Vol. 56 No. 3 (259) (2022)

The work is devoted to assessment of components of groundwater runoff on the example of the Jermanis springs located in the upper streams of the Vedi River. The strictly changeable nature of the flow of springs is envisaged by the close proximity of recharge and discharge zones. The cartographic materials used in work were analyzed in the same geographic coordinate system, as well as a comparison of chemical analyzes of groundwater with archival data has been conducted. An assessment of the geoecological conditions and evaluation of natural resources of groundwater has been accomplished. It is recommended to apply the described method to assess groundwater run-off in river basins with similar natural and climatic conditions, for example, for the river basins of the Azat, Argichi, Vorotan, etc.

The features of changes in the seismic risk of a zone of a strong earthquake, associated with both its destructive consequences and the processes of recovery of the earthquake zone, are considered. This problem has not been studied enough despite its importance for risk assessment and mitigation. To achieve the main goal, the problem is considered on the basis of the change in the risk of the 1988 Spitak Earthquake zone. It is proposed to divide the earthquake zone into subzones, taking into account the scale of destruction of buildings, which makes it possible to more reliably establish general and local peculiarities of risk changes. It is concluded that for various reasons, the risk of the territory of the cities in the subzone of strong destruction is significantly reduced, and vice versa, it will increase in the subzones of medium and weak destruction.

Before studying the tectonomagnetic effect, the magnetoelastic effect of rocks was studied under laboratory and field conditions. The results showed that reversible and irreversible changes are manifested in the remanent magnetization. Until now, the detected changes have manifested themselves in the tectonomagnetic field in the form of reversible changes. The absence of irreversible changes suggests that physical processes are not fully reflected in the tectonomagnetic field. In 2021, at the geomagnetic station irreversible changes were observed in the tectonomagnetic field, which was a consequence of the foci located 20 km from the "Saragyugh" Geomagnetic Station. The observed reversible and irreversible changes fully reflect the process of elastic and plastic deformations occurring in the sources of nearby earthquakes.

The global changes and increased anthropogenic impact affect the soil cover and lead to the beginning of the process of soil degradation. Soil degradation is considered to be one of the most important problems for many countries in the world due to its impact on agricultural production and the environment. If appropriate measures are not taken, degradation processes will continue. There are a number of methods for studying and rehabilitating degraded soils: however, remote sensing data allows detection (which is more efficient) and mapping of degraded soils. Satellite images provide spatial and homogeneous data on soil conditions and vegetation degradation. The following spectral indices were used to assess soil degradation in the Ararat Valley based on soil reflectivity: CI – color index, FI – shape index, NDVI – vegetation indices. The process of soil degradation in the Republic of Armenia is typical for Ararat Valley, which is considered to be the main agricultural region of the country. Remote sensing methods and GIS systems were used to assess the state of Ararat Valley soils.

The article discusses the changes in the structural composition of the black soils of Lori plain, which occurs as a result of uncoordinated human economic activities. The results of our field studies show that the structural elements in uncultivated black soils are stable and the soils have a well-defined structure. Compared to non-cultivated soils, the amount of water-resistant aggregates in the topsoil of cultivated soils is quite low, and the topsoil is significantly dusty.

The aesthetic assessment of the landscape is one of the important problems of aesthetics. The analysis of the work accomplished in different periods shows that there are two directions of the methodology of aesthetic assessment of landscapes in science: physical-geographic, which is based on the "objective" approach of aesthetic assessment of landscapes, and socio-geographic, in which the "subjective" approach is dominant. Combining subjective and objective approaches an attempt was made to estimate the aesthetics of the landscape of Syunik Region. In case of a subjective approach, the researcher relies on the subjective opinion of people on the impressions received from a particular landscape of the aesthetic attractiveness. The was carried out with a social survey through questionnaires prepared by M.Yu. Frolova. In order to obtain the most reliable results, the principles of selecting pictures and survey participants have been developed. Most of the pictures were taken during our tours. The survey involved 80 people, where more than 40 pictures were presented. The respondents highly appreciated those landscapes, where there is a combination of different components of the given landscape. Autumn landscapes of forested areas were rated higher than spring ones. The results of the subjective correspond to the results of the objective made by us for the landscapes of Syunik Region by 83%. Comparing the average results of the subjective with the results of the objective, we have obtained a map of the aesthetic attractiveness of the Syunik Region. The most attractive and attractive areas occupy 9.5% and 22.4% of the Syunik Region territory, respectively, unattractive areas occupy 0.2%. Obtaining a reliable result, it is recommended to use the methods of objective and subjective estimations together.

During the Soviet years a well-established unified settlement network had been formed in the Republic of Armenia (RA), with a multilevel settlement system and equalization trends. However, the landmark events that occurred in the last years of the Soviet period, as well as the geopolitical and socio-economic conditions shaped after gaining independence have initiated a powerful wave of emigration, a demographic crisis and, as a result, depopulation of the country. Under the conditions of the new realities, the settlement pattern of the RA has undergone significant transformations. The article is dedicated to the study of its specifics, trends, problems, as well as territorial differences. The research revealed that the problems of depopulation, migration and the demographic crisis have different manifestations and transformations in different types of settlements and territorial zones of Armenia.Vulnerable territories of the RA (mountainous and high-altitude areas, territories with unfavorable natural-geographical and socio-economic conditions, with problems related to border security and life support, territories outside the zones of influence of the settlement system) react more acutely to negative and undesirable processes, resulting even to total depopulation. At the same time, a number of settlement areas in Armenia with competitive comparative advantages are becoming to hubs of population growth and economic development, rather than depopulation centers. As a result of the ongoing processes, there is a sharp polarization of the settlement patterns in the RA. It has become an existential problem and requires comprehensive solutions in regional policy.

Prediction of the tourist demand can be carried out through the usage of regression model. There have been surveys conducted among tourists (non-ethnic Armenians) who have visited Armenia over the past 3 years. It was necessary to find out whether the gender and age composition of potential tourists influences the choice of a particular media channel, as well as to identify those media channels that, having a certain potential, can influence the picture of the tourism market of Armenia. Based on the compiled model, it is possible to come to conclusions: the indicators of the regression model make it possible to navigate quite clearly by age groups.