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The paper deals with techniques of image classification developed to distinguish gypsiferous soils, using the integration of field observation and remote sensing and more specific Landsat/ETM imagery. A Landsat image was assembled and used in this study. The image was acquired by the ETM/Landsat 7 sensor, which was acquired on August, 2012.Two main data have been used in this research, I) Field and II) Satellite data. The amount of gypsum is different from location to other, may be due to the parent material of some locations of the study area which is rich with gypsum minerals, and there is evidence of Gypsic indopedon horizon. The results indicated that the amount of organic matter decreases with increasing the amount of gypsum. In general, the study area is rich with total lime. These results reflect the effect of decalcification and calcification processes caused the formation of illuvial subsurface (calcic) horizon in some location of the study area.The pH values were around neutral to slightly alkaline due to the effect of calcareous parent material and type of climatic conditions. The low ECe values indicate that the soil was non-saline reflected by low values of ECe. The soil classes of the study area are belonging to Haplogypsids, Haplocalcids, Haplocambids, Calciargids and Haplargids. Two maps were prepared to show the distribution of gypsiferous in the study area, the first one is map which shows the output of supervised classification and maximum-like hood for specific, and the second is the thermal-based classification. Thermal-based map could predict the gypsiferous area in a better way, than the classification based only on spectral properties of non-thermal bands.

Remote Sensing accompanied with GIS is a powerful way of mapping land-use/cover change at different spatial and temporal resolutions. This study aims to map the urban land use change of the small city of Darbandikhan, in the west of Kurdistan Region-Iraq using Google Earth time series images, as well as, field statistical data, from 2003 to 2013 which is considered as the most prosperous economic period within the study area. Results showed that the city has extended by 2.7 times, from almost 1.9 km 2 in 2003 to 5.3 km 2 in 2013, mainly to the North and West of the city considering the potentials of the area. During that period residents have doubled mainly because of the rural movement toward urban areas as the result of economic flourishment caused by the economic evolvement in 2003. Also, the developed map has revealed the fact that the distribution of the facilities, except for schools, is not organized. It has been located in such a way around the city center exclusively. The developed map, also revealed, that the distribution of facilities, except schools, not well distributed all over the town and mainly maintain around the city center. Furthermore, the roads, as showed on the map, are mostly (90%) less than 15m wide which rarely met the transportation demands of the city.

Change in land use and land cover, as one of the most important factors of global-scaled environmental transformations, is considered as heart of the sustainable development debate. It is approved that humans are the main driving force that altering the land cover of the globe. In order to attain substantial development, urban authorities should think of useful tools to monitor how the land is now used to apprise future plan. The apprehension of urban change is crucial for making optimal decision and suitable planning. Satellite remote sensing is known potentially as a powerful way of assessing and mapping land-use/cover change at different spatial and temporal resolution. It also offers lower costs and time than those done using the traditional models. Remote sensing data and techniques are extremely useful because of its flexibility to provide views, repetitive coverage over a single area and real time and near real time data acquisition. land uses change and urban growth in remote sensing compose the analysis of two aerial or satellite image bands of a particular area which is recorded at two different dates. This study aims to a produce urban growth map for the small city of Darbandikhan, in the west of Kurdistan Region-Iraq, using RS-GIS data and techniques integrated with field data from 2003 to 2012. Results revealed that the has town sprawled by 2.7 times, from almost 1.9 km2in 2003 to 5.3 km2 in 2012, mainly to the North and West of the city. During this period population has doubled mainly because of migration from rural to urban area. Developed map shows that the distribution of facilities, except schools, trended to maintain around city center and not well distributed all over the town. It is also resulted that approximately 90% of streets were less than 15m.  

The study was conducted in order to classify Levee's Soil of Serwan river and to know the dominant soil units in the study area, as well as to determine the dominant pedogenic processes in the study area. Four pedons were selected along Sirwan River and described morphologically. Soil samples were taken from each soil horizon to determine some physical and chemical properties. The results showed that all pedons are developed with A-B-C horizon sequences. All pedons have a Mollic epipedons with Agrillic and Calcic endopedons. The The increase of fine and total clay are due to the activity of Eluviation and illuviation pedogenic processes and to some extent to the new formation of clay minerals. According to the morphological, physical and chemical properties of the studied pedons, soils were classified as Typic Argixerolls as they have Mollic surface horizons with more than 50% base saturation for more than 175 cm depth. They have Argillic and Calcic subsurface horizons. The results indicated that the dominant pedogenic processes affecting soil development are eluviation, illuviation, decalcification and calcification.