Evaluating the Chemical Degradation of Soil in Central Iraq by Integrating with Sentinel-2 Data


Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 30 September 2026

Document Type : Articles

Authors

1 College of Remote Sensing & Geophysics, Al-Karkh University of Science, Iraq

2 Studies and Planning Department, Al-Karkh University of Science, Iraq

Abstract
This study introduces a novel framework for leveraging soil resources in Iraq's role in mitigating climate change, uniquely contributing to soil science and environmental sustainability. The study was carried out in the center of Iraq, where soil is a parent material in a Calcareous Alluvium type. The results based on the geometric arithmetic mean to assess the state of chemical degradation in the soil by integration of the results of laboratory analyzes of soil salinity, the percentage of sodium exchanged in the soil and organic matter with the prevailing and influential salts such as NaCl, MgCl2 and CaSO4 with spectral indicators derived from Sentinel-2 data such as Salinity Index (SI) and optimized soil-adjusted vegetation index (OSAVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI). The investigation into the feasibility of creating predictive models for chemical degradation indicators led to maps depicting these indicators. Subsequently, the geometric arithmetic mean of these maps was computed to determine the Soil Chemical Degradation Index (S.C.D.I). The findings of this study indicate that regular agricultural practices, coupled with access to safe water sources, contribute to the development of soils in a low-degradation category. However, the local conditions characterized by drought and inadequate management significantly contribute to converting extensive portions of the study area into chemically degraded soils.

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