Abstract This paper presents five sites located in the marginal zone of the Wartanian stadial within the Odranian Glaciation (MIS6a) on the border of the Central Polish Uplands and Lowlands, representing different glacial forms and geological structures: terminal moraine hill, undulating moraine hill, sedimentary margin of the ice sheet, kame hill, and outwash plain. This differentiation is also reflected in the petrographic composition of the gravels and the interesting surface microstructures of the Scandinavian erratic boulders. This small study area, with its high geodiversity, which we have identified and investigated, has considerable potential for sustainable development. Geotourism is a tool for this development in a peripheral tourist region, providing both economic benefits for the local population and conservation services for the geoecosystem.
{"title":"Wartanian glacial sediments: insights into deglaciation of Polish Lowlands and Highlands border for geotourism","authors":"M. Górska-Zabielska, Lucyna Wachecka-Kotkowska","doi":"10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0034","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This paper presents five sites located in the marginal zone of the Wartanian stadial within the Odranian Glaciation (MIS6a) on the border of the Central Polish Uplands and Lowlands, representing different glacial forms and geological structures: terminal moraine hill, undulating moraine hill, sedimentary margin of the ice sheet, kame hill, and outwash plain. This differentiation is also reflected in the petrographic composition of the gravels and the interesting surface microstructures of the Scandinavian erratic boulders. This small study area, with its high geodiversity, which we have identified and investigated, has considerable potential for sustainable development. Geotourism is a tool for this development in a peripheral tourist region, providing both economic benefits for the local population and conservation services for the geoecosystem.","PeriodicalId":44469,"journal":{"name":"Miscellanea Geographica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141354739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract This study delves into the synergy between remote sensing and satellite gravimetry, focusing on the utilization of Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) data for modeling delta Total Water Storage (ΔTWS) values derived from the GRACE mission. Various machine learning algorithms were employed to investigate the concordance between Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and AMSR-E observations. Despite the limited correlation in circumpolar permafrost areas, ΔTWS was successfully modeled with an accuracy of a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 3.5 cm. The Amazon region exhibited a notable model error, attributed to significant ΔTWS amplitude; the overall model quality was affirmed by Normalized Root Mean Square Error (NRMSE) and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) metrics. Importantly, the effectiveness of AMSR-E Soil Moisture (SM) data, encompassing C (frequency of 4–8 GHz) and X (frequency of 8–12 GHz) ranges (~0.04 m and ~0.03 m wavelength, respectively) in modeling ΔTWS, even in heavily forested equatorial regions, was demonstrated.
{"title":"Using machine learning techniques to reconstruct the signal observed by the GRACE mission based on AMSR-E microwave data","authors":"Viktor Szabó, K. Osińska-Skotak, Tomasz Olszak","doi":"10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0033","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This study delves into the synergy between remote sensing and satellite gravimetry, focusing on the utilization of Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) data for modeling delta Total Water Storage (ΔTWS) values derived from the GRACE mission. Various machine learning algorithms were employed to investigate the concordance between Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and AMSR-E observations. Despite the limited correlation in circumpolar permafrost areas, ΔTWS was successfully modeled with an accuracy of a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 3.5 cm. The Amazon region exhibited a notable model error, attributed to significant ΔTWS amplitude; the overall model quality was affirmed by Normalized Root Mean Square Error (NRMSE) and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) metrics. Importantly, the effectiveness of AMSR-E Soil Moisture (SM) data, encompassing C (frequency of 4–8 GHz) and X (frequency of 8–12 GHz) ranges (~0.04 m and ~0.03 m wavelength, respectively) in modeling ΔTWS, even in heavily forested equatorial regions, was demonstrated.","PeriodicalId":44469,"journal":{"name":"Miscellanea Geographica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141388002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Adamek, Michał Lupa, Andrzej Leśniak, Jakub Ryznar, Adrian Ochtyra, Adriana Marcinkowska-Ochtyra, Michał Wyczałek-Jagiełło
Abstract This study aims to identify areas that present similar spectral characteristics to collected rock samples through the use of satellite imagery and spectral analysis. The results indicate that pixels marked in the satellite images exhibit similarities to the spectral characteristics of the samples. Misclassified objects or areas may be included in the results due to mixed pixels and spatial resolution limitations. The similarities identified could result from the region’s mineral composition of building materials, bare land, or dry vegetation. The averaged spectral curve patterns of the samples show similarity overall, but they are not identical, as reflected by the tenth quantile of the similarity coefficient. This research provides a valuable support tool for preliminary geological assessment, and information relating to vast and challenging-to-access parts of prospective areas for further investigation.
