The paper presents empirical methodology of reducing various kinds of observations in geodetic network. A special case of reducing the observation concerns cartographic mapping. For numerical illustration and comparison of methods an application of the conformal Gauss-Krüger mapping was used. Empirical methods are an alternative to the classic differential and multi- stages methods. Numerical benefits concern in particular very long geodesics, created for example by GNSS vectors. In conventional methods the numerical errors of reduction values are significantly dependent on the length of the geodesic. The proposed empirical methods do not have this unfavorable characteristics. Reduction value is determined as a difference (or especially scaled difference) of the corresponding measures of geometric elements (distances, angles), wherein these measures are approximated independently in two spaces based on the known and corresponding approximate coordinates of the network points. Since in the iterative process of the network adjustment, coordinates of the points are systematically improved, approximated reductions also converge to certain optimal values.

Various sectors of the economy such as transport and renewable energy have shown great interest in sea bed models. The required measurements are usually carried out by ship-based echo sounding, but this method is quite expensive. A relatively new alternative is data obtained by airborne lidar bathymetry. This study investigates the accuracy of these data, which was obtained in the context of the project ‘Investigation on the use of airborne laser bathymetry in hydrographic surveying’. A comparison to multi-beam echo sounding data shows only small differences in the depths values of the data sets. The IHO requirements of the total horizontal and vertical uncertainty for laser data are met. The second goal of this paper is to compare three spatial interpolation methods, namely Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW), Delaunay Triangulation (TIN), and supervised Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), for the generation of sea bed models. The focus of our investigation is on the amount of required sampling points. This is analyzed by manually reducing the data sets. We found that the three techniques have a similar performance almost independently of the amount of sampling data in our test area. However, ANN are more stable when using a very small subset of points.

In the paper the mathematical approach of cadastre performance in time dimension is proposed. It is an amplification of the mathematical model of cadastre, which has been formulated by the Author before by means of the set theory.

This paper presents a geeral concept of an adjustment method Edgeworth series applied. The author proposes to replace distributions with approximating functions representd by Edgeworth series, which would be a universal, probabilistic model of the adjustment problem. Special attention is paid to variance an lysis. A con variance matrix C, of the vector X, its estimate C,, and and estimate of the variance coefficient a0 are derived. Also some further properties of the proposed method are presented.

Surface matching is a fundamental task that must be solved whenever we want to merge data sets of same physical surface obtained with different sources. In general, the points in two sets are in different reference systems, not identical with different accuracy, distribution and density. To perform surface matching the different target functions are proposed. Proposed target function in section 1.4 is based on the condition of equality of triangle areas (TIN). This target function can be used for surface patches of pattern set S 1 generated also in squares (DEM). Conception of target function provided in section 1.5 is based on the combination of two conditions. The first of them is a condition of fitting two normal vectors of surface patches generated by square model (DEM) in set S 1 (as a pattern) and of triangle created with three points in set S2 (as a candidate). The second is one of four target functions upper represented.

One of the important issues concerning development of spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) is the carrying out of economic and financial analysis. It is essential to determine expenses and also assess effects resulting from the development and use of infrastructures. Costs and benefits assessment could be associated with assessment of the infrastructure effectiveness and efficiency as well as the infrastructure value, understood as the infrastructure impact on economic aspects of an organisational performance, both of an organisation which realises an SDI project and all users of the infrastructure. The aim of this paper is an overview of various assessment methods of investment as well as an analysis of different types of costs and benefits used for information technology (IT) projects. Based on the literature, the analysis of the examples of the use of these methods in the area of spatial data infrastructures is also presented. Furthermore, the issues of SDI projects and investments are outlined. The results of the analysis indicate usefulness of the financial methods from different fields of management in the area of SDI building, development and use. The author proposes, in addition to the financial methods, the adaptation of the various techniques used for IT investments and their development, taking into consideration the SDI specificity for the purpose of assessment of different types of costs and benefits and integration of financial aspects with non- financial ones. Among the challenges are identification and quantification of costs and benefits, as well as establishing measures which would fit the characteristics of the SDI project and artefacts resulting from the project realisation. Moreover, aspects of subjectivity and variability in time should be taken into account as the consequences of definite goals and policies as well as business context of organisation undertaking the project or using its artefacts and also investors.

Assuming correlation only within the results of measurement repetitions for each quantity observed in a network, equivalence has been proved for two forms of parametric adjustment model, which differ in the approach to measurement repetitions and are called the one-stage and the two-stage model respectively. As a complement to the known criterion of imperceptibility of disturbances in observations, the criterion of imperceptibility of correlation between the components of the observation vector has been formulated, which applies to each of the modules of the two-stage model. Assuming the structure of the observation error, being slightly developed as compared to the standard structure, the cases of meeting of each of the above criteria in those modules have been presented. Then, the relationship which combines measures of internal reliability for both the adjustment models under question has been given.

