOBK software ver10.71, which allows calculation of high-precision coordinate time series, position and velocity for each GNSS station by taking advantage of the high-performance computing resources of the Italian High-Performance Computing Centre (CINECA) clusters. The GNSS observations (raw and standard RINEX – Receiver INdependent EXchange – formats) and the time series estimated with the same procedure are currently daily continued, collected and stored in the framework of a long-term monitoring project. Instead, velocity solutions are intended for annual updates. The time series and velocity field dataset documented here are available on Zenodo (10.5281/zenodo.8055800, Tunini et al., 2024). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the development of the Northern Circumpolar Soil Carbon Database (NCSCD), a polygon-based digital database of soil carbon storage and soil coverage in North America and Eurasia. The study used sampling techniques, Walkley-Black method, and quantitative research. Results show that NCSCD helps in the estimation of global soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks.

The ALANIS (Atmosphere-LANd Integrated Study) Smoke Plume project is an ongoing study funded by the ESA's Support to Science Element (STSE) dedicated to the monitoring of the fire aerosol and trace gases dispersion over Eurasia from multi-mission EO-based data, in link with the scientific issues of land-atmosphere processes in the iLEAPS community. The injection and dispersion of the smoke plumes are performed with the TM5 model from several new products (burnt areas and forest fire emissions amounts, smoke plumes injection heights) derived from the MERIS and AATSR products and from the validated IASI CO products. A first study focused on the Russian wildfire events of the summer of 2010 has shown the potential of the European missions to assess the forest fire emissions and the aerosols/gases injection and transport over Eurasia. The release of the integrated model, including the new products still under development, is planned for the summer of 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is particularly strong in Northern Eurasia and substantial ecological changes are expected in this wide region. The reshaping and the migration northward of bioclimatic zones may offer opportunities for agriculture development in western and central Siberia. However, the bioclimatic vegetation models currently employed for projections still do not consider soil fertility whereas it is highly critical for plant growth. In the present study, we surveyed the phosphorus (P) status in the south-west of Siberia where soils are developed on loess parent material. We selected six sites differing by pedoclimate conditions and sampled the soil at different depths down to one meter in aspen (Populus tremula L.) forest as well as in grassland areas. The P status was assessed by conventional methods and by isotope dilution kinetics. We found that P concentrations and stocks, as well as their distribution through the soil profile, were rather homogeneous at the studied regional scale, although there were some differences among sites (particularly in organic P). The young age of the soils, together with slow kinetics of soil forming processes, have probably not yet conducted to a sufficiently wide range of soil physico-chemical conditions to observe more diverging P status. The comparison of our dataset to similar vegetation contexts on the global scale revealed that the soils of south-western Siberia, and more generally of Northern Eurasia, has often (very) high levels of total, organic and inorganic P. The amount of plant-available P in topsoils, estimated by the isotopically exchangeable phosphate ions, was not particularly high, but intermediate at the global scale. However, large stocks of plant-available P are stored in subsurface layers which have currently low fine root exploration intensities. These results suggest that the P resource is unlikely to constrain vegetation growth and agriculture development in the present and near future conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the domestication, genetic differentiation, and crop evolution of foxtail millet are reviewed in this paper. Several genetic studies were carried out to elucidate the genetic relationships among foxtail millet accessions originating mainly from Eurasia based on intraspecific hybrid pollen semi-sterility, isozymes, DNA markers, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Most studies suggest that China is the center of diversity of foxtail millet, and landraces were categorized into geographical groups. These results indicate that this millet was domesticated in China and spread over Eurasia, but independent origin in other regions cannot be ruled out. Furthermore, the evolution of genes was reviewed (i.e., the Waxy gene conferring amylose content in the endosperm, the Si7PPO gene controlling polyphenol oxidase, the HD1 and SiPRR37 genes controlling heading time, the Sh1 and SvLes1 genes involved in grain shattering, and the C gene controlling leaf sheath pigmentation), and the variation and distribution of these genes suggested complex patterns of evolution under human and/or natural selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with other crops, pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) is a niche emerging oil crop. In recent years, research on pennycress has been increasingly reflected in various directions. Pennycress belongs to the Brassicaceae family and was introduced from Eurasia to North America. It has been found worldwide as a cultivated plant and weed. In this paper, we review the advantages of pennycress as a supplementary model plant of Arabidopsis thaliana, oil and protein extraction technology, seed composition analysis based on metabolomics, germplasm resource development, growth, and ecological impact research, abiotic stress, fatty acid extraction optimization strategy, and other aspects of studies over recent years. The main research directions proposed for the future are as follows: (1) assemble the genome of pennycress to complete its entire genome data, (2) optimize the extraction process of pennycress as biodiesel, (3) analyze the molecular mechanism of the fatty acid synthesis pathway in pennycress, and (4) the functions of key genes corresponding to various adversity conditions of pennycress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the winter surface air temperature (SAT) anomaly in the Northern Hemisphere has exhibited a warm Arctic‐cold Eurasia (WACE) dipole pattern and this has undergone significant decadal variation. In this paper, the physical cause of the decadal variability of the WACE pattern is explored, and it is shown to be mediated by the phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). Although the negative PDO (PDO−) or positive AMO (AMO+) favors the WACE pattern, the meridional structure of the pattern is significantly influenced by whether PDO− or AMO+ dominates. During PDO− (AMO+) phase, the winter‐mean WACE pattern shows an asymmetric dipole with weak (strong) warm anomaly over the Barents‐Kara Seas or BKS and strong (weak) cold anomaly over central Eurasia or Siberia, which corresponds to Ural blocking (UB) concurring with the negative (positive) phase of North Atlantic Oscillation in a winter‐mean field. The winter asymmetric WACE pattern is more strongly related to PDO− than AMO+. It is further found that an asymmetric sub‐seasonal WACE dipole pattern with strong (weak) warm anomaly over BKS and weak (strong) cold anomaly over Siberia is usually formed during the UB episode due to favored (suppressed) sub‐seasonal downward infrared radiation and turbulent heat flux over BKS during AMO+ (PDO−), which leads to a strong asymmetric dipole of the winter WACE pattern. Plain Language Summary: The most prominent climate change in the Northern Hemispheric mid‐high latitudes in recent decades is that the winter surface air temperature anomaly has exhibited a warm Arctic‐cold Eurasia (WACE) dipole pattern. However, it is still unknown what causes the decadal variability of the winter WACE pattern and its meridional asymmetry. In this paper, we address this issue by examining the different effects of Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) on the winter WACE pattern. It is shown that PDO− (AMO+) plays an important role in the occurrence of the asymmetric WACE dipole with weak (strong) warm anomaly over the Barents‐Kara Seas and strong (weak) cold anomaly over central Eurasia or Siberia through modulating Ural blocking and associated sub‐seasonal cold anomaly. It is also found that the asymmetric WACE dipole is more strongly dependent on PDO− than AMO+. Our findings are of great significance for understanding the physical cause of the decadal variability of the WACE dipole pattern in spatial structure. Key Points: Ural Blocking plays an important role in the occurrence of the sub‐seasonal warm Arctic‐cold Eurasia (WACE) dipole pattern in winterUral blocking can amplify the winter‐mean Warm Arctic‐cold Eurasia (WACE) patternWarm Arctic‐cold Eurasia (WACE) is linked to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric correction of satellite remote sensing data is a prerequisite for a large variety of applications, including time series analysis and quantitative assessment of the Earth's vegetation cover. It was earlier reported that an atmospherically corrected KMSS-M (Meteor-M #2) dataset was produced for Russia and neighboring countries. The methodology adopted for atmospheric correction was based on localized histogram matching of target KMSS-M and MODIS reference gap-free and date-matching imagery. In this paper, we further advanced the methodology and quantitatively assessed Level-2 surface reflectance analysis-ready datasets, operatively produced for KMSS-2 instruments over continental scales. Quantitative assessment was based on accuracy, precision, and uncertainty (APU) metrics produced for red and near-infrared bands of the KMSS-2 instrument based on a reference derived from a MODIS MOD09 reconstructed surface reflectance. We compared error distributions at 5%, 20%, and 50% levels of cloudiness and indicated that the cloudiness factor has little impact on the robustness of the atmospheric correction regardless of the band. Finally, the spatial and temporal gradients of accuracy metrics were investigated over northern Eurasia and across different seasons. It was found that for the vast majority of observations, accuracy falls within the −0.010–0.035 range, while precision and uncertainty were below 0.06 for any band. With the successful launch of the most recent Meteor-M #2.3 with a new KMSS-2 instrument onboard, the efficiency and interoperability of the constellation are expected to increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retusa pertenuis is still formally considered a junior subjective synonym of Retusa obtusa, despite previous data indicating R. pertenuis and R. obtusa differ significantly in copulatory system morphology. In this paper, we study the species identity and population structure of R. pertenuis with an integrative approach combining morphological and molecular data. The external morphology, head copulatory system and gizzard plates were studied using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. We also obtained two mitochondrial (COI and 16S) and two nuclear (H3 and 28S) markers to test the monophyly of R. pertenuis and R. obtusa. Populations from the White Sea, Sea of Okhotsk and Sea of Japan were studied using COI and 18S molecular markers. Our results show that Retusa obtusa sensu lato represents a species complex of at least four species: the nominative species occurring in the North Atlantic, the widely distributed R. pertenuis and two additional species whose identities should be clarified in further studies. Retusa pertenuis geographic range encompasses the North Atlantic, Eurasia's northern seas, the Canadian Arctic, the Bering Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan. Within R. pertenuis's range, this species demonstrates a wide variability in shell morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of microprobe, paleomagnetic, and rock magnetic studies on peats from the Tyapka peat section (Khabarovsk krai) up to the turn of 4 ka BP. The alternating field demagnetization of peats yielded a horizon of 57–109 cm (1833–3083 cal. BP) with negative inclination values of the magnetization vector corresponding to the geomagnetic Etrussia excursion. The relative paleointensity estimates obtained for peats for the first time are consistent with the literature archeomagnetic data on the western part of Eurasia. According to the results of this study, the Etrussia excursion took place against the background of increased values of the Earth's magnetic field and lasted for ~1200 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate plays a key role in the Early Jurassic magmatism evolution in the Yanbian area, Northeast China. In this paper, zircon U–Pb ages, whole-rock geochemical, and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions are presented. The Early Jurassic gabbros, diorite enclaves, granodiorites, and granites ages range from 183 to 189 Ma. They are characterized by enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements and depletion in high-field strength elements. The gabbros are classified as low- and medium-K tholeiitic, granodiorites and granites are high-K calc-alkaline I-type, and diorite enclaves are calc-alkaline transitional series. The gabbros have zircon εHf(t) values of 6.81–9.89, whole-rock 87Sr/86Sr(i) = 0.7043–0.7044, and εNd(t) from 2.72 to 2.80. The diorite enclaves have zircons with εHf(t) values of 8.26–12.80, whole-rock 87Sr/86Sr(i) = 0.7051, and εNd(t) from 0.96 to 1.09. The granodiorites and granites have zircon εHf(t) values of 7.59–12.87, whole-rock 87Sr/86Sr(i) = 0.7042–0.7066, and εNd(t) from 2.33 to 2.61. These data indicate that gabbroic magmas were derived from partial melting of a depleted mantle wedge metasomatized by subduction-related fluids. The basaltic magma underplated and heated the juvenile crust, whereas the granodiorites and granites might be the product of fractional crystallization of a mixture of basaltic and felsic magmas or derived from partial melting of the juvenile lower crust. Our data constrain the petrogenesis of these Early Jurassic intrusive rocks which are attributed to subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate beneath Eurasia continent in northeastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper revealed a physical connection between the antiphase variation in the preceding autumn Tibetan Plateau (TP) and Lake Baikal snow cover anomalies (TBSA) and the following winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on interannual time scales during 1979–2021. The antiphase variation in TBSA, accounting for 44% of the total years, has a dipole structure in autumn, which prolonged into the following winter. The persistent antiphase TBSA associated diabatic forcing, disturbances and transient eddies favor a double wave train structure spanning the TP (east of Baikal) and North Atlantic from autumn to winter. Amid the wave train, the circulation anomalies over the North Atlantic extract