Discussion of a master’s thesis at the College of Engineering, University of Kirkuk

The first defense of a master’s thesis at the College of Engineering at Kirkuk University
Today, Thursday, 11/23/2023, the College of Engineering witnessed the first scientific discussion in the Department of Civil Engineering at the College of Engineering at Kirkuk University for the master’s thesis tagged:
Modeling spatio-temporal metrological drought characterization in Iraq using multiple indices
The thesis submitted by the student (Seong Ramzi Ali) dealt with analyzing the characteristics of climate drought spatially and temporally for 24 stations spread in different regions of Iraq (using nine different indicators of climate drought for the period from 1980 to 2021 on multiple time scales). According to the Köppen climate classification, the stations were divided into four regions to study the characteristics of drought using precipitation and temperature data to calculate indicators of drought with the help of the DMAP program.
Spatial and temporal maps of drought characteristics were created using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. In addition, the Drought Degree Index (DDI) was used to determine the driest year during the study period through all the approved drought indices. The SPI was adopted as a standard to compare the performance of the different drought indices. The results showed that DI, RAI, and PNI show a greater number of drought months. and with high intensity. RDI and SPEI are less effective in analyzing drought in the study area and may encounter errors in calculating potential evapotranspiration by neglecting relative humidity data, making the calculations less reliable. MCZI has a high correlation with SPI in the humid region, but results vary when We're heading south.
The study showed that the northern stations are more vulnerable to drought than other stations. The southern region, including the marshes, was the most affected region and the least resilient compared to the northern stations, which were characterized by high resilience. The periods 1997-2001 and 2007-2010 were the most severe drought periods, and the years 2021, 2008, and 1999 were the driest years during the study period, respectively.
The discussion committee consisted of:
1- Professor Dr. Kamel Ali Abdel Hassan / Chairman
2- Professor Dr. Celnik Akram Omar / Member
3- Assistant Professor Dr. Mariwan Reda Fares/member
4- Professor Dr. Taymour Abdel Majeed Ibrahim / member and supervisor.