Abdulla - Al Kafy

University of Texas at Austin | UT · Department of Geography and The Environment

The intensity and formation of urban heat island (UHI) phenomena are closely related to land use/land cover (LULC) and land surface temperature (LST) change. The effect of UHI can be described quantitatively by urban thermal field variance index (UTFVI). For measuring urban health and ensuring sustainable development, the analysis of LST and UTFVI...

Human pressures, combined with changing hydrology and land resources, have a distinct effect on the carbon chain and ecosystem resilience. The increase in urban areas contributes significantly to the loss of vegetation cover (VC), which accelerates carbon emissions, increasing land surface temperature (LST) and global warming. This study used remot...

Changes in land use/land cover (LULC) and land surface temperatures (LST) contribute significantly to the formation and intensity of urban heat islands (UHI) effects. The urban thermal field variance index (UTFVI) can effectively describe any city's UHI (thermal characteristics) effect. This study aims to assess and predict the seasonal (summer and...

The consequences of droughts are far-reaching, impacting the natural environment, water quality, public health, and accelerating economic losses. Applications of remote sensing techniques using satellite imageries can play an influential role in identifying drought severity (DS) and impacts for a broader range of areas. The Barind Tract (BT) is a r...

Arid regions face intense sunlight, leading to heightened ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels. Growing concerns about skin cancer, premature aging, and dermatological issues highlight the need to understand UVA and UVB exposure patterns. Surprisingly, no study has investigated UVA and UVB irradiance in the Arab region. Our study fills this gap by exa...

Global climate change and rapid urbanization are transforming land use and thermal environments, particularly in developing megacities, impacting regional climate and sustainable development. In cities like Dhaka, Bangladesh, urbanization has significantly altered land use and land cover (LULC), directly affecting urban climate and land surface tem...

Rapid urbanization and inadequate transportation infrastructure in developing countries have led to complex, unsustainable travel patterns and adverse environmental impacts. This study employs structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the interplay between land use patterns and travel behavior in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Analyzing data from 1298 r...

As climate change intensifies coastal hazards globally, understanding and quantifying community vulnerability is crucial for effective adaptation strategies. This study examines the application of indicators in planning adaptive capacity strategies to reduce community vulnerability to tsunami hazards (THs). Using a case study approach in Mehuin, a...

Groundwater depletion in arid regions poses a significant threat to agricultural sustainability and rural livelihoods. This study employs geospatial analysis and economic modeling to address groundwater depletion in the arid Barind region of Northwest Bangladesh, where 84% of the rural population depends on agriculture. Using remote sensing and GIS...

Urban noise pollution poses significant challenges to public health and environmental sustainability, particularly in rapidly developing tourist destinations. Noise pollution and associated annoyance level in five major intersections of Cox's Bazar City, Bangladesh, was assessed in this study during the peak tourist season. Noise measurements were...

Rapid urbanization in South Asian cities has triggered significant changes in land use and land cover (LULC), degrading natural biophysical components and intensifying urban heat islands (UHIs). This study investigated the impact of LULC changes on land surface temperature (LST) and the role of biophysical indicators in enhancing urban resilience t...

Groundwater depletion in Bangladesh's Barind tract poses significant challenges for sustainable water management. This study aims to delineate groundwater recharge potential zones in this region using an integrated geospatial and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. The methodology combines remote-sensing data with GIS analysis, considering...

Rapid urbanization and land use/land cover (LULC) changes have become global phenomena, significantly impacting ecosystems and climate, which are key concerns in eco-climatology. Focusing on Riyadh, the rapidly growing capital of Saudi Arabia, this study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of ecosystem service values (ESVs) in response to LULC...

The climatic and geographical characteristics of Florida have significantly shaped its history of hurricanes. This study quantitatively examines the effects of Hurricane Ian on urban vegetation in Fort Myers, Florida, using remote sensing data. We calculated pre- and post-hurricane vegetation indices, including NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetatio...

Rapid urbanization in George Town, Malaysia, a UNESCO World Heritage city, has led to significant ecological degradation over the past three decades. This study enhances the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) by integrating water resources as a new parameter, providing a comprehensive assessment of the city's ecological health from 1992 to 2022...

