Fouad AlKhaier is a PhD researcher in the Department of Water Resources at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) of the University of Twente in Enschede. He has a Master of Science in Water Resources Management (ITC), and a BSc and a postgraduate Diploma in Civil Engineering, specialization "Engineering Management" from the University of Aleppo, Syria.

His MSc thesis's title was: "Soil Salinity Detection Using Satellite Remote Sensing"
(http://www.itc.nl/library/Papers_2003/msc/wrem/khaier.pdf)

Research overview

Modeling shallow groundwater systems supported by thermal remote sensing

Warnings of a groundwater crisis (with falling groundwater tables and polluted aquifers) have led to calls for urgent management responses. Groundwater modeling is recognized nowadays as the best tool to support management of groundwater resources. In spite of the fact that groundwater lies underground and remote sensing devices can not normally penetrate the ground, remote sensing is promising for groundwater modeling studies. Remote sensing measurements have been utilized in different ways in the contest of groundwater studies: producing geologic maps, defining boundary conditions, gravity measurements, estimation of recharge to the groundwater table through out estimating Precipitation & evapotranspiration, etc.

A key factor to trace groundwater via remote sensing is to trace the influence of groundwater on the land surface. Perhaps the most promising effect groundwater has on land surface is the heat signature. In order to pave the way to utilize temperature in groundwater movement studies and exploration, the thermal regime of the aquifer has to be considered.

The effect of a shallow aquifer on the overlying material can be illustrated in the following figure:

The fact that groundwater has a thermal effect on the land surface, and with the existence of satellite thermal sensors inspired to utilizing remote sensing in groundwater studies. This research is built on the necessity of understanding the interconnections between surface water and land surface and between groundwater, and depended on the fact that exchanges between land surface and streams and shallow aquifers play a key role in controlling temperature not only in streams, land surface but also in the underlying sediments.

In order to reach the main objective of the research there are four sub-objectives to be reached:

• Building a numerical model of the groundwater thermal regime of the aquifer in question to gain insight into the hydrologic and thermal framework.
• Investigating thoroughly the active satellite missions and obtaining acceptable temperature measurements from their data.
• Studying the surface factors that affect temperature on the land surface and eliminate them
• Look for relations between the distribution of aquifers and land surface temperature.

Publications

ISI Journal Articles

Al-Khaier, F., Schotting, R.J. and Su, Z. (2009) A qualitative description of shallow groundwater effect on surface temperature of bare soil. In: Hydrology and earth system sciences (HESS) : open access, 13 (2009)9 pp. 1749-1756. Full text | Full text

PhD Theses

Al-Khaier, F. and Su, Z. (Promotor)  (2011) Shallow groundwater effect on land surface temperature and surface energy balance : description, modeling and remote sensing application. Enschede, University of Twente Faculty of Geo-Information and Earth Observation ITC, 2011. ITC Dissertation 198, ISBN: 978-90-6164-322-7. Full text

Conference Proceedings (full papers)

Su, Z., Timmermans, W.J., Dost, R.J.J., Bianchi, R., Gómez, J.A., House, A., Hajnsek, I., Menenti, M., Magliulo, V., Esposito, M., Haarbrink, R., Bosveld, F.C., Vekerdy, Z., Sobrino, J.A., van der Tol, C., van Laake, P.E., Al-Khaier, F. and ... [et al.] (2007) EAGLE 2006 : multi - purpose, multi - angle and multi - sensor in - situ and airborne campaigns over grassland and forest. In: Proceedings of the AGRISAR and EAGLE campaigns, final workshop, 15-16 October, 2007. ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands. ESA, 2007 (ESA Proceedings WPP-279) 11 p. Full text

Scientific and Professional Publications

Al-Khaier, F., Flerchinger, G.N. and Su, Z. (2011) The thermodynamic effect of shallow groundwater on temperature and energy balance at bare land surface. In: Heat analysis and thermodynamic effects / ed. by A. Ahsan - : InTech, 2011. 394 p. ISBN 978-953-307-585-3. pp. 19-38. Full text | Full text

Presentations

Al-Khaier, F., Mutiga, J.K., Abkar, A.A., Kanwar, R., Dost, R.J.J., Chiluba, M., Gökmen, M., Hunde, M., Ndhlovu, G.Z., Saila, M., Sanga, H.S., Sarr, M. and Parodi, G.N. (2007) EAGLE 2006 : soil moisture field observations over the Cabauw grassland : abstract. Presented at AgriSAR and EAGLE Campaigns Final Workshop, 15-16 October 2007, ESA, ESTEC, Noordwijk. 1 p. Full text

MSc theses

Al-Khaier, F. (2003) Soil salinity detection using satellite remote sensing. Enschede, ITC, 2003. Full text