Hossein Hashemi, Associate Professor in Water Resource Engineering, and the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies at Lund University are looking into the causes and trends of these storms, using artificial intelligence and remote picking up to monitor the situation. In addition to checking out connections between war and land use, the group is analyzing the 3000-year-old qanat system, a sustainable water harvesting method, as a potential option to mitigate the results of these storms and maintain biodiversity and food security.
These can span over numerous kilometers, and on the surface, the water can be brought further in an open channel and dispersed for agricultural usage or for drinking water.
Utilizing water harvesting systems, such as floodwater dispersing and qanat, there might be less effect on environmental water and surface area water products, such as lakes and marshlands. The water circulation in a qanat is managed by the level of the water table.
His research study provides more understanding of the difficulties, but also some possible solutions:
” We must take a look at these problems from a multidisciplinary point of view, including socio-political, affordable, and management aspects to the technical and natural science-based realities. There is much to find out from traditional practices that are naturally adapted to the communities and use sustainable techniques,” states Hossein Hashemi.
Sand and dust storms are more frequent today
The highest density of dust sources in the Middle East remains in Iraq between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and along the Syria-Iraq border. This is the focus area for Hossein Hashemi ´ s current research study which likewise includes neighboring Türkiye and Iran.
The natural sources of sand and dust storms are generally deserts and dry lands. In the hot months in the summer, the strong north-easterly winds bring big amounts of particles across the region.
These storms are ending up being more regular, they span over longer durations of time and spread to a broader location. Climate modification is likely a motorist, however likewise anthropogenic aspects such as more deserted agricultural land, water management upstream, migration to city locations, and depopulation triggered by conflicts and war
” The ecological data from the area related to climate change and human activities are not enough and limited for strong conclusions on this correlation,” states Hossein Hashemi.
However, Hossein Hashemi and his team keep an eye on the development gradually, using input from both remote sensing and advanced data modeling, allowing him to study different changes and time durations separately to specify probable domino effects.
” There is less water inflow to the lakes and marshlands in the Middle East due to factors such as dam buildings upstream and climate modification. With the support of artificial intelligence and satellite data, we can define locations where we see that land is more susceptible to becoming new dust sources,” discusses Hossein Hashemi.
The entire area is now mapped utilizing synthetic intelligence, and contributing to the spatial analysis, the novelty of the project run by Hossein Hashemi and his group is that with temporal changes, they can dynamically show how dust sources differ gradually.
” Next, we want to relate these dust sources to socio-political changes. We are checking out the relationship between land use modifications and war in the area, specifically in Iraq. How has the war impacted the land use, and has these modifications led to the change of lands into dust sources,” says Hossein Hashemi.
Connections of dust sources and impacts of war.
The research group that brings viewpoints from natural geography, sociology, and engineering, has recently published a research study of the lakes in the area. Poor water management and dry spell durations have caused them to shrink and end up being potential dust sources.
Now, the group will look at a more comprehensive analysis of land usage over the last twenty years and connections with another map that reveals the results of war.
” We have information about how numerous individuals have been eliminated in some areas, which is likewise a cause for more abandoned land. We want to see the correlation with concerns to land usage with our dust source map and war map,” says Hossein Hashemi.
As more of the soil is becoming sand and water shortages are increasing, lots of villagers in Iraq have actually been required to move into cities. The tension on land and people are challenges that can cause discontent and include to the currently contrasted area.
Discoveries from the 3000-year-old qanat system
The next step is to take a look at possible solutions. Again, by utilizing synthetic intelligence to apply different management circumstances and see what could improve the situation or at least mitigate the results.
There are arrangements on water partnership in between the countries in the region, but they are not constantly followed. The old system of qanats has actually ended up being interesting as an enhance due to its resilience and sustainable way of gathering water.
Nature-based options may increase local water supply
The qanat is a standard water harvesting and conveyance system that is more than 3000 years old, come from Persia. It consists of a network of underground channels that use gravity to bring groundwater from so-called aquifers approximately the surface. These can span over numerous kilometers, and on the surface area, the water can be brought further in an open channel and distributed for agricultural use or for drinking water.
” Nature-based options might increase regional supply of water. Using water harvesting systems, such as floodwater spreading and qanat, there could be less influence on environmental water and surface water supplies, such as lakes and marshlands. Studies have revealed that dried areas of lakes, such as Urmia and Therthar, are primary sources of emerging dust storms in the Middle East,” says Hossein Hashemi.
Loss of water is a risk to biodiversity and food security
Modern water facilities and rural depopulation have actually decreased making use of qanats, therefore some have dried up or are not well preserved. In some regions, neighborhoods still rely on them as the main source of water supply.
The water flow in a qanat is managed by the level of the water table. It can not cause a substantial drawdown of the underground aquifer, hence making it a sustainable method to harvest water. As the qanats are underground there is little loss of water to evaporation. The system also has benefits as it is less sensitive to variations from wet to dry years.
“Loss of water implies loss of biodiversity and a loss of resources for food security. Lake Urmia, not far from the Tigris and Euphrates River basin, has now end up being a dust source. The depletion of natural deposits triggers dangers for society. That is why we require to deal with these matters from a multidisciplinary view, and the options need to take both human wellness and nature into consideration,” concludes Hossein Hashemi.
The task is moneyed by CMES for a 3-year period, 2021-2024.
The research group includes Amir Naghibi, Ali Mansourian, Sara Brogaard, Pengxiang Zhao, and Hossein Hashemi.
The Middle East and North Africa lose roughly $13 billion annually due to increasing sand and dust storms, which damage crops, infrastructure, and human and animal health. Hossein Hashemi, Associate Professor in Water Resource Engineering, and the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies at Lund University are researching the causes and patterns of these storms, utilizing expert system and remote picking up to keep track of the situation. In addition to exploring connections in between war and land usage, the team is taking a look at the 3000-year-old qanat system, a sustainable water harvesting technique, as a potential service to reduce the impacts of these storms and protect biodiversity and food security.
Researchers are using expert system and a 3000-year-old water harvesting method to fight the $13 billion yearly loss brought on by sand and dust storms in the Middle East and North Africa.
Sand and dust storms cause damage to crops, human and animal health, buildings and infrastructure, and force shutdowns for a number of weeks. There are natural sources of these storms, however also human-induced elements have actually contributed to the issue in the last years.
Hossein Hashemi, Associate Professor in Water Resource Engineering, and the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies at Lund University, has been studying the causes and trends for a number of years.
