Management and Evaluation of Sand Dunes and Their Impact on Environmental Degradation in the Eastern of Salah Al-Din Governorate

Abstract

The study aimed at using RS and GIS to monitor changes in movement and stabilization of sand dunes and their effect on degradation and environmental pollution. Field work included selecting a representative area of ​​sand dunes in the east of Salah-Aldin Governorate, and then obtaining some of the samples. Laboratory work involved the preparation of samples for the determined some of the chemical and physical analysis. The library work included the acquisition of more than satellite images (1976, 2000, 2010 and 2011), and then we making at the Digital processing which involve geometric correction and spectral enhancement and then the values ​​of the indicators and plant indicators were calculated (NDVI, VI, SI, BSI, LDI, TNDVI, NDVI, MSAVI, IPVI, NDSDI, CI) by using the ERDAS and GIS program for the calculated degree of degradation and production of the NDVI maps, and calculations were active and non-active area. The results showed an increase in the area of non-active ​​sand dunes in the years(2010 and 2011) compared with the(1976 and 2000) years. The results showed that the values ​​of plant indicators (NDVI, VI, TNDVI, SAVI, MSAVI, IPVI and CI) were increased in the Non active Sand dunes. The study confirms that remote sensing techniques play an important role in monitoring the deterioration and the movement and stabilization of sand dunes from through NDVI Maps and another indicators were calculated, which require attention to limit their expansion and spread.