Singularity (geography)

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A singularity in the geographical sense is a geographical object that is clearly set apart from its surroundings and is not essential for the basic structure of its surrounding landscape. This can e.g. B. a free-standing volcano or a witness mountain in an otherwise flat undulating landscape, in rarer cases z. B. also a rift valley , an island-like occurrence of non-landscape rocks or an open pit.

Germany

In Germany, the term singularity is mainly used in the natural spatial structure of the handbook of the natural spatial structure of Germany , especially the refined single sheets 1: 200,000 . In these, the explanatory text for the respective card states:

“Singularities in the sense of the natural spatial structure are isolated, not essential for the basic structure of a natural spatial unit, but in it conspicuous (,) special landscape phenomena, e.g. B. a volcanic elevation in a unit otherwise not determined by volcanic phenomena. "

In 1958, the geographer Heinrich Müller-Miny had worked out the significance of the singularities for the natural structure of a space and suggested that these should be specially marked with a map symbol as part of the natural spatial structure.

“Since the singularity also belongs to the structure, pattern or architectural style of a region, it is best to use the prefix 'Grund-' when referring to the repetitive and typical. According to this, the natural spatial basic structure plus natural spatial singularity would result in the natural spatial structure. The overall structure characterizes a region and its landscape. "

- Heinrich Müller-Miny (1958)

They are sorted again into 4th to 7th order singularities . A 4th order singularity is singular for its entire main unit (three digits), a 5th to 7th degree for the respective subunit (1 to 3 decimal places). However, this detailed breakdown was only explicitly carried out on a few individual sheets.

For example, within the Coburg sheet, the 641 and 679 m high Gleichbergs are identified as a 4th order singularity, i.e. as a singularity of the main Grabfeld unit (138 1 ), in flat-undulating landscapes , the 516 m high Muppberg as a 5th order singularity of Neustadt-Sonneberger basin (071.5), while the 449 m high Straufhain and the 405 m high Veste Heldburg (no explicit assignment to the 6th or 7th order, but the continuous text after apparently falling in the order listed on the two orders) only singularities within the Heldburg -Callenberger Forst es (117.32), the Heldburg only sharply prepared to the west.

However, these classifications are heavily dependent on the standards of the respective processor. The Hohe Meißner (754 m) in Northern Hesse , which is generally considered to be singular, is not listed as a singularity, as it is not classified as a mountain, but as a separate (partial) low mountain range. Other singular objects, e.g. B. the Dolmar (739 m) in the west of Thuringia, are in areas for which no single sheets have been created, which affects almost all of eastern Germany.

Exemplary list for Hessen

As an example of possible criteria, the singularities identified within Hesse are listed in full below.

Individual evidence

  1. Various authors: Geographische Landesaufnahme: The natural spatial units in single sheets 1: 200,000 . Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1952–1994. → Online maps
  2. a b Heinrich Müller-Miny: Basic questions on the natural spatial structure on the Middle Rhine . In: Federal Institute for Regional Studies (Ed.): Reports on German Regional Studies . Volume 21, Issue 2 (September 1958), self-published by the Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Remagen 1958, pp. 247–266 (here: pp. 249–251).
  3. ^ Heinz Späth: Geographical Land Survey: The natural spatial units on sheet 141 Coburg. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1987. → Online map
  4. a b c d Hans-Jürgen Klink: Geographical land survey: The natural spatial units on sheet 112 Kassel. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1969. → Online map
  5. Map and legend of the natural areas of Hesse (online copy of Die Naturraum Hessens , Otto Klausing 1988) in the Hessen Environmental Atlas of the Hessian State Office for Environment and Geology. The singularities are shown in white on the maps of the main units. The dome was obviously forgotten to draw, for details see single sheets!
  6. a b c d Gerhard Sandner: Geographical land survey: The natural spatial units on sheet 125 Marburg. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1960. → Online map
  7. a b c d Werner Röll: Geographical land survey: The natural spatial units on sheet 126 Fulda. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1969. → Online map
  8. a b c Martin Bürgener: Geographical Land Survey: The natural spatial units on sheet 111 Arolsen. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1963. → Online map
  9. Otto Klausing: Geographical land survey: The natural space units on sheet 151 Darmstadt. Bundesanstalt für Landeskunde, Bad Godesberg 1967. → Online map