Identification of the Dust Formation Center with Tensor Approach (Study Case: Sabzevar County)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Hossein Etemadfard ¹
• Mahdi Najjarian ²
• Mostafa Golmohammadi ³

¹ Civil Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM)

² M.Sc. Student of GIS, Civil Engineering department, Engineering faculty, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

³ MSc Student

10.22067/geoeh.2023.82992.1384

Abstract

Climate phenomena in different regions of the world are influenced by the geographical characteristics of each area, making them distinct. One of the prevailing atmospheric phenomena in desert and semi-desert regions worldwide is the occurrence of dust storms. The primary cause of this phenomenon is the strong winds that follow rapid changes in air pressure and temperature during specific times of the year in the region. Dust particles pose significant and fundamental challenges in these areas, as they come in various sizes and are dispersed in the air, potentially causing numerous environmental and health problems for the inhabitants. Therefore, it is essential to take necessary measures to address this issue, which starts with identifying the sources and centers of the formation of these dust masses. The present research focuses on investigating this matter in the study area of Sabzevar city. In this study, meteorological data from the weather organization are examined, and two time periods characterized by high levels of dust in the Sabzevar area are selected. The studied time periods include June 2008 and March 2018. After determining the time periods, satellite images related to the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) index with a pixel size of 2 kilometers are extracted and processed using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) system. Subsequently, each image is represented as separate layers in a tensor. Based on the findings of this research, the origin of dust masses in Sabzevar is located in the western plains of Davarzan city, approximately 70 to 80 kilometers away from the study area. These masses are displaced and extend towards Sabzevar city, potentially subjecting the city to the impact of dust particles.

Keywords

• Aerosol optical depth
• aerosol
• AOD
• satellite images

Main Subjects

• Micro pollen

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