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Monitoring Mass Variations in Iraq Using Time-Variable Gravity Data

مؤلف البحث
Abdullah Othman , Ahmed Abdelrady and Ahmed Mohamed
ملخص البحث

Iraq is facing a water shortage due to water scarcity and anthropogenic activities. The
recent advance in technologies in geophysical methods has made groundwater monitoring possible.
Time-variable gravity data and outputs of the climatic model, as well as rainfall data, are integrated
to investigate the spatio-temporal mass variations caused by groundwater changes over Iraq. The
findings are: (1) For the entire study period (04/2002–12/2020), Period I (04/2002–12/2006), Period
II (01/2007–12/2017), and Period III (01/2018–12/2020), the study region had an average annual
precipitation rate of 223.4, 252.5, 194.2, and 311.6 mm/y, respectively. (2) The average Terrestrial
Water Storage variations (DTWSs) varied from 􀀀5.79 0.70 to 􀀀5.11 0.70 mm/y based on the
three different gravity solutions with a mean of 􀀀5.51 0.68 mm/y for the entire investigated
period. (3) For Periods I, II, and III, the average DTWS fluctuation was calculated to be +6.82 1.92,
􀀀6.20 1.17, and +28.58 12.78 mm/y, respectively. (4) During the entire period, Periods I, II,
and II, the groundwater fluctuation was averaged at 􀀀4.86 0.68, +2.47 2.20, 􀀀3.79 1.20, and
􀀀4.63 12.99 mm/y, respectively, after subtracting the non-groundwater components. (5) At the
beginning of the 2007 drought during Period II, a decline in rainfall rate, and significant groundwater
withdrawal during Period III all appear to have contributed to groundwater depletion. The Euphrates
and Tigris Rivers, as well as the Mesopotamian plain, receive water from the running streams created
by the ground relief. The area of the Mesopotamian plain, which has a thicker sedimentary sequence
that can reach 9000 m, is found to have a positive TWS signal, indicating that its groundwater
potential is higher. The integrated approach is informative and cost-effective.

تاريخ البحث
قسم البحث
مجلة البحث
Remote Sensing
المشارك في البحث
عدد البحث
14
سنة البحث
2022
صفحات البحث
3346