Geomorphology and sedimentary/biosedimentary structures of the intertidal environment along the coast of Kuwait,north-western Arabian Gulf

The coast of Kuwait can be divided into nine intertidal geomorphological subunits, of which four are found along the northern muddy shoreline and five along the southern sandy shoreline. In the north the coast is characterized by wide intertidal mudflats, bounded landward by an extensive coastal sabkha which is partly covered by sand drifts. The upper part of the intertidal environment is covered with a mixture of aeolian sands and muddy sediments of marine origin. A number of shallow tidal channels dissect the intertidal flats and small sand bars occur near the low water line. In contrast, the southern shore is characterized by relatively steep sandy beaches fronted by narrow to moderately wide rocky intertidal platforms which are partly covered by sand, bioherms, skeletal debris and algal mats. In some areas the rocky surface is dissected by numerous small gulleys and shallow channels. Multiple sand bars lying either parallel or diagonal to the shoreline are developed near the low water line. This southern intertidal environment is bounded landward by a sandy berm and a wave-cut cliff.Ripple marks are developed almost parallel to the shoreline, showing different flow directions. Energy levels are moderate to high along the southern shore, but low along the northern shore. In the south, waves induced by winds blowing mostly from the north-east and south-east form the dominant energy source, whereas tidal and wind-driven currents are the only tangible process acting along the northern shore.     

Metallogenesis of cratonic oolitic ironstone deposits in the Bled el Mass,Azzel Matti,Ahnet and Mouydir basins,Central Sahara,Algeria

The Bled el Mass, Azzel Matti, Ahnet and Mouydir areas are located in the northwest of the Touareg Shield (Central Sahara, Algeria). Within the Devonian sedimentary formations, nine oolitic ironstone occurrences of EXID type (Extensive Ironstone Deposition) are interbedded.Their mineralogical composition is characterized by four different paragenetic associations: P1 (Chamosite — magnetite — maghemite — goethite); P2 (chamosite — hematite — goethite — calcite); P3 (chamosite — hematitegoethite — quartz); and P4 (chamosite — hematite — goethite). Using textural analysis, four main ironstone facies are distinguished: FOD (ooliths scattered in a detrital groundmass); FOND (ooliths scattered in a non detrital groundmass); FOC (cemented ooliths) and FMC (microconglomeratic facies).Primarily developed in calm conditions by intrasedimentary processes within an iron-rich silicated mud, in lagoons or embayments, ooliths subsequently acquired a detrital character.The ironstone deposition seems to be induced by several pulses of sedimentation through the Devonian and is considered as indicator of sedimentary subcycles. Therefore, the oolitic ferriferous sediments indicate a cratonic sedimentation on the borders of a large epicontinental sea. The source of the iron could be a remote southern continent, probably the Pan-African mobile belt of Nigeria and the Congo Shield.The ironstones of the Central Sahara can be considered as an important branch of the North-African Oolitic Ironstone Belt, extending from Rio de Oro to Libya.

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Zusammenfassung Die Gebiete des Bled el Mass, des Azzel Matti, des Ahnet und des Mouydir, liegen im Nordwesten des Touaregschildes (Zentral Sahara, Algerian). Neun eisenoolithische Horizonte sind hier in die devonischen Sedimente eingeschaltet. Ihr Mineralinhalt kann durch vier verschiedene Paragenesen charakterisiert werden:P1=Chamosit + Magnetit + Maghemit + Goethit; P2= Chamosit + Hämatit + Goethit + Kalzit; P3=Chamosit + Hämatit + Goethit + Quartz; P4=Chamosit + Hämatit + Goethit.Vier vererzte Fazies Typen treten auf: FOD: (die Ooide sind in einer detritischen Marix eingelagert); FOND: (die Ooide sind in einer nichtdetritischen Matrix eingelagert); FOC: (die Ooide sind verfestigt); FMC: microkonglomeratische Fazies.Die Ooide entwickeln sich in ruhigen Bedingungen, in Lagunen oder Meerbusen, durch die Bildung von Konkretionen im Sediment aus einem silikatischen und eisenreichen Schlamm; sie werden dann wie detritische Komponenten aufgenommen und transportiert.Die eisenoolitischen Ablagerungen scheinen durch mehrere Sedimentationsphasen während des Devons entstanden zu sein; so können sie als Zeichen von Sedimentmikrozyklen betrachtet werden. Diese oolitischen Sedimente sind charakteristisch für eine Kratonsedimentation am Rand eines breiten, epikontinentalen Meeres.Der Usprung des Eisens ist in einem südlichen Kontinent zu suchen, wahrscheinlich in dem mobilen panafrikanischen Gebirge von Nigeria, oder auf dem kongolesischen Schild.Diese Erze der Zentralsahara können als ein wichtiger Zweig des Eisengürtels betrachtet werden, der sich in Nordafrika von Rio de Oro bis Libyen erstreckt.

