In: Wagner W., Szekely, B. (eds.): ISPRS TC VII Symposium - 100 Years ISPRS, Vienna, Austria, July 5-7, 2010,1 APRS, Vol. XXXVIII, Part 7B 
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Figure 13. Vegetation-free surfaces (a) in an aerial photo 
from 1947 (© MO CR/GeoSI ACR) and (b) in an aerial photo 
from 2003 
3. PROCESSES RELATED TO DEEP MINING 
Time series of aerial photos enable to observe landscape 
changes on the basis of ongoing processes that can be visually 
interpreted indirectly from land cover changes. The most 
frequent mining-related processes involve submergence and 
abandonment that can consequently lead to the process of 
forestation. 
3.1 Abandonment 
As based on multitemporal aerial photos, the process of 
abandonment can be identified at places where artificial 
surfaces, agricultural areas, forests or water bodies transform 
into semi-natural areas of trees, scrub and/or herbaceous 
vegetation associations (Figure 14). 
Figure 14. The process of abandonment in the artificial surfaces 
(a) an aerial photo from 1947 (© MO CR/GeoSI 
ACR) and (b) an aerial photo from 2003 
Undermining that causes land surface deformations generally 
leads to the disturbance of the structural mechanics of buildings 
and consequently to their demolition. The photos clearly show a 
visible decrease in the build-up area and its gradual overgrowth 
by self-seeded vegetation. A typical example is the Church of 
St. Peter of Alcantara in the northern part of the Karvina-Doly 
II Allotment (Figure 15). As a result of mining activity the 
church subsided by 36 m. 
Figure 15. Contemporary view of the Church of St. Peter of 
Alcantara 
All buildings in the proximity of the church have been 
demolished. A submerged ground subsidence is located to the 
east of the church (Figure 16).