| Abstrakt: |
Clouds are important moderators of the Earth's climate and play a large role in creating precipitation, temperature changes, and hydrological and radiation balances. This research was carried out to reveal cloud changes in the basin of Urmia Lake. For this purpose, the observed data of the total cloud cover of five selected stations for the statistical period of 70 years (1951–2020) and the total cloud cover product (CFFCM) of the MODIS sensor were used, and the analysis of the cloudiness trend using Ridit analysis was done for the first time. The results showed that the highest percentage of total cloud cover belongs to the cloudless, fully cloudy, and semi-cloudy classes. The results of Ridit and Mann Kendall's analysis showed a negative trend in the spring, summer, and winter seasons and a negative and decreasing trend in the fall season, except for Urmia, Saqez, and Khoy. In the results of the MODIS satellite data trends, the results indicate a negative trend and a non-significant decrease in cloudiness in all four stations on an annual and seasonal basis, except Urmia station, which has a positive trend and a non-significant increase in all four seasons and on an annual basis. Also, the compatibility of the results of the Ridit analysis and the satellite data of the MODIS sensor had similarities and correspondence, thus proving the correctness of the results obtained from the Ridit analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
