Péter Rózsa

Recent Landform Evolution in Hungary

Fluvial geomorphic processes (channel and floodplain evolution) are widespread in the extensive lowlands of Hungary. Since flow regulation in the nineteenth century, river channels have shown adjustments of considerable degree. Some agricultural areas in hills and low mountain basins are seriously affected by water erosion, particularly gully development on loess. Although all sand dunes have been stabilized by now, historically wind erosion has also been a major geomorphic agent in blown-sand areas. The areas affected by mass movements and karst processes are limited but their processes still operate – partly in function of the changing climatic conditions. Applied geomorphological research focuses on ever intensifying human impact on the landscape (particularly in mining districts), which has become the primary driver of recent geomorphic evolution in Hungary, too.

Nature and Extent of Human Geomorphological Impact – A Review

The importance of human society as a geomorphological agent is indicated by the fact that at least one-third of the Earth’s continental surface is the scene of human activities. The amount of earth moved during and by different activities seems to be the most proper index to measure human impact on the Earth’s surface. The different estimations suggest that anthropogenic processes are the dominant geomorphological factors. Potential human impact on the surface is basically determined by contemporary technical development level and population number. The most useful model suggested so far for quantification of potential anthropo-geomorphological impact is Nir’s ‘index of potential anthropic geomorphology’ (I pag)-based ‘the degree of development’ and ‘the degree of perception’ concerning the rate of human impact and perception of the damage from anthropogenic processes, respectively. This anthropic geomorphological model can be regarded as a pioneer attempt; however, some details of the concept are debated and call for further refining and renewing modifications.

Non-luminescent nature of the planar deformation features in shocked quartz from the Ries impact structure, Germany: A new interpretation

Quartz grains from the Ries impact structure containing shock-induced microstructures were investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy in cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL), secondary electron (SEM-SE) and back-scattered electron (SEM-BSE) modes as well as Mott–Seitz analysis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the mechanism by which CL detects Planar Deformation Features (PDFs) in quartz, which is one of the most important indicators of shock metamorphism in rock-forming minerals. PDFs are micron-scale features not easily identified using optical microscopy or scanning electron microscopy. The CL spectrum of PDFs in quartz that has suffered relatively high shock pressure shows no or a relatively weak emission band at around 385 nm, whereas an emission band with a maximum near 650 nm is observed independent of shock pressure. Thus, the ~385 nm intensity in shocked quartz demonstrates a tendency to decrease with increasing shock metamorphic stage, whereas the 650 nm band remains fairly constant. The re...

Xanthoparmelia mougeotii (Parmeliaceae, lichenised Ascomycetes) new to the lichen flora of Hungary

Xanthoparmelia mougeotii is a usnic acid containing, small foliose, sorediate, parmelioid lichen species with a pantemperate distribution. In Europe it occurs in most countries especially in cool, humid, “suboceanic” habitats, mainly on acidic rocks, and rather sporadic in the continental areas, e.g. isolated populations in Slovakia (near Strečno) or in Ukraine (Crimea). Recently another isolated Central European population was discovered in the Zemplén Mts (NE Hungary), approx. 200 km far from the Slovak population.

TRANSFORMATION OF LAND USE PATTERN IN THE EAST BORSOD COAL BASIN FROM THE BEGINNING OF MINING INDUSTRY TO THE POLITICAL CHANGES

Historical geographic studies on land cover may support the understanding of the recent state. Focusing on coal mining, this process was followed and analyzed in the case of the East Borsod Coal Basin from the early 20th century to the political change. The contemporaneous maps and manuscripts concerning the mining were evaluated using geoinformatic techniques. Moreover, digitalized topographic map coming from the early and late period of mining (1924 and 1989, respectively) were analyzed. To determine the degree of human disturbance hemerobic relations and changes of the given land cover patches were quantified on the basis of the maps of the three military surveys, too. It can be stated that montanogenic subtype of an industrialagricultural landscape has been formed in the Bukkhat area. Beside the concentrated artificial surfaces, however, relative dominance of forest forming the matrix of the landscape remained.

Szekunder karbonátok mennyisége és vertikális eloszlása tokaji talajszelvényekben

The forms and stocks of secondary carbonate accumulations and the distribution of secondary carbonate content were investigated in 20 soil profiles from Nagy-hegy, Tokaj. The secondary carbonate content varied to a great extent under different lithological conditions. The frequency of carbonate crusts coating the coarse fragments to a thickness of 1–7 mm was especially conspicuous. In selected profiles the amount of secondary carbonates was analysed separately for three carbonate pools: in the fine earth (<2 mm), in carbonate crusts and other concentrations, and in the skeletal part of the soils (dominantly dacite blocks and boulders). In one profile a calculation was made of the calcium carbonate stocks (in kg m−2) in the separate fractions of the fine earth, the skeletal fraction and the carbonate crusts and concentrations. The values obtained for the distinct soil horizons were then summed for the whole profile above the continuous hard rock. The loess deposits can be regarded as the primary source of ...

Összehasonlító archeometriai téglavizsgálatok a Dél-Alföldön@@@Comparative archaeometric study of bricks from the Southern Alföld

The study focuses on the comparative archaeometric (petrographic, geochemical and archaeobotanical) analysis of the brick samples from the excavation of twenty-four rural churches of the Arpadian Age and the Late Middle Ages (11th–16th centuries), two kindred monasteries and three Arpadian Age settlements in Counties Bekes and Csongrad. One of the main goals of the analysis was to determine the composition and the firing temperature of the bricks.