more energy from the basic flow due to the seasonal increase in the westerly jet, which further evolves into the winter NAO pattern. Our results provide new insights into the formation and projection of winter NAO from the perspective of subtropical and extratropical Eurasia snow. Plain Language Summary: A robust link exists in the preceding autumn antiphase Tibetan Plateau (TP) and Lake Baikal snow cover anomalies (TBSA) and the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) during 1979–2021. There are 44% years of antiphase variation in TBSA in autumn, which shows a dipole structure with one positive center over the TP and another negative center over the Baikal. Larger (smaller) snow cover over the TP (Baikal) stimulates a local low (high) pressure system via diabatic cooling (heating). Due to the jet waveguide effect, the antiphase TBSA associated diabatic forcing and perturbation along the subtropical westerly jet favor the atmospheric wave train spanning the TP and North Atlantic. The antiphase TBSA associated transient eddies along the extratropical belt contribute to the atmospheric wave train lying between the eastern Baikal and the North Atlantic owing to the eddy‐flow interaction. Along with the seasonal increase in the subtropical westerly jet from autumn to winter, the geopotential height anomalies in the double wave train associated with the antiphase TBSA gradually develop into the winter large‐scale NAO circulation through more energy extraction from the stronger basic flow. Key Points: A robust link of winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) to the preceding fall antiphase Tibetan Plateau‐Baikal snow cover anomalies (TBSA)The antiphase TBSA associated diabatic forcing, disturbances and transient eddies favor a double wave train structure around 30°N and 60°NMore energy extracts over the North Atlantic due to the seasonal increase in the westerly jet, favoring the development of the winter NAO [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to better understand a hard-core security issue through a feminist lens or to grasp a new “Great Game”3 emerging in central Eurasia by using a feminist understanding of power. The war in Ukraine is considered pivotal to the direction of world history, global order, and the very architecture of the international system. While NATO and Western powers are reluctant to go into a direct military confrontation with Russia over Ukraine, sanctions on Russia have repercussions that extend way beyond Russian borders. Specifically, the former Soviet republics of Central Asia and South Caucasus—which have continued to be almost an integrated part of the extended Russian economy—are experiencing a stronger impact of sanctions than initially planned by the international community. This paper aims to address the unintended consequences of sanctions against Russia on the extended Eurasian space. It claims that sanctions against Russia represent both a trap and an opportunity for the so-called small states in Central Asia and South Caucasus, subjecting them to the patterns of the world hierarchies on one hand and providing the space for maneuver, on the other. A question in focus here is what conditions the so-called small Eurasian actors may need to overcome to remove themselves from Russian dependency. This article relies on the ontology of feminist security studies by focusing on the marginal actors of the Great Game, discovering that resilience is another form of soft power in today’s international relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review develops a comprehensive understanding of how land degradation is measured with respect to forests, and what qualitative and quantitative methods are being utilised in the pursuit of land degradation neutrality (LDN) generally. Scopus and Environmental Abstracts (EVA) databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies from 1998-2021 using key search terms including 'land degradation neutrality', 'soil' and 'forest'. Of the 53 included studies, most articles (n = 25) are experimental reports, and the next most common classification (n = 14) is literature reviews. Studies tended to be longitudinal (mean length of 15.4 years) and Eurasia-centric. Almost all extant research focuses on the indicators rather than the drivers of land degradation. Choosing indicators to measure remains contentious; however, most research uses those prescribed by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification: land cover, net primary productivity and soil organic carbon. Despite this convergence around which indicators to monitor, there is no standardisation in the methods used to do so. Therefore, no meaningful comparison between countries or even studies can be made. This lack of standardisation and bias towards indicators instead of drivers is important because, under the current paradigm, land managers seeking to prevent or offset forest degradation cannot do so with any certainty. Until these issues are addressed, it will be impossible to track progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15.3 for global LDN, and large-scale conservation work in this area is based on guesswork. How will we know when we achieve LDN in forests, globally? Based on current research, we will not. Future research must seek standardised ways to quantify land degradation based on its drivers: erosion, urbanisation and human activity, drought and desertification, and pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xinjiang, in Northwestern China, was a key point in the prehistoric trans-Eurasian network of exchange and played an important role in facilitating the dispersal of crops across Eurasia. Millet crops were first cultivated and used ca. 10,000 years ago in Northern China, from where they spread via different routes, leaving intriguing traces in various sites across Xinjiang. This paper presents the latest data on millet in Xinjiang. By employing a multidisciplinary approach, including radiocarbon dating, archaeobotanical evidence, and carbon isotope datasets, this study explores potential routes by which millet entered Xinjiang and traces its expansion from the third millennium BC to the 10th century AD. The research highlights the significant role of millet in shaping the ancient economies and cultures of Xinjiang and Central Asia, while also underscoring the importance of further investigation to uncover the complex pathways of its dispersal across Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upper Palaeolithic archaeological sites in the Basque Country have been excavated for over a century. They have yielded a rich palaeoenvironmental record with zoological and botanical remains that have been obtained in stratigraphic series dated precisely by radiocarbon. This information reveals cyclical environmental changes from climates similar to today to drier and extremely cold conditions, when species in current boreal biomes and others now extinct but with similar ecological preferences were present in the region. Moreover, the archaeological sites have provided high-resolution information about the resilience mechanisms of the communities of our own human species. This information allows us to increase the corpus of palaeoclimate data regarding the Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS) 2 and MIS 3 for a critical region within the human population of Eurasia. The aim of this paper is to show how an extraordinary capacity for adaptation to drastic climate changes Upper Palaeolithic hunter–gatherer societies displayed, even though their subsistence depended on biotic resources that alter rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Advances