In: Wagner W., Sz6kely, B. (eds.): ISPRS TC VII Symposium - 100 Years ISPRS, Vienna, Austria, July 5-7, 2010, IAPRS, Vol. XXXVIII, Part 7B 
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THE AERIAL PHOTOS TO DETECT CHANGES IN THE LANDSCAPE AFFECTED BY 
BLACK COAL DEEP MINING 
M. Mulkova, R. Popelkova 
Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 
Chittussiho 10, Ostrava - Slezska Ostrava, Czech Republic - (Monika.Mulkova, Renata.Popelkova)@osu.cz 
KEY WORDS: aerial photography, land cover, landscape changes, Ostrava-Karvina Mining District, deep coal mining 
ABSTRACT: 
Aerial photos are the suitable data source for monitoring landscape changes. The black coal deep mining shows specific 
way in the landscape. During the coal extraction there is an anthropogenic transformation of surface. The anthropogenic forms of 
relief rise: waste banks, tailings ponds, handling areas, etc. A large influence on the relief changes has also undermining, which the 
images show in particular the emergence of the submerged ground subsidences and decrease buildings. As a result, there is a 
significant change in the land cover of the area. 
The study deals with the symptoms of the black coal deep mining on the aerial photos. Changes in the landscape due to underground 
black coal mining are presented on the example of the central part of the Ostrava-Karvina Mining District (Czech Republic). As the 
data sources were used archival black and white aerial photos and contemporary color aerial photos from the period from the year 
1947 to the year 2003. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
In the second half of the 19th century the Ostrava and Karvina 
regions became fast growing industrialized areas for beds of 
quality hard coal that had been discovered in the territory. One 
time agricultural regions gradually change into industrial areas 
with dominant mining, metallurgic and chemical industries. All 
these activities, headed by hard coal mining, transform the 
landscape of the Ostrava and Karvina regions significantly. 
The displays of hard coal deep mining in landscape involve the 
occurrence of anthropogenic landforms directly related to 
mining activities as well as land cover changes that are related 
to mining indirectly. A majority of these changes can be 
interpreted on the basis of aerial photos and their development 
analysed using multitemporal data. 
Central parts of the Ostrava-Karvina Mining District (Karvina- 
Doly I, Karvina-Doly II and Darkov Allotments) have been 
chosen for aerial photo presentation of deep mining displays. 
The Ostrava-Karvina Mining District (OKMD) occupies 
approximately 50% of the Karvina region situated in the 
Moravskoslezsky Region, in the north-east of the Czech 
Republic (Figure 1). Northern and eastern border of the Karvina 
region is the state border with Poland. The OKMD, where coal 
bearing layers of the Carboniferous age are found (OKD, 2010), 
represents the southern part of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin 
whose major part lies in the territory of the neighbouring 
Poland (its area is 7000 km 2 , 1500 km 2 of which in the territory 
of the Czech Republic). Hard coal deep mining has been taking 
place in the district since 1850s. The OKMD is divided into 3 
parts: Ostrava, Karvina and Southern part. The Karvina District 
belongs to areas with ongoing hard coal deep mining. 
Figure 1. Localization of the Ostrava-Karvina Mining District 
(OKMD) and the Karvina region within the Czech 
Republic 
Aerial photos represent a significant data source of ongoing 
landscape transformation with regard to relatively high 
dynamics of anthropogenically conditioned landscape changes 
in hard coal deep mining areas. The study of quality photos of 
mining displays in the landscape is based on the principles of