The Open Skies Treaty has been a peace-building instrument between North American and European nations for over two decades. This agreement is based on the possibility for each country-signatory of the Treaty to independently conduct observation flights and obtain aerial imagery data of the territories of other Treaty States-Parties. This imagery data was originally acquired only using traditional photographic film cameras. Together with the rapid development and advancement of digital sensor technologies, the logical step forward was to amend the Treaty provisions to allow for the use of these types of sensors during observation missions. This paper describes this transition process and highlights a number of technical problems which needed to be addressed by experts working within the Open Skies Consultative Commission workgroups.

The paper presents the line moments of edge contour detected in an image as the high level features which are useful for surface matching. It has been proved that line moments do not depend on scale and rotation in transformation and they are sensitive to small changes of line erroneously extracted. Therefore, line moments are the useful tools in the process of feature-based matching, which can be used for merging (comparing) two surfaces derived with different sensors for the same terrain scene. In order to receive a line in an image, the edge pixels of terrain contour have to be detected and then linked into a line. The paper also focuses on the problem of using wavelet transform for automatic detection of edge pixels. The suggestion of 3-D line moments for surface matching has been presented in the section 5.

The coastal zone and estuaries of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong have great potential not only for economic development but also for protection and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem. Nowadays, due to industrial, agricultural and anthropogenic activities signs of water pollution in the region have been found. The level of surface water pollution can be determined by traditional methods through observatory stations. However, a traditional approach to determine water contamination is discontinuous, and thereby makes pollution assessment of the entire estuary very difficult. Nowadays, remote sensing technology has been developed and widely applied in many fields, for instance, in monitoring water environments. Remote sensing data combined with information from in-situ observations allow for extraction of polluted components in water and accurate measurements of pollution level in the large regions ensuring objectivity. According to results obtained from Spot-5 imagery of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, the extracted pollution components, like BOD, COD and TSS can be determined with the root mean square error, the absolute mean error and the absolute mean percentage error (%): ±4.37 (mg/l) 3.86 (mg/l), 27%; ±55.32 (mg/l), 48.30 (mg/l), 14%; and ±32.90 (mg/l), 23.38 (mg/l), 28%; respectively. Obtained outcomes guarantee objectivity in assessing water contaminant levels in the investigated regions and show the advantages of remote sensing applications in Resource and Environmental Monitoring in relation to Water – Air – Land.

Sea level monitoring at tide gauges plays an important role in geodesy, geodynamics research and oceanography. It provides data for referencing vertical datum, for modelling geoid in coastal regions, for determination of vertical land movements and for studying ocean dynamics. Investigation of Baltic Sea level variations ·is considered an important component of geodynamics research in Central and Northern Europe. The analysis of tide gauge records from Baltic sites was conducted in the framework of the project on a cm geoid in Poland. Those records showed strong common features that were further used for deriving the model of Baltic Sea level variations. High level of correlations of the model with individual site data proved its adequacy. Regional characteristics of the model were investigated using regression and correlation analysis. It was shown that the model represents very well both global and regional features of Baltic Sea level variations. The use of the model as reference to investigate local features of tide gauge records that reflect site-specific variations of sea level was also discussed. Spectral analysis of the model of Baltic Sea level variations indicates the existence of distinguished term of Chandler period besides two major terms of annual and semi-annual periods. The existence of polar motion component in Baltic Sea level variations was investigated using correlation analysis. Also the land vertical movement derived from Baltic tide gauge data was determined and compared with literature data.

Image sequences, in particular digital video sequences, are characterised by the features which result in their high potential as measurement data. However, as early as at the stage of visual assessment of digital film images, originating, in particular, from amateur cameras, occurrence of some deformations may be observed, which may highly influence the results of measurements performed using these images; such deformations differ from deformations occurred in the case of static photographic images. It results both, by the method of image recording, using an electronic shutter and interlaced or progressive scanning, as well as the method of file recording and compression. It is worth to notice the systematic nature of such deformations, which highly depend on mutual motions of a camera and recorded objects. The objective of presented research works was to develop the mathematical description of image deformations, as a function of motion parameters. This would allow for adaptation of the camera calibration process to the demands of sequential imaging, as well as for modification of algorithms of measurements using self-calibration, and, as a result, minimisation of deformations. Another objective was to analyse the influence of deformations, typical for digital film images, on the results of measurements performed using these images, by means of series of experiments, which were based on multiple calibration of static and a moving camera, also with the use of a spatial test field. The first part was made by developing formulas based on some geometric relations, using some simplifications. On the stage of experimental research a certain degree of compatibility of experimental results and theoretical assumptions were confirmed.

