Investigating the change in the Sand and Dust Storms’ intensity in affected areas in Sistan Plain

Authors

10.22052/deej.2021.10.30.59

Abstract

Introduction: Sand and dust storms (SDS) are naturally occurring phenomena in arid and semi-arid areas that cause some critical challenges in such areas, whose intensity have increased by drought and water scarcity. Located in eastern Iran, the Sistan plain is affected intensively by the negative effects of such storms, which also affect Afghanistan and Pakistan. This study sought to investigate the extent and range of changes in the effects of dust storms, the variations of the wind velocity, and the changes in climatic factors in the Sistan plain so that managerial measures could be developed for fighting against such storms. 
 
Method: In this study, annual mean temperature and precipitation were selected as climate variables to measure the change in the study area’s climate. These data were analyzed for 1977-2014 period, using the Mann-Kendall (M–K) test. The magnitude of slope in the MK test, is applied to determine the tendency of parameters. A positive slope magnitude indicates an increasing trend, while a negative slope magnitude suggests a decreasing trend. The changes in sand and dust storms intensity in Sistan plain was investigated through the Present weather data (WW). Also, the wind speed data during the study period were applied to investigate the changes in this parameter. The brightness temperature degree index was calculated to determine the affected sand and dust storms extend. This affected area was mapped for 2000, 2004, 2013, and 2018 to determine the changes made by sand and dust storms in the area.
 
Results: The study’s findings showed that the intensity of sand and dust storms increased during the study period, and the area under their influence was expanded in recent years especially in years when the precipitation were low. Moreover, the results indicated that while the main hotspot in the Hamoun body was expanded to more distant areas out of Sistan plain especially in Afghanistan, the wind speed did not change significantly. On the other hand, MK test conducted on precipitation and mean annual temperature showed a decreasing trend in precipitation an increasing trend in annual mean temperature during the study period, indicating that the region’s climate had been getting drier and warmer. Furthermore, the intensity of dust storms had increased and the number of dusty days was doubled, and a wider area was affected by such storms. The findings clearly indicate that the extent and intensity of the sand and dust storms in Sistan plain have increased.
 
Conclusion: The study’s findings suggested an increase in the extent and intensity of sand and dust storms was in the Sistan Plain throughout the study period (1977-2014), which could be due to the changes in the wind speed or annual mean temperature and precipitation of the region. In this regard, it was found that while the changes in the wind speed was not significance, there were significant changes in the region’s annual mean temperature and precipitation. Moreover, the results of Man-Kendal test showed a decreasing trend in precipitation and an increasing trend in temperature during the study period, indicating that the region had become drier and warmer, which in turn had increased the potentials for the rise of dusts in each storm. Therefore, with the dryness of the region, the soil moisture would decrease, providing the grounds for the occurrence of a dusty day by any wind. Moreover, as the areas affected by sand and dust storms have been expanded, this study emphasizes on long-term planning for protecting local people against such storms.

