Date of Defense
7-11-2024 4:00 PM
Location
F3-132
Document Type
Thesis Defense
College
College of Science
First Advisor
Dr. Alaa Ahmed
Keywords
Drought trends, climate change, water management, sustainable strategies, aquifer recharge, desalination technologies, GRACE data, and groundwater storage.
Abstract
This thesis examines trends of drought related to climate change in a region within the Abu Dhabi Emirate through advanced remote sensing and statistical trend analysis techniques. To analyze long-term trends in temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration, and groundwater levels, we use Google Earth Engine (GEE) as our primary data extraction and analysis tool, covering the years from 2002 to 2016. Evaluation of MODIS Land Surface Temperature data indicated a statistically significant warming trend each month, with rates reaching as high as 0.1°C/year. Although precipitation patterns revealed significant variability without any major trends, evapotranspiration values showed a predictable increase, especially during the winter. Analysis of GRACE data showed a concerning fall in groundwater storage, which was strongly associated with climbing temperatures (r = -0.76, p < 0.001), growing evapotranspiration rates (r = -0.81, p < 0.001). A multi-index drought analysis that includes the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI), and the Aridity Index (AI) delivered a more sophisticated understanding of drought conditions. There was no perceived trend in SPI, but AI showed a pronounced decrease (tau = -0.765, p < 0.001), which suggests a growing aridity. These discoveries stress the critical demand for sustainable water management in arid regions such as Abu Dhabi Emirate. This thesis introduces strategies for managed aquifer recharge, stricter groundwater regulations, and pioneering desalination technologies, emphasizing potential research paths in advanced remote sensing, improved climate modeling applicable to arid environments, and interdisciplinary practices to build resilience against climate change impacts.
Included in
ASSESSING CLIMATE CHANGE-INDUCED DROUGHT IN ABU DHABI
F3-132
This thesis examines trends of drought related to climate change in a region within the Abu Dhabi Emirate through advanced remote sensing and statistical trend analysis techniques. To analyze long-term trends in temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration, and groundwater levels, we use Google Earth Engine (GEE) as our primary data extraction and analysis tool, covering the years from 2002 to 2016. Evaluation of MODIS Land Surface Temperature data indicated a statistically significant warming trend each month, with rates reaching as high as 0.1°C/year. Although precipitation patterns revealed significant variability without any major trends, evapotranspiration values showed a predictable increase, especially during the winter. Analysis of GRACE data showed a concerning fall in groundwater storage, which was strongly associated with climbing temperatures (r = -0.76, p < 0.001), growing evapotranspiration rates (r = -0.81, p < 0.001). A multi-index drought analysis that includes the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI), and the Aridity Index (AI) delivered a more sophisticated understanding of drought conditions. There was no perceived trend in SPI, but AI showed a pronounced decrease (tau = -0.765, p < 0.001), which suggests a growing aridity. These discoveries stress the critical demand for sustainable water management in arid regions such as Abu Dhabi Emirate. This thesis introduces strategies for managed aquifer recharge, stricter groundwater regulations, and pioneering desalination technologies, emphasizing potential research paths in advanced remote sensing, improved climate modeling applicable to arid environments, and interdisciplinary practices to build resilience against climate change impacts.