| Author |
Krawczyk, Charlotte Agnon, Amotz Alpert, Pinhas Corsmeier, Ulrich Salameh, Elias Geyer, Stefan Mohsen, Ayman Siebert, Christian Dahm, Torsten Shannak, Benbella Kottmeier, Christoph Mallast, Ulf Morin, Efrat Rödiger, Tino Al-Halbouni, Djamil Kishcha, Pavel Haas, Michael Metzger, Jutta Laronne, Jonathan B. Lott, Friederike Weber, Michael Merz, Ralf Holohan, Eoghan Sawarieh, Ali Kalthoff, Norbert Nied, Manuela Eshel, Adam Lati, Joseph |
| Description |
Author Affiliation: Kottmeier C ( Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany. Electronic address: Christoph.Kottmeier@kit.edu.); Agnon A ( The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.); Al-Halbouni D ( GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany.); Alpert P ( Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.); Corsmeier U ( Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.); Dahm T ( GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany.); Eshel A ( Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.); Geyer S ( Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle, Germany.); Haas M ( GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany.); Holohan E ( GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany.); Kalthoff N ( Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.); Kishcha P ( Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.); Krawczyk C ( Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG), Stilleweg 2, 30655 Hannover, Germany.); Lati J ( Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.); Laronne JB ( Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel.); Lott F ( Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.); Mallast U ( Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle, Germany.); Merz R ( Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle, Germany.); Metzger J ( Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.); Mohsen A ( An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.); Morin E ( The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.); Nied M ( Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.); Rödiger T ( Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle, Germany.); Salameh E ( The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.); Sawarieh A ( Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), Amman, Jordan.); Shannak B ( Al Balqa Applied University, As Salt, Jordan.); Siebert C ( Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle, Germany.); Weber M ( GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany) |
| Abstract |
The Dead Sea region has faced substantial environmental challenges in recent decades, including water resource scarcity, ~1m annual decreases in the water level, sinkhole development, ascending-brine freshwater pollution, and seismic disturbance risks. Natural processes are significantly affected by human interference as well as by climate change and tectonic developments over the long term. To get a deep understanding of processes and their interactions, innovative scientific approaches that integrate disciplinary research and education are required. The research project DESERVE (Helmholtz Virtual Institute Dead Sea Research Venue) addresses these challenges in an interdisciplinary approach that includes geophysics, hydrology, and meteorology. The project is implemented by a consortium of scientific institutions in neighboring countries of the Dead Sea (Israel, Jordan, Palestine Territories) and participating German Helmholtz Centres (KIT, GFZ, UFZ). A new monitoring network of meteorological, hydrological, and seismic/geodynamic stations has been established, and extensive field research and numerical simulations have been undertaken. For the first time, innovative measurement and modeling techniques have been applied to the extreme conditions of the Dead Sea and its surroundings. The preliminary results show the potential of these methods. First time ever performed eddy covariance measurements give insight into the governing factors of Dead Sea evaporation. High-resolution bathymetric investigations reveal a strong correlation between submarine springs and neo-tectonic patterns. Based on detailed studies of stratigraphy and borehole information, the extension of the subsurface drainage basin of the Dead Sea is now reliably estimated. Originality has been achieved in monitoring flash floods in an arid basin at its outlet and simultaneously in tributaries, supplemented by spatio-temporal rainfall data. Low-altitude, high resolution photogrammetry, allied to satellite image analysis and to geophysical surveys (e.g. shear-wave reflections) has enabled a more detailed characterization of sinkhole morphology and temporal development and the possible subsurface controls thereon. All the above listed efforts and scientific results take place with the interdisciplinary education of young scientists. They are invited to attend joint thematic workshops and winter schools as well as to participate in field experiments. |