Keywords

References

1. Albarakat, R. and Lakshmi, V., 2019. Monitoring Dust Storms in Iraq Using Satellite Data. Sensors, 19(17), 3687.‌ 2. An, L., Che, H., Xue, M., Zhang, T., Wang, H., Wang, Y. and Sun, T., 2018. Temporal and spatial variations in sand and dust storm events in East Asia from 2007 to 2016: Relationships with surface conditions and climate change. Science of the Total Environment, 633, 452-462.‌ 3. Arjmand, M., Rashki, A. and Sargazi, H., 2015. Spatial and temporal monitoring of dust storm using satellite data in the East of Iran. Geographical Data (SEPEHR). 106(27): 154-168. 4. Babaee Fini, O., Safarrad, T. and Karimi, M. 2014. Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Dust Storm Occurrence in West of IRAN. Journal of Environmental Studies, 40(2), 375-388. 5. Danesh shahraki, M., Shahriari, A., Ganjali, M. and Bameri, A. 2017. Seasonal and Spatial Variability of Airborne Dust Loading Rate over the Sistan plain cities and its Relationship with some Climatic Parameters. Journal of Water and Soil Conservation, 23(6), 199-215. 6. El-Askary, H., Gautam, R., Singh, R. and Kafatos, M., 2006. Dust storms detection over the Indo-Gangetic basin using multi sensor data. Advances in Space Research 37: 728–733. 7. Farajzadeh, M. and Alizadeh, Kh., 2010. The Temporal Analysis of Dust Storms in Iran. The Journal of Spatial Planning. 15(1). 65-84. 8. Fussel, H. and Klein, R. 2006., Climate change vulnerability assessments: an evolution of conceptual thinking. Climate Change. 75 (3): 301–329. 9. Ghavidel, E., Farajzadeh, M. and Lashani, A., 2018. The Temporal Analysis of Dust Storms in Khoramabad Synoptic Station. Researches in Geographical Sciences. 18 (51): 87-102. 10. Gohari, Z, Ekhtesasi, M., Hosseini, M. and Mobin, H., 2009. Sand and dust storm density zoning in Sistan plain. Conference of sustainable desert wetlands. Arak. Iran. 11. Hosseini, M., Rosta, K., Zamani, A. and Teimori, M., 2015. Farmers' Perception of Drought Consequences by Phenomenological Approach (Case study: South Khorasan Province). Agricultural extension and education research. 10(4): 59-70. 12. Kaskaoutis, D.G., Rashki, A., Houssos, E.E., Goto, D. and Nastos, P.T., 2014. Extremely high aerosol loading over Arabian Sea during June 2008: The specific role of the atmospheric dynamics and Sistan dust storms. Atmospheric environment, 94, 374-384. 13. Kiani, A., Fazelnia, Gh. and Rezaei, B., 2012. Investigation and prioritization of natural risk in Zabol. Journal of Geography and Environmental Studies, 1(1), 98-111. 14. Khoshkish, A., Alijani, B. and Hejazizadeh, Z., 2011. The synoptic analysis of dust storm systems in Lorestan provience. Applicable geoghraphic research. 11(22): 91-100. 15. Maleki, S., Koupaei, S.S., Soffianian, A., Saatchi, S., Pourmanafi, S. and Rahdari, V., 2019. Human and Climate Effects on the Hamoun Wetlands. Weather, Climate, and Society, 11(3), 609-622. 16. Mahoudabadi, M. and Rajabpour, H., 2017. Study on the effect of initial soil moisture content on wind erosion rate using a laboratory wind tunnel. Journal of Water and Soil Conservation. 24(2), 167-183. 17. Mei, D., Xiushan, L., Lin, S. and Ping, W., 2008. A Dust-Storm Process Dynamic Monitoring With Multi-Temporal MODIS Data. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences. 7: 965-970. 18. Middleton, N. and Utchang, K., 2017. Sand and Dust Storms: Impact Mitigation. Sustainability. 9(1053): 1-22. 19. Middleton, N.J., 2019. Variability and trends in dust storm frequency on decadal timescales: climatic drivers and human impacts. Geosciences 9 (6), 261. 20. Miri, A., Ahmdi, H., Ekhtesasi, M.R., Panjehkeh, N. and Ghanbarie, A., 2009 . Environmental and socio-economic impacts of dust storms in Sistan Region, Iran. Journal of Environmental Studies, 66: 343-355. 21. Miri, A., Maleki, S., and Middleton, N. 2021. An investigation into climatic and terrestrial drivers of dust storms in the Sistan region of Iran in the early twenty-first century. Science of The Total Environment, 757, 143952.‌ 22. Piri, H., Abbaszadeh, M., Rahdari, V. and Maleki, S., 2013. Comparative Evaluation of Four Meteorological Drought Indices using the Cluster Analysis (Case study: Sistan and Baluchestan). Water engineering journal. 6:29- 36. 23. Rashki, A., 2014. Investigation of changes in sand and dust storm sources in Sistan. Sand and dust storm Conference. Ahvaz. Iran. 24. Saatchi, S., Asefi-Najafabadi, S., Malhi, Y., Aragão, L., Anderson, L. and Myneni, R., 2013. Persistent effects of a severe drought on Amazonian forest canopy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 110: 565-570. 25. Sissakian, V., Al-Ansari, N. and Knutsson, S., 2013. Sand and dust storm events in Iraq. Journal of Natural Science, 5(10), 1084-1094.‌ 26. Shamohamadi, Z. and Maleki, S. 2011. The life of Hamoun. Jahad daneshgahi. Tehran. Iran 27. Shahraiyni, H., Karimi, K., Nokhandan, M. and Moghadas, N., 2015. Monitoring of dust storm and estimation of aerosol concentration in the Middle East using remotely sensed images. Arabian Journal of Geoscince. 8: 2095-2110. 28. Tegen, I., 2003.Modeling the mineral dust aerosol cycle in the climate system. Quaternary Science Reviews. 22: 1821-1834. 29. Vali, A. and Roustaei, F., 2018. Investigation of the Wind Erosion Trend in Central Iran using Dust Storm Index in the Last Fifty Years. JWSS. 21 (4) :189-200 30. World Resources Institute (WRI). 2006. Integrated water resources management for Sistan closed inland delta-Sistan wetlands ecosystems. Delft Hydraulics. Netherlands. 113 p. 31. Yarahmadi, D., Nasiri, B., Khoshkih, A. and Nikbakht, H., 2012. The effect of weather variation on dust storm. Desert ecosystem engineering journal. 5: 19-28 32. Zolfaghari, H., Masoumpour, J., Shayganmehr, Sh. and Ahmadi, M., 2011. A synoptic investigation of dust storms in western regions of iran during 2005-2010 (a case study of widespread wave in july 2009). Geography and environmental planning. 22(3): 17-34. 33. Wang, W. 2005 A synoptic model on east Asian dust emission and transport. Atmospheric science and air quality conferences. Beijing.China 14
Desert Ecosystem Engineering
Volume 10, Issue 30
May 2021
Pages 111-125

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics