Multiyear variations of soil moisture availability in the East European Plain

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of climate change on the water storage across the East European Plain, utilizing archived digital materials from several remote sensing satellites, including the Terra/Aqua (MODIS), the Global Precipitation Climatology Project, GRACE, and GRACE FO satellites, as well as data from digital maps of Selyaninov hydrothermal coefficients. The spatial resolution of the analyzed data ranged from 1x1 km to 250x250 km. Aiming to enhance the spatial resolution of Selyaninov coefficient maps, a new version of the Selyaninov hydrothermal coefficient was suggested, leveraging satellite remote sensing data. Both visual and computer analyses of these materials reveal a consistent reduction in water storage in the southern regions of the East European Plain, accompanied by a slight increase in the Novgorod Oblast. This information suggests that the non-chernozem region of the East European Plain will play a crucial role in supplying agricultural products to the population in the next decades. The observed stable water storage in the northern part of the East European Plain, encompassing the Komi Republic and the Novgorod Oblast, hints at the potential of increased agricultural production in these areas. However, achieving sustainable growth in agricultural production in these regions necessitates a focused investment policy.