Accurate elevation information is essential for geomatics applications, particularly in high-latitude regions where independent validation of available digital elevation models remains limited. In this paper, absolute vertical accuracy was assessed for ArcticDEM v3, ArcticDEM v4, and Copernicus DEM along public road networks in north-western Russia, using in-situ kinematic GNSS measurements as reference. The evaluation was conducted without local DEM registration, relying on the global or wide-area registration of the datasets. ArcticDEM v4 shows the closest agreement with GNSS elevations, while ArcticDEM v3 and Copernicus DEM exhibit larger departures over complex linear structures such as bridges, dykes, and cut sections. The results confirm the suitability of these datasets for applications requiring vertical accuracy of approximately 5 meters without local registration, and highlight the effectiveness of road-based GNSS surveys for DEM validation.

This paper presents a method for creating a 3D-digital model of an accident site based on geophysical research practices. The model is created using photogrammetric techniques based on data from unmanned aerial vehicles. The method does not require expensive equipment or software, as all measurements can be taken using consumer-grade drones, and generally, freely available software is sufficient for calculations. The paper describes the actions of emergency responders at the incident site, but emphasizes the technical aspects of collecting data and creating models. Traditional methods require specialized equipment and skilled personnel, which can make their application challenging. Instead, we propose using miniature unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to obtain photographic data for 3D-software reconstruction. However, the accuracy of this data is limited due to hardware constraints. To address this issue, we propose a new technique that involves taking more images. This allows us to compensate for errors in onboard navigation solutions and achieve accuracy comparable to full-scale measurements. We demonstrate the application of this method using a consumer-grade UAV and analyze the results using specialized software in a simulated incident. The paper also discusses the potential risks associated with using UAVs at low altitudes near roads, such as driver distraction and the possibility of collisions. Despite these risks, the technology has been successfully tested in several incidents and has been recognized as an important tool for gathering information from accident scenes.

The article briefly describes Orenburg oblastal seismic network. It includes the location of seismic stations and technical equipment, etc. The basic characteristics of the network, such as its sensitivity, the completeness of the earthquake catalog, etc., are considered. The location and properties of the main seismic boundaries in the region have been estimated using data from a single broadband station: sediment–basement, the Moho, and mantle transition zone. Records of remote earthquakes and the receiver function method were used to determine the boundaries.

The Valimyaki intrusive complex is an early-orogenic gabbroid body of the Northern Ladoga region, composed predominantly of pyroxenites, gabbros, and diorites and historically known for titanium-magnetite mineralization concentrated in its near-surface marginal zones. At present, no reliable three-dimensional model of the Valimyaki massif exists, and its investigation is significantly constrained by difficult terrain accessibility. Multi-altitude UAV-based aeromagnetic surveying provides new opportunities for obtaining information on the deep structure of the intrusive complex. In 2023–2025, a series of surveys was carried out over the Valimyaki massif and Mäkisalo Island, the two main known surface expressions of the Valimyaki complex. As a result, maps of the anomalous magnetic field were obtained at several flight altitudes, enabling direct calculation of the vertical magnetic field gradient. The multi-level dataset considerably expanded the interpretational potential and the application of various field transformation and inversion techniques, including the equivalent-source method. Integrated analysis of the aeromagnetic data using spectral and mounting inversion methods yielded a consistent model of both deep-seated and near-surface magnetic sources, refining the internal structure and spatial extent of the Valimyaki massif.

