Rapid climate warming has been observed in the region of the Antarctic Peninsula since the middle of the last century with the largest warming rate in the winter. Decadal variability of winter temperature on the regional scale was analysed using eight station datasets of the Antarctic Peninsula region. The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research Reference Antarctic Data for Environmental Research from the period 1950-2009 were used. Fourier and wavelet transforms of the averaged temperature anomaly time series reveal a clear separation between the oscillations with three to eight year periods and a decadal oscillation with a period of around 16 years. On the Antarctic Peninsula region scale, 16 year periodicity in the winter temperature variability has not been described before. Both spectral components show similar spectral power and statistical significance (5-10%). This is evidence of their comparable importance for winter temperature changes in the Antarctic Peninsula region. The three to eight year periods are most probably related to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Antarctic Circumpolar Wave signals, but the 16 year oscillation has not been identified within the scope of this analysis. The possible effect of the decadal oscillation in the winter temperature trend estimate is discussed.

Abstract. Stratospheric preconditions for the annual Antarctic ozone hole are analyzed using the amplitude of quasistationary planetary waves in temperature as a predictor of total ozone column behaviour. It is found that the quasistationary wave amplitude in August is highly correlated with September-November total ozone over Antarctica with correlation coefficient (r) as high as 0.83 indicating that quasi-stationary wave effects in late winter have a persisting influence on the evolution of the ozone hole during the following three months. Correlation maxima are found in both the lower and middle stratosphere. These likely result from the influence of wave activity on ozone depletion due to chemical processes, and ozone accumulation due to largescale ozone transport, respectively. Both correlation maxima indicate that spring total ozone tends to increase in the case of amplified activity of quasi-stationary waves in late winter. Since the stationary wave number one dominates the planetary waves that propagate into the Antarctic stratosphere in late austral winter, it is largely responsible for the stationary zonal asymmetry of the ozone hole relative to the South Pole. Processes associated with zonally asymmetric ozone and temperature which possibly contribute to differences in the persistence and location of the correlation maxima are discussed.

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We review the 2017 Antarctic ozone hole, making use of various meteorological reanalyses, and in-situ, satellite and ground-based measurements of ozone and related trace gases, and ground-based measurements of ultraviolet radiation. The 2017 ozone hole was associated with relatively high-ozone concentrations over the Antarctic region compared to other years, and our analysis ranked it in the smallest 25% of observed ozone holes in terms of size. The severity of stratospheric ozone loss was comparable with that which occurred in 2002 (when the stratospheric vortex exhibited an unprecedented major warming) and most years prior to 1989 (which were early in the development of the ozone hole). Disturbances to the polar vortex in August and September that were associated with intervals of anomalous planetary wave activity resulted in significant erosion of the polar vortex and the mitigation of the overall level of ozone depletion. The enhanced wave activity was favoured by below-average westerly winds at high southern latitudes during winter, and the prevailing easterly phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). Using proxy information on the chemical make-up of the polar vortex based on the analysis of nitrous oxide and the likely influence of the QBO, we suggest that the concentration of inorganic chlorine, which plays a key role in ozone loss, was likely similar to that in 2014 and 2016, when the ozone hole was larger than that in 2017. Finally, we found that the overall severity of Antarctic ozone loss in 2017 was largely dictated by the timing of the disturbances to the polar vortex rather than interannual variability in the level of inorganic chlorine.

The purpose of this research is to identify the role of innovations in overcoming the problems arising out of activities within insurance companies. Against the background of fluctuating marketing environment and high level of business risks, the staff of insurance companies is in high demand of scientifically substantiated recommendations on the very innovations which could bring business processes to a more increased efficiency level. The research of innovative activities within insurance companies in this paper is done using the following logical sequence: the place of innovations in the deployment of 4 Industrial Revolutions and their role in the modern insurance business (within Ukraine and abroad) about its fundamental and subsidiary business processes is displayed; common problems of national insurance companies and selected risk factors varying in terms of customer market (B2B or B2C), experience and foreign capital participation are described; the most practical innovative solutions for mitigation of identified risks in activities within insurance companies are suggested. The research presents the results of the sample survey of 52 insurance companies. The survey focused on hypotheses relating to as follows: threats to the business environment of insurance companies; directions for employment of innovations to develop insurance companies’ business; differences in assessment of threats to business environment; differences in opportunities and directions of innovations. ІВМ SPSS 20 software was used for processing of the data obtained. The following research methods were used to analyze the data: frequency distribution of variables, cross-tabulation, and nonparametric tests of variables. The research confirms that from 51.5 to 77 % of Ukrainian insurance companies are faced with some difficulties in their performance. The risk factors being the most relevant for insurance companies are the low paying capacity of customers at the insurance market (1st place), high competition (2nd place), imperfect legislation (3rd place). The research identified the following significant problems associated with the company's internal environment: lacking a definite strategic business development plan (1st place), problems involving qualified staff (2nd place), and problems with the interaction of structural units (3rd place). The research empirically lends support to specific directions of putting into practice and nature of innovations necessary for countering specific threats in their activities. Research findings can be of some practical value for improved efficiency of business processes both for Ukrainian and foreign insurance companies operating under the conditions of ever-changing factors of the business environment. Keywords: insurance companies, innovations, business processes, В2С market, В2В market.