Land degradation risk assessment of El Fayoum depression, Egypt

The main objective of this study is to assess the land degradation risk of cultivated land in El Fayoum depression. The physiographic map of the depression was produced by using remote sensing and land surveying data. The depression comprises lacustrine plain, alluvial–lacustrine plain, and alluvial plain representing 12.22%, 53.58%, and 34.20% of the total area, respectively. The soil, climate, and topographic characteristics of the depression were extracted from land surveying, laboratory analyses, digital elevation model, and available reports. A simple model was designed to employ these data for assessing the chemical and physical risk of land degradation using Arc-GIS 9.2 software. The obtained results indicate that severe risk to chemical and physical degradation affect 54.15% and 29.23% of the depression, respectively. The current status of soil salinity, sodicity, and water table indicate that most of lacustrine and alluvial–lacustrine soils are actually degraded by salinization, sodification, and waterlogging. The results of degradation risk and the actual hazard indicate that the human activities are not sufficient to overcome the degradation processes in the most of the depression (80. 22%). Moreover, a negative human impact affects 26.29% of the area mostly in the alluvial plain. Great efforts related to the land management are required to achieve the agriculture sustainability.     

Expansion of the inverse of mutual distance between two bodies raised to any power

We calculate the expression forΔ ^-s in terms of true anomalies and classical orbital elements, referring to a common fixed plane and working up to power four of eccentricities and tangents of inclinations. We obtained two final results: the first wheny ^′>y, the second wheny>y ^′.     

Overview of the geomorphological and hydrogeological characteristics of the Eastern Desert of Egypt

Although, the Eastern Desert of Egypt forms about 22% of the surface area of the country, the area is undeveloped due to the limited availability of water. The morphologic units of the Eastern Desert consist of a number of drainage basins covering about 147,820 km² (66.5% of the total surface area of the Eastern Desert). The basins drain the occasional rainwater, either towards the Nile Valley or to the Red Sea, causing flood hazards. The availability of water from the hydrologic systems of these basins could be improved by constructing runoff controlling systems in these areas (e.g. dykes and partially effective dams), which could save and make use of a considerable amount of water. The groundwater resources in the Eastern Desert can be divided into four main water-bearing units: the fractured crystalline Pre-Cambrian aquifer, the Nubian sandstone aquifer, the fractured limestone and sandstone aquifer and the Quaternary aquifer. The most productive aquifer is the Nubian sandstone while the fractured limestone and sandstone (Miocene) are only productive along the eastern part of the desert. The Quaternary aquifer occurs along the major dry washes (wadis) and is considered of limited potential as it is recharged mainly from the occasional rainfall. Detailed assessment of these aquifers should be carried out locally for further development of the area.

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Resumen Aunque el Desierto Oriental de Egipto constituye alrededor del 22% de la superficie del país, esta área no se encuentra desarrollada por causa de la escasez de agua. Las unidades morfológicas del Desierto Oriental consisten de un número de cuencas de drenaje que cubren alrededor de 147,820 km² (66.5% del área superficial total del Desierto Oriental). Estas cuencas drenan las aguas lluvias ocasionales, bien hacia el Valle del Nilo o hacia el Mar Rojo, causando amenazas de inundación. La disponibilidad de agua a partir de los sistemas hidrológicos de estas cuencas, puede ser mejorada al construir sistemas de control de escorrentía allí (Ej. Diques y presas de efectividad parcial), las cuales podrían almacenar y permitir el uso de una cantidad considerable de agua. Los recursos de agua subterránea en el Desierto Oriental, pueden dividirse en cuatro unidades principales portadoras de agua: El acuífero fracturado cristalino Pre – Cámbrico, el acuífero de la Arenisca de Nubia, el acuífero de arenisca y caliza fracturadas y el acuífero Cuaternario. El acuífero más productivo es la arenisca de Nubia, mientras que la arenisca y caliza fracturadas (Mioceno), son productivas únicamente a lo largo de la parte oriental del desierto. El acuífero Cuaternario se encuentra a lo largo de las corrientes intermitentes mayores (Wadis) y se le considera de potencial limitado por ser recargado principalmente a partir de lluvia ocasional. Una evaluación detallada de estos acuíferos debe llevarse a cabo localmente, para el desarrollo adicional de esta área.

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Résumé Bien que le Désert Est occupe 22% de la surface de lEgypte, la région est sousdeveloppée à cause de la ressource en eau limitée. Les unités morphologiques consistent en des bassins drainant qui couvrent une surface de 147,820 km² ,représentant 66.6% de la surface du Désert Est. Les bassins drainent les plues intermittentes vers la vallée du Nil ou vers la Mer Rouge en provocant des inondations. On peut augmenter la ressource en eau dans cette région en réalisant des systèmes de contrôle de ruissellements (des digues...) qui peuvent sauver et utiliser un volume considérable deau. La ressource en eau souterraine du Désert Est est cantonnée dans quatre grandes structures: l› aquifère fracturé cristallin Précambrien, l› aquifère gréseux Nubien, l› aquifère calcaire et gréseux et l› aquifère quaternaire. Le plus productif est l› aquifère gréseux Nubien tendis que les calcaire et les grèses dage miocène sont productives seulement dans la partie est du désert. L› aquifère quaternaire se trouve au long des oueds sèches et on considéré quil a un potentiel limité, étant rechargé seulement par les plues intermittentes. Pour le futur développement de la région il est nécessaire une évaluation détaillée, à léchelle locale de ces aquifères.

