EKATERINBURG, February 1. /TASS/. Scientists and students of the Moscow State University named after Lomonosov (MGU) have installed in Salekhard, Russia’s only city on the Polar Circle (in Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District), an automatic meteorology station and temperature sensors to study areas, where temperatures are higher than the surrounding air temperature, press service of the Arctic Studies scientific center said on Wednesday.
"With this equipment they will study the "warmth isles" - areas inside the city, where temperatures are higher than the air temperatures in surrounding areas," the press service said, adding the expedition was supported by the local department on science and innovations, as well as by other Arctic studies centers.
"The research’s applied effect is to optimize expenses of the local house maintenance services," Pavel Konstantinov, head of MGU’s meteorology observatory, said. "Preliminary estimations show that a city with population of 40-50 thousand may save a few dozen million rubles a year."
The press service added, under the conditions of climate changes it is most important for scientists to receive weather information not only from the Arctic coast, but also from central districts of the Polar cities - scientists have already installed equipment in Murmansk, Nadym, Norilsk, Apatity and Vorkuta. For further research, scientists will return to Yamal in spring.
The scientific center for Arctic studies was organized in 2010. Its departments are regional studies, archeology and ethnic studies, ecology monitoring, and biomedical technologies.