Changes in the topography of Krakow city centre, Poland, during the last millennium

The aim of the paper is to reconstruct differences between the paleotopography and contemporary topography of the historic centre of Krakow city, Poland, during the last millennium. The paleotopography was reconstructed using published contour-line maps based on archaeological and geoengineering investigations and showing the roof of <i>in situ</i> fossil soil. The preliminary contour-line map represented a digital elevation model (DEM) base map. A DEM from aerial laser scanning (ALS DEM) shows the contemporary topography of Krakow city centre. The application of selected morphometric indices makes it possible to quantitatively describe changes in the spatial dimension with regard to altitude, relative heights, slope, and aspect classes. The analysis of the changes in the values of the elements of topography studied shows that, at the scale of the whole study area, a trend to flattening occurs, however this trend is locally balanced or overridden by an increase of surface unevenness.

本论文旨在复原波兰克拉科夫历史中心城区近千年来的古地形（paleotopography）与现代地形之间的差异。本次古地形复原依托已发表的等高线地图完成，该地图基于考古与地质工程勘察成果绘制，展现了原位（in situ）化石土壤的顶板。初步等高线地图构成了数字高程模型（DEM）的基础底图。机载激光扫描获取的数字高程模型（ALS DEM）则呈现了克拉科夫历史中心城区的现代地形。通过选取特定地形形态指标，可对海拔、相对高差、坡度及坡向分级等维度的空间变化开展定量描述。对所研究地形要素的数值变化进行分析后表明，在整个研究区域尺度上，整体呈现地形平坦化的趋势，但该趋势在局部区域被地表不平度的增加所抵消甚至逆转。