Quantitative studies of the morphology of the south Poland using Relief Index (RI)

The aim of this study was to introduce a new morphometric index named Relief Index (RI). RI is the ratio of the total length of the contour lines and the surface area at which they occur. This easily calculated index provides an objective quantitative measure of relief variability as an important feature in geomorphological studies. To achieve this goal, a highly detailed morphometric analysiswas carried out using a high-resolution (1m×1m) DEM. Twenty one sample areas in southern Poland were examined. These analyses showed RI, as a good tool for rapidly evaluating topography heterogeneity in division into relief classes. I distinguished 4 classes of the Relief Index that classify earth surface considering the variability of the relief. Results of the calculations demonstrated that there is a significant correlation between RI and the local relief and slopes, but there is no correlation between RI and planar curvatures and TWI. The relief of the sample areas were analysed using geomorphometric parameters (slopes, local relief, planar curvatures).Moreover the influence of the DEM resolution on Relief Index values was examined

Quality assessment of DEM derived from topographic maps for geomorphometric purposes

Digital elevation models (DEMs) play a significant role in geomorphological research. For geomorphologists reconstructing landform and drainage structure is frequently as important as elevation accuracy. Consequently, large-scale topographic maps (with contours, height points and watercourses) constitute excellent material for creating models (here called Topo-DEM) in fine resolution. The purpose of the conducted analyses was to assess the quality of Topo-DEM against freely-available globalDEMs and then to compare it with a reference model derived from laser scanning (LiDAR-DEM). The analysis also involved derivative maps of geomorphometric parameters (local relief, slope, curvature, aspect) generated on the basis of Topo-DEM and LiDAR-DEM. Moreover, comparative classification of landforms was carried out. It was indicated that Topo-DEM is characterised by good elevation accuracy (RMSE <2 m) and reflects the topography of the analyzed area surprisingly well. Additionally, statistical and percentage metrics confirm that it is possible to generate a DEM with very good quality parameters on the basis of a large-scale topographic map (1:10,000): elevation differences between Topo-DEM and: 1) topographic map amounted from−1.68 to +2.06 m,MAEis 0.10 m, RMSE 0.16 m; 2) LiDAR-DEM (MAE 1.13 m, RMSE 1.69 m, SD 1.83 m); 3) GPS RTK measurements amounted from−3.6 to +3.01 m, MAE is 0.72 m, RMSE 0.97 m, SD 0.97 m. For an area of several dozen km2 Topo-DEM with 10×10 m resolution proved more efficient than detailed (1×1 m) LiDAR-DEM

Geomorphometric comparison of DEMs built by different interpolation methods

One of the most important stages of creating DEMs is the selection of a suitable interpolation algorithm. In this paper I decided to take a look at the most popular methods of data interpolation: Inverse Distance Weighting, Natural Neighbour, Spline, Radial Basis Functions, Local Polynomial and Kriging. As the research area served fragment (20 km2) of the Silesian Upland with diversified relief. I analysed visual effects (3D view and profiles), summarized the basic geomorphometric statistics (heights, local relief, slopes, aspects, curvatures) and an assessment of the vertical accuracy of developed models (RMSE and result conformity) have made. After conducted studies it can be stated, that the best interpolation methods for analyse of the relief are Natural Neighbour and Kriging, because they do not create any artefacts

Digital Elevation Models in Geomorphology

This chapter presents place of geomorphometry in contemporary geomorphology. The focus is on discussing digital elevation models (DEMs) that are the primary data source for the analysis. One has described the genesis and definition, main types, data sources and available free global DEMs. Then we focus on landform parameters, starting with primary morphometric parameters, then morphometric indices and at last examples of morphometric tools available in geographic information system (GIS) packages. The last section briefly discusses the landform classification systems which have arisen in recent years

