Evaluating and predicting changes occuring on coastal borders of the Jeddah city using satellite images

Abstract

The current study highlighted the usefulness of satellite images in monitoring and predicting changes occurring on the shorelines through a bi-dimensional data based and situational based strategy. Three coastal areas of the Jeddah city were selected as Salman Bay, Sharm Abhar and Jeddah Port. For the data-based dimension, data collected through satellite images were used in the analysis covering the period 1972-2016. Four regression models were used to study the variation in the coastal borders of the study area. Predictions for the next 9 years (up to 2025) were carried out using the four Regression models. The results of the findings revealed that shrinkage has been witnessed in all areas under study. Another fact came to the limelight is the proximity of the objective results with expectations of the experts thus providing credence to the appropriateness of the used statistical models. For the situational based dimension, the effect of various anthropogenic activities and geo-environmental natural processes in the study area were identified. Based on the study findings, a continuous monitoring of the coastal areas is suggested along with maintaining a concrete database. The proposed techniques can be extended to study the coastal shrinkage and extension in other regions as well.