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Résumé Les régions du Bled el Mass, de l'Azzel Matti, de l'Ahnet et du Mouydir sont situées au Nord-Ouest du Bouclier Touareg (Sahara Central, Algérie). Neuf niveaux de minerai de fer oolithique sont interstratifiés dans les formations sédimentaires du Dévonien.Quatre différentes paragenèses caractérisent la composition minéralogique de ces minerais. P1 (chamosite — magnétite — maghémite — goethite); P2 (chamosite — hématite — goethite — calcite); P3 (chamosite — hématite — goethite — quartz) et P4 (chamosite — hématite — goethite). Quatre facies minéralisés ont été en évidence: FOD (oolithes dispersées dans une matrice détrìtique); FOND (oolithes dispersées dans une matrice non détritique); FOC (oolithes cimentées) et FMC (faciès microconglomératique).Développées dans des conditions calmes par concrétionnement intrasédimentaire dans une boue silicatée riche en fer, dans des lagons ou des baies, les oolithes vont acquérir par la suite un comportement détritique.Les dépôts de minerai oolithique semblent avoir été induits par plusieurs pulsations sédimentaires durant le Dévonien et peuvent être ainsi considérés comme des marqueurs de microcycles sédimentaires.Ces sédiments oolithiques sont caractéristiques d'une sédimentation cratonique, sur les bords d'une mer épicontinentale étendue. La source du fer est à rechercher dans un continent situé au Sud, probablement dans la chaîne mobile Pan-Africaine du Nigeria et le Bouclier du Congo.Ces minerais de fer oolithiques du Sahara Central peuvent être considérés comme une branche importante de la ceinture ferrifère Nord africaine, qui s'étend du Rio de Oro à la Libye.

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Kriging of water levels in the Souss aquifer,Morocco

Universal kriging is applied to water table data from the Souss aquifer in central Morocco. The procedure accounts for the spatial variability of the phenomenon to be mapped. With the use of measured elevations of the water table, an experimental variogram is constructed that characterizes the spatial variability of the measured water levels. Spherical and Gaussian variogram models are alternatively used to fit the experimental variogram. The models are used to develop contour maps of water table elevations and corresponding estimation variances. The estimation variances express the reliability of the kriged water table elevation maps. Universal kriging also provides a contour map of the expected elevation of the water table (drift). The differences between the expected and measured water table elevations are called residuals from the drift. Residuals from the drift are compared with residuals obtained by more traditional least-squares analysis.     

Evaluating some factors that affect feasility of using ground penetrating radar for landmine detection

Ground penetrating radar （GPR） is one of the promising technologies that can be used to detect landmines. Many factors may affect the ability of GPR to detect landmines. Among those factors are： 1） the type of landmine material （metallic or plastic）, 2） conditions of the host soil （soil texture and soil moisture）, and 3） the radar frequency utilized. The impact of these factors on the ability of GPR to detect landmines is investigated by studying their effect on the dielectric permittivity contrast between the landmine and the host soil, as well as on the attenuation of the radar waves. The impact of each factor was theoretically reviewed and modeled using the Matlab and Mathcad software packages. Results of the computer modeling were correlated with GPR data acquired for metallic and plastic landmine types. It was found that the ability of GPR to detect landmines depends to a great extent on the landmine type, water content of the host soil, utilized radar frequency, and soil texture. The landmines are much easier to detect than plastic landmines for any soil conditions and any radar frequency. Increasing the soil＇s moisture content, regardless of soil texture, eases the detection of the plastic landmine and worsens the detection of the metallic mines. Increasing the percentage of clay in the soil causes the same effect as the moisture content. However, higher radar frequency delivers better results for landmine detection as long as the percentage of clay and the moisture content in the soil remains low. The results of this study are expected to help in selecting optimum radar antennae and data acquisition parameters depending on the landmine type and environmental conditions.     