     

A second order Jupiter-Saturn planetary theory

We complete by this part II the establishment of a second order secular Jupiter-Saturn theory. This is achieved by taking into consideration the influence of the indirect part of the planetary disturbing function, and expressing the second order secular Hamiltonian in terms of Poincaré's canonical variables.     

Petrological characteristics of podiform chromitites and associated peridotites of the Pan African Proterozoic ophiolite complexes of Egypt

Mafic-ultramafic fragments of a dismembered ophiolite complex are abundant in the late Precambrian Pan African belt of the Eastern Desert of Egypt and north-east Sudan. The ultramafic bodies in the Eastern Desert of Egypt are mostly characterised by the harzburgite–dunite–chromitite association. Because of their severe metamorphism, almost all primary silicates were converted to secondary minerals and we use the chrome spinel as a reliable petrogenetic indicator. The podiform chromitite deposits are common as small and irregularly shaped masses in the central and southern parts of the Eastern Desert. They strongly vary in texture, degree of alteration and chemical composition of chrome spinel. The podiform chromitites exhibit a wide range of composition from high Cr to high Al varieties. The Cr of chrome spinel ranges from 0.65 to 0.85 in dunite, quite similar in the high-Cr chromitite, whereas it is around 0.5 in harzburgite. Primary hydrous mineral inclusions, amphibole and phlogopite, in chrome spinel are reported for the first time from the Pan African Proterozoic podiform chromitites. The petrological characteristics of Pan African podiform chromitites and associated peridotites of Egypt are similar to those of Phanerozoic ophiolites. The Proterozoic podiform chromitites may have formed in the same way as the Phanerozoic ones, namely by melt-harzburgite reaction and subsequent melt mixing. The similarity of the mantle section of the late Proterozoic and the Phanerozoic ophiolites suggests that the thermal conditions controlling genesis of the crust–mantle system basically have not changed since the late Proterozoic era. The Pan African harzburgite is very similar to abyssal peridotite at fast-spreading ridges, and the high-Cr, low-Ti character of spinel in chromitite and dunite indicates a genetic link with a supra-subduction zone setting. The late Proterozoic ophiolites of Egypt are possibly a fragment of oceanic lithosphere modified by arc-related magmatic rocks, or a fragment of back-arc basin lithosphere. Received: 26 October 1999 / Accepted: 28 June 2000     

Roll stabilization by anti-roll passive tanks

Since the most severe roll motion occurs at resonance (known as synchronous rolling), the best way of reducing it is to increase the damping. The most common means of doing so is by the installation of bilge keels. If more control is required, both anti-roll tanks and fins are used. Tanks have the advantage of being able to function when the ship is not underway. The use of tanks with liquid free surfaces for reducing roll motion of ships is an old idea. Many researchers have studied the design of anti-roll tanks. However, most of the past effort has concentrated on studying the performance of anti-roll tanks in damping the roll motion of the ship. Little attention has been paid to the fluid motion inside the tank itself. Another important issue is the tank tuning. Proper tuning of the anti-roll tank, to match the ship's natural frequency, is very important in reducing the roll motion. This paper concentrates on the most familiar type, which is the U-tube passive tank as a mechanical absorber of roll motion. A detailed study, covering tank damping, mass, location relative to the ship CG, and tuning, is presented. New suggestions and observations are stated concerning tank damping and tuning.     

Sequence stratigraphic evolution of the syn-rift Early Cretaceous sediments,West Beni Suef Basin,the Western Desert of Egypt with remarks on its hydrocarbon accumulations

The Beni Suef Basin is a petroliferous rift basin straddling the River Nile containing a thick Mesozoic–Paleogene succession. The Kharita Formation is formed in the syn-rift phase of the basin formation and is subdivided into the Lower and Upper Kharita members. These two members are regarded as two third-order depositional sequences (DSQ-1 and DSQ-2). The lowstand systems tract (LST-1) of the DSQ-1 is represented by thick amalgamated sandstone bodies deposited by active braided channels. Mid-Albian tectonic subsidence led to a short-lived marine invasion which produced coastal marine and inner-shelf facies belts during an ensuing transgressive systems tract (TST-1). At the end of the mid-Albian, a phase of tectonic uplift gradually rose the continent creating a fall in relative sea level, resulting in deposition of shallow marine and estuarine facies belts during a highstand systems tract (HST-1). During the Late Albian, a new phase of land-rejuvenation commenced, with a prolonged phase of fluvial depositional. Fluvial deposits consisted of belts of amalgamated, vertically aggraded sandstones interpreted as braided and moderately sinuous channels, in the lower part of the Upper Kharita Member lowstand stage (LST-2). The continuous basin filling, coupled with significant lowering in the surrounding highlands changed the drainage regime into a wide belt of meandering river depositing the transgressive stage (TST-2). The history of the Kharita Formation finalized with a Cenomanian marine transgressive phase. Economically, the TST-1 and HST-1 play a significant role as source rocks for hydrocarbon accumulations, whereas LST-2 act as good reservoir rocks in the Early Cretaceous in the Basin.