The metrics of success of short-term numerical weather forecasts for the territory of Belarus based on the mesoscale hydrodynamic model of the atmosphere WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) with regionally adapted block of underlying surface modelling are analyzed. The efficiency of systematic error correction of numerical forecasts of surface meteorological parameters using the method of exponentially weighted moving average and Kalman filter is evaluated.

A method of increasing the validity of mesoscale numerical forecasts has been proposed, in which corrections to the prognostic fields of meteorological parameters are calculated using machine learning models, and predictors are forecasts of several global and regional hydrodynamic models of the atmosphere. A comparative analysis of the efficiency of correction of numerical forecasts using machine learning models (XGBoost and ElasticNet) and recurrent graph neural network with attention mechanism (TGCN-A) was carried out.

It is shown that due to a more accurate description of the underlying surface in the WRF model and preliminary processing of its output by the exponentially weighted moving average method, the validity of numerical temperature fore- casts for periods up to 48 h increases by 1.0–4.4 %, and the mean square error of wind speed decreases by 0.1–0.2 m/s. Subsequent correction of WRF model forecasts using machine learning and neural network methods additionally increases the validity of numerical temperature forecasts by 3,2 % on average, and also reduces the RMS errors of surface pressure and wind speed forecasts by 0.20–0.74 hPa and 0.32–0.53 m/s, respectively.

The article studies the possibilities of determining soil moisture in the territory of the Belarusian Lakeland on the basis of microwave and multispectral optical Earth sensing. The method of soil moisture determination is proposed, based on supplementing the results of microwave Earth sensing with estimates of daily variations of the land surface temperature measured by satellite radiometers in the atmospheric transparency window of 10–12 µm, and obtaining the calibration equation based on the ERA5-Land reanalysis. The proposed method has been implemented for the Belarusian Lakeland on the basis of the Google Earth Engine cloud computing platform. It is shown that comparison of current estimates of soil moisture, vegetation index and land surface temperature with their minimum and maximum values for a given time of the year allows estimating the intensity of drought, its spatial distribution and impact on the state of crops. Multiyear changes in the vegetation health index (VHI), calculated from normalised values of vegetation index NDVI and land surface temperature, were analysed for different months of the growing season. It is shown that earlier onset of the growing season improves the condition of agricultural plants in May, but in the following months the vegetation conditions deteriorate. In June in the whole territory of Vitebsk region, and in July and August in the western part of the region, the risks of temperature and water stress in plants increase due to more frequent formation of powerful blocking anticyclones. The geospatial peculiarities of climate change impact on agricultural plants revealed in this paper should be taken into account for more effective use of the new agroclimatic potential of the Belarusian Lakeland.

An assessment of chemical pollution of five small rivers in the Minsk suburban area, where built reservoirs for recreation by the city’s population, is presented. The pollution factors caused by water flow in the rivers and the ecological state of their catchment areas are identified.

The main channels for pollutant influx into the rivers are identified, primarily through surface runoff, due to the predominance of elevated landscapes in the landscape structure of the respective basins. Features of the spatial organization of land use and the location of man-made objects-sources of water pollution-within the basins and in coastal areas are identified.

The intensity and composition of the pollution were assessed based on the authors' own hydrochemical field studies conducted between 2009 and 2024. These data reflect the primary contributions of biogenic substances: nitrites, ammonium nitrogen, and phosphate phosphorus, with a frequency of 33% to 100% for various rivers. They also show that for most of them, nitrite and ammonium nitrogen concentrations exceed average annual values. The relationship between pollution and water flow, economic use of the basins, and the distribution of forests within them is established.

Priority measures to reduce pollution in the rivers under consideration are presented, including the development and implementation of special basin management plans for each river, with a primary focus on reducing the polluting impact of agricultural and residential lands.