in Atmospheric Sciences is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since the disintegration of USSR Eurasia has gained a new geopolitical and strategic significance. Fifteen countries emerged as result of disintegration, among which only Russian Federation was the successor state. The post-soviet era, especially the era of 1990s, was a political and economic trauma for the Russian Federation and the post-soviet space. But Eurasianists were well aware of American unilateralism and the American "Grand Chessboard strategy" that was solely aimed at encircling Russian geography. With these concerns, the Eurasianists advised the Russian political and military elites to initiate the Eurasian Union Project. This paper briefly sketches Russian historical Eurasian dream, which is deeply rooted in Russian imperial history, and discusses the importance of Eurasian philosophy for the political and economic stability of Russia-Eurasia. The paper also illustrates the challenges and opportunities for the Eurasian integration and for the establishment of a multipolar world order. The paper also briefly outlines the geopolitical rationale behind the Eurasian project as a key objective of the contemporary Russian foreign policy and geopolitics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our FDI preoccupations date from before 2008 [1]. This below paper studies the international directly invested capital and develops on coordinates already drawn by previous working papers seeing facts developed at the world scale[2]. Our previous findings will here reach a new one regarding Europe and Asia, i.e. Eurasia continental block, which isn't quite a region, as in our previous papers, but contains some unexpected and interesting specific features. Not to omit the quite specific of our set of papers on FDI, that is no any temptation about causes of effects of FDI, as in the other literature and as in our previous papers in the area. Except for world-wide view and the last quarter of century that makes our study more than relevant, this is just FDI, as effective flows and stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in evolutionary theories (the Extended Synthesis) demonstrate that organisms systematically modify environments in ways that influence their own and other species' evolution. This paper utilises these theories to examine the economic consequences of human dispersal from Africa. Evidence shows that early humans' dispersal affected the adaptability of animal species to human environments and, through this, the extinction of large mammals during Homo sapiens ' out-of-Africa migration. Empirical analyses explore the variation in extinction rates as a source of exogenous pressure for cooperation and innovation among hunter-gatherers and examine the impact of extinction on long-run development. The results indicate that extinction affects economic performance by driving continental differences in biogeography, disease environments and institutions. Eurasia's location along the out-of-Africa migratory path provided human and animal populations with co-evolutionary foundations for domestication and agriculture, which gave Eurasians technological and institutional advantages in comparative development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Oriental Studies (Al-Farabi Kazakh National University) / Kazahskij Nacional'nyj Universitet Imeni Al'-Farabi Vestnik Seriâ Vostokovedeniâ is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The diversity of biota in different parts of the planet has demonstrated dramatic changes within the last several decades due to the extinction of native taxa and the appearance of invasive taxa. The correct taxonomic identification of non-native species is important for understanding their dispersal abilities, especially when potential invaders may be of closely related species. Information on the species identity of ricefish (Oryzias spp.), which have formed self-sustainable populations in some parts of Eurasia, is contradictory. In this paper, we studied samples from non-native populations of Oryzias from several Eurasian regions. The results of our mtDNA COI partial sequence study confirm that the individuals we studied belong to the species Chinese ricefish, O. sinensis. Analyses of the literature and our own data suggest that all known alien populations of Oryzias in continental Eurasia belong to the same species, O. sinensis. A recent finding of O. sinensis in the Don delta suggests that one of the species' secondary dispersal pathways could run from the Kuban region through the lower part of the Don basin to the Cis-Azov area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a focal mechanism catalogue of earthquakes that occurred in the southeastern Alps and surrounding areas from 1928 to 2019. The area involved in the process of convergence between the Adria microplate and Eurasia is one of the most seismically active regions in the Alpine Belt. The seismicity is minor, with the Ms= 6.5 Friuli earthquake being the strongest event recorded in the area, but the seismic risk is relevant because it is a highly populated region. For this reason, numerous studies have been carried out over time to investigate the stress field and the geodynamic characteristics of the region using focal mechanisms. To provide a comprehensive set of revised information, which is challenging to build quickly because the data are dispersed over many papers, we collected and revised the focal mechanisms that were previously published in the literature. Additionally, depending on the data quality and availability, we computed new focal mechanisms by first arrival polarity inversion or seismic moment tensor. Finally, we merged all the fault plane solutions to obtain a catalogue for a selection of 772 earthquakes with 1.8≤M≤6.5. For each earthquake, we reported all the available focal mechanisms obtained by different authors. We also suggested a preferred solution for users who need information provided expeditiously. The catalogue (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4660412 ; Saraò et al., 2021) is given as the Supplement of this paper and will be updated periodically (10.5281/zenodo.4284970). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continental collision zones form at convergent plate boundaries after the negatively buoyant oceanic lithosphere subducts entirely into the Earth's mantle. Consequently, orogenesis commences, and the colliding continents are sutured together. During the collision, plate convergence and motion of the sutured boundary towards the overriding plate are manifest in its deformation, as is the case for the long-term (∼50 Ma) and nearly constant convergence rate at the India–Eurasia collisional zone that hosts the Himalaya. However, despite the long history of modelling subduction-collision systems, it remains unclear what drives this convergence, especially in models where subduction is driven solely by buoyancy forces. This paper presents dynamic self-consistent buoyancy-driven 2-D whole-mantle scale numerical models of subduction-and-collision processes to explore variations in density and rheological stratification of the colliding continent and overriding plate (OP) viscosity (a proxy for OP strength) that facilitate post-collisional convergence and collisional boundary migration. In models with a moderately buoyant indenting continent, the collisional boundary advance is comparatively low (0.1–0.6 cm yr–1), and convergence is driven by the dense continental lithospheric mantle that continues to subduct as it decouples from its deforming crust. Conversely, models with a highly