Visualisations of the Human Impacts on the Earth’s Surface

The objective is to discuss the human impacts to the changing of the landscape surface. The study surface is mainly karstic part of Slovenia. The primary data sources are digital elevation models (DEMs) as continuous surface data, supported with aerial photographs, satellite images and older topographic maps. This study is supplemented with textual information about of historical surfaces. Geomorphologically high quality DEM of Slovenia with 12.5 m resolution uncovered many human impacts to the terrain surface, which could not be perceived before using any classical surveying techniques. Particularly on the karstic areas, changes of the surface as a consequence of highway constructions and developing of the stone quarries are well seen. Additionally is involved a database of natural (ridges, valleys, peaks, sinkholes) and antropogenic features (stone and gravel quarries, standing waters, different types of roads and railways) on the current terrain surface. Even more surface changes were found on the LIDAR-based DEM of 1 m resolution. Some human impacts to the surface changes from prehistory until today were analysed with many visual techniques and confirmed with objective numerical methods. The results show that is the human impact on the Earth’s surface important factor that grows exponentially with time.

Spatial ETL tool for better interoperability in GIS

A spatial ETL tool that allows interoperability between\ud spatial and non-spatial data is presented in this article.\ud The primary goal of the tool is to provide spatial data\ud processing and transformation among various data\ud formats. This is made possible by the ETL process,\ud which extracts, transforms and loads data. The use of\ud spatial data has become significant in everyday life,\ud because only correctly applying the data enables users\ud to extract the true value spatial data offers. The main\ud purpose of this article is to demonstrate the capability\ud and usability of the spatial ETL tool, in order to\ud introduce a more detailed definition of the ETL\ud process to acquaint the reader with the FME Desktop\ud tool, and to demonstrate the applicability of the tool\ud in two case studies. In the first case, a unified spatial\ud data warehouse is built from non-homogeneous data\ud warehouses in order to assess the impacts and effects\ud the geological basis had on the amount of damage to\ud buildings in the 2004 earthquake. The second case\ud demonstrates how the spatial ETL tool can be used to\ud inform locals of predicted spatial changes in the area.\ud The flexibility and the efficiency of the spatial ETL tool\ud are successfully demonstrated in both cases; ETL turns\ud out to be a robust tool for editing and analysing data

Application of universal ontology of geographic space in a subset of the first-order predicate calculus\ud

Spatial data sources, like the geodetic reference system,\ud administrative spatial units, addresses and topographic\ud maps, serve as a base for geo-referencing to the most of\ud dependant thematic spatial databases. The marketing\ud strategy of the surveying profession towards the users of\ud spatial data infrastructure should be in the design of an\ud integrative semantic reference system to be used within\ud the Semantic Web, or so-called Web 3.0. The main\ud motivation for our research was the representation of\ud possibilities to automate tool development for efficient\ud and more sensible approaches to query information\ud within web-published spatial data. In contemporary\ud research there are several solutions offered as upgrades\ud of basic GIS systems with the knowledge presented in\ud the form of ontologies. Therefore, we are faced with\ud the new generation of GIS technology, which has been\ud named "inteligent GIS". In this article, we present\ud method of modelling the semantic reference system\ud as an application of the ontology of geographic space\ud in the subset of first order predicate calculus. Such\ud a semantic network of geographic space represents\ud the foundation for semantic data analyses and data\ud integration in distributed information systems. Our\ud application is based on the methods of machine\ud learning and use of the Prolog programming language

Semantic web and the concept of global geo-ontology

Geographic information systems have been applied on\ud the World Wide Web with different approaches and\ud there is a need to recognize how different groups of\ud users conceptualize the domain of geographic space.\ud In our research, we present an attempt to model a\ud semantic reference system in a semantic web by the\ud concept of global geo-ontology. Taxonomy is based\ud on general knowledge representation as physical\ud and conceptual shapes, simultaneously with basic\ud and advanced human activities. Developed ontology\ud includes 588 concepts on five levels and is extendable.\ud Within such a structure, the rules as independence of\ud location, time frame and culture are respected

Path modelling and settlement pattern

This paper describes the contribution of path modelling to the ancient settlement pattern study over the long term. The path modelling methodology is a stimulating tool, which is complementary to the hierarchical approaches in the landscape archaeology since it contributes to the understanding of the spatial relation between archaeological sites. The existing methodology was enhanced by enlarging the set of path reconstitution parameters (visibility) and by modelling in two scales. The proposed model is based on parameters derived merely from the relief because its changes should be insignificant even over a long period time

What about topography? Status and quality of topographic data in Slovenia

Topographic data, an important part of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure, have been given serious attention since Slovenia's independence. It has become publicly available, updated and harmonised. Financing of topographic data in Slovenia has significantly decreased over the previous decade. As a result, the present status is far from acceptable or expected. The current status of the topographic data, as well as its quality and usability for potential users is discussed in this article. The overview starts with basic source data, aerial surveys, photographs and orthophotos. The quality of orthophotos largely depends on the DTM quality. Topographic data is nowadays organised in thematic datasets (geographical names, building cadastre, etc.) or joined in datasets of different levels of accuracy and details. The status in Slovenia is compared to those in some neighbouring and other comparable countries

ALGORITEM ZA PREPOZNAVANJE KRAŠKIH KOTANJ NA PODLAGI DIGITALNEGA MODELA RELIEFA = Algorithm for Karst Depression Recognition Using Digital Terrain Model

The algorithm of automated karst depression recognition uses a digital terrain model (DTM) and mainly applies the methods of moving window with a kernel size of 3 x 3 cells using focal functions. It is divided into four parts: watershed calculation, depression delineation, higher lever depression delineation and non-karst depression elimination. The essential part of algorithm is delineation of depression by the elevation of the lowest border cell of watershed. Depressions of higher level are recognised by filling previously recognised depressions. Performance of algorithm was tested on test area in Kras region (Slovenia) using DTMs with spatial resolution of 12.5 m and 3 m. The results mainly depend on the DTM characteristics and quality, especially on their spatial resolution

Detecting Mountain Peaks and Delineating Their Shapes Using Digital Elevation Models, Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems Using Autometric Methodological Procedures

The detection of peaks (summits) as the upper parts of mountains and the delineation of their shape is commonly confirmed by inspections carried out by mountaineers. In this study the complex task of peak detection and shape delineation is solved by autometric methodological procedures, more precisely, by developing relatively simple but innovative image-processing and spatial-analysis techniques (e.g., developing inventive variables using an annular moving window) in remote sensing and GIS domains. The techniques have been integrated into automated morphometric methodological procedures. The concepts of peaks and their shapes (sharp, blunt, oblong, circular and conical) were parameterized based on topographic and morphologic criteria. A geomorphologically high quality DEM was used as a fundamental dataset. The results, detected peaks with delineated shapes, have been integratively enriched with numerous independent datasets (e.g., with triangulated spot heights) and information (e.g., etymological information), and mountaineering criteria have been implemented to improve the judgments. This holistic approach has proved the applicability of both highly standardized and universal parameters for the geomorphologically diverse Kamnik Alps case study area. Possible applications of this research are numerous, e.g., a comprehensive quality control of DEM or significantly improved models for the spatial planning proposes