This paper introduces two applied tools designed to simulate the thermal regime of the active layer in the vicinity of the Belarusian Antarctic station. The first program focuses on temperature dynamics over horizontal surfaces, while the second incorporates the effects of surface inclination and its specific features. The horizontal-surface model employs a three-dimension orthogonal grid, whereas the slope-oriented model is based on a three-dimensional non- orthogonal mesh. Both approaches account for the temperature-dependent phase composition of water and the thermophysical properties of the upper soil layer. Boundary conditions are formulated using meteorological inputs, including air temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation. In the slope model, particular attention is given to the influence of surface angle on the diurnal variation of incoming solar flux.

The developed tools were tested against benchmark models and validated through comparison with field monitoring data collected at control sites. The numerical simulations demonstrated satisfactory agreement with the observed temperature profiles, confirming the reliability of the proposed methodology.

The structure, condition and efficiency of green areas within various types of urban geotechnical systems (GTS) of Pinsk, a major cultural and industrial center in Polesie, were assessed through a combined analysis of Earth remote sensing data and a differentiated GIS project of the urban area. The vegetation cover of the urban areas of various functional zones was assessed using Sentinel-2 satellite images with the calculation of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), leaf area index (LAI), canopy chlorophyll content (CCC) and the greening degree (%). Relationships between vegetation indices and carbon deposition by urban ecosystems were determined on the basis of subsatellite studies of the structure and condition of vegetation at test sites in the main types of urban ecosystems of Pinsk. The relationships were used to create a differentiated map of CO₂ deposition by vegetation within various GTS of Pinsk and make the assessment that approximately 13,7·10² tons of CO₂ are being deposited annually. A differentiated assessment of the land surface temperature (LST) in various types of Pinsk GTS was carried out using Landsat 8 satellite images and GIS project data. The negative relationships have been found between the averaged for the time of survey LST values, on the one hand, and the LAI and the greening degree values in GTS of Pinsk, on the other. The corresponding values of the determination coefficient (R²) are low (0.27 and 0.35), indicating that the surface temperature recorded by the satellite is influenced not only by vegetation, but also by other urban environmental factors (for example, technogenic heat emissions from industrial GTS, irrigation of plantings in residential estates, flooding of wetlands in the floodplain). The reasons for their influence, which cannot be eliminated in this work, are the significant difference in the effective spatial resolution of LST and LAI images, the high fragmentation of green areas in the built-up part of Pinsk and the small-contour nature of its GTS sections, which together led to LST pixels corresponding to mixed surfaces.

The study is devoted to issues of the soil cover structure state dynamics in the Belarusian Polesie geo- systems. The identification of key sites and test validation polygons within them is based on optical remote sensing data (Landsat 5 MSS/TM, Landsat 7 ETM+, and Landsat 8/9 OLI TIRS) with a spatial resolution of 30 m from 1998 to 2024, the normalized vegetation index NDVI calculated on this basis, land information system data, and the soil-ecological and natural-amelioration zoning of the Belarus territory.

The research results showed that optical wavelength data, as well as their derivatives in the form of vegetation indices, can serve as a basis not only for identifying test polygons but also for assessing the state of the soil cover structure in the spatiotemporal aspect using statistical methods. The identified extremes of the NDVI are explained by both the soils productive capacity of the Belarusian Polesie region and the heterogeneity of the soil cover structure, resulting in heterogeneity in land use patterns, orographic features in unreclaimed areas, and the impact of large-scale hydrotechnical reclamation. The geosystems dynamics as an overall state and the land use sctructure within them are identified by the group of soil mesocombinations groups (alternation of larger groups of elementary soil areas expressed on the mesorelief), as well as their conjunctions.

The article considers questions of scientific substantiation of organization of water protection zones of water bodies of urban systems. Methodical approaches of scientific substantiation of water protection zones projects are reflected and the results of development of water protection zones of water objects are presented on the example of Minsk. Based on the results of analysis of geological structure, soil-geomorphological and hydrogeological conditions, nature of landscaping of the territory, features of urban development, functional use of the territory, as well as engineering infrastructure and assessment of anthropogenic stress on water systems are calculated the main parameters of water protection zones of water bodies. Potential sources of pollution of water bodies within the boundaries of water protection zones have been identified, and preventive measures to improve the area adjacent to the water body have been proposed, aimed at managing water quality and preventing pollution of surface waters.

