Interpretation of satellite data in determining the sor depressions in the Volga-Ural interfluve

Climate changes in recent decades have led to an intensification of desertification processes in the southern part of the European part of Russia. The Volga-Ural interfluve is less susceptible to desertification, which is reflected in fewer studies of this territory. Separate mapping of solonchak depressions and salt marshes is necessary for an accurate analysis of desertification dynamics, as they may be mistakenly classified as open sands. In this study conducted in the southeastern part of the Astrakhan region, the determination of the areas of solonchak depressions and salt marshes was carried out using remote sensing data. The results show that solonchak depressions cover more than 5,000 hectares in the region, potentially leading to the removal of saline soil during dust storms.