POSSIBILITY OF MAPPING PHYSIOGRAPHIC ZONES BY THERMAL SURVEY FROM SPACE

Abstract

Physiographic zones of the Earth are “major units of the geographic (landscape) sphere, which give way to each other in a regular and definite order depending mainly on the ratio of heat and moisture”. The rise in the Earth’s annual mean temperature recorded for the instrumental observation period may provoke variations in the global distribution of the heat/moisture ratio and, as a consequence, in displacement of the position and configuration of physiographic zones. The variations may be accompanied by negative socioeconomic impacts.