Sand dune risk assessment in Sabha region, Libya using Landsat 8, MODIS, and Google earth engine images

Publication Type:
Journal Article
Citation:
Geomatics, Natural Hazards and Risk, 2018, 9 (1), pp. 1280 - 1305
Issue Date:
2018-12-07
Full metadata record
© 2018 The Author(s). Globally, sand dunes are a major environmental problem that causes damage to urban areas, transportation, and population. The current study proposes a comprehensive investigation on sand dune risk modeling in Sabha located in the southwestern part of Libya. Data from various sources were collected and prepared in a GIS database. Data from 2016 were used to derive several controlling factors, such as altitude, rainfall, soil texture, wind direction and speed, land cover, and population density. Next, sand dune susceptibility, hazard and vulnerability assessments were performed. Finally, a risk map was produced. Results indicate that land use and soil are the most influential factors affecting the sand dunes in the study area, whereas rainfall is the least significant factor. Results indicate that, southern part has a higher chance of sand dune occurrence than the northern part, whereas the highest risk zone is located in the middle part, where the urban and agricultural lands are present. More than 200km2 of the study area are under high and very high risk zones. Overall, this study provides an effective tool for assessing sand dune risk in Sabha, which can be useful for land management.
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