The use of remote sensing techniques to study the dust storms struck Iraq and the Arabian Gulf regions

Abstract

The current study have been used remote sensing techniques to detect the dust storms activate along Iraq, the Eastern Syria, and Arab Gulf regions, by using the satellite image obtained from the Aqua and Terra Satellite, named Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and using a pattern of software (Image J 1.38 x), this was done by isolating and determining the boundaries of the areas covered by dust storms with the time, also the daily control pattern of the dust storm was applied to the dust storm that struck Iraq during (6-14 August 2005), which hit a large areas of Iraq , the Arabian Gulf region and the coast of Yemen on the Red Sea, by using this techniques by studying the system of the aerosol distributing over the studded area, it was possible to identify two areas can be counted as a source area of the most dust storms that struck Iraq. The first area is the Trough of Lake Al-Thar Thar, the second area of water bodies in the south-west of Iraq, specifically al Razaza Lake – Hawr al Ham mar. This study conclude that the existence of these two sources area are not sufficient for the emergence of the dust storms, but the presence of these depressions in the areas of flat and loses areas (barren desert) , the presences of a variable climatic (low pressure conditions, wind velocity),decreasing cultivated land southern Mosul city, and the impact of military operations in the last year's, played an important role to increase the number of dust storms that struck Iraq , about (24) dust storm in 2008. And the current study offered the best pattern or style to reduce the impact of these storms and reduce the desertification.