The determination of desertification phenomena using remote sensing techniques

Abstract EN

In this present work, the digital image analysis is used as a developed remote sensing technique to study the effects of desertification phenomena in Karbala South west of Iraq.

Two satellite images used in this study with coverage area of 80 km2.

The first was SPOT panchromatic image, 10 m resolution taken in 1999.

The second was Land sat (TM) visible image, 30m resolution taken in 1987.

An area of 1 km2 was selected from each image to be the site of the field experiment.

The experiment period was six months from.

Nine points were selected within the selected area to be the measuring points.

The measurements were done every two months for both the vertical and horizontal accumulated sand in the nine points.

These field measurements led to an average of 1.5 cm / day of sand creeping within the measuring period.