APPLICATIONS OF MULTITEMPORAL AND MULTISENSORAL REMOTE SENSING DATA FOR MONITORING 
ASPECTS IN THE EAST GERMAN OPENCAST LIGNITE MINING AND POST MINING LANDSCAPES 
Horst Weichelt, Monika Pilarski, Karsten Schmidt, Eberhard Jung, Karl-Heinz Marek 
uve Remote Sensing Centre Potsdam, Germany 
Kommission VII, Working Group V 
KEY WORDS: Remote Sensing, Environment, Monitoring, Vegetation, Land Use, Multitemporal, Multisensoral 
ABSTRACT 
Investigations in connection with the generation of a remote sensing based monitoring system for ecological impact 
regions are presented for a postmining landscape. Concerning the practical use of such a monitoring system three 
tasks have been defined to deal with the vegetation changes in the surroundings and the dump areas of opencast 
lignite mines. Important problems in connection with the monitoring resulted from the need to normalize data taken at 
different acquisition times and sensor systems. Utilizing multitemporal data analysis and integration of terrestrial ancil- 
lary data the determination of the investigated processes on land use changes, renaturation and recultivation could be 
demonstrated. 
KURZFASSUNG 
Es werden Untersuchungen im Zusammenhang mit dem Aufbau eines fernerkundungsgestützten Monitoringsystems 
für ókologische Problemgebiete am Beispiel einer Bergbaufolgelandschaft vorgestellt. Dazu wurden drei Aufgaben- 
bereiche für den Einsatz eines solchen Monitoringsystems formuliert, die jeweils die Vegetationsveránderungen in der 
Tagebauumgebung und auf den Kippenfláchen betreffen. Wesentliche Probleme ergaben sich aus der für das Monito- 
ring erforderlichen Normierung der Daten  unterschiedlicher Erfassungszeitpunkte und  unterschiedlicher 
Aufnahmesysteme. Unter Nutzung multitemporaler Datenanalysen und der Einbeziehung terrestrischer Zusatzdaten 
konnte die ErfafSbarkeit für die untersuchten Prozesse der Nutzungsánderung, Renaturierung und Rekultivierung ge- 
zeigt werden. 
1 PROBLEM analysis of satellite imagery based on currently available 
modern remote sensing systems (SPOT, Landsat-Thematic 
Monitoring effects and processes which are linked to the Mapper, ERS-1, high spatial resolution space photographs 
human impact upon nature is of major importance due to the from russian space cameras) but also for the near future 
intensity of this impact in modern society. Even the techno- newly expected sensors, e.g. those ones to be installed on 
logies which are presently available enable remote the module PRIRODA of the russian space station MIR. The 
sensing to contribute significantly to describe effects of = main emphasis of the investigations is laid upon: 
the impacts of such processes ranging in particular from e determination of land use changes in opencast lignite 
regional to global dimensions. In this context landscape mines and post mining landscapes 
changes caused by mining activities belong to the inte- determination of vegetation changes resulted from 
resting regional processes. Especially opencast mines progessive mining activities 
are characterized by relatively large displacements of e monitoring of recultivation processes on dumps. 
excavation masses, lowering of ground water table in The work presented here refers to the Lusatian lignite mining 
whole regions by as much as 100m and more, upbuilding ^ region, an overview of which is given by Fig. 1, also 
of dumps of 60 to 80m thickness, creation of lakes due to ^ jndicating the selected investigation areas. The Lusatian 
rest hole floodings and changes of infrastructure caused lignite mining region is situated about 110km SSE from 
by large scale deviations of transport communications, ^ perin and is adjoined in the east by the state frontier to 
power lines and river courses. Anthropogenically used by | Poland. The east- west extension is about 80km, in north- 
the mining industry and therefore completely changed, south direction the distance amounts to 60km. 
these large areas require extensive measures for reculti- ^ Concerning the natural units the region can be classified 
vation and new formation of landscapes which are going ^ as older moraine landscape which is characterized by the 
to be carried out in a reasonable scope. — : paragenesis of moderately to strongly oversanded 
In this context in Lusatia, East Germany, with its intensi- ground moraines covered by end moraines and 
ve lignite mining industry operated in opencast ^ aggregated aprons as well as by low moors. Since 1850 
technology, a number of investigations have been per- ^ there had been traditionally significant changes of the 
formed on utilizing remote sensing for the determination landscape in connection with the ever growing extraction 
and monitoring of the processes which are deterministic of raw lignite. The investigation area totals 17 major 
or influenced by anthropogenic factors. opencast mines, six of which are still in operation. The 
The goal of all these single investigations is the creation of state of recultivation of these mines has progressed 
fundamentals for a regional environment monitoring system ^ differently. 
which shall comprise as an important constituent the 
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International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B7. Vienna 1996 
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