Dust Dispersion and Its Effect on Vegetation Spectra at Canopy and Pixel Scales in an Open-Pit Mining Area

Abstract

Dust pollution is severe in some mining areas in China due to rapid industrial development. Dust deposited on the vegetation canopy may change its spectra. However, a relationship between canopy spectra and dust amount has not been quantitatively studied, and a pixel-scale condition for remote sensing application has not been considered yet. In this study, the dust dispersion characteristics in an iron mining area were investigated using the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory model (AERMOD). Further, based on the three-dimensional discrete anisotropic radiative transfer (DART) model, the spectral characteristics of vegetation canopy under the dusty condition were simulated, and the influence of dustfall on vegetation canopy spectra was studied. Finally, the dust effect on vegetation spectra at the canopy scale was extended to a pixel scale, and the response of dust effect on vegetation spectra at the pixel scale was determined under different fractional vegetation covers (FVCs). The experimental results show that the dust pollution along a haul road was more severe and extensive than that in a stope. Taking dust dispersion along the road as an example, the variation of vegetation canopy spectra increased with the height of dust deposited on the vegetation canopy. At the pixel scale, a lower vegetation FVC would weaken the influence of dust on the spectra. The results derived from simulation spectral data were tested using satellite remote sensing images. The tested result indicates that the influence of dust retention on the pixel spectra with different FVCs was consistent with that created with the simulated data. The finding could be beneficial for those making decisions on monitoring vegetation under dusty conditions and reducing dust pollution in mining areas using remote sensing technology.

Environmental Assessment of Dust-Holding and Oxygen-Producing Productivity of Hawthorns in Kazakhstan

“…The first ecological and climatic region, as an industrial city and an area with an elevated radioactive background, showed higher dust deposition on the hawthorn lamina surface. This is consistent with research by Ma et al (2020) and Trivedi et al (2009). According to them, increased excavation, open-pit mining, and road traffic suggest that dust deposition on plants may increase.…”

“…According to them, increased excavation, open-pit mining, and road traffic suggest that dust deposition on plants may increase. Dust can affect photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration and allow the entry of phytotoxic gaseous pollutants, according to a review paper (Trivedi et al, 2009;Ma et al, 2020).…”

Space technologies of earth remote sensing in applied problems and theoretical studies in mining

“…Pollution of the adjacent natural landscape is revealed using the satellite imagery. For example, such analysis of vegetation cover pollution was undertaken in the area of open pit iron-ore mining in China with a view to making appropriate environmental decisions [37].…”

Editorial for the Special Issue: Multispectral and Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Data for Mineral Exploration and Environmental Monitoring of Mined Areas

“…A geologic map is resulted discriminating between the principal lithologic units and distinguishes ore-bearing from waste rocks. Ma et al [36] investigated the dust dispersion characteristics in Kuancheng mining area, Hebei Province, North China using the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory model (AERMOD). The spectral characteristics of vegetation canopy under the dusty condition were simulated, and the influence of dustfall on vegetation canopy spectra was studied based on the three-dimensional discrete anisotropic radiative transfer (DART) model.…”