Russia to set up Arctic Research Centre in Yakutia
The Federal Arctic Research Centre will be created in the Russia's northern region, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the regional government's press office said.
The institutes of Yakut Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) will become join the state project "Development Strategy of the Russian Arctic and National Security for the period up to 2020."
The strategy was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 20, 2013 and was developed in response to the state policy strategy in the Arctic up to 2020 and beyond, approved by the President in September 2008.
The Yakut Scientific Centre of the RAS will focus on fundamental and applied researches in the most important areas for solving the problems of innovative development of the economy of the Eastern Sector of the Russian Arctic, as well as tackling the development of the educational and social development of the region.
To carry out the study of the Arctic shelf of Yakutia and adjacent areas, Russia will establish the Federal Arctic Research Centre.
The Yakut Scientific Centre of the RAS has been awarded a contract for the execution of research work to develop a concept of the Federal Arctic Research Centre from the government of Yakutia.
The Arctic Research Centre will cooperate with international scientific institutions and organizations, including UNESCO. Specialists of Yakut Scientific Centre have compiled a list of the equipment and facilities needed to create a modern research base. Some of measures for that are being carried out: a research base "Samoilovskiy Island" has been built and an Astrophysics and Aeronomy Institute owned facility near the village of Tiksi will be renovated.
The Centre's scientists will assess the potential and the level of seismic risks in the Arctic shelf and adjacent areas, to take the data into account while building commercial and industrial facilities. The Yakut Scientific Centre will prepare a retrospective model of development of the Arctic territories of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the shelves of the Laptev and East Siberian seas.
The Centre will also focus on development of innovative methods of extracting natural gas, its shipping and storage technology. The scientists will be monitoring the northern territories to assess the impact of contamination by oil and oil products of the fragile Arctic ecosystem, to developed methods for oil spills response and recovery in very harsh environment.
The Centre will develop scenarios and mathematical models of emergency accidents at facilities and on vehicles that will be operating in the area, as well as responses to emergency situations.
The Yakut Scientific Centre of the RAS will also develop scientific recommendations for optimal operations of electric and thermal energy facilities, buildings and structures in the North.
Scientists will also study the process of adaptation of the human organism to changing climatic and anthropogenic and social conditions in the extremely harsh environment in the Arctic.
