Dust storms monitoring and predicting, using remote sensing, geographic information systems and observational data based on NDVI and climate elements A Case Study: (South and South East of Iran)

Wind erosion and dust storms are of major environmental hazards all around the world. Because of The extent of arid and semiarid regions in South and South- East of Iran and the successive incidence of this phenomenon in this region, it is important to study these phenomena. The aim of this study is monitoring and predicting dust storms in south and south-east of Iran. For this purpose 92 Images of MODIS sensor as well as weather data of 18 stations are used. Dusty days (originating in outside and around the station) were extracted. After monthly and annually monitoring of storms, in order to predicting the frequency of dust storms based on spatial regression, climatic factors and NDVI are used. The results show that the number of storm are high in the beginning year and is decreasing in Jun and July. More than 78 percent of dust storms are of near station type. Spatial regression equations could predict amount of storms. Based on the origin of dust storms in this study combating desertification and wind erosion program could reduce frequency of this storms.