{"title":"Preliminary geological work, based on remote sensing analysis, using artificially enhanced satellite data","authors":"K. Adamek, Michał Lupa, Andrzej Leśniak, Jakub Ryznar, Adrian Ochtyra, Adriana Marcinkowska-Ochtyra, Michał Wyczałek-Jagiełło","doi":"10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This study aims to identify areas that present similar spectral characteristics to collected rock samples through the use of satellite imagery and spectral analysis. The results indicate that pixels marked in the satellite images exhibit similarities to the spectral characteristics of the samples. Misclassified objects or areas may be included in the results due to mixed pixels and spatial resolution limitations. The similarities identified could result from the region’s mineral composition of building materials, bare land, or dry vegetation. The averaged spectral curve patterns of the samples show similarity overall, but they are not identical, as reflected by the tenth quantile of the similarity coefficient. This research provides a valuable support tool for preliminary geological assessment, and information relating to vast and challenging-to-access parts of prospective areas for further investigation.","PeriodicalId":44469,"journal":{"name":"Miscellanea Geographica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138967120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract ChatGPT, along with its applications, possibilities, limitations and future development, is currently one of the most often discussed topics worldwide. One of the issues raised in those discussions is its ethically questionable role in science and education. The goal of this paper is to assess the accuracy and correctness of the responses given by ChatGPT, using climate change in Poland as an example. Eight questions related to this topic were posed to ChatGPT, and each answer was subsequently verified and assigned a grade on a scale of 0–10. The overall grade obtained was 3.8, indicating that only 30–40% of the information provided by ChatGPT was accurate. This poor result can be attributed to fake references, inaccurate data, overgeneralizations and simplification. Nevertheless, with proper training and development, ChatGPT has tremendous potential to serve as a valuable tool for ethically sound applications in the field of science.
{"title":"Climate change in Poland – the assessment of the conversation with ChatGPT","authors":"Agnieszka Krzyżewska","doi":"10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0017","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract ChatGPT, along with its applications, possibilities, limitations and future development, is currently one of the most often discussed topics worldwide. One of the issues raised in those discussions is its ethically questionable role in science and education. The goal of this paper is to assess the accuracy and correctness of the responses given by ChatGPT, using climate change in Poland as an example. Eight questions related to this topic were posed to ChatGPT, and each answer was subsequently verified and assigned a grade on a scale of 0–10. The overall grade obtained was 3.8, indicating that only 30–40% of the information provided by ChatGPT was accurate. This poor result can be attributed to fake references, inaccurate data, overgeneralizations and simplification. Nevertheless, with proper training and development, ChatGPT has tremendous potential to serve as a valuable tool for ethically sound applications in the field of science.","PeriodicalId":44469,"journal":{"name":"Miscellanea Geographica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138995825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The research presents a comparison between two methods which are used to identify days on which there are thunderstorms (TDs) in Poland. SYNOP and PERUN lightning network data from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW-PIB) for the period 2002–2020 were used to determine and compare the changes in the number of TDs. To determine the number of TDs using the PERUN data, an appropriate method needed to be created which would allow for the closest possible reference to human perception in relation to lightning. A buffer with a radius of 15 km was used, and TDs were counted when there was at least one flash within the buffer circle. Measurements performed by observers are sometimes not homogeneous and are prone to errors, and thus underestimate the actual number of TDs. As a result of the analysis, the average number of TDs in Poland was found to be 26 (SYNOP) and 30 (PERUN) per year.
