Spectral mixture analysis for monitoring and mapping desertification processes in semi-arid areas in North Kordofan State, Sudan

Abstract

One of the most important recently issues facing Sudan as well as sub-Sahara Africa is the threat of continued land degradation and desertification, as result of climatic factors and human activities. Remote sensing and satellites imageries with temporal and synoptic view play a major role in developing a global and local operational capability for monitoring land degradation and desertification in dry lands as well as in Sudan. The process of desertification in central Sudan, especially in North Kordofan State has increased rapidly, and much effort has been devoted to define and study its causes and impacts. Taking advantages of the future hyperspectral imagery and developing methods such as spectral mixture analysis (SMA) are recently much recommended as most suitable methods for vegetation studies in arid and semiarid areas. Therefore, this study is intending to improve the monitoring capability afforded by remote sensing to analyse and map the desertification processes in North Kordofan by using SMA technique...