An evaluation of satellite dust-detection algorithms in the Middle East region

ABSTRACTIn the last 15 years, the frequency, spatial extent, and intensity of dust storms have increased and it is one of the main continuously occurring environmental hazard in the Middle East region. Since dust storms generally cover a large spatial extent and are highly dynamic, satellite Earth Observation (EO) is a key tool for detecting their occurrence, identifying their origin, and monitoring their transport and state. A variety of satellite dust detection algorithms have been developed to identify dust emissions sources and dust plumes once entrained in the atmosphere. This paper evaluates the performance of five widely applied dust detection algorithms: the Brightness Temperature Difference (BTD), D-parameter, Normalized Difference Dust Index (NDDI), Thermal-Infrared Dust Index (TDI) and the Middle East Dust Index (MEDI). These algorithms are applied to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data to detect dust-contaminated pixels during three significant dust events in 2007 in the...