Spatiotemporal changes of two satellite-based drought indices and their correlations with hydroclimate and vegetation variables across Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M.Sc. Graduate of Watershed Sciences and Engineering, Department of Natural Resources Engineering, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Natural Resources Engineering, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Natural Resources Engineering, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran

10.29252/aridbiom.2024.21468.2008

Abstract

Drought is one of the most widespread and costly natural disasters that mankind is facing. The use of remote sensing-based indices is one of the efficient tools for monitoring the spatiotemporal changes of drought in vast regions with climate diversity such as Iran. The purpose of this research is to compare the results of the monthly monitoring of the drought condition based on two satellite-based indices in the growing season over a period of 21 years (2001-2021) across Iran. The drought severity index (DSI) computation and the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) extraction was carried out through the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. In addition, the bivariate correlation (Pearson Test) of the values of these two indices of drought severity with hydroclimate variables including precipitation (CHIRPS satellite product), temperature (MODIS LST), and soil moisture (GLDAS products) as well as vegetation cover (MODIS NDVI) was assessed in seven different climate zones of Iran. The spatial distribution of the different categories of drought severity based on the values of DSI and PDSI showed that in 2001 (dry year) about 21% and 99% of the area of Iran was affected by drought and in 2020 (wet year) about 92% and 73% of the country was affected by wet conditions. Based on the temporal variations of DSI and PDSI values, mild to extreme drought conditions (categories D2 to D5) prevailed in 25% and 75% of the months of the growing season in the 21-year period across Iran. Examination of the bivariate correlation across each of the seven climate zones showed that there is a significant direct relationship between DSI and PDSI values in the absolute arid, arid, slightly semi-arid, and moderately semi-arid climate zones and that the DSI values have a significant inverse relationship with temperature and a significant direct relationship with rainfall and soil moisture as well as a strong positive correlation with the NDVI values.

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