Remote sensing of desertification and study of temporal variability of aeolian deposits in parts of the Arabian Desert for sustainable development in an arid environment
Author | Rajendran, Sankaran |
Author | Al Kuwari, Hamad Al Saad |
Author | Sadooni, Fadhil N. |
Author | Nasir, Sobhi |
Author | Govil, Himanshu |
Author | Ghrefat, Habes |
Available date | 2023-09-07T07:48:56Z |
Publication Date | 2023-09-01 |
Publication Name | Environmental Research |
Identifier | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.116279 |
Citation | Rajendran, S., Al Kuwari, H. A. S., Sadooni, F. N., Nasir, S., Govil, H., & Ghrefat, H. (2023). Remote sensing of desertification and study of temporal variability of aeolian deposits in parts of the Arabian Desert for sustainable development in an arid environment. Environmental Research, 116279. |
ISSN | 00139351 |
Abstract | Aeolian deposit in part of the Arabian Desert is mapped using ASTER data to understand desertification, land encroachment, and degradation, and to assess agricultural development in arid regions. In this study, the interpretation of emissive spectra of sand deposits showed the presence of triplet absorptions in emissivity between 8 and 9.50 μm and studied with ASTER spectral bands to map the deposits. The ASTER quartz index (QI) images used to study the Abu Samra region, Qatar from 2000 to 2021 showed significant changes in desertification and land degradation. Analysis of temporal variability of deposits between 2000 and 2021 using ASTER band 12 by Parallelepiped image classification showed a decreasing trend from 9.70% to 2.94% in their distributions due to erosion and transportation. The changes are studied using FCC images (R:1; G:2; B:3) and hill-shaded images of 2000 and 2021. The results are confirmed from FCC (R:14; G:12; B:11) and Google Earth satellite images which showed the occurrence of sabkhas in 1985 and their disappearance from 2015, and the presence of agriculture in 2000 and their absence from 2005. The changes in desertification, land degradation, and agricultural development are verified in the field and evidenced. The grain size analysis of samples by ASTM method showed aeolian deposits have very fine to very coarse (63–2000 μm) sand types with silts of <3%. The samples analyzed by XRD and SEM-EDX methods showed the occurrence of dolomite, calcite, quartz, feldspar, and gypsum minerals with high sphericity and sub-angular to well-rounded characters and suggested transportations of grains from long distances. The geochemical elements analyses of samples reflected the chemistry of carbonates, aluminosilicates, and evaporites minerals which could have been derived from the carbonate, shale and sandstone formations, and sabkhas that occurred in Qatar and the Arabian Peninsula. |
Sponsor | This study is supported by Qatar University Grant no. QUEX-ESC-QAFCO-20/21–1 . We are thankful to the NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center User Services ( https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ ) for sharing the ASTER data. The environmental Science Center (ESC) is thanked for providing four-wheel cars to carry out field work over the rugged topography and aeolian deposits. Mr. Fahad Syed Asim, ESC is thanked for his support in the fieldwork. The field aeolian deposit samples for different analyses are organized by Ms.Thoraya Haidar S A ِAlyafei, ESC. The grain size analysis of the samples is carried out by Ms. Amal Ahmed Ibrahim Ismail, ESC. Mr. Abdulla Al Ashraf, Center for Advanced Materials (CAM) is thanked for the XRD analysis of the samples. Ms. Aisha Al-Ashwal, ESC is thanked for taking 3D stereo microscope photography. The analyses of sand grains by SEM-EDX method are carried out by Mr. Essam Shabaan Mohamed Attia, Central Laboratory Unit, College of Arts and Sciences. Mr. Caesar Flonasca Sorino, Mr. Hamood Abdulla Alsaadi, and Ms. Marwa Mustufa Al-Azhari, ESC analyzed the major and trace elements concentrations of aeolian sediment samples. The authors are thankful to Prof. Aijie Wang, the Co Editor and anonymous reviewer of the journal for the valuable reviews, providing comments and suggestions that have helped to present the work lucidly. |
Language | en |
Publisher | Academic Press Inc. |
Subject | Aeolian deposits Arabian Desert ASTER Quartz index Desertification Temporal variability |
Type | Article |
Volume Number | 232 |
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