Climate Change Research

Climate Change Research

Analysis of the Impact of Agricultural Fires on Air Quality in Mazandaran Province Using Satellite Data

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
alireza yousefi kebriya 1
Mehdi Nadi 2
Hosein Yousefi Kebriya 3
1 Ph.D. of Agrometeorology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources sari, Iran
2 Associate Professor of Agricultural Meteorology, Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Sari, Iran
3 Bachelor's student in Computer Science, Computer Department, Faculty of Computer Science, Islamic Azad University of Babol, Babol, Iran
10.30488/ccr.2025.492951.1260
Abstract
Burning of agricultural fields is considered one of the main contributors to air pollution in agricultural regions, resulting in serious environmental and health impacts. This study utilized satellite images from Landsat, MODIS, and Sentinel 5 to investigate pollution caused by this phenomenon in Mazandaran province. Initially, the NDVI index was used to identify vegetation cover, and agricultural areas were delineated by excluding forests. Subsequently, burned areas from 2022 to 2024 were identified using the MODIS fire index. The accuracy of the results was validated with actual MODIS images, and data on AOD, AAI, and carbon monoxide were extracted from MODIS and Sentinel 5 satellites. Additionally, a regression model was developed using data from the Tehran Fath station and satellite information to estimate pollution in the agricultural areas of Babol, Amol, and Fereydunkenar, with daily and monthly AQI charts for these cities plotted for the year 2022. The results indicated that the eastern regions of the province, including Babol, Amol, Qaemshahr, and Sari, experienced the highest levels of agricultural field burning, which was corroborated by satellite images. The pollution map revealed that coastal areas and main roads experienced the most pollution. Data analysis showed a significant relationship with a coefficient of determination of 0.75 between actual and satellite data. The AQI exceeded 120 during post-harvest of rice. Based on these findings, it is recommended instead of burning, use alternative methods of agricultural residue management, such as converting straw into biochar.
Keywords
AOD index
MODIS satellite
Agriculture
Fire
air pollution

Subjects

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