Evaluation of Drought Using the Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI) and the Modified Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (MTVDI) and MODIS Satellite Images

Because most of the methods that have been proposed for estimating statues drought generate point estimate, so researchers were always looking for ways to achieve regional estimates for better manage this gradually creeping phenomenon. Recently, remote sensing and techniques proposed base on it could estimate drought in regional scale well. In this paper, it’s tried to estimate drought and evaluation performance of the Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI) and the Modified Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (MTVDI) using the vegetation and temperature MODIS products in Northern Khorasan during two years 2004 and 2008 (as normal and dry years respectively). The results showed that MTVDI index has performed better than TVDI index. The result of linear correlation analyzed between indices and the cumulative precipitation of the currently 16 days, early 16 days and early 1 month, 2 month, 3 month, 5 month and 7 month showed the indices, specially MTVDI, had a close relationship with early 1 month precipitation than the others. This is due to the delayed response of vegetation to precipitation.