Climate change and rapid urbanization are dramatically altering coastal ecosystems worldwide, with significant implications for land surface temperatures (LST) and carbon stock concentration (CSC). This study investigates the impacts of day and night time LST dynamics on CSC in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, from 1996 to 2021, with future projections to...

Understanding the key factors that drive entrepreneurial success is vital in our quest to achieve sustainable development goals and cultivate inclusive business models in emerging markets. This study employs a mixed‐methods approach, combining qualitative expert interviews ( n = 25) with content analysis of secondary data sources (76 journal articl...

The current study presents a comprehensive assessment of hydrological models, including the Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM), MIKE HYDRO RIVER NAM model, and Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), for simulating runoff dynamics in the Beas River Basin (BRB). Utilizing data spanning seven years from 2014 to 2020, the models underwent rigorous calibration...

As we navigate the fast-paced era of urban expansion, the integration of machine learning (ML) and remote sensing (RS) has become a cornerstone in environmental management. This research, focusing on Silchar City, a non-attainment city under the National Clean Air Program (NCAP), leverages these advanced technologies to understand the urban microcl...

Venture capital (VC) plays a vital role in fostering revolution and entrepreneurship in emerging economies. However, attracting VC investments remains a significant challenge for startups in these markets. This study investigates the macro and micro factors influencing VC attraction in the Bangladeshi startup ecosystem, employing a mixed‐methods ap...

The coastal regions of Bangladesh are highly susceptible to the impacts of tropical cyclones, which frequently pose substantial challenges for disaster management. This research aimed to analyze the immediate consequences of significant catastrophic disasters imposed on coastal regions using geospatial techniques. Cloud-free satellite images and a...

In the rapidly changing climate of arid desert regions, evaluating the comprehensive characteristics of humidity levels is crucial for agricultural, urban, and infrastructural planning, as well as for minimizing potential public health impacts. We investigated variability and trends of humidity levels in major Saudi Arabian cities during 1982–2022,...

In the context of escalating urban heat dynamics, the effect of air pollutants on Land Surface Temperature (LST) is an urgent concern, especially in the Global South. These regions are experiencing rapid industrialization, leading to an increase in greenhouse gas concentrations. Although the heat-absorbing capacity of air pollutants is well-recogni...

In the pursuit of sustainable development goals, understanding the temporal trends and variability of solar irradiance (SI) is crucial, especially for the promotion of clean energy production and environmental pollution management. The topic has received scant attention in research literature, with no attention given to arid regions. This study inv...

Urbanization is a complex phenomenon that has a profound impact on natural resources, economies, climate dynamics, and community structures. This study sets out to analyze the effects of urban sprawl on key urban regions in Bangladesh, covering urban, suburban, and rural landscapes. We used Landsat images from 1992 to 2022, processed and classified...

Landslides significantly threaten human life, infrastructure, and environmental balance. In the hilly regions of Bangladesh, including Sylhet and Rangamati, landslides are frequent, causing 727 deaths and 1017 injuries between 2000 and 2018. The northeastern section of Bangladesh is projected to receive over 500–600 mm of precipitation in 2023, bre...

Sustainable urban development is crucial for managing natural resources and mitigating environmental impacts induced by rapid urbanization. This study demonstrates an integrated framework using machine learning-based urban analytics techniques to evaluate spatiotemporal urban expansion in Saudi Arabia (1987–2022) and quantify impacts on leading lan...

Urbanization in the Indian subcontinental countries, often unplanned, alters regional climate, triggering critical environmental challenges. This review examines its impacts on groundwater droughts, flood risks, urban heat islands, agriculture, food security, and public health. Groundwater resources across the subcontinent faced depletion due to in...

In response to changes in climatic patterns, a profound comprehension of air pollutants (AP) variability is vital for enhancing climate models and facilitating informed decision-making in nations susceptible to climate change. Earlier research primarily depended on limited models, potentially neglecting intricate relationships and not fully encapsu...

Accurate and in-depth rainfall studies are crucial for understanding and assessing precipitation events’ patterns, intensities, and impacts, enabling effective planning and management of water resources, agriculture, and disaster preparedness. Despite many rainfall studies in Bangladesh at the national and regional scales, study on the spatiotempor...

In the face of escalating environmental challenges, the changes in land-use and land-cover (LULC) emerges as a persistent and significant threat, profoundly impacting the stability of eco-biodiversity. This study analyzes LULC changes using remote sensing techniques to detect environmental degradation in Abeokuta South, Nigeria, contributing to the...

