Annual precipitatition in Lake Urmia Basin

Hi

My last article has now accepted to be published at Theoretical and Applied Climatology. It is about structural characteristics of annual rainfall in Lake Urmia basin. I removed some stuff that I want to share it in here.

My study concludes that, North West and South West of the basin have the highest maximum rainfall amount, while the lowest amounts (i.e. Lowest amount related to max. observed annual rainfall) are related to the East coasts of the LU. To some extent it is confident to recognize that, maximum rainfall in the LUB is related to the altitudes and maximum annual rainfall decreases from West to East. Consequently the main input air fronts of basin are feeding form West and North. Figure 1 shows that the most amount of the vapor and moisture that coming from Turkey toward the LUB is descended inside the Turkish territory (Landsat 4, 5 and 8. USGS, 2015). Minimum amount of rainfall have same pattern while crossing West to East and North West of LUB has the highest min. annual rainfall while the least amounts belongs to Eastern side.

Fig.1. Landsat (4, 5 and 8) views of the West of the basin in the boarder of Turkey and Iran indicating the impact of border’s altitudes on the amount snow available on the land surface. (a) Landsat 4-5. Dec 9, 1987. (b) Landsat 4&5. Feb 4, 2000. (c) Landsat 4&5. May 14, 2007. (d) Landsat 8. Jan 12, 2015. (USGS, 2015)
P.S: please cite the weblog if you want to use this figure in another document

This is first evidence in its own category. Native people believe that Turkish side of the border got more precipitation and this Landsat pictures shows the evidence of such phenomena. Some of my friends believe that the tectonic movements which caused disastrous earthquake at Van (Turky)  in October 2011 is caused in the changes in the terrain which triggered the amount of water vapor crossing the border. 

As a proof they mention that, there were more snow or rain descend in the region but we got a little now a days. This satellite imagery obviously shows the effect of the border's mountains but those not necessarily support the idea of boycotting the air fronts from reaching the inner plains of the basin.

Please share your idea with me

Thankfully

Babak