This article contains the analysis of the natural and anthropogenic factors influencing the formation of groundwater resources and their quality in Belarus and the associated geoecological risks. The most significant natural factors in the formation of groundwater resources include the features of the geological structure and relief, climatic and hydrological conditions. In Belarus, the amount of natural renewable fresh groundwater resources is 15.9 km³/year (43.56 million m³/day). The total groundwater extraction is currently at the level of 2.4–2.5 million m³/day. This indicates a high supply of fresh groundwater resources both for the current period and for the long term. In recent decades, anthropogenic factors have increasingly influenced the formation of groundwater resources, specifically groundwater extraction from group and individual wells, quarry dewatering and drainage reclamation. It has been shown that intensive groundwater exploitation leads to changes in the water balance structure over large areas, the formation of large depressions up to 70 km across with groundwater levels dropping to 40–60 m in their central parts.

The relationship between natural and anthropogenic factors determining groundwater quality in Belarus is characterized. Natural factors ensure the formation of a thick layer (averaging 250–350 m) of fresh groundwater with relatively low mineralization – from 15–100 to 300–400 mg/dm³. Anthropogenic factors (industrial, municipal, agricultural, transport, radiation pollution, drainage reclamation, etc.) lead to significant changes in the chemical composition of groundwater, sometimes even deep-lying one. It has been shown that the main macrocomponents of anthropogenic groundwater pollution are Cl^–, NO₃^- , SO₄^2- , Na⁺, K⁺ and etc. ions.

Analysis and results of geological and geophysical studies in the Enderby Land, Vechernegorskaya area of Belorussian Antarctic station, are presented. Methodology and means are described briefly, used in geological research.

The maps of the distribution of geomagnetic fields of exposed areas based on tectonophysical characteristics, geo- magnetic monitoring of daily variations and research of a stable site for the projecting of a non-magnetic pavilion were built. The anomalies of active gamma field and of five radionuclides, which are connected to composition of bedrocks that is proven by spectrometric survey, were determined. The gravity studies established changes in gravity field with correction to altitude and to an intermediate layer of other rock density, which makes it harder to gravity researches by foot.

According to the map of residual magnetism, which is constructed on kappametric survey, the confinement of magnetization with the mineral composition of the rocks was established. Realization of schlich sampling is complicated due to glacial formations.

Mineral composition of rocks, according to the results of schlich sampling, analysis of thin section and laboratory analysis, demonstrates significant prospective mineral element of rocks. Data obtained by tested methods that can be used for further subsoil exploration. The continuation of works is planned like this: geomagnetic survey, recording of variations of geomagnetic fields, unmanned aerial vehicles survey, radiometric and gamma spectrometric survey and laboratory researches of rocks.

The paper proposes an improved Stratigraphic chart of the Silurian deposits of Belarus. The general stratigraphic scale shows the division of the system into two subsystems: lower and upper. There are not two series, as was previously accepted in the Stratigraphic chart of the Silurian deposits of Belarus (2010), but four, according to the International Chronostratigraphic (2024) and General stratigraphic charts (2024): Llandovery, Wenlock, Ludlow and Pridoli. The substages introduced into the previous chart of 2010 have now been transferred to the rank of stages, of which there are seven in the above-mentioned International Chronostratigraphic and General stratigraphic charts, but only five of them have been established on the territory of Belarus. So, the upper part of the Llandovery series, which begins the section of the Silurian in the territory of the country, is included to the Telichian stage; the Wenlock series is subdivided into the Sheinwoodian and Homerian stages; the Ludlow series is subdivided into the Gorstian and Ludfordian stages; the Pridoli series does not include any stages. In addition to the above-mentioned innovations, the Stratigraphic chart of the Silurian of Belarus also includes an updated sequence of standard graptolite zones and the D. P. Plax’s established zones for ichthyofauna are presented. The regional stratigraphic chart of the Silurian of Belarus was used by independent sequence of the regional stages, which was based on the study of sections of the Podlasie-Brest Depression. The territory of this depression is divided, as was previously accepted, into western and eastern parts, each of which is characterized by a certain sequence of formations and members. The section of the correlation of local stratigraphic units of Belarus is supplemented by six new local stratigraphic subdivides – formations, introduced by the D. P. Plax. Within the Volyn Monocline these are the Komarovka, Kladnev, Rytets and Priborovo Formations, and within the Baltic Monocline these are the Ostrovets and Vileyka Formations. The Silurian deposits of Belarus were correlated with coeval sediments in the Polish part of the Podlasie-Brest Depression, Volyn area (northwest Ukraine), Central and Eastern Lithuania, and Estonia.

