%0 Generic
%A Korobov, Dmitry
%C Bonn
%D 2008
%E Posluschny, A.
%E Lambers, K.
%E Herzog, I.
%F propylaeumdok:515
%P 399-404
%R 10.11588/propylaeumdok.00000515
%T GIS as a tool for investigation of early Medieval climatic changes in the Kislovodsk Basin (Southern Russia)
%U https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/propylaeumdok/515/
%X The paper details the results of using a special GIS-module to analyze climatic changes in the Kislovodsk basin. The main method is a computer simulation of micro-climatic conditions within grid cells of 500 x 500 m taking into account spatial and temporal changes in the global climate. The temperature of the Atlantic Ocean was raised in simulation by approximately 0.8 °C, leading to the climatic changes probably characteristic of this region during the Early Middle Ages. Based on this climatic model, the climate indicator variables for each site could be estimated and a hypothetical Medieval climate reconstructed for archaeological sites. Two major inhabited zones in the Kislovodsk basin were identified according to the altitude of the settlements. The chief result of this simulation is the hypothesis that in the Early Middle Ages the populated zones of the basin were suitable for agriculture apart from cattle farming.