{"title":"Comparison of thunderstorm days in Poland based on SYNOP reports and PERUN lightning detection system","authors":"Sławomir Sulik, M. Kejna","doi":"10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0019","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The research presents a comparison between two methods which are used to identify days on which there are thunderstorms (TDs) in Poland. SYNOP and PERUN lightning network data from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW-PIB) for the period 2002–2020 were used to determine and compare the changes in the number of TDs. To determine the number of TDs using the PERUN data, an appropriate method needed to be created which would allow for the closest possible reference to human perception in relation to lightning. A buffer with a radius of 15 km was used, and TDs were counted when there was at least one flash within the buffer circle. Measurements performed by observers are sometimes not homogeneous and are prone to errors, and thus underestimate the actual number of TDs. As a result of the analysis, the average number of TDs in Poland was found to be 26 (SYNOP) and 30 (PERUN) per year.","PeriodicalId":44469,"journal":{"name":"Miscellanea Geographica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138597328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Impact craters are formed by collisions of cosmic bodies moving with hypervelocity. The formation of these features is not restricted to the distant geological past; new structures are constantly being created and at least 13 confirmed impact craters and crater fields have formed during the Holocene alone. This short review paper: (1) introduces the basics of the impact cratering process to physical geographers and Quaternary geologists; (2) provides a short description of representative examples of such features (Morasko, Kaali, Kamil, Ilumetsa); and (3) discusses the similarities and differences among very small craters, and contrasts these with larger impact structures. This manuscript may be useful to researchers planning to test whether a small Quaternary depression in the ground may be of impact origin.
{"title":"Holocene impact craters on Earth","authors":"Anna Losiak","doi":"10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0016","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Impact craters are formed by collisions of cosmic bodies moving with hypervelocity. The formation of these features is not restricted to the distant geological past; new structures are constantly being created and at least 13 confirmed impact craters and crater fields have formed during the Holocene alone. This short review paper: (1) introduces the basics of the impact cratering process to physical geographers and Quaternary geologists; (2) provides a short description of representative examples of such features (Morasko, Kaali, Kamil, Ilumetsa); and (3) discusses the similarities and differences among very small craters, and contrasts these with larger impact structures. This manuscript may be useful to researchers planning to test whether a small Quaternary depression in the ground may be of impact origin.","PeriodicalId":44469,"journal":{"name":"Miscellanea Geographica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138598109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maciej Dłużewski, Joanna Rotnicka Dłużewska, Patrick Alan Hesp, Joanna Oliwia Tomczak, Lidiya Dubis
Abstract There are many factors controlling the aeolian sand transport rate on the beach and thus, variation in rates can impact foredune development. This study analyses coastline orientation as one such factor. The research was conducted at two sites on the Łeba Barrier, south Baltic Sea coast, Poland, located 4.2 km apart and which differed in coastline orientation by 20°. Based on wind data the potential aeolian sand transport rate for the period 2006–2017 was calculated. It appeared that taking into account the coastline orientation, the landward sand transport strongly exceeded the seaward and alongshore transport at one site, whereas the other site was dominated by alongshore sand transport. Topographic surveys carried out every 6 months showed that net sand deposition within the foredune at the coast dominated by landward transport was two and a half times greater than at the other site and resulted in significant dune growth.
