Abstract. This report examines the current state of data and cartographic sources for crisis management in Bulgaria, highlighting the underdeveloped nature of flood mapping and the fragmented data collection processes. The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences have initiated projects aimed at improving flood risk prediction and mapping. Satellite imagery and geographical atlases are discussed as crucial tools for visualizing disaster impacts and aiding in risk assessment. Despite these efforts, significant gaps remain in Bulgaria's cartographic resources and early warning systems. The report reviews international examples from the Czech Republic, Africa, and France, emphasizing the benefits of GIS-based mapping, real-time data integration, and coordinated crisis management strategies. The proposed conceptual framework for Bulgaria includes comprehensive risk mapping, centralized GIS integration, public awareness programs, technological advancements, and interagency collaboration to enhance disaster preparedness and response. By addressing these gaps and adopting a more integrated approach, Bulgaria can improve its capacity to manage natural disasters, reduce economic losses, and protect its population. The report concludes with recommendations for implementing a unified disaster database and improving public training to foster resilience, and proposes a new early warning system for Bulgaria.
The process of creating thematic cartographic representations is closely related to the selection of visual variables for specific mapping methods. Therefore, the choice of mapping method determines the nature of subsequent parameters such as the type of geographical phenomenon (point, linear, area, or surface), the data measurement scale (qualitative, quantitative/order-related/interval data) (Forrest, 2015). Numerous mapping methods make it possible to use various visual variables, and the final selection depends on the joining of methods on one map and on the base content of the map. Apart from position, expressed by X and Y coordinates, the basic graphical variables by Bertin (1967) are size, lightness (value), texture, form (shape), orientation and hue (Figure 1). In statistical maps, graphical variables have been divided according to their primary use to represent quantitative and qualitative aspects of features.
The purpose of this article is to substantiate the conceptual foundations of organization territorial communities’ spatial planning in post-war Ukraine by GIS and providing an example of practical implementation these position for the territory of Lysyanska community the Cherkasy Region. The main material. The theoretical and methodological foundations of geoinformation support for organization territorial communities’ spatial planning in post-war Ukraine are considered, including consideration of essence and features the organization this type of work, analysis the experience of using GIS to solve spatial planning problems at the regional level, substantiation of structural components the system of geographic information support for organization territorial communities’ spatial planning, and the examples of practical implementation the theoretical developments for Lysyanska territorial community the Cherkasy Region. In general, geoinformation support for organization territorial communities’ spatial planning in Ukraine should be directed to the cartographic component of the relevant strategic and planning documents, primarily to the making of a comprehensive plan for spatial development of the territory as a mandatory component of land management documentation, where planning decisions for prospective using the community territory are cartographically visualized. Geoinformation support for organization territorial communities’ spatial planning in post-war Ukraine should cover the main components of spatial planning and land use management in the context of individual communities. Accordingly, in the structure of geographic information support system for spatial planning of an individual community, the following blocks are distinguished: general geographic, inventory and cadastral, land use monitoring/landscape change monitoring unit and territorial development planning block. The practical implementation of geographic information support for organization territorial communities’ spatial planning can be the creation of: 1) A comprehensive GIS product for community territory management; 2) A specialized GIS product aimed at solving certain spatial planning tasks, such as the making of a comprehensive, strategic plan for the development of the community territory; 3) Geoportal of the territorial community on the Internet; 4) Separate GIS projects containing a certain set of vector geodata and/or maps of structural components (blocks) of geographic information support system for territorial community, for example, a map of monitoring land use with a correlated geodata database The proposed theoretical propositions were tested on the territory of Lysyanska territorial community the Cherkasy Region by creating two separate GIS projects – GIS project of the general geographic block of geoinformation support for organization territorial communities’ spatial planning and GIS project of Lysyanska communities land fund for inventory and cadastral block. Conclusions and further research. Spatial planning of territorial communities in Ukraine, being an integral part of the formation of strategy for development these territorial units, the organization of rational use the available resources and formation of sustainable land use, acquires special importance during the post-war time due to the provision of greater financial revenues to local authorities under the conditions of decentralization. The practical implementation of the above requires prompt processing and analysis of numerous materials, including textual, graphic, cartographic both at the stage of collecting initial data on the territory of the community, and at the stage of analysis, modeling and management decision-making, which can be implemented through geographic information support. The system of geographic information support of spatial planning for individual community includes the following blocks: general geographic, inventory and cadastral, land use monitoring/landscape change monitoring unit and territorial development planning block, which generally provides systematization of available resources in the geodatabase form with the possibility of cartographic visualization in the form of strategic and planning documents. A promising area of research is the development of conceptual foundations for creating a mobile application on iOS and Android for visualization of the community’s territory geodatabase in formats for official and public use, including the geoportal form for public monitoring of the implementation of planning decisions and the state of land use.
