Application of Satellite Remote Sensing for Mapping and Monitoring of Saline Dust Emission Sources in the Urmia Lake Watershed in Iran.

Saline dust storms are natural hazards affecting public health as well as agricultural and natural ecosystems. Saline playas in arid and semi-arid regions of the world are significant sources of unconsolidated sediments susceptible to aeolian transport. Urmia Lake in northwestern Iran, the sixth-largest saltwater lake on Earth, has waned to approximately 50% of its original size due to groundwater pumping and surface water diversions. This has led to ecosystem degradation, accelerated desertification and frequent dust storms, causing respiratory diseases and other health problems. The present study aims to identify and map potential dust source locations in the Urmia Lake region by means of satellite remote sensing (i.e., Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8) and laboratory spectroradiometer measurements. The relationships between remotely sensed land surface properties such as soil moisture, soil texture, and vegetation cover and dust events pre- and post-dating playa development are explored to inform potential remediation measures.