In the face of rapid urbanization, understanding and managing changes in Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) is crucial for the sustainability and resilience of urban ecosystems. Rapid urban growth resulting from changes in LULC, can lead to the fragmentation and degradation of Ecosystem Services (ES), including habitat provision, water regulation, and...

The Dabus River Basin (DRB) holds significant value within the Upper Blue Nile region yet has seen minimal exploration regarding its morphometric features. This investigation employed geospatial techniques to characterize the linear, areal, and relief morphometric properties of the DRB in the Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia. Data sources such as the SRTM...

Rapid urbanization is a global trend that significantly alters Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC) patterns. Dhaka, a megacity, and Chittagong, the country’s second-largest city, have experienced substantial shifts in LULCC patterns over the past three decades. This study aims to examine the LULCC in Dhaka and Chittagong districts of Bangladesh...

The frequency and intensity of climate change and resulting impacts are more prevalent in South Asian countries, particularly in Bangladesh. Relative humidity (RH) is a crucial aspect of climate, and higher RH variability has far-reaching impacts on human health, agriculture, environment, and infrastructure. While temperature and rainfall have gain...

Predominant water scarcity and environmental degradation in Bangladesh's coastal communities arise due to extreme meteorological conditions, unrestrained water usage, and extensive saline intrusion into both surface and groundwater. This study leverages both quantitative data from a household survey and qualitative data from a Participatory Rural A...

Forests are vital in combating climate change by storing and sequestrating CO2 from the atmosphere. Measuring the influence of land use/land cover (LULC) changes on the capacity of carbon storage (CS) within forest ecosystems presents a significant challenge. This study employs remote sensing techniques to examine the changes in spatiotemporal patt...

Tobacco farming in Bangladesh has significant and far-reaching environmental impacts, affecting the land, water, and air. While the country has implemented tobacco control measures, the lack of monitoring and enforcement has resulted in environmental degradation and public health concerns. This study aims to document the environmental impact of tob...

This study aimed to assess and predict changes in land use/land cover (LULC) types and their impact on crop characteristics in 17 plots of FUTA from 1991 to 2031. Results showed an increase in built-up areas (15%) and bare land areas (14%), but a reduction of 19% in light vegetation cover from 1991 to 2021. NDVI values denoting vegetation health an...

Assessment of trends and variability of atmospheric particles can help set the target for pollution reduction, robust air-pollution and climate change policy decision-making, and clean air. This study investigated the recent trends and variability of Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) concentrations led by meteorological factors in fifteen major South...

Urbanization significantly accelerates the replacement of natural land-use and land-cover (LULC) classes, which can raise the temperature and diminish thermal comfort zone (TCZ), potentially negatively affecting the environment and human health. This study assesses and predicts the impacts of LULC change on directional shrinkage of the TCZ in Kuwai...

Liners are provided under engineering landfill sites to block the downflow of leachates and their noxious components to minimize pollution in the underlying aquifers or neighboring water bodies. Compacted clays are widely employed as suitable materials for constructing landfill liners because of their low hydraulic conductivity, balanced swelling p...

Effectively alleviating the urban thermal environment is an important problem faced by modern urban environment optimization. This paper predicts the land surface temperature (LST) of Guangzhou based on the whale intelligence optimization algorithm. The circuit model is used to analyze the urban ventilation distribution, and the contribution of win...

The impact of the rapid expansion of urban land on the urban thermal environment and carbon chain has attracted widespread attention. This paper uses artificial neural network-cellular automata (ANN-CA) and long short-term memory model of the improved whale optimization algorithm (IWOA-LSTM) models to predict the changes of LULC and LST, and explor...

Finance is an effective intervention for economic growth, particularly in a resource-constrained nation like Bangladesh. Access to capital is crucial for fostering inclusive economic growth and eradicating poverty in a nation. This article aims to highlight some of the key restrictions that exist in Bangladesh’s banking industry and prevent the cou...

The retrieval of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data is a complex procedure that necessitates extensive processing in order to develop terrain and surface models and forest structure applications. The gradual acquisition of LiDAR information is required to create Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and Digital Surface Models (DSM). The purpose of t...