{"title":"<b>Impact of coastline orientation</b> on the dynamics of foredune growth (Łeba Barrier, south Baltic Sea coast, Poland)","authors":"Maciej Dłużewski, Joanna Rotnicka Dłużewska, Patrick Alan Hesp, Joanna Oliwia Tomczak, Lidiya Dubis","doi":"10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0020","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract There are many factors controlling the aeolian sand transport rate on the beach and thus, variation in rates can impact foredune development. This study analyses coastline orientation as one such factor. The research was conducted at two sites on the Łeba Barrier, south Baltic Sea coast, Poland, located 4.2 km apart and which differed in coastline orientation by 20°. Based on wind data the potential aeolian sand transport rate for the period 2006–2017 was calculated. It appeared that taking into account the coastline orientation, the landward sand transport strongly exceeded the seaward and alongshore transport at one site, whereas the other site was dominated by alongshore sand transport. Topographic surveys carried out every 6 months showed that net sand deposition within the foredune at the coast dominated by landward transport was two and a half times greater than at the other site and resulted in significant dune growth.","PeriodicalId":44469,"journal":{"name":"Miscellanea Geographica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136017865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Agnieszka Karman, Andrzej Miszczuk, Urszula Bronisz
Abstract This paper identifies the most influential factors in shaping the climate change competitiveness of the EU regions. We conducted multiple linear regression, geographically weighted regression and polynomial best subset regression analysis to explore the variability in regional competitiveness by economic, environmental, social, innovative and technological factors. The results of the study provide rigorously tested and evidence-based insights into the most instrumental factors shaping climate change competitiveness of the EU regions. The findings revealed that the most affected factors were the number of cooling and heating days, CO2 emissions, e-banking, digital skills, urbanisation levels and access to technology. On the contrary, the levels of migration and of international scientific publications turned out to be minor. The authors believe that this article highlights several interesting findings and new incentives for further research and discussion regarding regional competitiveness in the face of climate change.
{"title":"Discovering the factors driving regional competitiveness in the face of climate change","authors":"Agnieszka Karman, Andrzej Miszczuk, Urszula Bronisz","doi":"10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0009","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This paper identifies the most influential factors in shaping the climate change competitiveness of the EU regions. We conducted multiple linear regression, geographically weighted regression and polynomial best subset regression analysis to explore the variability in regional competitiveness by economic, environmental, social, innovative and technological factors. The results of the study provide rigorously tested and evidence-based insights into the most instrumental factors shaping climate change competitiveness of the EU regions. The findings revealed that the most affected factors were the number of cooling and heating days, CO2 emissions, e-banking, digital skills, urbanisation levels and access to technology. On the contrary, the levels of migration and of international scientific publications turned out to be minor. The authors believe that this article highlights several interesting findings and new incentives for further research and discussion regarding regional competitiveness in the face of climate change.","PeriodicalId":44469,"journal":{"name":"Miscellanea Geographica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135918107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tomasz Kalicki, Paweł Przepióra, Piotr Kusztal, Karolina Fularczyk, Geoffrey Houbrechts
Abstract In the last few centuries, a metallurgical industry based on forges driven by water wheels developed in many European valleys. One such area is the Old-Polish Industrial District (OPID) in Central Poland, which is one of the largest of this type of industrial center. Metallurgical activity developed here from the Prehistoric to modern times. The transformation of metallurgical technology led to the collapse of production, and the ongoing renaturation obliterated most of the traces of former industrial activity. The Magnetic Spherule Separation method used so far in Western Europe, and recently in Poland, has been able to detect traces of former metallurgical activity preserved in alluvium. Fluvial deposits contain microscopic, perfectly spherical iron hammerscales formed during metallurgical production. The results of the study of the alluvium of selected rivers in the OPID indicate the presence of iron spherules of various origin and facies in the sediments of the floodplain, which accumulated during the period of metallurgical activity and were redeposited in modern times. This allows us to estimate, among other things, the age, rate of accumulation and impact of anthropopressure on sedimentation conditions.
