Application of satellite radar interferometry (PSInSAR) in analysis of secondary surface deformations in mining areas. Case studies from Czech Republic and Poland

Secondary deformations are ground movements occurring in areas of ceased underground mining. These are associated with delayed readjustment of rock mass resulting in subsidence, discontinuous deformations (sinks, cracks, etc.) due to destruction of underground, usually shallow, workings, and elevation of ground surface in response of rock mass to rising groundwater levels following the end of mine water drainage. Comparative analysis of secondary deformations in two former mining areas in the first period after cessation of underground hard coal mining is the subject of this study. We used ERS-1/2 and Envisat satellite radar interferometry data processed with PSInSAR technique and GIS to map vertical (in satellite's line of sight, LOS) movements of the surface and analyse them in relation to location of coal fields and underground water table rise. In the study, two areas have been compared, the Ostrava city in the Czech part of the Upper Silesian Basin and the Walbrzych Coal Basin in Poland. The results of analyses based on the results of PSInSAR processing between 1995 and 2000 for the Walbrzych site indicate uplift (up to +12 mm/year) in closed parts of coal fields and subsidence (up to nun/year) in areas of declining mining. Results of PSInSAR analysis over the Ostrava site indicate decaying subsidence after mine closures in the rate of up to -6 mm/year during 1995-2000. Residual subsidence and gentle uplift have been partly identified at surroundings of closed mines in Ostrava from 2003-2010 Envisat data. In Walbrzych gentle elevation has been determined from 2002 to 2009 in areas previously subsiding.Web of Science15218517

Analysis of Rock Raw Materials Transport and its Implications for Regional Development and Planning. Case Study of Lower Silesia (Poland)

The movement of rock raw materials from source to demand areas is carried out predominately with road and railway transport. The latter is less damaging to infrastructure, the environment and society and is cheaper for longer distances, but it is also less flexible and not widely used. The Lower Silesia region in southwestern Poland is an important producer of rock raw materials and the principal provider of igneous and metamorphic dimension stones and crushed rocks in the country. A multicriteria scoring scheme has been developed and applied to identify mines presently using road transport, that are predisposed to switch to or include a railway form of transport. Four criteria have been proposed, C1&mdash distance to railway loading point, C2&mdash annual production of rock raw material, C3&mdash economic reserves, and C4&mdash type of rock raw material. The scoring scheme (classification) was developed based on the results of descriptive statistics for mines presently using railway or combined road and railway forms of transport. Two scenarios were analyzed, one with equal weights (0.25) and the other with higher significance of C1 = 0.40 and C2 = 0.30, and lower significance of C3 = 0.20 and C4 = 0.10. In the result, 24 mines were identified and ranked in terms of their potential to introduce railway transport. The proposed methodology can be used universally for other regions and countries, and the results will be included in drawing up regional spatial development policies. Document type: Articl

Zdjęcia przedstawiające erozję rynnową hałdy na dawnym terenie górniczym węgla brunatnego

Zdjęcia przedstawiające erozję rynnową hałdy na dawnym terenie górniczym kopalni węgla brunatnego &#34;Babina&#34;.Zdjęcia powstały w ramach dokumentacji badań realizowanych w projekcie Narodowego Centrum Nauki OPUS-17 pt. &#34;Geneza i przebieg antropogenicznych i naturalnych deformacji terenu w obszarach pogórniczych dawnej kopalni węgla brunatnego &#34;Babina&#34;.Autor zdjęć: Jan Blachowski </p

Assessing the Cooling Effect of Four Urban Parks of Different Sizes in a Temperate Continental Climate Zone: Wroclaw (Poland)

Urban parks have been known to form park cooling islands (PCI), which can effectively alleviate the effect of urban heat islands (UHI) in cities. This paper presents results obtained for four different size parks in the city of Wroclaw, which is located in a temperate continental climate. The number of publications for urban areas located in this type of climate and cities is low compared to sites in hot and humid areas. Land surface temperature (LST) maps were developed from Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) data acquired during three hottest weather periods between 2017 and 2019. Metrics and spatial statistics characterising the four parks selected for the analysis based on their size were calculated. These included: perimeter, area, landscape shape index (LSI) and PLC (forest area) park metrics, and Park Cooling Area (PCA), Park Cooling Efficiency (PCE), Park Cooling Gradient (PCG), Park Cooling Island (PCI) and Extended Park Cooling Island (PCIe) spatial indexes. The averaged PCIe values ranged from 2.0 to 3.6 °C, PCI from 1.9 to 3.6 °C, PCG from 0.7 to 2.2 °C, PCE from 5.3 to 11.5, and PCA from 78.8 to 691.8 ha depending on the park. The cooling distance varied from 110 m to 925 m depending on park size, forest area and land use type in the park’s vicinity. The study provides new insight into urban park cooling effects in a medium sized city located in a temperate continental climate, and the role of parks in regulation of urban temperature to mitigate the UHI effect

GIS-based spatial assessment of rock minerals mining - a case study of the Lower Silesia Region (SW Poland)

Mining of rock minerals, constitutes a strong stimulus for economic development and at the same time, can significantly and negatively affect the state of natural environment, roads and well-being of local communities. This paper presents methodology for studies of spatial impact of rock minerals mining in the Lower Silesia region (SW Poland). In the region majority of magmatic, metamorphic and other rock minerals occur in Poland and their intensive mining is an important sector of regional economy. The concept of mining density (mineral production per unit area) has been introduced and the changes of rock minerals mining in the period of the last 8 years (2006-2013) have been analysed and presented graphically with GIS-based methodology. Mining density increased from 2006 to 2011 and decreased from 2011 to 2013. Change in the spatial pattern of mining density between 2006 and 2013, despite comparable volume of rock minerals production, has been identified. In addition proximity of mines to human settlements, nature protection areas and railways (potential transport routes) has been analysed. Comprehensive and coherent information on rock minerals mining for the area of Lower Silesia provided in this study has been used in developing and implementing regional spatial development policy and attaining the balance between the economic needs, nature protection requirements and the well-being of its citizens