buoyant indenting continent show sustained indentation at 0.5–1.5 cm yr–1 until the slab detaches. Furthermore, models with a weaker OP and lower backarc viscosity show an enhanced propensity for indentation by a positively buoyant continent. These models additionally highlight the role of whole mantle flow induced by the sinking of the detached slab in the lower mantle as it sustains slow convergence at an average rate of 0.36 cm yr–1 for ∼25 Myr after break-off as well as prevents the residual slab from educting. In previous buoyancy-driven partial mantle depth models such eduction does generally occur, given that free-sinking of the detached slab in the mantle is not modelled. Although these findings widen the understanding of the long-term convergence of indenting continents, the lower post-collisional advance rates (0.3–1.5 cm yr–1) compared to India's approximate 1000–2000 km of northward indentation during the last 50 Myr attest to the need for 3-D models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since Russia and China are both leading states on the Eurasian continent, the dynamism of their relations to a large extent dominates the dynamics of geopolitical processes in the region. The growing and escalating stand-off with the West in both countries, notably due to the recent developments in Ukraine, appears likely to further the rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing on many issues of strategic interaction. The relevant question in that context is whether the Russian and Chinese perceptions of Eurasia, of Eurasian regionalism, are truly compatible. In the past few years, Russia has made considerable attempts to foster its vision of an external international order on the continent, including the popularisation and substantiation of Eurasia as a concept with regard to its geopolitical surroundings. One of the main consumers of these ideas was supposed to be China. Have Russian endeavours accomplished their goals? In seeking to provide an appropriate response to this question, the authors have focused on an analysis of both states' expert and academic discourse on Eurasia and Eurasian regionalism. This article conceptualises Eurasia as a social construct, an element of foreign policy discourse that is intended to be mirrored in academic and expert discourse. A comparative analysis of Russian and Chinese discourses should ascertain – albeit at least in part – the extent to which Beijing has embraced Moscow's ideas on the development of Eurasian regionalism and the proximity of Russian and Chinese approaches to the international order of the continent or a particular part of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Natural enemies of cheatgrass, an invasive plant in the western USA that is associated with recent increases in destructive wildfires, were sought as part of a classical biological control program targeting that plant. A population of mites was discovered infesting cheatgrass plants in central Bulgaria and determined to be a new species using morphological, morphometric analysis (i.e., measurement of specific body parts) and DNA barcoding (i.e., comparison of DNA sequences in genes shared by all mite species). Without these modern analytical tools, this mite would probably have been considered as the same species as another mite that infests other plants. This new mite species will now be tested to determine if it is suitable for importation and release in the USA as a biological control agent of cheatgrass. A new species of eriophyoid mite, Aculodes marcellisp. nov., was discovered on cheatgrass, Anisantha tectorum (L.) Nevski (syn. Bromus tectorum L.), an annual grass that is native to Eurasia and Northern Africa. This grass was introduced to North America near the end of the 19th century and now is widespread and associated with the observed increases in the size, frequency, and intensity of wildfires in western N. America. In this paper, A. marcellisp. nov., is morphologically described and illustrated. Compared with other Aculodes spp., it differs based on morphology and the sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase gene, subunit I (MT-CO1). Results of morphometric analysis showed clear differentiation between A. marcellisp. nov., and the most similar congener, A. altamurgiensis from Taeniatherum caput-medusae. Analysis of MT-CO1 sequence divergence revealed significant levels of genetic variation (17.7%) and supported the results from the morphometric analysis; therefore, it is determined that they are two different species. Aculodes marcellisp. nov., is a new candidate agent for classical biological control of A. tectorum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granulation, an ancient metal processing technique mainly applied to gold, has originated from West Asia, and later appeared at many different archaeological sites across the Eurasia. The distribution of granulated gold ornaments bearing diverse soldering techniques reveal the long-distance human interaction across the Eurasia. This paper presents the scientific analysis of the surface morphology and elemental composition of two granulated gold ornaments from Tushan Tomb No.2 pit in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, which approximately dated to the first century CE of Han Dynasty. Multiple non-destructive analytical methods including Ultra-Depth Three-Dimensional Microscope, Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) and Scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-Ray spectrometer (SEM-EDS) were conducted to obtain analytical data. The result indicates that tin-participated soldering technique has been adopted to accomplish the granulation. Although the usage of tin has been mentioned in a former study as "a secret of Etruscan granulation", the lack of quantitative analyses leaves this assumption unconvinced. Our findings on Tushan ornaments throw light on this issue by illustrating the regular distribution pattern of the tin content at the joints, which appears to be intentionally added for certain amount. Although tiny in size, the gold granules record the secret of soldering techniques used in China and many other regions across the Eurasia during the ancient time, complementing the study of granulation techniques and reflecting the transmission and innovation along with the technological and cultural contacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Applications of subTHz extremely-high-power gyrotrons and low-noise receivers for new antenna projects in astronomy, space radar, and telecommunication have been analyzed. Current progress in the development of new subterahertz instruments discussed in this paper, including antennas, high-power gyrotrons, and low-noise receivers, provides a wide range of possible applications. Atmospheric absorption has now become a major limitation in the application of such high-performance subTHz systems, and the choice of the optimal location of antennas for astronomical, radar, and communication systems is important. The latest results of studying the microwave astroclimate in northern Eurasia are presented. Based on these studies, new perspectives and corrected plans for installing new antennas at the Suffa Plateau and in the Caucasus are formulated, and possible applications of new instruments such as radars for locating space debris and communication hubs for deep space communications, which are based on extremely-high-power gyrotrons and low-noise superconducting receivers, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Greater Caucasus mountains (Cavcasioni) mark the northern margin of the Arabia–Eurasia collision zone. Magmatism in