Investigating remote sensing applications in evaluating and monitoring land degradation and desertification

Due to the increasing complexity and development of dynamic phenomena like land degradation and desertification in the present century, new technologies have focused on their evaluation and monitoring (Alavi panah, 2003). Remote sensing, Geographic Information System and Global Positioning System are among the most important technologies based on spatial information (geoinformatics). In fact, investigating spatial and temporal changes of complex phenomena like land degradation and desertification with the aim of ongoing evaluation and monitoring for proper management and exploitation is inevitable. With the emergence of such modern technologies, it is expected that better and more accurate investigation of land phenomena become possible. Remote sensing, which is based on collecting spatial information (in specified time intervals) by airplanes and satellites, plays a very important role in land degradation and desertification evaluation and monitoring in local, regional and global scale. Multiple capabilities created by this technology (being multi-spectral, inexpensive and digital, having wide field of vision, increasing spectral, land, temporal, radiometric resolution capability, duplicate coverage and spectral variety, easily available data, quick access to distant points and high accuracy) have resulted in the development of a new approach in the studies on the evaluation and monitoring of desertification.