{"title":"Microscale iron spherules as a trace of metallurgical activity in Old-Polish Industrial District river valleys","authors":"Tomasz Kalicki, Paweł Przepióra, Piotr Kusztal, Karolina Fularczyk, Geoffrey Houbrechts","doi":"10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0008","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In the last few centuries, a metallurgical industry based on forges driven by water wheels developed in many European valleys. One such area is the Old-Polish Industrial District (OPID) in Central Poland, which is one of the largest of this type of industrial center. Metallurgical activity developed here from the Prehistoric to modern times. The transformation of metallurgical technology led to the collapse of production, and the ongoing renaturation obliterated most of the traces of former industrial activity. The Magnetic Spherule Separation method used so far in Western Europe, and recently in Poland, has been able to detect traces of former metallurgical activity preserved in alluvium. Fluvial deposits contain microscopic, perfectly spherical iron hammerscales formed during metallurgical production. The results of the study of the alluvium of selected rivers in the OPID indicate the presence of iron spherules of various origin and facies in the sediments of the floodplain, which accumulated during the period of metallurgical activity and were redeposited in modern times. This allows us to estimate, among other things, the age, rate of accumulation and impact of anthropopressure on sedimentation conditions.","PeriodicalId":44469,"journal":{"name":"Miscellanea Geographica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135696042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Artificial light pollution of the night sky over urban areas and in their immediate vicinity has become a common anthropogenic phenomenon and a major problem of the modern urban landscape. It is no longer only scientists or environmentalists, but increasingly ordinary citizens too, who perceive a decline in the quality of the night sky and suffer the health consequences of this systematically aggravating process. In order to observe the naturally starry sky, it is now necessary to travel to places far away, not only from large conurbations, but also from smaller human settlements. In order for there to be an improvement in the level of night sky pollution, it is necessary to monitor the phenomenon, provide targeted education and take systemic countermeasures to reduce its negative effects in time and space. Several interdisciplinary research groups and non-governmental organisations around the world conduct research on light pollution. In Toruń, the first measurements of this phenomenon were carried out in 2017 using handheld SQM devices, and a wireless automatic network monitoring the state of the city’s night sky has been developed since 2020. This paper presents the results of the analysis of measurement data recorded during the two-year operational operation of the monitoring network. The conducted measurements provided data to analyse the seasonal variability of the phenomenon, as well as to perform selected spatial analyses within the city limits. The results obtained were related to the results of measurements made outside human settlements, which made it possible to determine the variation of sky brightness in a gradient of decreasing human impact.
{"title":"Spatial and temporal analysis of artificial light pollution of the city night sky. A case study from Toruń","authors":"Dominika Karpińska, Mieczysław Kunz","doi":"10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0015","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Artificial light pollution of the night sky over urban areas and in their immediate vicinity has become a common anthropogenic phenomenon and a major problem of the modern urban landscape. It is no longer only scientists or environmentalists, but increasingly ordinary citizens too, who perceive a decline in the quality of the night sky and suffer the health consequences of this systematically aggravating process. In order to observe the naturally starry sky, it is now necessary to travel to places far away, not only from large conurbations, but also from smaller human settlements. In order for there to be an improvement in the level of night sky pollution, it is necessary to monitor the phenomenon, provide targeted education and take systemic countermeasures to reduce its negative effects in time and space. Several interdisciplinary research groups and non-governmental organisations around the world conduct research on light pollution. In Toruń, the first measurements of this phenomenon were carried out in 2017 using handheld SQM devices, and a wireless automatic network monitoring the state of the city’s night sky has been developed since 2020. This paper presents the results of the analysis of measurement data recorded during the two-year operational operation of the monitoring network. The conducted measurements provided data to analyse the seasonal variability of the phenomenon, as well as to perform selected spatial analyses within the city limits. The results obtained were related to the results of measurements made outside human settlements, which made it possible to determine the variation of sky brightness in a gradient of decreasing human impact.","PeriodicalId":44469,"journal":{"name":"Miscellanea Geographica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79990839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}