Change detection of Rosetta promontory over the last forty years

Abstract

Abstract The lack of silt transported by the River Nile after the building of the Aswan High Dam in 1964 has created a serious imbalance at the Rosetta and Damietta promontories on the Mediterranean coast of the Nile delta. In this work, coastal changes of the Rosetta promontory have been monitored by analysis of aerial photographs and satellite images over the period 1955 to 1991. Principal component analysis and temporal classifications have been used to clarify the dynamics of erosion and accretion areas on the two sides of the promontory. The studies have also indicated changes in the River Nile channel itself. Comparison with ground based measurements have revealed complete agreement.