MAPPING AND MONITORING THE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATION OF DROUGHT AND ITS IMPACT ON VEGETATION COVER IN ARKANSAS, USA

Drought is a common natural disaster that substantially impacts a community's socio-economic activities and environment worldwide. Drought can reduce both water availability and water quality necessary for productive farms, ranches, and grazing activities. This, in turn, leads to substantial adverse effects such as harvest failure, famine, and malnutrition and ultimately threatens food security in drought-affected areas. This study aims to use remote sensing indices to assess the relationship between drought and vegetation in Arkansas, USA. The primary goal of this study is to develop a cloud-based framework that can evaluate the impact of drought on vegetation cover in Arkansas over the past decades. The study results showed that March had the highest drought season across the state, while November had the lowest. Furthermore, the southeastern and southwestern regions of the state experienced their highest seasons of drought during other months. By shedding light on the relationship between drought and vegetation in Arkansas, this study contributes to a better understanding of these dynamics and holds potential implications for other regions grappling with similar challenges.