Study of morphologic changes in Karun River using linear directional mean, remote sensing and geographic information system

Abstract

The study region is a section of the Karun River located in Khuzestan Province that stretches from Gotvand to Tange Aghili in Shushtar. This article intended, to study morphological changes in the Karun River using the “linear directional mean" and “mean center methods", based on four series of satellite (Landsat TM and Landsat – ETM) images. The linear directional mean and the mean center methods were employed in a GIS environment to analyze the degree of changes in the river. Based on the linear directional mean method, the length of the river increased from “1958 to 1989 “but declined from" 1989 to 2010". Results obtained from the mean center method, indicate that the extent of displacement in the studied interval did not follow a regular pattern. Finally, Results indicate that Karun River has undergone considerable changes and displacements in the different study periods in the study region.