The present study is aimed at the development of complex preparations based on sphagnum peat, sphagnum moss and microelements and primary studies of their antimicrobial activity on pure crops of pathogens of agricultural plants in order to determine the possibility of obtaining plant protection products based on them. Microelements are added in the form of salts to the oxidates and hydrolysates of sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat of low decomposition, containing small amounts of humic acids. Their introduction into humate-containing preparations was carried out in the form of metal complexonates. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) disodium salt was used as the complexone. The conditions for obtaining zinc, manganese and copper edetate and its introduction into the composition of oxidates have been established. For the preparation of complex preparations, EDTA–Zn₇₀–Mn₅₀–Cu₂₅ was added to the oxidates in a ratio of 1 : 10, and the content of trace elements in the final products was Zn_7.0, Mn_5.0, Cu_2.5. It has been shown that a complex preparation based on magellanicum peat oxidate with a degree of decomposition (R) of 5 % and microelements is active against the phytopathogens Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis N.P. and Erwinia amylovora E2, and a preparation based on magellanicum peat with R 20–25% and chelates of microelements – in relation to C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis N.P. Moss and peat hydrolysates with R 5 % are active against E. amylovora E2 and Pseudomonas corrugata 3′. Thus, it has been established that preparations obtained on the basis of sphagnum peat and sphagnum moss and microelements have activity against a number of phytopathogenic microorganisms and can be used in the development of new generation plant protection products.

This paper analyzes the main methods of drying peat pellets in a heated drum: with moisture displacement by unheated air, with moisture displacement and partial recirculation of the spent drying agent, and with moisture displacement by unheated air with heat recovery from the spent wet agent. The process of drying peat pellets in a drum using an intense ultra-high frequency (UHF) electromagnetic field with moisture displacement by unheated air is also considered. The main parameters of the convective drying process are assessed with the aim of selecting optimal conditions for its occurrence, allowing for a reduction in energy consumption for obtaining the final product. For the considered methods of drying peat pellets, analytical dependencies are presented for assessing the optimal parameters of the drying agent at equilibrium between the dried material and the drying medium.

The increased interest in the properties and methods of producing of fulvic-like acids from natural caultibolites, including primarily various peat, is caused by the appearance in their structure of compositions that provide the ability to complex formation with rare earth and heavy metals, including uranium demanded in nuclear power. The use of these fulvic-like acids in developing new technologies for the extraction of rare and heavy metals is considered to be very promising. The proposed article provides a comparative analysis of the physical and chemical properties of fulvic-like acids obtained by oxidative decomposition of peat and the humic substances of the initial peat.

Analysis of IR spectroscopy data of the initial peat (lowland and upland) and products of their oxidation with hydrogen peroxide showed that in the process of oxidative destruction occurs the breakdown of the polystranded structures of the peat with the formation of products with high content of carbonyl groups, that promote complex formation.

It was found that the oxidative destruction of peat leads to a reduction in carbon content and an increase in hydrogen and oxygen, as well as a decrease in the optical density of their solutions and an increase in solubility. The obtained molecular-mass distribution on Sephadex G-50 of initial humic acids acids and fulvic-like acids showed that destruction processes lead to a decrease in molecular weights of macromolecules of fulvic-like acids compared to the original humic acids.