the central part of the Greater Caucasus began in the Pleistocene, up to ~25 Myr after initial collision. This paper presents bulk-rock and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope geochemistry from 39 Quaternary volcanic rock samples (<450 Ka) recovered from the Mt. Kazbek (Kasbegui) region of the Greater Caucasus, Georgia, to assess the sources and magmatic evolution of these lavas and the possible triggers for melting in the context of their regional tectonics. Compositions are dominantly calc-alkaline basaltic andesite to dacite (57–67 wt % SiO2). Although the lavas were erupted through thick continental crust, there is little evidence for extensive modification by crustal contamination. Trace element and isotopic systematics indicate that the lavas have supra-subduction zone signatures, most likely reflecting derivation from a lithospheric source that had been modified by melts and/or fluids from material subducted before and during the collisional event. Mass-balance modelling of the Sr–Nd isotope data indicates that the lavas require significant input from a subducted slab, with deep-sourced fluids fluxing the slab into the source region. In contrast with published data from Lesser Caucasus magmatism, data from the Mt. Kazbek region suggest that a compositionally distinct sediment source resides beneath the Greater Caucasus, producing characteristic trace element and Pb isotopic signatures. Two distinct compositional groups and therefore primary liquids can be discerned from the various volcanic centres, both derived from light rare-earth element enriched sources, but with distinct differences in Th/Yb and Dy/Yb ratios and Pb isotopes. Rare-earth element modelling of the lava sources is consistent with 3–4% melting starting in the garnet peridotite and continuing into the spinel facies or, potentially, sited in the garnet-spinel transition zone. Small-scale convection related to mantle upwelling provides a plausible mechanism for Greater Caucasus magmatism and explains the random aspect to the distribution of magmatism across the Arabia–Eurasia collision zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares surface signatures of the zonally symmetric and asymmetric modes of stratospheric variability, which describe the strength of the polar vortex and a planetary wave‐1 pattern, respectively. Unlike a weak polar vortex followed by negative Arctic Oscillation–like anomalies, strong stratospheric wave activity features a polar vortex displacement with a deep planetary wave‐1 structure, resulting in positive North Atlantic Oscillation–like North American cooling in about 10 days. Moreover, the linkage between the stratosphere and surface is examined in two reanalyzes and four models of different configurations, which show more robust North American cooling following the displacement of the polar vortex due to strong stratospheric wave activity than the zonally symmetric weakening of the polar vortex. This suggests strong stratospheric wave activity acts as a better predictor for cold spells in the northern U.S. and Canada compared with a weak polar vortex. Plain Language Summary: A weak polar vortex in the winter stratosphere is likely associated with cold spells at the surface, yet there are large uncertainties in predicting surface cold events based on stratospheric signals. This study introduces a new method to separate stratospheric variability into the leading modes of zonally symmetric and asymmetric circulations. The zonally symmetric mode describes the strength of the polar vortex. A weak polar vortex is followed by cooling over northern Eurasia and midlatitude North America. In contrast, the zonally asymmetric mode characterizes a displacement of the polar vortex or a planetary wave‐1 pattern, with the positive phase featuring a high anomaly over North America and a low anomaly over Eurasia. This stratospheric wave pattern extends down to the surface, resulting in North American cooling and Eurasian warming in about 10 days. While both stratospheric modes are associated with surface cooling over North America, the linkage is more robust for the displacement than the zonally symmetric weakening of the polar vortex, based on analyses of several reanalyzes and models. This indicates that strong stratospheric wave activity serves as a better predictor for cold air outbreaks in the northern U.S. and Canada than the commonly used weak polar vortex events. Key Points: Distinct North American cooling signatures follow zonally symmetric and asymmetric modes of the stratosphereStrong stratospheric wave activity precedes positive North Atlantic Oscillation like North American coolingThe linkage between the stratospheric wave activity and the surface is robust in reanalyzes and models [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a list of >100 publicly known late Quaternary proboscidean sites that have certain or possible traces of hominin utilization in Africa, Europe, and Asia, along with a sample of references, chronometric or estimated ages, and brief descriptions of the associated materials and bone modifications. Summary discussions of important sites are also presented. Lower Palaeolithic/Early Stone Age hominins created far fewer proboscidean site assemblages than hominins in later Palaeolithic phases, in spite of the time span being many times longer. Middle Palaeolithic/Middle Stone Age hominins created assemblages at eight times the earlier hominin rate. Upper Palaeolithic/Later Stone Age hominins created site assemblages at >90 times the rate of Lower Palaeolithic hominins. Palaeoloxodon spp. occur in nearly one third of the sites with an identified or probable proboscidean taxon and Mammuthus species are in nearly one half of the sites with identified or probable taxon. Other identified proboscidean genera, such as Elephas, Loxodonta, and Stegodon, occur in few sites. The sites show variability in the intensity of carcass utilization, the quantity of lithics bedded with bones, the extent of bone surface modifications, such as cut marks, the diversity of associated fauna, and mortality profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Conjuntura Austral is the property of Conjuntura Austral and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Hantavirus can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Eurasia and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in America, with high mortality and unknown mechanisms. Innate immunity is the host's first-line defense to bridge the acquired immunity against viral infections. However, hantavirus has evolved various strategies in both molecular and cellular aspects to evade the host's natural immune surveillance. The Interferon-I (IFN-I) signaling pathway, a central link of host defense, induces various antiviral proteins to control the infection. This paper summarizes the molecular mechanisms of hantavirus evasion mechanisms of the IFN signaling pathway and cellular processes such as regulated cell death and cell stress. Besides, hantavirus could also evade immune surveillance evasion through cellular mechanisms, such as upregulating immune checkpoint molecules interfering with viral infections. Understanding hantavirus's antiviral immune evasion mechanisms will deepen our understanding of its pathogenesis and help us develop more effective methods to control and eliminate hantavirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) modulates winter cold anomalies over central Eurasia (CE) using reanalysis data during 1950–2019. It is found that ENSO can significantly influence winter air temperature over CE mainly through modulating the strength and location of the