Land subsidence associated with overexploitation of aquifers is a hazard that commonly affects large areas worldwide. The Lorca area, located in southeast Spain, has undergone one of the highest subsidence rates in Europe as a direct consequence of long-term aquifer exploitation. Previous studies carried out on the region assumed that the ground deformation retrieved from satellite radar interferometry corresponds only to vertical displacement. Here we report, for the first time, the two- and three-dimensional displacement field over the study area using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data from Sentinel-1A images and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations. By modeling this displacement, we provide new insights on the spatial and temporal evolution of the subsidence processes and on the main governing mechanisms. Additionally, we also demonstrate the importance of knowing both the vertical and horizontal components of the displacement to properly characterize similar hazards. Based on these results, we propose some general guidelines for the sustainable management and monitoring of land subsidence related to anthropogenic activities.

This research presents a virtual tour performed on the oppidum of Ulaca, one of the most relevant archaeological sites of the Iberian Peninsula during the Late Iron Age (ca. 400–50 BC). Beyond the clear benefits of the tool to the interpretation, dissemination, and knowledge of the mentioned archaeological site and its surroundings, the novelty of this research is the implementation of the platform in alternative scenarios and purposes. In this way, the present work verifies how the access to multi-source and spatially geolocated information in the same tool (working as a geospatial database) allows the promotion of cross-sectional investigations in which different specialists intervene. This peculiarity is also considered useful to promote tourism with an interest beyond the purely historical/archaeological side. Likewise, the possibility of storing and managing a large amount of information in different formats facilitates the investigation in the contexts of excavations and archaeological or environmental works. In this sense, the use of this kind of tool for the study of cultural landscapes is especially novel. In order to better contextualize the potential of the virtual tour presented here, an analysis about the challenges and possibilities of implementing this tool in environments such as the Ulaca oppidum is performed. The selected site stands out for: (i) being in a unique geological, environmental and ecological context, allowing us to appreciate how human beings have modified the landscape over time; (ii) presenting numerous visible archaeological remains with certain conservation problems; and (iii) not having easy access for visitors.

In Spain, one can find geographical diversity and unique sites of great significance and cultural heritage. Many of the nation’s treasured places, however, have deteriorated or have even disappeared. What is left, then, should be studied and documented both graphically and infographically. It is important to preserve and document Spain’s unique locations, especially those related to vernacular heritage, to transhumance and visual impact assessment in many national infrastructures projects. Windmills are important examples of agro-industrial heritage and are sometimes found in the beds of streams and rivers but can also be found high in the hills. Their presence is constant throughout the Iberian Peninsula. These mills are no longer in use due to technological advances and the emergence of new grinding systems. The aim of this study was to present a specific methodology for the documentation of windmills, to create a graphical representation using computer graphics, as well as to disseminate knowledge of this agro-industrial heritage. This research has integrated graphic materials, including freehand sketches, photographs, digital orthophotos, computer graphics and multimedia in the creation of a specific methodology based on cutting-edge technology such as a digital photogrammetric workstation (DPW), global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), computer-aided design (CAD) and computer animation

Geo-referenced 3D models are currently in demand as an initial knowledge base for cultural heritage projects and forest inventories. The mobile laser scanning (MLS) used for geo-referenced 3D models offers ever greater efficiency in the acquisition of 3D data and their subsequent application in the fields of forestry. In this study, we have analysed the performance of an MLS with simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (SLAM) for compiling a tree inventory in a historic garden, and we assessed the accuracy of the estimates of diameter at breast height (DBH, a height of 1.30 m) calculated from three fitting algorithms: RANSAC, Monte Carlo, and Optimal Circle. The reference sample used was 378 trees from the Island Garden, a historic garden and UNESCO World Heritage site in Aranjuez, Spain. The time taken to acquire the data by MLS was 27 min 37 s, in an area of 2.38 ha. The best results were obtained with the Monte Carlo fitting algorithm, which was able to estimate the DBH of 77% of the 378 trees in the study, with a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 5.31 cm and a bias of 1.23 cm. The proposed methodology enabled a supervised detection of the trees and automatically estimated the DBH of most trees in the study, making this a useful tool for the management and conservation of a historic garden.

The cultural heritage associated with rural systems is extremely valuable and is a sign of identity for cultures that are disappearing or undergoing transformation. This paper explains and illustrates the series of procedures that have been carried out to document and subsequently virtualise the ethnological site of the “El Plantío” underground wine cellars in Atauta. The ensembles of underground wine cellars are located immediately outside the village of Atauta, from which they are separated by the stream of Arroyo de la Laguna or Golbán, thus giving rise to two environments that are characterised by the perfect interrelation between their natural and architectural heritage. The visual and scenic relations between both these elements make this area a prime example of a cultural heritage that is associated with wine production systems. This documentation was obtained through a combination of different geomatic techniques. The results are organised on a web platform to enable their digital visualisation (2D/3D). This platform provides a virtual environment such that users can understand these underground heritage assets in an integrated way together with the immaterial cultural heritage and the cultural landscape—all of which converge on this ethnological site. The project offers different types of audiences, both real and virtual, access to all of the documentation.

A country’s cultural landscapes are an important part of its heritage. The growing need to identify, catalogue and preserve these resources has led to a rapid change in the management and inventorying of heritage in general and of cultural landscapes in particular. The main aim of this work is to develop and apply an updated and integrated methodology for capturing and processing geo-information for the digital documentation of cultural heritage. The proposed case study is the atomic garden in the Finca El Encín (Madrid), a singular space with unique biogeographical features created over 60 years ago. The results of the case study validate the method, consisting of an unmanned aerial platform equipped with sensors to obtain point clouds and aerial images in conjunction with point clouds and images captured with a terrestrial laser scanner.