Geotourism is one of the important types of ecotourism with a responsible and conservation-oriented approach that emphasizes the popularization of earth sciences and the cultural, social, and economic development of the local community. In order to evaluate and explain the geotourism conditions of a region and the capabilities of a destination to become a geopark, it is necessary to present and explain the optimal and desirable model for the development of geotourism destinations. Firouzkouh County, with its numerous earth heritage assets, is considered one of the areas susceptible to geotourism. Given the high potential of geotourism for development as a geopark and the lack of necessary utilization of these capabilities in the development of the county, it is necessary to present an optimal model for analyzing the development of geopark capabilities in the county. In this research, through library and survey methods and using geotourism evaluation methods including the Facilas method, the GAM method, and the terrestrial diversity sites method, the county's geosites were evaluated and analyzed from the perspective of different values. The results show that most of the geosites in the region, despite their high representation, educational potential, and aesthetic value, have a weak connection with the local community, and their vulnerability and risk of extinction are increasing. Also, from the perspective of assessing the geopark capabilities, it was determined that this county currently does not have the capability to become an independent geopark. Accordingly, a model for developing the county's capability to become a geopark has been presented, which mainly emphasizes participatory management, entrepreneurship, multipurpose tourists, and geotourism typology, etc.

A sense of belonging to an environment is an emotional connection that takes place between people and the external environment. Many studies have shown that the existence of this connection and its deepening between the person and the environment has a significant role in promoting the physical environment and the emergence of positive social behaviors. Therefore, recognizing the sense of belonging and the factors affecting it and ways to improve it is one of the issues that can lead to the improvement of living conditions and physical environment. Among the many factors that affect the sense of belonging, the time factor as one of these factors can be effective from two perspectives; Duration of residence and age of the environment. In this study, while researching the effect of each of these factors on the sense of belonging of residents, a comparison between these two factors and the intensity of the effect of each on the sense of belonging has been done. The present study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of method. In order to collect the required data and information, library and field methods and questionnaire tools were used. The statistical population of the study consists of citizens living in the six studied neighborhoods in Zanjan. The sample size was estimated to be 300 people using the Cochran's formula. SPSS software was used to analyze the data. The results showed that the sense of belonging in the study areas is moderate to low. The results also showed that the duration of residence and the age of the environment have a positive and significant effect on the sense of spatial belonging and its components. Among the variables, the effect of the environment variable on the sense of spatial belonging is greater than the length of stay, so that the age of the environment predicts 27.1% of the variance of the variable of spatial belonging.
 

This study investigates the impact of the OLR MJO Index (OMI) and the Real-time Multivariate MJO (RMM) of the Madden-Julian Oscillation on the frequency of dust storms in the stations of Abadan, Ahvaz, Bostan, Bandar Mahshahr, Dezful, Ramhormoz, and Masjed Soleiman, located in Khuzestan province, during the period from April to September 1987-2021. Pearson correlation coefficients were computed to assess the relationship between dust data and the indices, and the findings were depicted through zoning maps. Subsequently, the frequency percentage of each index for both positive and negative phases was quantified. The results indicate a direct and significant correlation between the positive and negative phases of the indices and dust occurrences (with the exception of Dezful station), particularly during the positive phase of the OMI and the negative phase of the RMM. The highest correlation coefficients, ranging from 0.77 to 0.72, were observed for Bandar Mahshahr and Dezful stationsduring the positive phase of the RMM index. Analysis of the relationship between the Madden-Julian Oscillation and dust storms revealed that between 51% and 59% of dust storms in Khuzestan province occurred in the negative phase of the OMI index, while 40% to 49% occurred in the positive phase. In the case of the RMM index, 56% to 63% of dust storms were associated with its negative phase, in contrast to 37% to 50% linked to its positive phase. Notably, the negative phase of the RMM index exhibited a higher percentage of dust storms compared to the negative phase of the OMI index. According to the results of the Monte Carlo test, the displacement of the positive and negative phases of the RMM index significantly contributes to the occurrence of dust storms at most stations in Khuzestan province. Furthermore, tracking the pathways of dust entering Khuzestan province using the HYSPLIT model indicates the movement of particles originating from Iraq, Arabia, and the eastern regions of Syria toward Khuzestan province..

Today, due to the conditions of globalization, city branding has become increasingly important due to its tourism potentials. Most regions with strategic planning in this area aim to achieve economic development and reduce deprivation through tourism. In this study, the research strategy is deductive, and its purpose is practical. The required data and information were collected from library resources and surveys (questionnaires and interviews) with experts. The meta-SWOT technique, based on an inside-out approach and a resource-based perspective, provides a framework for enhancing the competitiveness of cities and regions. The city of Kermanshah possesses significant capabilities to attract tourism, enabling it to achieve urban, regional, and global competitiveness. The findings of this study show that among the capabilities and potentials of Kermanshah, the existence of historical and cultural monuments—such as Taq-e Bostan, pillars, historic houses, museums, and its role as a center for handicrafts—as well as cultural similarities with people living in Iraq and Turkey, along with its unique culture, beliefs, and customs, serve as key tourism potentials. These attributes align with the four characteristics of the VIRO framework (Value, Rarity, Imitability, and Organization), making them the most strategic fit with macro variables affecting tourist attraction and urban competitiveness through tourism in Kermanshah. Among the major influential variables, the COVID-19 pandemic, international sanctions against Iran, climate change, natural disasters, and lack of funding have the greatest impact on the urban competitiveness of Kermanshah. Based on the analysis of resources and macro variables, a strategic fit map was developed, and appropriate solutions were proposed.