Badanie odporności skał Wyżyny Śląskiej z zastosowaniem młotka Schmidta

This article takes up the problem of rock strength of the Silesian Upland. Results of the fieldmeasurements of the rock outcrops hardness presented here became the basis for settlement of therock resistance classes on the Silesian Upland and the view on following relation: bedrock resistancevs relief.The definition of rock strength is the resistance of the rock to destruction processes e.g.: weathering,erosion and denudation. Instead of ‛strength’ definition one often uses: hardness, compression,crushing, compactness, etc. These terms describe strength features of rock mass and the right meaningof rock strength consists of their sum (union).This paper undertakes a study to determine approximate rock strength on the Silesian Uplandsurface. For that purpose the author exploited a field method with the Schmidt hammer usage. Thistool was designed by E. Schmidt in 1948 for carrying out in situ tests on the hardness of concrete.The instrument measures the distance of rebound of a controlled impact on a rock surface. Becauseelastic recovery (the distance of repulsion of an elastic mass upon impact) depends on the hardness ofthe surface, and hardness is related to mechanical strength, the distance of rebound (R) gives a relativemeasure of surface hardness or strength.Effect of this work was approximation of diversification of rock strength by the one parameter— hardness. This kind of rock resistance is more significant for group of mechanical relief processesthan for other processes (rock solution).Over 75% of all solid rocks of the Silesian Upland is characterized by high and very high hardnessmeasured by Schmidt hammer. Rocks of these strength build the biggest morphological units ofthis region (Próg Środkowotriasowy, Próg Górnotriasowy, Zrąb Mikołowski). These areas are verystrongly diversified on that altitude — differences of altitude are over 100 m in some places. Thesedata imply structural character of this relief.At 5‑gradualresistance scale the mean value of all tested rocks averages 3.5 — which correspondsto mean class and high class (see Table 3), so solid surface rocks of Silesian Upland are strongrocks.Deposits, not‑classified in resistance classes, contain over 80% contemporary Silesian Upland’ssurface. These deposits are mainly in subsidences (Dolina Małej Panwi, Kotlina Raciborska,Obniżenie Liswarty, Obniżenie Górnej Warty i Prosny). Maybe, if it could remove these pleistocene‑holocenedeposits — that stepping out there rocks are little resistant and that is why they came intosubsidences. If we accept such hypothesis — it would be the next proof on the structural characterof the relief of this region

Durability of forest cover in the Ochotnica Valley (Gorce mts.) and in the Solinka Valley (Bieszczady mts.) in the 18th-21st centuries

Forests in the Carpathians are increasing their range mainly due to the expansion in former agricultural areas. In this study conducted for two valleys (88 and 69 km2) topographical maps from 18th to 20th century and an orthophotomap were used in order to determine the durability of forest cover. This durability is understood as the period of time during which a given area was presumably occupied by forest. A digital elevation model (DEM) and a digital surface model (DSM) of 1x1m resolution were applied to investigate the relationship between forest cover durability and altitude, slope, aspect and the mean height of trees. The variety of spatial structure of forest cover durability results mainly from the differences of the examined valleys accessibility. Positive correlation between forest cover durability and the mean height of trees and altitude found for both valleys. A directly proportional relationship between forest cover durability and slopes also occurs in the Solinka Valley

Vertical climatic belts in the Tatra Mountains in the light of current

The paper discusses temporal changes in the configuration of vertical climatic belts in the Tatra Mountains as a result of current climate change. Meteorological stations are scarce in the Tatra Mountains; therefore, we modelled decadal air temperatures using existing data from 20 meteorological stations and the relationship between air temperature and altitude. Air temperature was modelled separately for northern and southern slopes and for convex and concave landforms. Decadal air temperatures were additionally used to delineate five climatic belts previously distinguished by Hess on the basis of threshold values of annual air temperature. The spatial extent and location of the borderline isotherms of 6, 4, 2, 0, and − 2 °C for four decades, including 1951–1960, 1981–1990, 1991–2000, and 2001–2010, were compared. Significant warming in the Tatra Mountains, uniform in the vertical profile, started at the beginning of the 1980s and led to clear changes in the extent and location of the vertical climatic belts delineated on the basis of annual air temperature. The uphill shift of the borderline isotherms was more prominent on southern than on northern slopes. The highest rate of changes in the extent of the climatic belts was found above the isotherm of 0 °C (moderately cold and cold belts). The cold belt dramatically diminished in extent over the research period