cyclonic anomaly of Ural blocking (UB) or long‐lived UB events. A strong (weak) cyclonic anomaly of UB on the southeastern (eastern) side of the Ural Mountains tends to occur over midlatitude (high‐latitude) Eurasia during La Niña (El Niño) winters. Such anomalous circulation leads to a strong (weak) cold anomaly over CE, especially over East Asia, due to enhanced (weakened) cold air advection toward the CE during La Niña (El Niño). The UB‐related cyclonic anomaly in the midlatitude (high latitude) side of Eurasia is shown to be related to weakened (enhanced) eastward extension of strong westerly winds over midlatitude Eurasia during La Niña (El Niño) winters. Plain Language Summary: Observations show that in recent decades a strong cold anomaly appears over Eurasia, especially over central Eurasia (CE). This cold anomaly shows notable variations on interannual, decadal and interdecadal timescales. However, what factors lead to its interannual variations is not well understood. Here we show that El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events can influence Eurasian winter air temperature by modulating the strength and location of the cyclonic anomaly of Ural blocking (UB) or the frequency of long‐lived UB events. A La Niña (El Niño) favors a strong (weak) cyclonic anomaly circulation located in the southeastern (eastern) side of the Ural Mountains in the midlatitudes (high latitudes), which leads to a strong (weak) cold anomaly over CE especially in the low latitude Eurasia (i.e., East Asia) through enhanced (weakened) cold air advection. These new results help us understand the physical cause of the interannual variability of the Eurasian cold anomaly modulated by ENSO. Key Points: This paper examines the causal relationship between the Ural blocking (UB) and Eurasian cold anomaly during the La Niña phase in winterEl Niño‐Southern Oscillation plays an important role in the interannual variability of winter cold anomaly over the EurasiaThe UB leads to stronger cold anomaly over the Eurasian during the La Niña than El Niño [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snow water equivalent (SWE) is an important variable in describing global seasonal snow cover. Traditionally, SWE has been measured manually at snow transects or using observations from weather stations. However, these measurements have a poor spatial coverage, and a good alternative to in situ measurements is to use spaceborne passive microwave observations, which can provide global coverage at daily timescales. The reliability and accuracy of SWE estimates made using spaceborne microwave radiometer data can be improved by assimilating radiometer observations with weather station snow depth observations as done in the GlobSnow SWE retrieval methodology. However, one possible source of uncertainty in the GlobSnow SWE retrieval approach is the constant snow density used in modelling emission of snow. In this paper, three versions of spatially and temporally varying snow density fields were implemented using snow transect data from Eurasia and Canada and automated snow observations from the United States. Snow density fields were used to post-process the baseline GlobSnow v.3.0 SWE product. Decadal snow density information, i.e. fields where snow density for each day of the year was taken as the mean calculated for the corresponding day over 10 years, was found to produce the best results. Overall, post-processing GlobSnow SWE retrieval with dynamic snow density information improved overestimation of small SWE values and underestimation of large SWE values, though underestimation of SWE values larger than 175 mm was still significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the ability of the CFSv2 model to forecast the polar vortex displacements in the stratosphere of the Northern hemisphere is evaluated. We use the ERA-I reanalysis daily data of the potential vortex (pv) and the horizontal wind; vertical wind in the 430, 475, 530, and 600 K in the potential temperature field; and the temperature in the geopotential height at 50 hPa. And the 1–850 hPa isobaric surface temperature and u, v wind field daily data from the 9-month business forecast data of the Climate Forecast System Version 2 (CFSv2). The two polar vortex displacement events shift to Eurasia that occurred in Feb 2008 and Jan 2012. The results show that the polar vortex displacement events in February 2008 and January 2012 shifted toward the European region. During the polar vortex displacements, the westerly wind at 60°N latitude decreases, the temperature gradient reverses at the north polar and 60°N latitudes at 50 hPa, and a weaker stratospheric warming occurs in this process. For two of the polar vortex displacement events, the CFSv2 predictions of the start, largest, and end times of the polar vortex displacement are accurate at forecast lead times of 0 and 5 days, and the prediction results for the westerly winds and temperature gradients are also excellent. However, the CFSv2 prediction ability at forecast lead times exceeding 20 days is poor. For the polar vortex displacement event in February 2008, the CFSv2 predictions are good for the start and largest times but are not consistent with the actual situation for the end time at a forecast lead time of 10 days. The CFSv2 predictions are good for the end time but are not accurate for the start and largest times at a forecast lead time of 15 days. For the polar vortex displacement event in January 2012, the CFSv2 predictions are poor for the start, largest and end times and for the zonal wind, but are good for the temperature gradient during the displacement at forecast lead times of 10 days. The change in the polar vortex boundary and zonal wind and temperature gradients cannot be predicted at forecast lead times of 15 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The socioeconomic impacts caused by floods in the south of Eastern Siberia (SES), and the expected increase in precipitation extremes over northern Eurasia, have revealed the need to search for atmospheric circulation patterns that cause extreme precipitation events (EPE) in SES, as well as their changes. We investigate the circulation patterns causing extreme precipitation in SES and Mongolia, by examining the instability and moisture transport associated with potential vorticity (PV) dynamics during two time periods: 1982–1998 and 1999–2019. The EPE were characterized by an increase in instability within the precipitation area, which was compensated by stability around the area, with the East Asian summer monsoon transport being enhanced. PV in the subtropical regions and mid-latitudes has shown the amplification of positive and negative PV anomalies to the southeast and northwest of Lake Baikal, respectively. The PV contours for EPE have shapes of cyclonic wave breaking and cutoff low. EPE accompanied by wave breaking are characterized by strong redistribution areas, with extremely high and low stability and moisture. This can lead to the coexistence of floods and droughts, and in part was the driver of the earlier revealed "seesaw" precipitation mode over Mongolia and SES. We suggest a shift of extreme precipitation to the northwest has occurred, which was probably caused by the wave propagation change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis undertaken in this article is of the migration of natural persons, self-employed and not self-employed, for economic (including tax) reasons, which has been recorded among the citizens of Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and Vietnam. Tax migration, which is a type of economic migration of individuals, including those engaged in