Applied Geo-Informatics Research Group (AGRG) is working on the applications of Remote Sensing and GIS including but not limited to the evaluation of satellite based precipitation estimation, precipitation variability and trends assessment, influence of teleconnections on precipitation, LULC change analysis and modelling, oil spills detection using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine learning, hydrological modelling in complex basins using different models (i.e. HEC-HMS and SWAT), impact of climate variabilities on cryosphere, soil erosion risk mapping and modelling and hydro-meteorological applications. Apart from these topics, our research members are also working to assess the earthquake precursor anomalies using geospatial techniques.

Core Group Members:

Dr. Muhammad Farooq Iqbal (Applications of RS and GIS in the field of hydrometeorology)

(farooq_iqbal@comsats.edu.pk)

Irfan Mahmood (Applications of RS to Monitor Natural Resources and Hazards)

(irfan.mahmood@comsats.edu.pk)

Active Group Members:

• Ms. Syeda Sehrish Fatima (CIIT/SP19-RRG-008/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS, and her thesis Title is “Drought Event Assessment Based on Remotely Sensed Soil Moisture over Selected Districts of Pakistan”
• Mr. Muhammad Arshad (CIIT/FA18-RRG-003/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS. and his thesis title is “Flood Hazard Risk Mapping and Impact of Urbanization on Basin Hydrology: A Case Study of Kabul River and Its Watershed”
• Mr. Muhammad Nawaz (CIIT/SP18-RRG-001/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS. and his thesis title is “Evaluating the Performance of CHIRPS Satellite Based Precipitation Product for Hydrological Modeling”
• Mr. Haseen Ullah (CIIT/FA17-RRG-004/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS. and his thesis title is “Assessing the Impacts of Land Use Land Cover Changes on Surface Runoff of Swat River Basin”
• Mr. Muhammad Kaleem Ullah (CIIT/FA17-RRG-006/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS. and his thesis title is “Evaluation of Multiple Satellite Precipitation Data for Hydrological Modeling over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan”
• Ms. Saima Naz (FA17-RRG-009/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS. and her thesis title is “Oil Spill Detection and Impact Assessment using Synthetic Aperture Radar”

Ex Group Members:

• Ms. Wajeeha Niaz (CIIT/FA12-RRG-003/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS. and her thesis title was “Estimation of Evapotranspiration on Satellite Data Over Diverse Land Cover Regions in Pakistan”
• Mr. Umar Jamil (CIIT/FA12-RRG-006/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS. and his thesis title was “An Assessment of Crop Growth Response to Climate Variations Using Geospatial Techniques”
• Ms. Sadaf Shaheen (CIIT/FA12-RRG-011/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS. and her thesis title was “Forest Canopy Density Estimation from 1992- 2012 Using Geospatial Techniques”
• Mr. Iftikhar Ahmad Khan (CIIT/FA10-RRG-002/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS. and his thesis title was “Land Use/Land Cover Change Analysis and Erosion Risk Mapping in Muzaffarabad (AJK) using Geospatial Techniques”
• Mr. Waqas Ahmad Abbasi (CIIT/FA10-RRG-010/ISB) student of MS Remote Sensing and GIS. and his thesis title was “Spatiotemporal Urban Growth Assessment and Modeling of Islamabad City”

Selected Recent Publications

Mahmood, I., Iqbal, M.F., Shahzad, M.I., (2018) Precursor anomalies prior to 2006 Java and 2016 Yujing earthquakes. Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-2140/aab622.

Iqbal, M.F., Athar, H., (2018) Validation of satellite based precipitation over diverse topography of Pakistan. Atmospheric Research, 201, 247 – 260.

Iqbal, M.F., Athar, H., (2018) Variability, trends, and teleconnections of observed precipitation over Pakistan. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 134 (1-2), 613 – 632.

Rizwan, M. Iqbal, M.F., Mahmood, I., Butt, F.M, Ullah, K., (2017) Predicting potential zones of hydrocarbon through seismic stratigraphy within the western Barents Sea, Norway. International Letters of Natural Sciences, 62, 52 – 60.

Mahmood, I., Iqbal, M.F., Shahzad, M.I., Qaiser, S. (2017) Investigation of atmospheric anomalies associated with Kashmir and Awaran Earthquakes. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar–Terrestrial Physics 154, 75 – 85.

Mahmood, I., Iqbal, M.F., A. Rizwan, M., Shahzad, M.I., Tariq, S. Ullah, K., (2017) An Investigation of 2013 Mw 7.7 Awaran Earthquake, Pakistan. International Letters of Natural Sciences, 61, 36 – 42.

Mahmood, I., Iqbal, M.F., Shahzad, M.I., Waqas, A., Atique, L. (2016) Spatiotemporal Monitoring of CO ₂ and CH₄ over Pakistan Using Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). International Letters of Natural Sciences, 58, 35 – 41.

Mahmood, I., Shahzad, M.I., Iqbal, M.F., Ullah, K., Waqas, A. Kidwai, A.A. (2016) Satellite Based Detection of Volcanic SO₂ over Pakistan. Global NEST Journal, 18, 1 – 8.

Mahmood, I., Qureshi, S.N., Tariq, S., Atique, L., Iqbal, M.F. (2015), Analysis of Landslides Triggered by October 2005, Kashmir Earthquake. PLOS Currents Disasters.

Mahmood, I., Kidwai, A. A., Qureshi, S. N., Iqbal, M.F., Atique, L. (2015) Revisiting major earthquakes in Pakistan. Geology Today, 31(1), 33 – 38.