Research project SR/00/132 (Research action SR)
In order to achieve the overriding objective presented above, we have specified several work packages, each with its own scientific goals:
WP1 Digital elevation models for morphological analyses: The objecvtive of this WP is to generate 3D-models from a variety of RS sources and to evaluate the impact of these various data sources on the quality of the generated DEMs.
WP2 Development and evolution of (palaeo) river systems: The major aim of this WP is to automatically extract natural and anthropogenic morphological features in a fluvial landscape. It will also be investigated whether spectral and/or backscatter image properties provide information on the spatial distribution of specific fluvial land morphologies through changes in land cover and underlying soil composition. Results will be cross-validated with historical data and through field verification.
WP3 ANALYSING THE INTERACTION OF DUNES AND FLOODPLAINS USING MULTI-TEMPORAL RS IMAGES: The goal of this WP is to assess dune migration rates and directions in the vicinity of the floodplain on a timescale of several decades through multi-temporal RS-analysis, and to make further predictions of areas invaded by dunes in the coming decades.
WP4 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURE DETECTION: The main objective of this WP is to test the potential of different data sources for making a regional inventory of above- and below-ground archaeological remains for the different study areas, which are characterised by variations in the density of archaeological and settlement remains in contrasting environmental settings.
WP5 FUNCTIONAL AND MULTI-TEMPORAL URBAN DEVELOPMENT: The objective of this WP is to study the differential expansion of cities and villages and their relation with demographic evolution using a multi-temporal analysis of RS-imagery. Not only the 2D-expansion of cities will be analysed, buth also the 3D evolution using results from WP 1.
WP6 INTEGRATION, INTERACTION AND MODELING OF THE URBAN, PHYSICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT: In this WP, the results of WPs 1-5 will be integrated in order to understand the long-term landscape development. The aim is to study human-environment interactions and to asses the impact of urban development on the natural and cultural heritage through the modelling of urban expansion and to assess the impact of environmental changes on the distribution of archaeological features.