Urban land change plays an essential role in the development of country’s economy. Rapid and unplanned urban growth increases land surface temperature (LST) and reduces carbon storage (CS) by replacing the natural land use/land cover (LULC). This paper aims to monitor and predict the changes in urban growth patterns on LST and CS for the winter sea...

Rapid urbanization accelerates the rate of carbon emissions (CE), resulting in unfavorable fluctuating in climatic conditions of urban settings. One of the prominent reasons behind these climatic anomalies is the direct result of CO 2 emission and heat-trapping gasses from industries and urban built-up areas. This study addresses the ongoing CE iss...

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management has been a growing problem in fast-developing cities. A considerable amount of solid waste is generated daily and disposed anywhere, which creates an unhealthy environment. This study aims to develop a model to determine household solid waste (HSW) generation using multiple linear regression and identify suita...

Vegetation cover significantly improves the terrestrial environment by increasing carbon sequestration capacity. It is projected that a major threat to China's terrestrial environment will be happened by 2030 due to the increment in carbon emissions. Identifying reliable techniques to assess carbon absorption by green coverage is necessary to build...

Introduction: In recent years, violent extremism (VE) attacks have escalated worldwide. More schools and students are being attacked. Examining and addressing VE core causes through preventing VE (PVE) strategies can help avoid future atrocities. Due to the tremendous proliferation of research geared toward PVE, an extensive but disorganized knowl...

Investigation of surface urban heat island (SUHI) results from rapid urbanization and upsurge of land surface temperature (LST) has substantial socioeconomic and environmental impacts. This study investigates and simulates the impacts of rapid urbanization on LST and SUHI patterns in Sylhet City, Bangladesh, from 1995 to 2030. Landsat images and ma...

The ecological environment is important for the survival and development of human beings , and objective and accurate monitoring of changes in the ecological environment has received extensive attention. Based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), wetness (WET), normalized differential build-up and bare soil index (NDBSI), and land...

Rapid urbanization owing to population growth and economic development has made thermal environment-related studies ncreasingly prominent. This study aims to monitor and predict the changes n land use/land cover (LULC) and their mpacts on land surface temperature (LST), urban heat sland (UHI), and urban thermal field variance ndex (UTFVI) n Kuwait...

Massive open online course (MOOC) is a relatively new concept in Bangladesh during the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic. This study aims to develop a MOOC to promote a conceptual understanding of diversity, tolerance and pluralism. In addition, this study investigates the findings of MOOC exercises based on a comparative study of the MOOC markets in India...

Shifting of a river channel occurs continuously in the deltas and is a major predicament as it influences the land use and land cover of a region. Hence it is significant to understand the river course variation pattern for management plans as well as to carry out mitigation measures in the region. The current study attempts to understand the river...

Rapid urbanization, human demands with dynamic hydrology, and land resources impact the carbon cycle and ecosystem resilience at the city level. The expansion of urban areas is continuously replacing the vegetative cover (VC), which accelerates carbon emissions (CE), raises land surface temperature (LST), and contributes to global warming. This stu...

Traffic congestion is one of the major barriers to the economic development of developing economies, resulting in severe social and economic impacts. The severity of traffic congestion in port and industrial areas is more thought-provoking than destructive barriers. The purpose of this research is to better understand the social, economic, and envi...

Bangladesh, already troubled by the malady of violent extremism (VE), has become particularly vulnerable to radicalization via the internet, with one of the world's largest adolescent populations adopting the internet and social media. Countering VE (CVE) practitioners frequently assert that extremists are increasingly relying on technological inno...

The increasing intervention from high-rise infrastructural development in the urban fabric threatens the land use/land cover (LULC) of the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Predicting future scenarios of LULC on a microscale level can help to curb rapid urbanization in Malaysia and promote sustainability. This study aims to appraise the abili...

The novel coronavirus has infected more than 50 million people worldwide. Countries that have been on lockdown for more than three months have partially started to reopen their economies, including Bangladesh. This study aims to assess the reopening policies in Bangladesh by mapping the economic sectors in a risk-importance space and using that to...

Groundwater has become the prime source of drinking and irrigation use in drought-prone Barind Tract (BT) of Bangladesh as the surface water sources are minimal. Continuous groundwater withdrawals for irrigation, drinking, domestics, industries and other uses deplete groundwater levels (GWL). So, the study aims to compute the quantity of river wate...