The article studies the structure of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle of the Avacha Bay region of the Kamchatka Peninsula. One-dimensional sections of the dependence of seismic velocities on depth, obtained during the study are presented. These sections are constructed according to the data of the Petropavlovsk (PET), Dalniy (DAL), Institut (IVS), and Karymshina (KRM) stations for the period from 2000 to 2019. The stations are part of the permanent observational network of seismic stations of the Kamchatka Branch, Geophysical Survey, Russian Academy of Sciences. The sections are constructed to a depth of 300 km, which makes it possible to characterize the structure of the medium in the bay area, namely, to identify structural layers in the crust, the Moho boundary, and to estimate the degree of deviation of seismic wave velocities in the upper mantle from the corresponding values of the IASP91 global Earth model. The average values of velocities calculated from the obtained sections in the crust and upper mantle were significantly lower compared to the global model. The average deviation of the observed velocities from the model ones is 0.5–1.0 km/s in the crust, then it gradually decreases to a depth of about 180 km. At greater depths, the velocities in the obtained models coincide with the standard values. It should be noted that at the locations of the seismic stations, the lower boundary of the subducting Pacific Plate runs at depths of about 180 km. Therefore, the main reason for the difference in velocities is probably related to significant heating of material and the complex fluid-dynamic situation in the region of the mantle wedge.

Modern geophysical survey technologies are progressing fast. One notable milestone of this progress is substantial increase of georeferencing performance with benefits of advanced satellite radionavigation. This article delves into the advantages of employing multiple altitude (also referred to as multilevel) aeromagnetic measurements conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles for deriving vertical gradient. This approach contrasts with conventional methods that rely on the calculation of the corresponding transform of the anomalous magnetic field. A comparative analysis was conducted on two study areas, characterized by distinct magnetic anomalies. One region exhibited strong anthropogenic disturbances against a background of a relatively calm regional magnetic field, while the other demonstrated weaker anthropogenic anomalies. The comparison between the maps of the anomalous field gradient calculated directly and derived from multilevel survey in both regions underscores the potential benefits of straightforward gradient measurement methods.

This paper examines the response in geomagnetic-field variations caused by the 2020–2023 earthquakes with magnitudes Mw ≥ 7.0 in the Aegean Sea and eastern Turkey. A detailed comparison of high-precision observations of the geomagnetic field and seismograms recorded at complex geophysical observatories within a radius of 3000 km from the epicenters was carried out. The joint analysis involves averaged 1-s data on the rate of change of the magnetic field and records from broadband seismic stations. Their characteristics are assessed in both in time and frequency domains. The spectral characteristics of body and surface waves are separately compared with those of the geomagnetic signal. It is shown that the beginning of disturbance in the magnetic field at each observatory strictly coincides with the arrival of the P-wave and intensifies with the arrival of S-waves. The maximum geomagnetic disturbance is caused by surface waves. The amplitude of electromagnetic excitations is proportional to the amplitude of the parent seismic phases. Thus, the coseismic nature of the observed electromagnetic signal has been confirmed, suggesting its excitation in the Earth’s crust as seismic waves propagate.

In this brief paper, we analyze space weather events that occurred on May 11 and 12, 2024, from the perspective of an operational space weather center that provides advisories for civil aviation. One of the key metrics monitored by the center is the radiation dose rate at operational flight altitudes. A model implemented by the center provides the dose rate in real time. The model showed that dangerous levels were momentarily exceeded just above the usual 30,000 feet level during the events. This paper highlights differences in models used by various space weather centers, emphasizing the need for harmonization.

The authors present the results of studying the forest cover impact on the measurements accuracy made with the help of global navigation satellite systems at local geodynamic test sites. The study was held at the Nizhne-Kansk geodynamic polygon (Krasnoyarsk krai) in the period from 2010 to 2023. The main purpose was to investigate the wood vegetation influencing the GNSS measurements accuracy. Three classes of forest cover were defined

An algorithm for identifying seismic generation zones or “seismic domains” using fuzzy logic has been developed and tested on the island of Sakhalin. Initial data were obtained from diagrams of the distribution of “weak” zones, relief elevation distribution skewness, and magnitude of recent area deformation for one year. These data were processed using a γ-operator in fuzzy logic with γ = 0.9, which allowed us to identify areas with high seismic activity. The areas where these active areas intersect with zones with increased compressive stress values, as determined by computer modeling, were considered to be seismic zones. It was shown that, if there are not enough source materials available, it is possible to exclude information about the recent deformation field from consideration and use an assumed grid of active faults for computer modeling. This approach may be useful when analyzing areas that have not been studied well.