To assess thermal comfort conditions in classrooms, a field study was conducted in Sabzevar. The thermal sensations reported by students regarding classroom conditions were documented at various times throughout the day during the 2009–2010 academic year across multiple classes. temperature and humidity data within the classrooms were recorded simultaneous using a data logger. To analyze differences, both ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test were employed. The findings indicated that the geographical orientation and floor level of the classrooms did not significantly influence temperature and humidity levels. In contrast, significant hourly variations in these parameters were observed. Overall, reports of cooling sensations were more prevalent than those of heating sensations (24% vs. 12%). Thermal sensation exhibited considerable variation across different months, with October recording the lowest frequency of thermal comfort sensations. In all months except October, students expressed a preference for "heating." Although the performance of the heating system was deemed adequate, its operational schedule should be modified to commence closer to the beginning of morning classes in order to mitigate substantial energy waste. While temperature and humidity within the classrooms did not present significant monthly variations, students' thermal sensations varied markedly between months. This suggests that thermal sensation is influenced by factors beyond mere physical characteristics (temperature and humidity). In addition to climatic parameters, individual characteristics such as sex, age, weight, height, clothing, and activity level also play a significant role in shaping perceptions of thermal comfort. 

Urban development strategy represents a contemporary approach in urban planning and management, offering a framework for achieving sustainable urban development through poverty reduction, citizen participation, and increased investment. Like many cities in Iran, Ardabil faces numerous challenges, including inadequate governance, deteriorating infrastructure, substandard housing, weak public utilities, and insufficient social and health services. These issues underscore the necessity of strategic planning to address urban development effectively. This study aims to evaluate the indicators of urban development strategy in Ardabil. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology, the research is grounded in field investigations. A sample size of 230 participants was determined using Sample Power software. Data analysis was conducted using one-sample T-tests and structural equation modeling (SEM) in AMOS Graphics software. The results of the one-sample T-test revealed that the status of urban development strategy indicators—livability, good governance, bankability, and competitiveness—in Ardabil is suboptimal, with mean scores of 2.21, 2.6, 2.62, and 2.15, respectively. Second-order factor analysis indicated that among the dimensions of urban development strategy, competitiveness, with a factor weight of 0.93, exerts the most significant influence, while bankability, with a factor weight of 0.62, has the least impact. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that an improvement in the good urban governance index leads to a 0.55 increase in bankability, a 0.76 increase in livability, and a 0.86 increase in competitiveness. These results highlight the interconnectedness of governance quality with other dimensions of urban development, emphasizing the need for integrated strategies to enhance Ardabil's urban sustainability. 

The emergence of new cities can be attributed to the significant increase in the population of urban areas. Over the past two decades, numerous new cities have been established in proximity to the country's metropolises, with the new city of Sahand serving as a pertinent example. The primary objective of this research is to elucidate the physical development trajectory of Sahand, utilizing Landsat satellite imagery spanning the statistical period from 1373 to 1401. To this end, satellite images corresponding to four distinct statistical periods (1373, 1383, 1393, and 1401) were acquired from the Landsat 5 and Landsat 8 satellites. By applying a band calculation function to the images captured by the Thematic Mapper (TM) and Operational Land Imager (OLI) sensors, the physical changes in the urban fabric of Sahand during the specified temporal intervals were quantified and analyzed. The findings of this research indicate that the physical growth and development of Sahand commenced in 2013, at which point the urban area encompassed 282 hectares, representing a 28-fold increase since that year. In the subsequent decade, the urban area expanded to 570 hectares, reflecting a 100% growth relative to the previous decade. Ultimately, during the final decade under review, the urban area reached 850 hectares, exhibiting a growth rate of 50%. Notably, District 6 of Sahand, which constitutes approximately 35% of the city's physical fabric, emerged as one of the fastest-growing regions between the years 1393 and 1400. Moreover, a statistically significant correlation was identified between population growth and the physical development of Sahand during the statistical period from 1380 to 1400, with a confidence level of 0.95 (P_value=0.05) and a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.91. Consequently, the regression model fitted to the relationship between population growth and urban fabric expansion, when incorporating the projected population density following the implementation of Mehr housing policies (which anticipates a population of 185,000), suggests that the area of Sahand's physical fabric will increase to 1,181 hectares in the forthcoming decade, indicating a growth rate of 38%.