Imaging of wastewater percolation in heterogeneous soil using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT): a case study at east of Tenth of Ramadan City,Egypt

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of DC resistivity surveys for imaging the wastewater percolation around the stabilization ponds in the Tenth of Ramadan City, the desert fringes of East Nile Delta, Egypt. Detailed resistivity surveys, including DC soundings and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), were carried out along several profiles. Furthermore, synthetic modeling of ERT was designed to optimize the survey configurations and interpretation of the results. A 2D modeling of smoothness-constrained least-squares inversion scheme was applied to delineate the possible wastewater infiltration zones from oxidation ponds. Because the geoelectrical interpretation has a degree of non-uniqueness, the resistivity inversion was constrained using borehole lithological information and soil sample laboratory measurements. The DC inversion results indicate decreasing resistivity down to a depth of 15 m around waste disposal sites. The inferred soil zone close to the oxidation ponds was a mixture of sand, silt and clay. Moreover, the clay minerals were characterized by moderate swelling that could have reduced the vertical infiltration speed, causing wastewater seepage, especially around unlined disposal sites and open surface drains. Accordingly, the medium-to-low resistivity values can be attributed to wastewater leakage in clayey sand soil. Because the area slopes generally toward the northeast, the surface seepage was dominant in the shallow impermeable sandy clay subsoil. Therefore, measuring soil parameters is a complementary method to optimize resistivity interpretation, with potential for mitigating environmental hazards from wastewater leakage around disposal ponds.     

Evolution of thrust system deformation in an intracratonic chain: Study of the Southern-Central Tunisian Atlas

The development of belt structures in intracratonic chains is guided by the convergence system. In the Southern-Central Tunisian Atlas, several parameters control the evolution of thrust folds during different tectonic phases. One of these phases is tectonic inheritance, which leads to the reactivation of pre-existing normal faults during compressive phases. The angle between the direction of these faults and the shortening axis (NNW-SSE) is the most important parameter for interpreting the mode of the evolution of thrust folds. Jebel Elkebar is an example of a structure developed on NW-SE-oriented faults that is perpendicular to the shortening axis. Based on the geometry of its folds, Jebel Elkebar is interpreted as a 'Fault Related Fold'. The E-W-oriented Orbata structure is oblique to the direction of the shortening axis and is interpreted through the model 'Fault Propagation Fold' with 'Breakthrough'. The Gafsa Fault, which is parallel to the shortening axis, is a transpressional fault interpreted through the 'Strain Partitioning' mode, which is associated with the oblique ramp fold. The development of various thrust folds requires the presence of a basal decollement level during the Triassic succession. In the Southern-Central Tunisian Atlas, the deformation is variable (geometry of fold closure) and is correlated with the depth of the decollement level; indeed, the intensity of deformation is proportional to the depth of the decollement level. Consequently, the most important deformation is in the higher successions and is a vertical migration of the decollement level associated with thin-skinned deformation.     

Contribution of satellite altimetry data in the geophysical investigation of the Red Sea Region, Egypt

Successful development of geodetic satellite missions has aroused new interest in determining global and regional gravity field based on satellite data. Satellite altimetry data enable direct determination of the geoid over sea regions. In Egypt, where land and marine geophysical data are inadequate because of rough topography and economic reasons, the use of satellite altimetry data is of special importance. The northern Red Sea region has been selected as a site for case study of the current research, after applying spectral analysis to reveal near-surface structure, the residual geoid of the studied region shows a good correlation with the known geologic features. Moreover, satellite-based gravity data enhance small-scale features and agrees well with land and marine gravity data. Thus, geoid undulation and satellite gravity data can be a complementary source of data to determine near-surface and deep structures.     

New analytical solution of the dispersion equation

The dispersion of pollutants from a point source is analytically investigated taking into consideration the vertical variation of both wind speed and eddy diffusivity. The deposition of the diffusing particles on the ground is taken into account throughout the boundary conditions. The concentration of pollutants under different atmospheric stabilities was found assuming that the vertical diffusion is limited by an elevated inversion layer. The decay distance of a pollutant along the wind direction for different atmospheric stabilities was derived. The resulting analytical formulae have been applied on a case study namely, the emission from the research reactor at Inshas. The results are discussed and presented in illustrative figures.     

