The use of satellite images for physical-geographical regionalisation as illustrated on the example of the Khmelnytskyi oblast

Subject matter of the research is considering the possibility of using satellite images to perform physical-geographical regionalization. To analyze the spatial structure of the research site there were used landscape metrics, calculated on the basis of a classified satellite image. The main purpose of the research is to clarify whether physical-geographical regionalization can be performed based on the calculated landscape metrics. The research site was divided into square-shaped sections, which were analyzed as separate landscapes, and the calculated landscape metrics for each of the squares represented the coordinates of the analyzed area in the multidimensional space of the characteristics. Two attempts were made to make the division: at the first attempt, the analysis was based on the already existing physical-geographical division of the research site – it was analyzed whether it has an impact on the formation of selected landscape metrics; at the second attempt it was decided to use the object division method. As a result of the first approach, a satisfactory result was not obtained, while as a result of the second approach clusters of points were obtained, which were interpreted as units of physical-geographical division. By contrast with the physical-geographical division analyzed in the research, which presents individual regionalization, the resulting mosaic is an example of typological regionalization.