Using projections of the triaxial ellipsoid in GIS technologies it is necessary to solve problems of recalculating coordinates from a geographic into a rectangular system (direct task) and from planar rectangular coordinates into those geographic (inverse one) on the approximation surface. The method of recalculating them is developed on the example of a cylindrical projection of a meridian section, that azimuthal, preserving length along the meridians, and the Jacobi one. The list of projections is determined by the previously obtained equations and the necessity to cover their different classes. To demonstrate and confirm the correctness of the calculations, cartographic grids and photo maps are made for a reference surface approximating the shape of Phobos, a satellite of Mars. In general, it is impossible to determine the values of arguments from a given value of two variables’ function. For the listed projections, the solution can be reduced to a sequential determination of the argument’s value from that of one variable’s function using numerical techniques, in particular, the method of dividing a segment in half
The authors present scientific and methodological approaches to creating a cartographic knowledge base. Its purpose is to increase the efficiency of professional activities, including automation and robotization of production processes and implementation of artificial intelligence technologies, due to timely, targeted and effective use of accumulated knowledge. Domestic and foreign works and regulatory documents related to the matter were studied. The ontology method, based on formalizing a certain area of information using a conceptual scheme, and various approaches to geospatial knowledge were considered. The processes of the subject area formalized description and forming its conceptual structure to create intelligent cartographic systems were analyzed. An example of displaying a fragment of mapping process’ semantic network using the built-in Protégé visualizer was given. Methodological solutions and a procedure for formation, formalization and creation of a professional cartographic knowledge base are proposed. The results of experimental work on representation of professional cartographic knowledge are shown by an example of the technological process of mapping through using geographic information systems
The purpose of the article is to substantiate the feasibility of using Google Maps and QGIS as tools for visualizing markers of territorial identity, as well as to demonstrate the possibilities of their integrative application for research and educational purposes using the example of labeling objects that reflect the territorial identity of the population of Kyiv. Main content. Within the framework of the study, 22 objects of symbolic significance to the city’s identity were identified and mapped using a two-stage approach. Initial geolocation and categorization of the objects were carried out in Google Maps, which provided a user-friendly interface for preliminary spatial markup. The data were then exported in KML format and imported into QGIS, where they were integrated into a multilayered thematic map, complemented by base cartographic layers and a polygonal layer of Kyiv’s administrative boundaries. The resulting analytical map contains identity markers grouped into three categories: cultural heritage sites, educational and scientific institutions, and enterprises and institutions. Conclusions. The combined use of Google Maps and QGIS effectively merges the accessibility of initial data collection with the analytical and visualization capabilities of professional GIS software. The proposed methodology is recommended for studies of local identity, urban spatial analysis, and the integration of GIS tools into geographic education. The digital visualization of identity markers enhances the understanding of the spatial structure and mental image of the city.
In the process of conducting historical, geographical, regional, or retrospective research, it becomes necessary to refer to old cartographic materials. Unlike textual sources, which are often descriptive in nature and do not always convey spatial features, old maps and plans present information in a concise but extremely informative form, combining accuracy, scale, and clarity. The use of old maps and plans in modern research is not only justified but also extremely necessary for a deep, comprehensive understanding of past realities and their impact on the present. The object of the study is the 1896 map of Rivne, which is kept in the Rivne Regional Local History Museum and, with the exception of a few brief mentions, has not been described in scientific literature. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of this cartographic source, which will help to gain a more complete and accurate understanding of the realities of Rivne at the end of the 19th century, when it was part of the Russian Empire and stood out among the twelve county towns of the Volyn Province for its most dynamic socio-economic growth. This plan is handwritten, drawn on a single sheet of paper, in a rectangular frame, according to strict mathematical rules. In the upper right corner of the drawing, in two lines, is the title "Plan. City of Rivne,“ below it – ”1896,“ and below that – ”Scale 100 fathoms" (meaning 1 English inch), and at the bottom left – an orientation line with an arrow pointing north. In the lower right corner is the signature “Drawn by Poruch. Kaverin.” The work presents a general view of the city plan, as well as its fragments covering the central, western, northern, eastern, and southern parts of the city. A comprehensive description and analytical study of the document's content has been carried out. Visual analysis shows that the ramified hydrographic network, which at that time occupied a fairly significant territory, and the main street, a thoroughfare of the city, which was of great military, strategic, and economic importance for Tsarist Russia—the Kyiv-Brest Highway—divided Rivne into several parts: the old city (center), Zamkovy Island, military barracks, Volya, Amerika, Kavkaz, and Hrabnyk. A dense network of roads and alleys, individual objects, features of the relief, hydrography, and vegetation cover have been identified and described. Close attention has been paid to the legend of the plan, which the author has placed in a separate 4-page booklet. In total, the legend contains 40 items. The plan is drawn in neat calligraphic handwriting, which gives it a special elegance. Lieutenant Kaverin's 1896 plan is a valuable source of comprehensive and unbiased information for learning about the city of Rivne at the end of the 19th century. It reflects the city's appearance, toponymy, and urban planning trends. It is of significant informational value, especially given the meticulous presentation of the names of almost all streets and alleys, as well as the indication of major buildings and objects. At the same time, the study of this documentary record is a necessary component of the inventory of ancient cartography of Rivne, which is complicated by the dispersion of materials and difficult access to the relevant archives