Developing artificial neural network models to predict allowable bearing capacity and elastic settlement of shallow foundation in Sharjah,United Arab Emirates

This research proposes the use of artificial neural network to predict the allowable bearing capacity and elastic settlement of shallow foundation on granular soils in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Data obtained from existing soil reports of 600 boreholes were used to train and validate the model. Three parameters (footing width, effective unit weight, and SPT blow count) are considered to have the most significant impact on the magnitude of allowable bearing capacity and elastic settlement of shallow foundations, and thus were used as the model inputs. Throughout the study, depth of footing was limited to 1.5 m below existing ground level and water table depth taken at the level of the footing. Performance comparison of the developed models (in terms of coefficient of determination, root mean square error, and mean absolute error) revealed that the developed artificial neural network models could be effectively used for predicting the allowable bearing capacity and elastic settlement. As such, the developed models can be used at the preliminary stage of estimating the allowable bearing capacity and settlements of shallow foundations on granular soils, instead of the conventional methods.     

Groundwater condition based on geoelectrical technique and Dar Zarrouk parameters between El Alamein and El Dabaa—Egypt

El Alamein-El-Dabaa area lies in the western Mediterranean coastal zone of Egypt with about 50 km long. The aims of the present study are the shallow groundwater aquifer determination and calculate the electric parameters of the overburden to achieve the easiest way for detecting groundwater contamination and considered it during the planning of new development project(s). To attain this target, 44 vertical resistivity soundings using Schlumberger array of the maximum AB/2?=?1000 m in the form of four profiles were carried out. From the interpretation results, six geoelectrical layers have been established in the area, and iso-resistivity, depth to water, and isopach contour maps are presented. Four geoelectrical cross-sections (two geoelectrical cross-sections are parallel to the Mediterranean shoreline and the other two are normal to the Mediterranean shoreline) have been constructed. According to this work, the upper part of the Oolitic Limestone represents the shallow groundwater aquifer in this area and can be distinguished into two zones. The upper zone is brackish, whereas the lower one is saline. The geoelectrical succession reveals that the aquifer is free type. The depth to water ranges between 20 and 63 m; therefore, it is the choice as the best sites for groundwater exploitation. In the area under study, the depth to water and the thickness of the brackish increase towards the south side as well as the depth to the brackish water. The Dar-Zarrouk parameters clarified that there are some parts that may contaminate pathways and other parts are not.     

Monophyly or polyphyly? Possible conflict between morphological and molecular interpretations of the wellknown genus Zoothamnium(Ciliophora,Peritrichia)

In this paper,we explore possible conflict between morphological and molecular interpretations of phylogenetic relationships within the well-known peritrichous genus Zoothamnium. On the basis of morphological evidence,for a long time this genus has been believed to be a well-defined monophyletic taxon. Nonetheless,Z oothamnium exhibits higher genetic diversity than the gross morphology of its species. Here,we used all available genetic information for the small subunit of ribosomal RNA(SSU r RNA) and internal transcribed spacer region(ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) for this genus to reconstruct phylogenies for four datasets(SSU rRNA,ITS1,ITS2,and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and a combined dataset(SSU rRNA+ITS1-5.8SITS2) using different phylogenetic methods and with consideration of the secondary structure of the genes. Confidence in phylogenetic tree selection was assessed with the approximately unbiased test. The molecular results showed both that Zoothamnium is more likely to be polyphyletic,and morphologically similar genera Zoothamnopsis and Myoschiston were always nested among Zoothamnium species. Accordingly,as with some other groups of ciliates,to understand more fully the correct phylogeny of Zoothamnium there remains a need for additional data from both morphological and molecular studies,covering additional Zoothamnium spp. and members of closely related genera(e.g. Zoothamnopsis,Myoschiston,and Epistylis).     

