Source routing of dust haze phenomenon in the west and southwest of Iran and its synoptic analysis by using remote sensing and GIS

Subject Areas : Geospatial systems development

Mohammad Fallah zazuli ¹ , Alireza Vafaeinezhad ² , Mir Masoud Kheirkhah zarkesh ³ , Fariborz Ahmadi dehka ⁴

1 - MSc. Student of Remote sensing and Geographic Information Science, Islamic Azad University Science and Research Branch, Tehran
2 - Assis. Prof. Department of Remote sensing and Geographic Information Science, Islamic Azad University Science and Research Branch, Tehran
3 - Assis. Prof. Department of Remote sensing and Geographic Information Science, Islamic Azad University Science and Research Branch, Tehran
4 - Lecturer Department of Remote sensing and Geographic Information Science, Taleghan Payame Noor University

Received: 2014-02-17 Accepted : 2014-05-22 Published : 2014-12-22

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Abstract :

The dust haze phenomenon is one of the most environmental challenges in the West and South-West of Iran. To detect the phenomenon of dust haze the images with a repeat in day and night, wide coverage and high spectral bands is needed therefore the images related to MODIS sensor is suitable. The purpose of this study is identifying sources producing dust haze entering in this region in 2011 by using visible bands and thermal bands of MODIS sensor and with the use of Ackermann index and synoptic analysis to identify the movement of dust haze from the origin to Iran By using 500 hectopascal geopotential height synoptic data, sea level pressure and 500 and 1000 hectopascal wind direction maps. Finally, its movement from source to Iran was monitored by using GIS and Spatial Analysis Tools. The results showed that source of the phenomena of dust haze entering the West and South West of the country is from Syria, Iraq and part of Saudi Arabia, which the major origin of dust haze is  north of Iraq and the border between Iraq and Syria. Combining the results of detection of dust haze and synoptic maps has optimized found the origin and mode of transmission of dust hazes and provides a more suitable prediction of the movement path of dust haze.