Monitoring the Dead Sea Region by multi-

parameter stations

A. Mohsen, M. Weber, Ch, Kottmeier, St. Geyer, & A. Sawarieh

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting 25 - 28 October, 2016, Dubrovnik, Croatia

DESERVE” focuses on the Dead Sea region as it is a unique environment and may be considered as one of the most inspiring natural laboratories on Earth.

The Dead Sea Region is an exceptional ecosystem whose seismic activity has influenced all facets of the development, from ground water availability to human evolution. One of the biggest challenges in earthquake sciences is to understand the processes controlling earthquakes.

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Multi-parameter observatories monitoring seismicity provide a database for addressing this problem. Uniquely worldwide, the seismicity in the Eastern Mediterranean has been documented extremely well due to the written sources since about 1000 years.

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

The Dead Sea has been selected for this integrated approach:

+ all challenges (water, environment, Climate, earthquakes,) are critical in this region.

+ the region is especially sensitive to climate change and human influences such as ground and surface water over-exploitation for agriculture and industrial purposes.

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

+ Environmental processes are subject to boundary conditions that cannot be found elsewhere on Earth ((atmospheric optical thickness (air pressure at Dead Sea level approx. 1070hpa), high lake evaporation rates of up tp 400 cm/year), water salinity, sharp climatic gradients)).

+ Understanding their interactions and the future evolution of the whole Dead Sea region are of key importance for economic development.

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

The key aspects interdisciplinary studied by DESERVE are connected to the dominant physiographic and geological structure of the Dead Sea Transform Fault (DSTF). The DSTF is one of the major geological fault system on earth. This fault system has an enormous impact on regional dynamics in hydrology and climate, and thereby on human activities in the region.

Ongoing desertification, flash floods, ascending brines poluting fresh water, and repeated occurrence of earthquakes demonstrate the destructive potential of this unique area.

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Sinkholes

Sinkholes are sudden and catastrophic subsidence of the earth surface, which are caused by underground dissolution processes. And common geomorphological phenomena at the Dead Sea. The largest one is about 30 m in diameter and up to 15 m deep. Sinkholes in the Dead Sea coastal region pose a severe hazard for inhabitants, infrastructures and agriculture. Natural phenomena as flash floods, but also human influences like the gradual lowering of the sea level of the Dead Sea, are assumed to influence the sinkhole formation process and to trigger individual collapse events.

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Seismic techniques to investigate sinkholes

The aim of the geophysical investigations carried out in the Dead Sea area is to detect the subsurface sinkholes and define their dimensions, delimitation the fresh-saline water interface and predict the scenario of any hazards. Various methods such as seismics, micro-gravity and magnatics, electric and electromagnetic, Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) as well as investigations on soil mechanical properties of the relevant substrates will be used. Special emphasis will be given to cause-effect-relationships of salt and water dynamics in the unsaturated soil zone and the stability of the soil structure. Eg. Resistivity and GPR surveys show that all subsurface sinkholes are accompanied with or above fresh water or fresh water effects. Layers seem to be shapeless or crumbled as an effect of fresh water that swept through them. An important fact is that, all detected subsurface sinkholes were accompanied with fresh water and no sinkholes exist in dry areas.

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Meteorological station

Components - Mast - Data logger - 12 V charging regulator - Ethernet - Barometric sensor - GPRS modem - Soil moisture sensor - Temperature - Soil heat flux - GPS sensor - Rain gauge tipping bucket - Solar panel 60 W - Lead gel battery 12V / 24 Ah

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

UJA Meteorological station

Wind & speed direction

Solar panel

GPS

Temperature and Humidity

Solar Radiation

Rain guage

Oressure

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

School weather stations

The aims are: - To teach the children about regional weather

and climate by data collection and analysis e.g. air temperature, wind directions, precipitation

- To sensibilize the children for climate and its effect on living conditions in the region

- To integrate the gained knowledge and data in teaching at schools and

- To compare own data with data collected by other schools in the region

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Seismology

The Dead Sea is an exceptional ecosystem whose seismic activity has influenced all facets of the development, from ground water availability to human evolution.

A strong motivation for this research is the lack of reliable ground-based geophysical information on earthquakes in the Dead Sea region. Installing a number of observatories with on-line data access will enable to derive the present-day seismicity and deformation pattern in the Dead Sea region.

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Seismology

This package is divided into three main activities:

+ Design a modern probabilistic seismic hazard assessment for the Dead Sea region by integrating various data bases from the region with seismic monitoring techniques.

+ Provide seismic risk estimates for some cities within the Dead Sea.

+ Develop a physical understanding of the evolution of strain, stress, and seismicity as basis for future time-dependent hazard assessment.

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Geo- / Hydro- /Atmo-spheres Geosphere – 6 Multi-Parameter stations

Each MP station consists of

• Broadband Seismometer

• Strong motion accelerometer

• GPS

• Magnetotellurics (optional)

+ simple weather station + camera

+ VSAT online transmission

Data are real time + open

Infrastructure provided by partners

Training courses for partners

• 5 MPs ready in Fall 2015

• All MPs integrated in national

networks

• All data available via GFZ

P2 Aug 2015

I2 Dec 2015?

I1 Dec 2014

P1 June 2013

J2 Oct 2015

J1 July 2011

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Double bunker with GPS monument at top

Deep double bunker with integrated GPS monument

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Al Nazlah

Nablus

Salfet

Auja

Al-Khder

The Supporting

Sensor Digitizer Station name

USAID MERC: M 30-023

REF TEK 151B-120

REF-TEK DAS 130

Al Nazlah

USAID MERC: M 30-023

REF TEK 151B-120

REF-TEK DAS 130

Nablus

GFZ STS 2

Kinemetrice Q330HR

Salfit

GFZ

Trillium

Kinemetrice Q330HR

Auja

USAID MERC: M 30-023

REF TEK 151B-120

REF-TEK DAS 130

AL khader

GFZ

USAID MERC: M 30-023

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Al Nazlah

THANK YOU

2016 ORFEUS Annual Observatory Coordination meeting, 25-28 Oct. 2016,

Dubrovnik, Croatia