business, is one of the forms of reaction to taxes and tax reforms introduced in a country and the shape of the system of tax preferences. This study aims to examine the conditions of income taxation of individuals in the countries studied (Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, and Vietnam). The shape of the tax system has been or could be a premise for the migration of individuals from Poland to other countries, as well as from the countries studied to Poland. The reason for choosing these countries for the analysis of this phenomenon was the well-established scholarly cooperation of the Polish authors with authors representing public universities in Vietnam, Ukraine, and Belarus, as well as the available statistical data confirming the fact that residents of these countries account for the largest number of permanent and temporary residence permits given in Poland. It was considered that a comparison of legal solutions to the income taxation of taxpayers in the indicated countries, given the significant level of migration to Poland, can lead to exciting conclusions due to the differences in their legal systems, economic development, and tax systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns the mathematical modeling of historical processes; specifically, the temporal dynamics of the Silk Roads described by formal spatial equations. Historical data indicate that the location of the trade routes known as the Silk Roads varied dramatically from epoch to epoch. These changes arose from a number of causes—population oscillations, economic trends, diseases, and warfare—all of which affected the Silk Roads' geographical location in different eras, and also determined their rise and demise in each epoch. Mathematical simulation predicting the Silk Roads' location in each epoch could help to distinguish the most significant determinants of their fluctuations and to estimate where and when these factors were especially prominent. In this paper, we examine the hypothesis considered by Jeremy Bentley (1993), who suggested that one of the most important causes of the Silk Roads' prosperity was the development of large-scale empires across Eurasia. Empires stimulate the exchange of commodities for the rise of supply-and-demand of bulk and prestige goods, construct roads and related infrastructure that encourage trade, and bring stability to vast areas. The model takes these processes into account and demonstrates that oscillations of the Silk Roads' activities were induced by the rise and fall of large empires such as the Roman, Parthian, and Mongol empires, as well as the Han and Tang dynasties. Its ultimate demise might have been due to the rise of European maritime shipping, which increased ocean trade at the expense of overland, Eurasian routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chopping tools/choppers provide one of the earliest and most persistent examples of stone tools produced and used by early humans. These artifacts appeared for the first time ~2.5 million years ago in Africa and are characteristic of the Oldowan and Acheulean cultural complexes throughout the Old World. Chopping tools were manufactured and used by early humans for more than two million years regardless of differences in geography, climate, resource availability, or major transformations in human cultural and biological evolution. Despite their widespread distribution through time and space in Africa and Eurasia, little attention has been paid to the function of these items, while scholars still debate whether they are tools or cores. In this paper, we wish to draw attention to these prominent and ubiquitous early lithic artifacts through the investigation of 53 chopping tools retrieved from a specific context at Late Acheulean Revadim (Israel). We combined typo-technological and functional studies with a residue analysis aimed at shedding light on their functional role within the tool-kits of the inhabitants of the site. Here we show that most of the chopping tools were used to chop hard and medium materials, such as bone, most probably for marrow extraction. A few of the tools were also used for cutting and scraping activities, while some also served as cores for further flake detachment. The chopping tools exhibit extraordinarily well-preserved bone residues suggesting they were used mainly for bone-breaking and marrow acquisition. We discuss the data and explore the tool versus core debate also in light of a sample of 50 flake cores made on pebbles/cobbles retrieved from the same archeological layer. The results add further pieces to the puzzle of activities carried out at Revadim and add to our knowledge of the production and use of these enigmatic tools and their role in human evolutionary history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last comprehensive statistics of tornadoes in northern Eurasia (NE) were published more than 30 years ago. This paper introduces a new database of tornadoes in NE that spans from the tenth century to 2016. The database, compiled using various sources, contains 2879 tornado cases over land and water and includes tornado characteristics. Tornadoes are common for most regions of NE, with a density reaching four cases per 104 km² in 1900–2016 in some regions. Tornadoes over land have distinct annual and diurnal cycles: they form mostly in May–August, with a maximum in June, and during daytime, with a maximum at 1700–1800 local time. Waterspouts form in all months with a maximum in late summer and mostly at 0900–1300 local time. Most tornadoes are weak and short lived. The Fujita-scale intensity is #F1 for 80%and $F3 for 3%out of all rated tornadoes. Half last less than 10 min. The average annual number of all tornadoes over land is around 150, including 10 and 2 tornadoes with $F2 and $F3 intensity, respectively. Annually, 1–2 tornadoes lead to casualties and result in 2.9 fatalities and 36.3 injuries. Despite the incompleteness of the dataset, our results show that tornadoes in NE, although being rare, are not as extremely rare as has been thought before. The results illustrate the substantial underestimation of tornado threat by the general public, researchers, and meteorologists, and unambiguously indicate the need for systematic assessments and forecasting of tornadoes by national weather services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the interannual variation of winter air temperature over Northeast China and its connection to preceding Eurasian snow cover. The results show that there is a significant negative correlation between October Eurasian snow cover and following-winter air temperature over Northeast China. The snow cover located in eastern Siberia and to the northeast of Lake Baikal plays an important role in the winter air temperature anomaly. More (less) eastern Siberia snow in October can cause an atmospheric circulation anomaly pattern in which the atmospheric pressure is higher (lower) than normal in the polar region and lower (higher) in the northern mid-high latitudes. Due to the persistence of the eastern Siberia snow from October to the following winter, the winter atmospheric anomaly is favorable (unfavorable) to the widespread movement of cold air masses from the polar region toward the northern mid-high latitudes and, hence, lower (higher) temperature over Northeast China. Simultaneously, when the October snow cover is more (less), the SST in the northwestern Pacific is continuously lower (higher) as a whole; then, the Aleutian low and the East Asia trough are reinforced (weakened), favoring the lower (higher) temperature over Northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]