Detection of the most frequent sources of dust storms in Iraq during 2020–2023 using space tools Rafah R. Ismail, Saadiyah H. Halos, Bushra Q. Al-Abudi Kuwait Journal of Science, 2025 Dust storms are typical in arid and semi-arid regions such as the Middle East; the frequency and severity of dust storms have grown dramatically in Iraq in recent years. This paper identifies the dust storm sources in Iraq using remotely sensed data from Meteosat-spinning enhanced visible and infrared imager (SEVIRI) bands. Extracted combined satellite images and simulated frontal dust storm trajectories, using the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model, are used to identify the most influential sources in the Middle East and Iraq. Out of 132 dust storms in Iraq during 2020–2023, the most frequent occurred in the spring and summer. A dust source frequency percentage map (DSFPM) is generated using ArcGIS software. The regions located in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan are the largest dust storm sources. New dust sources are identified in Iraq's southwestern and western regions, such as Al-Nukhaib, Wadi Hauran, and Sinjar, along with new sources in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria. The most common sources are concentrated in Iraq (55.31%), mainly in the Tigris and Euphrates basin, western desert, and Al-Jazeera region, followed by Syria (19.55%), Saudi Arabia (12.29%), and Jordan (11.73%). The highest dust storm source frequency in Iraq is found in the Al-Samawa desert's southern region (27.37%). Also, the highest frequency of dust sources from each country is determined. Knowing the origins and trajectories of dust storms will enhance treatments of these causes and their consequences on the environment and socio-economics of the region. It contributes to the support of specialised regional agencies to mitigate this phenomenon. • Meteosat, HYSPLIT, and Iraqi Station data were used to identify the dust sources. • Identified new sources of dust storms in Iraq and neighboring countries. • Identified the most frequent and influential sources of dust storms in Iraq. • Create a map of the percentage frequency of dust storms in Iraq during 2020–2023.
Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Severe Dust Storm in Iraq in May 2022 Rafah Rasheed Ismail, Bushra Qassim Al-Abudi, Saadiyah H. Halos Iraqi Journal of Science, 2024 Dust storms are a common ecological occurrence in many world‘s countries, mainly in dry and semi-dry parts. Dust storms tremendously influence human health, the environment, the climate, and numerous social aspects. In this paper, spatial and temporal analysis, metrological triggers, and trajectory, dust exporting areas of a severe dust storm that occurred in Iraq on May 16, 2022, were investigated. The dust storm's backward trajectory was determined using HYSPLIT model, which is then compared with MODIS and Meteosat satellite images. The weather is then analyzed using the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis model, and the approximate area of these sources was determined using Landsat 8 satellite image classification method. The results revealed that the HYSPLIT model trajectory of the dust storm agreed with MODIS and Meteosat satellite visuals. The primary dust storm sources and their areas are identified. The first source is from the shared border region between Syria (Rif-Dimasshq) and Jordan (north of Al-Ruwaished), with an area of about 775 km2. The second is from the northwestern regions of Iraq, specifically north of Anbar and south of Nineveh, with an area of about 905 km2.
Small binary codebook design for image compression depending on rotating blocks Maha A. Hameed, Saif B. Al-Khoja, Rafah Rasheed Ismail Iraqi Journal of Science, 2021 The searching process using a binary codebook of combined Block Truncation Coding (BTC) method and Vector Quantization (VQ), i.e. a full codebook search for each input image vector to find the best matched code word in the codebook, requires a long time. Therefore, in this paper, after designing a small binary codebook, we adopted a new method by rotating each binary code word in this codebook into 900 to 2700 step 900 directions. Then, we systematized each code word depending on its angle to involve four types of binary code books (i.e. Pour when , Flat when , Vertical when, or Zigzag). The proposed scheme was used for decreasing the time of the coding procedure, with very small distortion per block, by designing small binary codebook, then rotating each block in it. Moreover, it can be used for improving the efficiency of the coding process even further with the decrease in the bit rate (i.e. increasing the compression ratio(.
Land cover change detection using satellite images based on modified spectral angle mapper method Plant Archives, 2020
Using spatial analysis techniques to Preparing maps for distribution of pollutant concentrations in Shatt al-Arab waters in November 2015 E.F. Khanger, B. A. Al Razaq, R. R. Ismail, Z. F. Rasheed Iop Conference Series Materials Science and Engineering, 2020 Abstract Water has a great self-generating capacity that can neutralize the polluting interventions carried out by humans. However, if human activities continue this uncontrolled and unsustainable exploitation of this resource, this regenerating capacity shall fail and it will be jeopardized definitively. Shatt Al-Arab River in South of Iraq. It has an active role in providing water for irrigation, industry, domestic use and a commercial gateway to Iraq. in the last five years Shatt Al-Arab suffered from a rise in pollutants due to the severe decline in sewage networks, irregular networks and pesticide products, as well as the outputs of factories and companies that find their way to water sources and lead to a widespread collapse of water quality. In present work, by using Data observation with the integration between remote sensing and GIS techniques to prepare maps of the distribution of concentration materials in Shatt al-Arab River south of the province of Basra in January 2015 to determine the level of pollution in the river. These include pH, dissolved oxygen (DO2), phosphates (PO4), nitrates (NO3), calcium, magnesium, potassium, Total soluble solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC) as well as alkaline salts (ALK.) The quality of polluted water has been observed at the sites of the study due to the increase in wastewater flowing into the river, especially river branches and the illegal discharges of industrial waste and sewage. In addition to the severe shortage of water levels in the last five years.