The problem of studying channel processes on small rivers of the Precarpathian region lies primarily in the insufficient amount of information due to the lack of regular observation data. The insufficient amount of materials on the hydrological regime and the nature of channel processes on small rivers is always objectively justified by the lack of stationary monitoring points. That is why, to determine the nature of channel processes on small rivers, the most optimal method of research today remains the expeditionary method, which provides for direct examination of the channel in key areas, relevant measurement work, GPS surveying of banks and the possibility of visual assessment of the condition of the channel and sediments at individual points. All this allows us to take a somewhat more detailed and constructive approach to determining and assessing the nature of channel processes on small rivers. The purpose of this study was to conduct a preliminary assessment and analysis of the hydrological regime and bed-forming factors of the Dereluy River. Such an assessment is based on many methods of geographical research, but when it comes to determining the types of bed of specific sections of rivers, the most successful are the combination of cartographic and expeditionary methods. Thanks to the cartographic method, it is possible to assess the configuration and condition of the hydro network of the studied object, and even trace their changes by comparing maps of different periods. It should be noted that to assess the condition of the hydro network, we used topographic maps of 1:100,000 for the territory of the basin in 2006 and maps of the Austrian period with a scale of 1:250,000. However, as many years of experience show, for small rivers the expeditionary method is quite representative: with a visual inspection of the bed in separate sections, according to the conditions, and the selection of key points for in-depth analysis using instrumental surveying. It was precisely such a trip that took place in the fall of 2025, the results of which will be presented in this publication. The results obtained provide starting material for further in-depth study of the features of channel processes on the rivers of the studied basin, thanks to cross-sections it is possible to calculate the channel-forming water flows at given speeds and water levels, and repeated leveling after a certain period of time will allow to estimate the intensity of vertical and planar deformations in the surveyed areas. Also, based on the results obtained, it became possible to determine the flooding zones during high floods even in the absence of regular observations at the research object and to estimate the stability coefficient of the river channel by mathematical (calculation) methods
Abstract. In the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan, and its regions – then part of Tsarist Russia – were depicted in military-topographic and special maps. To study the historical-geographical aspects of the modern information war, reference was made to the map of Historical Karabakh compiled in 1899 by the Russian researcher, Caucasus scholar M.A. Skibitski. Based on the content of the map and historical sources, an attempt was made to expose the cartographic-toponymic aggression of Armenian nationalists. At the end of the 19th century, M.A. Skibitski showed on the map that Azerbaijani Tatars in Karabakh held significant superiority both in the number of villages and in population. According to the ethnic composition of the population settled in Karabakh in 1899, Azerbaijani Tatars made up 70%, Armenians – 16.6%, Kurds – 12.7%, and Tats accounted for 0.7% of the total population of Karabakh. Out of 452 villages in Karabakh, Azerbajjanis lived in 333 villages (73.7%), Armenians in 47 villages (10.4%), and Kurds in 69 villages (15.3%). According to the map of Karabakh, it can be stated that by the end of the 19th century, the vast majority of geographical names (84%) were of Azerbaijani-Turkic origin.
ABSTRACT Humans often use the words “agency” and “occupation” without questioning these words’ possible implications. Following the logic of such implications can easily lead to assuming disingenuous, dehumanizing and all-consuming “us vs. them,” binaries. Questioning that logic, and the sorts of maps that have historically enabled and promoted it, can reveal other instances where understandings of agency were not reduced, verbally or cartographically, to flattening notions of nation or empire. Not all cartographic work undertaken under occupation, or in response to occupation, has reduced agency to geopolitical binaries, finding it instead in genuine inquiry, in the exercise of conscience, and in the richness of varied human articulations, representations and understandings. This article considers two such historical examples of mapping projects undertaken under occupation, but which visually articulated notions of agency that did not carry disingenuous or dehumanizing implications. The first considers maps presented to occupying authorities in Washington DC to make a case against particular Indigenous communities’ forced removal. The second considers maps drawn to aid the drawing of boundaries after the end of the First World War, contrasting geopolitically strategic but empirically disingenuous mapping projects with those drawn in the spirit of genuine inquiry.
Sh. U. Laiskhanov, D. Aliaskarov, R. Tobajanov
et al.