The article analyzes the development of ideas about the seismicity of the western sector of the Russian Arctic, which is directly related to the peculiarities of development of instrumental observations in the region. The current ideas about the seismicity of the western sector of the Russian Arctic are generalized. Throughout the 20th century, the development of instrumental observations in the Eurasian Arctic, of which the western sector of the Russian Arctic is a part, has been both temporally slow and spatially uneven. In the Eurasian Arctic, seismically active regions, such as mid-ocean ridges, the Svalbard archipelago, the Laptev Sea shelf, and the Taimyr Peninsula, have become the object of study. Conversely, the central and eastern parts of the Barents–Kara region, which are part of the western sector of the Russian Arctic, have always had poor instrumental completeness and, accordingly, the extent of seismic knowledge has been poor. The intensive development of instrumental observations in the Eurasian Arctic in the 21st century has made it possible to significantly expand understanding of the seismicity of the western sector of the Russian Arctic. The greatest seismicity is manifested within the continent–ocean transition zone and Kvitøya (Bely) Island, and the Novaya and Severnaya Zemlya archipelagos. The shelf of the Barents and Kara seas itself is characterized by rare and scattered seismicity. However, the existing seismic network is insufficient for detailed studies of sp-atiotemporal variations in the seismicity of individual seismically active zones and a more correct understanding of its relationship with the geological structure of the region and geodynamic processes developing therein. Long-term studies with bottom seismometers are needed.

Sixteen morphometric relief parameters have been identified whose positive anomalies correspond with seismic areas in the Greater Caucasus. An analysis of four parameters which were considered to provide the most information using the γ-operator in fuzzy logic has enabled us to develop a scheme for an index of neotectonic activity that was used along with the results of computerized geodynamic simulation to identify zones of possible earthquake sources. The new approach does not require detailed information on present-day and paleo seismicity, hence can be used to deal with an analogous problem for territories whose seismotectonics is poorly known. We have demonstrated an interrelationship between recent deformations and regional seismicity, and the possibilities offered by the method of lineament analysis due to Yu.V. Nechaev (2010) for identification of active faults.

On March 18, 2024, the seismic monitoring network in the central part of the East European Platform (EEP) registered an earthquake near Rybinsk (58.22° N, 38.52° E) with an ML (local magnitude) of 3.1 with an epicenter localized to epicenter to the long-lived Central Russian Deformation Belt, which inherits a structure and direction of dislocations of the platform basement of the craton. Tectonic seismic events were registered in the central part of the EEP in the last decade. Analysis of their epicenter locations shows they also belong to the same zone. It is concluded that the modern seismicity in the Central Russian Deformation Belt is activated. This fact has to be considered in the arrangement of infrastructure within this zone.

Machine learning methods were applied to reconsider the results of several passive seismic experiments in Finland. We created datasets from different stages of the receiver function technique and processed them with one of basic machine learning algorithms. All the results were obtained uniformly with the k-nearest neighbors algorithm. The first result is the Moho depth map of the region. Another result is the delineation of the near-surface low S -wave velocity layer. There are three such areas in the Northern, Southern, and central parts of the region. The low S -wave velocity in the Northern and Southern areas can be linked to the geological structure. However, we attribute the central low S -wave velocity area to a large number of water-saturated cracks in the upper 1-5 km. Analysis of the structure of this area leads us to the conclusion that macrofracturing was caused by the last deglaciation.

The application of a predictive intellectual system previously developed for the Northern Dvina River is considered for a new region—the basin of the Lena River. The use of this technology under conditions of another region becomes possible due to the similar formulation of the problem of forecasting and publishing new open sets of hydrological and meteorological data for the period of 1985–2019. Based on the results of observations at gauging and meteorological stations, the system makes it possible to form a short-term forecast of the formation of powerful ice jams in river sections under conditions of incompleteness and data gaps. Interpolation methods based on machine learning are used to prepare the initial data and eliminate gaps. Calculations have shown the efficiency of the predictive system. The estimated accuracy of forecasting is 76%. The assessment of the importance of the factors have shown the common influence of groups of factors in different regions on the final result of the ice jamming process.