The 2014 seismic hazard model of the Middle East: overview and results

The Earthquake Model of Middle East (EMME) Project aimed to develop regional scale seismic hazard and risk models uniformly throughout a region extending from the Eastern Mediterranean in the west to the Himalayas in the east and from the Gulf of Oman in the south to the Greater Caucasus in the North; a region which has been continuously devastated by large earthquakes throughout the history. The 2014 Seismic Hazard Model of Middle East (EMME-SHM14) was developed with the contribution of several institutions from ten countries. The present paper summarizes the efforts towards building a homogeneous seismic hazard model of the region and highlights some of the main results of this model. An important aim of the project was to transparently communicate the data and methods used and to obtain reproducible results. By doing so, the use of the model and results will be accessible by a wide community, further support the mitigation of seismic risks in the region and facilitate future improvements to the seismic hazard model. To this end all data, results and methods used are made available through the web-portal of the European Facilities for Earthquake Hazard and Risk (www.efehr.org).     

Dokhan volcanics of Gabal Monqul area,North Eastern Desert,Egypt: geochemistry and petrogenesis

The Dokhan volcanics are represented by a thick stratified lava flows succession of basalt, andesite, imperial porphyry, dacite, rhyodacite, rhyolite, ignimbrites, and tuffs. These lavas are interbanded with their pyroclastics in some places including banded ash flow tuffs, lithic tuffs, crystal lapilli tuffs, and agglomerates. They are typical calc–alkaline and developed within volcanic arc environment. All rocks show moderate enrichment of most large ion lithophile elements relative to high field strength elements (HFSE). The incompatible trace elements increase from basalt through andesite to rhyolite. The felsic volcanics are characterized by moderate total rare earth elements (REE) contents (162 to 392 ppm), less fractionated patterns {(Ce/Yb)_N = (1.24 to 10.93)}, and large negative Eu anomaly {(Eu/Eu*) = (0.15 to 0.92)}. The mafic volcanics have the lowest REE contents (61 to 192 ppm) and are relatively steep {(Ce/Yb)_N = (3.2 to 8.5)}, with no negative Eu anomalies {(Eu/Eu*) = (0.88 to 1)}. The rhyolite displays larger negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* = 0.28) than those of other varieties, indicating that the plagioclase was an early major fractionating phase. The mineralogical and chemical variations within volcanics are consistent with their evolution by fractional crystallization of plagioclase and clinopyroxene.     

Miocene to recent alkaline volcanism between Al Haruj and Waw an Namous (southern Libya)

Unspiked K–Ar ages, petrological, geochemical and isotopic data are reported on samples from southern Libya (Wan an Namous—Al Haruj area). The Wan an Namous intracaldera cone dated at 0.2?Ma consists of unusually undersaturated foidite, representing the most extreme compositions among Libyan and Tibestian lavas. A basanitic and a basaltic lava flow located north-west of Wan an Namous, and probably belonging to the Al Haruj volcanic field, were dated at 5.1?Ma and 8.1?Ma. These data extend the range of ages previously reported for Al Haruj lavas. REE and multi-element patterns are typical of alkaline intraplate magmas. Sr ratios range from 0.70314 to 0.70812, whereas Nd ratios are very homogeneous (0.51290–0.51293). Pb ratios (19.231?<?²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb?<?19.547, 15.607?<?²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb?<?15.641 and 38.859?<?²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb?<?39.242) are typical of HIMU-FOZO compositions. Such isotope characteristics are very similar to those available on two Gharyan (northern Libya) lavas and largely overlap those of Hoggar and Cameroon Line alkaline rocks. These lavas were produced by low and variable degrees of partial melting of a garnet- and amphibole-bearing mantle source, constraining the depth of melting between 80 and 150?km. Crustal contamination was also probably involved for the oldest sample. Mineral compositions of a dunite–harzburgite xenolith clearly indicate that the lithospheric mantle was affected by partial melting and metasomatic processes by magmatic liquids, probably associated with the genesis of Cenozoic lavas. Lithospheric delamination and asthenospheric upwelling, due to the reactivation of lithospheric megastructures induced by the Africa-Europe convergence, could represent a model for the genesis of Libyan lavas, as in Hoggar.