The paper discusses the global algorithm of broken line simplification, that: does not depend on parameters set by a map editor and maintains the accuracy of the 0-1 Instruction (General principles of surveying practice) of the Head Office of Geodesy and Cartography, Poland, for each map scale (smaller than the source map scale). In the discussed process of line simplification parameters depend on the map scale and on the smallest length of an elementary triangle (this length is a measure of the ability of the drawing recognition). In the process of simplification performed with the use of the discussed algorithm, the same shape of a line is ensured (maintaining the ability of the drawing recognition), since generalised data differ with the bigger or smaller range of scales from the source data. Besides, limits of intervals of generalisation thresholds have been specified, which are required for the process of automated selection of cartographic presentation methods exhibiting the results of line simplification.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible use of geoinformatics tools and generally available geodata for mapping land cover/use on the reclaimed areas. The choice of subject was dictated by the growing number of such areas and the related problem of their restoration. Modern technology, including GIS, photogrammetry and remote sensing are relevant in assessing the reclamation effects and monitoring of changes taking place on such sites. The LULC classes mapping, supported with thorough knowledge of the operator, is useful tool for the proper reclamation process evaluation. The study was performed for two post-mine sites: reclaimed external spoil heap of the sulfur mine Machów and areas after exploitation of sulfur mine Jeziórko, which are located in the Tarnobrzeski district. The research materials consisted of aerial orthophotos, which were the basis of on-screen vectorization; LANDSAT satellite images, which were used in the pixel and object based classification; and the CORINE Land Cover database as a general reference to the global maps of land cover and land use.

The paper presents a new method of determination of economic benefits of land consolidation of farms, which result from reduction of land parcels' number. A model method and a logical method have been applied. The discussed economic benefits have been determined by means of comparing economic evaluation of a model farm's land configuration before and after land consolidation. As a result of analysis, a mathematical formula that describes an economic benefit of land consolidation, resulting from the reduction of land parcels number, has been derived. The economic benefit is a function of the differences between the numbers of arable fields and the differences between the area of an arable lands and green lands of a farm, before and after land consolidation, as well as constant parameters and slope of linear regression equations for the models of such fields. The benefit does not depend on the area of farms.

A lot of changes have been made to the legislative regulations associated with geodesy during the implementation of the INSPIRE Directive in Poland (amongst others, the structure of databases). There have also been great changes concerning the basic map and the method of its creation and updating. A new concept for creating the basic map is presented in this article.

The key to fingerprint positioning algorithm is establishing effective fingerprint information database based on different reference nodes of received signal strength indicator (RSSI). Traditional method is to set the location area calibration multiple information sampling points, and collection of a large number sample data what is very time consuming. With Zigbee sensor networks as platform, considering the influence of positioning signal interference, we proposed an improved algorithm of getting virtual database based on polynomial interpolation, while the pre-estimated result was disposed by particle filter. Experimental result shows that this method can generate a quick, simple fine-grained localization information database, and improve the positioning accuracy at the same time.

The paper presents the capability of applying selected modern remote sensing methods based on commonly available high spatial resolution MODIS images to fog and low layer clouds detection. Single spectral channel images, differential images and selected color compositions are analyzed for distinguishing the areas of the phenomena occurrence. Their internal structure and fog/cloud particles properties are assessed using brightness temperature and reflectance diagrams.

Prof. Aleksander Brzeziński, Ph.D. of the Planetary Geodesy Department of the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, was awarded the Descartes Prize as a member of the team of 25 researchers from 9 countries, headed by Professor Veronique Dehant from the Royal Observatory of Belgium for completing the research on "Non-rigid Earth nutation model". In the note some information about two 2003 EU Descartes Prizes is given. The 1980 !AU model of nutation worked out by J. Wahr is mentioned and the most important achievements of the Working Group on "Non-Rigid Earth nutation model", with the emphasis on A. Brzeziński contribution, are presented.

The paper addresses the problem of the automatic distortion removal from images acquired with non-metric SLR camera equipped with prime lenses. From the photogrammetric point of view the following question arises: is the accuracy of distortion control data provided by the manufacturer for a certain lens model (not item) sufficient in order to achieve demanded accuracy? In order to obtain the reliable answer to the aforementioned problem the two kinds of tests were carried out for three lens models. Firstly the multi-variant camera calibration was conducted using the software providing full accuracy analysis. Secondly the accuracy analysis using check points took place. The check points were measured in the images resampled based on estimated distortion model or in distortion-free images simply acquired in the automatic distortion removal mode. The extensive conclusions regarding application of each calibration approach in practice are given. Finally the rules of applying automatic distortion removal in photogrammetric measurements are suggested