This paper provides information about the main parameters of spatial broadband seismic network in the Kola region (the northeastern part of the Fennoscandian Shield). Since 2021 the seismic network has been expanded by five seismic stations and currently consists of nine stations located on the territory of the Russian Federation. Configuration of the network allows to broaden the scope of research of the Kola region lithospheric structure significantly. The prospects of integrating the newly installed stations into the automated regional seismic monitoring network are considered. The analysis of seismic noise in the places of installation of new seismic stations was carried out. It was shown that the data provided by the new broadband stations increases the accuracy of seismic events location in the research area.

The article examines the current and future flow of preparation's plant production processes and how they contribute to the generation of Big Data. It is shown that as the level of automation in the plant increases, the data produced becomes more extensive and varied. At the same time, it is possible to achieve a level when the generated information flows meet the criteria of the Big Data. As a basic example, a typical coal processing plant is used. The main sources, volumes, variety and speeds of data transfer to the processing plant are described and analyzed.

The peculiarities of waveforms of the P and S receiver functions, constructed from the records of three closely located broadband seismic stations, are studied. The stations are located in the Avacha Bay area, near the subducting part of the Pacific Plate. This is an inclined slab, which is characterized by higher seismic velocities and can cause complex patterns of seismic waves, thus distorting the waveforms of receiver functions. In order to reveal the degree of such influence, we calculated two pairs of receiver functions. To calculate the first pair, we used the seismic events where seismic waves traveled through the subducting oceanic slab; in the case of the second pair, the waves did not travel through the slab. It is shown that converted and multiple waves formed at the boundaries of the high-velocity layer considerable distort the shapes of P receiver functions beginning approximately 30 seconds after the main arrival. The subducting slab does not show any considerable effect on the records of the S receiver function. This fact empirically supports the applicability of local one-dimensional models for interpreting the receiver functions. The seismic noise, generated by the oceanic slab, limits the maximum depth of these models at around 200 km in the study area.

This paper is the first in a series of studies generalizing the Map of Expected Earthquakes (MEE) medium-term earthquake forecast method and analyzing the prospects for its further improvement. Over the past 35 years, the MEE method has been used in seismically active regions around the world with different tectonic conditions and seismic regimes. The average prognostic efficiency of the algorithm was shown to be 2.5 times higher than for random guessing. The MEE can be further improved and upgraded. The new methods of data processing to be implemented into the upgraded MEE will significantly increase the amount of analyzed data, take into account the specific signs of the seismic process at different depths, use lineament–domain–focal (LDF) models of the structure of seismically active zones as stationary prognostic criteria, and build three-dimensional distributions of the probability of strong earthquakes. The improvement will involve an expansion of the list of used seismological precursors that have a physically justified link with the earthquake preparation process and the development of formalized techniques for identifying these precursors in the prognostic practice.

This article is the second in a series devoted to the modification of the Map of Expected Earthquakes (MEE) method of medium-term earthquake forecasting. The description of algorithms for preparing and analyzing initial data and the results of their application are presented. In particular, the following additional functional capabilities have been achieved: (1) the creation of various computational grids for further spatial and temporal scanning of the earthquake catalog within the analyzed seismic active region, (2) the declustering of earthquake catalogs and evaluation of representative values of energy classes (magnitudes) in space and time, and (3) the evaluation of time interval length for calculating the background parameters of prognostic features. The overall result of successful scientific and technical work will be the creation of an upgraded method for medium-term earthquake prediction taking into account the spatial distribution of earthquake sources, the integrated use of physically based earthquake precursors, the results of seismic zoning in the form of a lineament–domain–focal (LDF) model, and other related areas of research.