Mapa geomorfologiczna Górnośląskiego Okręgu Przemysłowego 1:50 000

Możliwe jest skorzystanie z oryginalnych danych wektorowych uzyskanych przez wektoryzację materiałów archiwalnych. W tym celu należy skontaktować się z redaktorem mapy: [email protected] mapa wykonana była na podstawie zdjęcia geomorfologicznego w latach 1955-1956 w Pracowni Geomorfologii i Hydrografii Instytutu Geografii PAN w Krakowie pod kierunkiem Mieczysława Klimaszewskiego. Skanowaniem i georeferencją oryginalnych materiałów kartograficznych oraz redakcją techniczną całości zajął się Bartłomiej Szypuła. Wektoryzację wykonał zespół studentów Wydziału Nauk o Ziemi Uniwersytetu Śląskiego kierunku geografia specjalności Geograficzne Systemy Informacyjne w ramach działań Studenckiego Koła Naukowego GIS w osobach: Dominika Bałdys, Agnieszka Barnaś, Wanda Drozdowska, Aleksandra Dziób, Monika Franek, Małgorzata Gernot, Mateusz Grajewski, Emilia Jendryczko, Piotr Kosz, Paweł Kryszczuk, Aleksandra Mandrys, Karolina Mysińska, Mateusz Wadas i Monika Wiekiera pod kierunkiem Bartłomieja Szypuły. Jako podkład wykorzystano cieniowanie na podstawie cyfrowego modelu terenu z projektu ISOK (GUGiK) zgeneralizowanego do rozdzielczości 20m x 20m. Mapę wykonano w jednostrefowym odwzorowaniu Gaussa-Krügera na elipsoidzie WGS-84 ze współrzędnymi siatki kilometrowej w układzie PUWG-1992.Wydział Nauk o ZiemiKaraś-Brzozowska C., 1960. Charakterystyka geomorfologiczna Górnośląskiego Okręgu Przemysłowego. Biuletyn Komitetu dla Spraw GOP nr 37, PAN, Warszawa. 209 s.Klimaszewski M. (red), 1959. Mapa Geomorfologiczna Górnośląskiego Okręgu Przemysłowego 1:50 000. Komitet itd. GOP PAN, Warszawa

Digital adaptation of the Geomorphological Map of Upper Silesian IndustrialRegion, Poland (1:50,000) – old map new possibilities

The paper is a brief description which discusses the stages of the digital adaptation of the printed version of old geomorphological map. It was paid attention to difficulties and errors that arose during work (incompatibility adjacent sheets, problems with distinguishing of the particular landforms, lack of some landforms). As a result, a geodatabase with 30 vector layers was obtained depicting all relief forms on the original map. The uniqueness of this map arise due to anthropogenic relief forms placed on it. It was extremely important because the mapped area was very strongly transformed by economic human activity. It was decided to compare recorded anthropogenic landforms with maps from other periods (1890, 1993 and 2014). As a result, it was possible to trace spatial and quantitative changes of selected anthropogenic forms on this. In general, between 1890 and 2014, all anthropogenic forms increased with the largest share of the anthropogenic flats

Spatial distribution and statistic analysis of the anthropogenic line forms on the different basic fields

Despite the rapid development of geoinformation technology and GIS - a classic cartogram is still widely used method for presenting geographic features and phenomena, especially with regard to the relative values connected with the basic fields. The aim of this article was to investigate how the size and shape of the different basic fields influence the results of the phenomenon presentation (in this case anthropogenic line forms). In the experiment were used fields in the shape of: square, hexagon, circle and triangle with different sizes: 1 km, 2 km, 4 km, 8 km and 10 km. Different field areas with the same height, but of a different shape affected to varied quantitative characteristics within them. However, different field heights have caused an obvious increase or decrease the detail of the results. To take a look at the image of the spatial distribution of line forms compared cartograms with another, independent method – kernel density analysis. After setting kernel density image with cartograms one turned out that basic fields shape did not change the image of spatial relations significantly and wellcharacterized them in general. For this study area the best results obtained after the application fields with heights of 2 km and 4 km in the shape of squares and hexagons. It appears that the hexagons better than squares reflect the spatial image of the forms (hexagons allow better representation of the directions and shapes of the studied phenomena), however, they are less common in a geostatistical researches, and that's why they are more difficult to use, especially for comparative analysis