This article examines Turkic toponyms as indicators that reflect the physical and geographical features, as well as landscape changes, across the territory of Kazakhstan. The meanings of various categories of toponyms, such as oronyms, hydronyms, limnonyms, oikonyms, phytonyms, zoonyms, choronyms, pathonyms, and helonyms. found within Kazakhstan are analyzed. Comparative geographical, cartographic, and toponymic methods were employed to investigate the physical and geographical characteristics of the country and how they are embedded in Turkic place names. The research identifies spatial patterns in the distribution of these toponyms and reveals their ethnocultural and geographical significance. The findings show that many of Kazakhstan’s geographical names encode critical information about natural features and serve as a repository of historical knowledge concerning terrain, water bodies, vegetation, fauna, and climatic conditions. Some toponyms preserve evidence of past landscapes that differ from their current state. These insights offer valuable resources for environmental conservation and landscape restoration efforts.
Denis Wood' s The Power of Maps: Making the Past and Future Visible breaks away from the conventional cartographic view of maps as objective geographical mirrors and reconceptualizes the very nature of maps from an interdisciplinary perspective. By examining maps through multiple lenses—including their role in serving interests, their historical embeddedness, their logic of symbolic coding, the evolution of symbols across individual and cultural dimensions, and their capacity for practical empowerment—the book reveals the core characteristics of maps as social constructs and their deep entanglement with power, culture, and interests throughout history. Through a close reading of the book’s core arguments, this review analyzes its key contributions to the paradigm shift in cartographic studies and highlights its enduring implications for both map practice and theoretical research in the digital age.
It is well known over the recent years that measuring the success of projects under the umbrella of project management is inextricably linked with the associated cost, time, and quality. Most of the previous researches in the field assigned a separate mathematical model for each criterion, then numerical methods or search techniques were applied to obtain the optimal trade-off between the three criteria. However in this paper, the problem was addressed by linear multi-objective optimization using only one fuzzy mathematical model. The three criteria were merged in a single non-linear membership function to find the optimal trade-off. Finally, the proposed model is tested and validated using numerical examples.
We provide a mathematical analysis of the Dynamical Mean-Field Theory, a celebrated representative of a class of approximations in quantum mechanics known as embedding methods. We start by a pedagogical and self-contained mathematical formulation of the Dynamical Mean-Field Theory equations for the finite Hubbard model. After recalling the definition and properties of one-body time-ordered Green's functions and self-energies, and the mathematical structure of the Hubbard and Anderson impurity models, we describe a specific impurity solver, namely the Iterated Perturbation Theory solver, which can be conveniently formulated using Matsubara's Green's functions. Within this framework, we prove under certain assumptions that the Dynamical Mean-Field Theory equations admit a solution for any set of physical parameters. Moreover, we establish some properties of the solution(s).
This PhD thesis deals with a number of different problems in mathematical physics with the common thread that they have probabilistic aspects. The problems all stem from mathematical studies of lattice systems in statistical and quantum physics; however beyond that, the selection of the concrete problems is to a certain extent arbitrary. This thesis consists of an introduction and seven papers.
In recent years, several efforts have been aimed at improving the robustness of vision models to domains and environments unseen during training. An important practical problem pertains to models deployed in a new geography that is under-represented in the training dataset, posing a direct challenge to fair and inclusive computer vision. In this paper, we study the problem of geographic robustness and make three main contributions. First, we introduce a large-scale dataset GeoNet for geographic adaptation containing benchmarks across diverse tasks like scene recognition (GeoPlaces), image classification (GeoImNet) and universal adaptation (GeoUniDA). Second, we investigate the nature of distribution shifts typical to the problem of geographic adaptation and hypothesize that the major source of domain shifts arise from significant variations in scene context (context shift), object design (design shift) and label distribution (prior shift) across geographies. Third, we conduct an extensive evaluation of several state-of-the-art unsupervised domain adaptation algorithms and architectures on GeoNet, showing that they do not suffice for geographical adaptation, and that large-scale pre-training using large vision models also does not lead to geographic robustness. Our dataset is publicly available at https://tarun005.github.io/GeoNet.
Siamo giunti al 2022, si intravedono nel mondo XR tendenze di sviluppo considerevolmente significative, destinate pertanto a svilupparsi ed evolvere nei prossimi anni, e con esse stanno prendendo forma più concreta i vari aspetti della ricerca afferente al settore, soprattutto per quanto concerne il cosiddetto Design Esperienziale.
Ciò che si verifica nell’interazione con i mondi artefatti immersivi ed interattivi costituisce una novità nel campo della percezione umana e pertanto ora che il sentiero di sviluppo delle tecnologie abilitanti sembra essersi stabilizzato e sulla via del perfezionamento, l’attenzione della ricerca si rivolge anche allo studio dei comportamenti umani nel processo interattivo con i nuovi ecosistemi.