CARTO-SEMIOTICS OF HUMANITARIAN EXCHANGES: SPATIAL REPRESENTATION OF MINE HAZARDS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17721/2413-7154/2026.95.47-70Keywords:
cartosemotics, humanitarian demining, landmine contamination, risk mapping, geographic information systems, spatial analysisAbstract
Maps and GIS are an integral part of humanitarian demining, enabling the management, analysis and visualisation of the vital geographical information required for safe and effective mine action operations. Despite the widespread use of standardised cartographic symbols, there is currently no unified international standard for humanitarian demining cartographic symbols, and no previous efforts have been successful. The absence of an official standard, combined with variations in cartographic symbols, creates additional risks and hazards in mine clearance operations. This article examines cartosemiotic approaches to the spatial representation of mine hazards within the humanitarian demining system. The aim of the study is to justify cartosemiotic approaches to the spatial representation of mine hazards. To achieve this objective, scientific approaches to cartosemiotics and risk mapping have been analysed, existing methods for representing hazardous areas have been systematised, and the characteristics of the spatial representation of mine hazards have been investigated, taking into account the requirements of the IMAS international standards. The methodological framework is based on a combination of geoinformation analysis and a cartosemantic approach. A comparative-analytical method and an analysis of international practices in humanitarian demining were employed. The information base is drawn from open geospatial data, materials from international organisations, remote sensing data, and data on mine-contaminated areas. It has been established that modern mine hazard mapping systems require adaptation to conditions of high uncertainty and data dynamism. The specific features of using graphical variables to convey risk levels, the degree of information reliability and the status of territories have been identified. The feasibility of applying multi-level cartosemiotic models and integrating GeoAI technologies for predictive hazard mapping and decision support in the field of humanitarian demining has been substantiated.
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