Interaction of dust concentration with fluctuating seasonal temperature in Khuzestan province in the 30 recent years

Dust is a mass of solid particles that diffuses in the atmosphere and diminishes the brightness and limits horizontal visibility. One compelling reason would be climate change that has adverse effects on the environment. Increasing in dust concentration in the last decades caused more decline in vegetation in the west of Iran. This is an interactive effect on vegetation cover and dust storms in this area that also have some health hazards. Researchers showed a remarkable increase in death rate between respiratory patients by escalating in dust concentrations. Drying of wetlands in Khuzestan province leads to dust occurrence which has been exacerbated by winds carrying larger amount of dust from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Syria forwards to the southwest of Iran and this issue results in numerous deficiencies. Other reasons for this phenomenon are the reduction of air humidity, temperature rise, drought, untapped use of water resources, especially groundwater resources. Therefore, with increasing wind velocity and with regarding to the conditions of the region, the occurring dust events will not be unexpected. The purpose of this study was to investigate the trend of changes in concentration of dust with fluctuating seasonal temperature in Khuzestan province during the last 30 years until 2015.A comparison between the temperature and the dust concentrations shows the most rate concentrations in June and July. According to the adverse effects of suspended particles on health and vegetation, knowing the changes in this phenomenon will help to short, medium and long-term national and regional plans to reduce undesirable effects and eradicate this issue.

Keywords:

Dust , Horizontal visibility , Climate change , Temperature variability , Khuzestan province