Climate Change and Climate Disaster

Spatial–Temporal Analysis of Dust Storm Patterns in Lorestan Province: From Geostatistical Data Integration to Cloud Computing with Google Earth Engine

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

آزاده پولادوند 1
Gholamali Mozaffari 2
, hamidreza gafarian 2
kamal omidvar 2
, ahmad mazidi, 2

1 Yazd, University Boulevard, Yazd University. Yazd University Dormitory Management.

2 Yazd, University Boulevard, Yazd University. Humanities and Social Sciences Campus. Faculty of Geography Department

10.30740/cccd.2024.737296
Abstract
This study examines the spatiotemporal distribution and trends of the dust phenomenon in Lorestan Province over a 20-year period (2000–2020). By integrating ground-based data from synoptic stations with MODIS satellite imagery and utilizing the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform alongside Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) index was analyzed as a key indicator of suspended particulate concentration and dust intensity. Statistical methods, including the Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator, were applied to detect temporal trends. The results indicate a substantial increase in dust events, from 33 days per year in 2000 to 110 days per year in 2020, with the most pronounced rise occurring in the third decade (2011–2020). The annual mean AOD also increased from 0.15 to 0.45, reflecting a marked growth in particulate concentration, particularly during the spring season. A strong correlation (>80%) was observed between ground-based and satellite data, with close temporal alignment in recorded dust events. The GEE platform demonstrated significant advantages due to its high efficiency in processing large datasets and conducting spatiotemporal analyses. Projections suggest that by 2030, the number of dusty days may reach 150 per year, with the mean AOD rising to 0.6. This escalating trend is likely to be further intensified by climate change, recurrent droughts, and the degradation of vegetation cover.

Keywords

Detection
Lorestan Province
Trend
Dust
Storm
Subjects

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