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In order to track how cities develop and grow, multidimensional systems of urban development indicators taking into account the balance between economic, social, and environmental aspects are the best solution found so far. However, there is no unique measurement system that would be widely accepted and applied within various urban areas to verify whether a given city is developing in a sustainable way. The aim of this paper is to apply the TOPSIS algorithm on the basis of selected urban indicators, in order to evaluate the progress of a single city towards the concept of sustainable development observed over a longer period of time. A capital city of Poland, Warsaw, faces several challenges associated with development policy evaluation, thus confirming the need for this research. We meticulously selected 48 indicators from the economic, social and environmental areas as an input for TOPSIS algorithm, which allowed us to calculate a new proposed aggregated index for evaluating urban policy on the example of Warsaw. Research has shown usefulness of applied TOPSIS algorithm in assessing the long-run development of an urban area towards the concept of a sustainable city. The results of our analysis indicated that over a period of ten years, during 2008-2017, the urban policy decision-making has been balancing the socio-economic and environmental aspects and the city of Warsaw has been developed in a sustainable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between the flexibility of spatial planning at the local level and the natural and socio-economic development indicators of municipalities. Seventy municipalities located around the most dynamically developing large urban centers in Poland (Krakow, Poznań, Tri-City, Warsaw, and Wrocław) were selected for the study, in which the records of 1131 local spatial plans enacted in 2017–2019 were analyzed in detail in terms of indicators including, but not limited to, characterizing the average area of the plans, the duration of the development procedure, and the intensity of residential development, the biologically active area. Development characteristics were identified through 30 indicators in six thematic groups (demographic, socio-professional, economic and settlement structures, natural environment, and spatial planning). The relationships between the two groups of indicators were analyzed using factor analysis. On this basis, three clusters were identified, explaining 32.9% of the variation. Such a relatively low result may indicate that the spatial policy pursued by local governments is highly individualized. It may also be concluded that the flexibility of spatial planning in general is weakly related to the characteristics of development, including natural and socio-economic development, and therefore its absence should not be an obstacle to it. • The level of flexibility of local spatial development plans in the surroundings of the largest cities varies greatly • The weak link of flexibility and development features is indicative of the individualization of spatial policy • There is an impact of environmental and landscape features on the extent and level of flexibility in spatial development plans [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Video-based safety assessment is proposed using detection of dangerous encounters. • Dangerous events are identified using vehicle speed, deceleration and min. distance. • A Dangerous Encounter Index is proposed as a surrogate safety indicator. • Crossing two lanes involves more risk than crossing one lane, given similar traffic. • Improvement of safety was observed with active signage involving blinking lights. Although the road safety situation in Poland is generally improving, the number of accidents at pedestrian crossings has not decreased in the last four years. This paper presents the results of the MOBIS research project, the aim of which was to develop surrogate safety indicators, based on detection of pedestrian-vehicle conflicts using video analysis. Pedestrian and vehicle traffic was filmed at two unsignalised pedestrian zebra crossings in Warsaw and Wrocław for over 40 days. Motion trajectories of vehicles and pedestrians were determined based on video processing. Several variables describing pedestrian-vehicle interactions were calculated, such as speed, post-encroachment time, distance between the participants, decelerations, etc. Classification of encounters was based on interactions of pedestrians and vehicles i.e. drivers yielding to pedestrians, vehicles passing just in front of, or behind pedestrians. Criteria for identification of dangerous encounters were selected with the assumption that it should be possible to automate the assessment process. The selected variables were: pedestrian-vehicle passing distance and the vehicle speed at that moment. Other criteria were used in cases of abrupt braking – deceleration exceeding 4 m/s2 and vehicle speed. A Dangerous Encounter Index is proposed as a surrogate safety indicator for pedestrian crossings. It relates the occurrence of dangerous events to exposure, defined as the number of pedestrian-vehicle encounters. The proposed index shows that crossing two lanes involves more risk than crossing one lane, given similar traffic flow. Some improvement of safety at both types of crossing was observed after active signage involving blinking lights had been introduced. The proposed method is a step towards automation of safety assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Research based on electric field data for positive CG lightning. • Stepped leader and preliminary breakdown analysis done in spectral domain. • Spectrogram for preliminary breakdown is more complex than for return stroke. • Changing STFT parameters can reveal new features of lightning components. • PSD-based lightning identification can be implemented in lightning location systems. The main scope of this paper is spectral analysis of several uncommon preliminary events preceding positive cloud-to-ground lightning flashes. They were detected from two different dissipating thunderstorm cells passing over the Warsaw region on 30 July 2019. Three different electric field signatures of positive cloud-to-ground flashes preceded by the preliminary breakdown pulses were recorded and identified. The respective power spectrum density spectrograms were computed additionally to allow more detail analysis of such kind lightning discharge incidents in time and frequency domain. All considered single positive cloud-to-ground flashes were characterized by fast electric field pulse trains lasted in average 3.8 ± 3.7 ms and 4.7 ± 3.0 ms in the time and spectral domain respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The observed urban growth leads to rapid changes in landscape and environment, increase of demands on sources, education and social services, etc. causing both positive results as well as considerable threats. In the era of modern technology development, including the commonness of GIS tools, obtaining geospatial data sets and their visualisation become easier. Their application allow for quick and advanced analyses of the current needs and prediction of the future ones. The present article discusses the problem of spatial accessibility of educational services in the city. This issue is very important from the perspective of the changes that took place along with the educational reform and the absence of urban planning regulations pertaining to the location of primary schools within a residential unit. Using 6 parameters and 3 indicators, as well as the example of the network of primary schools in the district of Bemowo, Warsaw the Authors of the paper showed the positive and negative features of spatial accessibility of those facilities and proposed methodology for analysis of spatial accessibility of educational services which was validated with Huff's theory. The aim of the study was to obtain maps of the accessibility of educational institutions and to identify on their basis the areas that are educationally excluded. A Huff's relative gravity model was developed for the school sites, and the probability of the area of influence from each school was determined. Locations where the location of schools does not meet the demand of residents were identified. At the same time, they demonstrated the usefulness of GIS tools for geospatial analyses in terms of meeting the residents' needs. • The proper arrangement of space, including adequate provision of services, is a vital matter in sustainable development. • The application of GIS tools allows for quick and advanced analyses of current needs and prediction of the future ones. • Analyses of spatial accessibility of services are valid in view of changes caused by reforms and urban planning rules. • The spatial accessibility was analyzed, and a methodology for the procedure was proposed, then validated with Huff's theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses selected problems with the estimation of environmental flows (EF) in the aspect of hydroelectric potential of rivers. The study was conducted for mountain catchments located in the upper Vistula catchment in Poland: Mszanka, Poroniec, Grajcarek, Ochotnica, and Kamienica Nawojowska. The data for calculations, in the form of observational series of daily flows in the years 1985-2014, were obtained from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management of the National Research Institute in Warsaw. Based on the data, environmental flows were calculated as 25% Mean Annual Flow (MAF), 70% Median Flow, Q 90 , 7Q10, 7Q2, and additionally with the Eflows Management Framework and Upscaling method (EMFU). The calculations made it possible to indicate the main problems related to the calculation of environmental flows using hydrological methods: selection of the appropriate characteristic flow, the method of determining guaranteed flows, selection of appropriate statistical distributions or sensitivity of environmental flows to the length of the observation series for which they are esteemed. In addition, the paper showed that the choice of method for calculating the environmental flow influences the volume of electricity production in hydroelectric plants. For watercourses not covered by specific forms of protection, the compromise between environmental protection and investment economics seems to be calculating the EF value by 25% MAF or Q 90. It was also found that it is optimal to maintain the value of EF (from the point of view of caring caring for the aquatic environment) along with choosing the economically justified options. Image 10061 • The link between the environmental flow (EF) and energy potential of rivers. • Lack of significant trends of mean annual flows (MAF) in the analysed catchments. • Sensitivity of EF values in reflect to length of hydrometric time series. • Best solution for environmental and energy production: EF as 25% MAF or Q90. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel universal methodology of spatio-temporal comparison of stability of spatial data-driven clusters. • Integrates spatial econometrics, spatial statistics and unsupervised learning. • K-means clusters of GWR model coefficients are rasterised and the mode cluster id labels given raster cell, Rand index and Jaccard Similarity test if pairs of pairs of raster cells belong to the same clusters in both periods. • Clusters of GWR coefficients indicate spatio-temoral stability of submarkets, while clusters of standard errors of GWR coefficients detect stability of local spatial heteroscedasticity. • Methodology can be applied to any spatial phenomena, including housing submarkets. This paper fills the gap in rich housing literature by testing the spatio-temporal stability of real estate submarkets. We start with standard Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) estimation of the hedonic model on point data, and we cluster model coefficients to detect housing submarkets. We check spatio-temporal stability - we add novelty by comparing if clusters move over space or stay in the same place. We rasterise surface and apply the Rand Index and Jaccard Similarity to check if clusters assigned to raster cells yield stable spatial structure. This approach allows for quantitative assessments of how much determinants of price are stable over time and space. The same mechanism applied to standard errors of GWR coefficients is a good test of the spatio-temporal stability of local heteroscedasticity. A Case study of apartments' transactions in Warsaw-Poland for the 2006–2015 period, evidences relatively high spatio-temporal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents Łódź, Poland's third-largest city in terms of population, and which is a part of the urban heritage of the industrial age. At the start of the twentieth century, it was a major textile industry centre and achieved the highest population growth rate in Europe, with a scale comparable to the rapid development of American cities in this period. Prior to the First World War, Łódź was among the world's 35 largest cities. This profile presents strategies for addressing critical shrinkage by building a relationship with Warsaw as a part of a duopolis. The authors explored the processes by which Łódź enhances its competitiveness by improving its urban structure, altering its economic profile and changing its image from that of an industrial city to a cultural city. The case of Łódź demonstrates that understanding the necessity of introducing synergic layouts can be an element of building resilient city policies in Central and Eastern Europe, which has been hit by city shrinkage particularly hard. • Łódź as Poland's third-most populous city with an industrial origin. • Analysis of influence of demographic and economic change on Łódź's urban development. • Significance of the urban regeneration of the 19th-century post-industrial heritage. • Strategy studies: Duopolis Warszawa – Łódź and new image of the city as an anti-shrinkage resilience concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]