Dust storms are typical in arid and semi-arid regions such as the Middle East; the frequency and severity of dust storms have grown dramatically in Iraq in recent years. This paper identifies the dust storm sources in Iraq using remotely sensed data from Meteosat-spinning enhanced visible and infrared imager (SEVIRI) bands. Extracted combined satellite images and simulated frontal dust storm trajectories, using the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model, are used to identify the most influential sources in the Middle East and Iraq. Out of 132 dust storms in Iraq during 2020–2023, the most frequent occurred in the spring and summer. A dust source frequency percentage map (DSFPM) is generated using ArcGIS software. The regions located in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan are the largest dust storm sources. New dust sources are identified in Iraq’s southwestern and western regions, such as Al-Nukhaib, Wadi Hauran, and Sinjar, along with new sources in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria. The most common sources are concentrated in Iraq (55.31%), mainly in the Tigris and Euphrates basin, western desert, and Al-Jazeera region, followed by Syria (19.55%), Saudi Arabia (12.29%), and Jordan (11.73%). The highest dust storm source frequency in Iraq is found in the Al- Samawa desert’s southern region (27.37%). Also, the highest frequency of dust sources from each country is determined. Knowing the origins and trajectories of dust storms will enhance treatments of these causes and their consequences on the environment and socio-economics of the region. It contributes to the support of specialised regional agencies to mitigate this phenomenon.
Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are ectoparasites that infest livestock in every geographic region of the world and are vectors of several viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens to both animals and humans. There is little information is available is about tick presence in Buffalo Bubalus bubalis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Artiodactyla, Bovidae) in Iraq. The current study determined the species of ticks parasitizing Buffalo in some central and southern regions included: Baghdad (Al Fathelia), Karbala (Al-Hussainia), Wasit (Kut and Al-Suwairah), Al-Qadisia (Al- Diwaniyah, Al- Saniya, Al-Mihnawea, and Afak), Thi Qar (Al-Nasiriyah and Al-chibayish), Missan (Amara and Qalaat Salih) and Basrah (Al-Haretha, Al-Madena and Al-Deer). A total of 150 Buffal
... Show MoreIraq is located near the northern tip of the Arabian plate, which is advancing northwards relative to the Eurasian plate, and is predictably, a tectonically active country. Seismic activity in Iraq increased significantly during the last decade. So structural and geotechnical engineers have been giving increasing attention to the design of buildings for earthquake resistance. Dynamic properties play a vital role in the design of structures subjected to seismic load. The main objective of this study is to prepare a data base for the dynamic properties of different soils in seismic active zones in Iraq using the results of cross hole and down hole tests. From the data base collected it has been observed that the average ve
... Show MoreFive heavy metals, namely Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Pb in the surface water and through the water column were studied at 10 selected stations in the Razzazah lake and Karbala drainage canal for the period between November 1990 to October 1991*. pH and total hardness were also measured. Lead was found to be the highest in concentration as overall average values, followed by an manganese, iron, copper then cadmium at the surface as well as along the water column. All the studied metals were below or close to the maximum allowed limits of Iraqi standards for inland water. The spatial and seasonal variations were discussed.
The genus Latrodectus Walckenaer, 1805 (Araneae: Theridiidae) is a worldwide distribute genus (Graudins et al., 2001), it includes a group of species commonly referred to as widow spiders. It's considered a taxonomically complex genus as the status of several forms had not been properly evaluated and specific boundaries are not well defined or understood (Levi, 1959; 1967; Garb et al., 2001), therefore, in multiple cases, populations has been uncritically referred to as different taxa. Discriminating between Latrodectus species using morphology has always been problematic (Levi, 1983), it is difficult taxonomically and readily separated from members of other Theridiid genera (Mirshamsi, 2005). The Genus Asagena Sundevall, 1833 was revalidat
... Show MoreThe cement industry is considered one of the strategic industries, because it is directly related to construction work and cement is used as a hydraulic binder. However, it is a simple industry compared to major industries and depends on the availability of the necessary raw materials. This study focuses on optimizing and coordinating the location of raw materials needed for the cement manufacturing in Wasit Governorate in Iraq. Field works include detailed reconnaissance, topographic work, and description and sampling of 24 lithological sections that represent the carbonate deposits, which crop out in the area. The investigated area has the following specifications: The weighted aver
The research aims to identify the extent of the impact of non-Iraqi trading of shares in the Iraq Stock Exchange on the overall financial investment in the market size. And it imposes a search and no statistically significant relationship between variable trading non-Iraqis, the size and the total volume of the market and took the search Iraq Stock Exchange sample to search being the only private place to trade securities in Iraq for the period of 2009- 2015 in order to see if there is a positive impact on the size of trading non-Iraqis or not. Search and adopted the annual reports issued by the Iraq Stock Exchange the main conclusion are:
Having a positive effect on the size of the trading of non-Iraqis in the financial vo
... Show MoreContracaecum rudolphii Hartwich, 1964 is a nematode which causes major concerns to human and wildlife animal’s health. However, the population genetics of C. rudolphii has been poorly studied in Iraq. In order to gain a deeper understanding in the outline of the genetic diversity of the nematode C. rudolphii that were isolated from its host cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus, 1758), in the middle areas of Iraq, twenty specimens of C. rudolphii adults were isolated from nine individuals of P. carbo. The first (ITS-1) internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of C. rudolphii were amplified using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR); then, the amplicons were subjected to sequencing. Concatenation of ITS
... Show MoreBackground: Ruptured uterus is a catastrophic event to both
mother and her fetus. Apart from maternal and fetal mortality
rates, the incidence of rupture of uterus is often taken as an
index of the standard of obstetric care.
Objective: To determine the frequency, causes, management
outcome of ruptured uterus at Al Batool maternity hospital.
Method: The study was conducted in the department of
obstetrics and gynecology at Al Batool maternity hospital
Mosul-Iraq over a period of three years from October 1st 2002
to August 30th 2005. All the cases of uterine rupture presented
during the study period were recorded and managed in the
department. Data was recorded on designed forms.
Results: Thirty nine cas