An Experiment Using the High Resolution Eta and WRF Models to Forecast Heavy Precipitation over India

In the present study using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) and Eta models, recent heavy rainfall events that occurred (i) over parts of Maharastra during 26 to 27 July, 2005, (ii) over coastal Tamilnadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh during 24 to 28 October, 2005, and (iii) the tropical cyclone of 30 September to 3 October, 2004/Monsoon Depression of 2 to 5 October 2004, that developed during the withdrawal phase of the southwest monsoon season of 2004 have been investigated. Also sensitivity experiments have been conducted with the WRF model to test the impact of microphysical and cumulus parameterization schemes in capturing the extreme weather events. The results show that the WRF model with the microphysical process and cumulus parameterization schemes of Ferrier et al. and Betts-Miller-Janjic was able to capture the heavy rainfall events better than the other schemes. It is also observed that the WRF model was able to predict mesoscale rainfall more realistically in comparison to the Eta model of the same resolution.     

Textural attributes, mineralogy and provenance of sand dune fields in the greater Al Ain area, United Arab Emirates

Sand dunes and interdune sediments around Al Ain city have markedly high carbonate contents which increase towards Jabal Hafit mountain and the Arabian Gulf coast. The dunes are composed predominantly of well-sorted fine sands, consisting of unstrained quartz and carbonate grains together with minor proportions of chert and feldspars. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination reveals that quartz grains display various mechanically- and chemically-formed surface textures. The heavy minerals are dominated by opaques and pyroxenes with minor tourmaline, garnet, rutile, epidote, monazite, zircon, hornblende and staurolite.Interdune sediments consist of fine and very fine, poorly- to extremely poorly-sorted sands together with small concentrations of gravel, silt and clay. The light sand fractions compositionally resemble those of dunes but contain, in addition, gypsum, anhydrite, halite and celestite. Percentages of pyroxenes are higher whereas those of zircon, tourmaline and rutile are lower than in dunes. X-ray diffractometry reveals that the clay fractions consist solely of palygorskite. Generally, interdune sediments are much less mature texturally and mineralogically than dune sands; the maturity of both types of sediments decreases toward the NE of the study area.Sand dunes in the various districts of the greater Al Ain area are genetically related. Also, there is a partial genetic relationship between the dunes and interdune sediments; both are mainly multicyclic. Their major parts were brought mainly by the dominant north-west (El Shamal) winds from older dune fields in other localities in U.A.E., Qatar and El-Rub El-Khali. Local contributions to the dune fields from Jabal Hafit mountain, the Oman Mountains and the calcareous coast of the Arabian Gulf were, in cases, significant. Also, authigenesis by groundwater under highly evaporitic conditions played a major role in the formation of interdune sediments through the genesis of the clay and some nonclay minerals.     

Investigation on the geological and geotechnical factors leading to a major slope failure at a selected site on a Jordanian highway

During and after the very wet 1991/1992 winter experienced in Jordan, significant slope failures occurred along several sections of the new Irbid-Amman highway in Jordan. The topography over most of the route is hilly, and significant amounts of cut and fill were used to construct the highway. One such slope failure lies at 44+800 km on the highway south of Jerash City at a distance of about 5.0 km from Wadi Zerqa bridge. A landslide occurred downslope of the highway embankment resulting in a collapse of the most of the gabbion wall supporting the embankment. This paper deals with the overall stability of the slope at 44+800 km. It presents the geological and geotechnical studies carried out at this site, identifies the causes and mechanism of instability, and presents appropriate remedial measures. The study concluded that the landslide movement occurred within the colluvium material. It resulted primarily from excess piezometric pressures generated within the slope as a direct consequence of inadequate drainage. It is recommended to reconstruct the entire gabbion wall with its foundation seated on the sandstone that underlies the colluvium and to install a surface drainage system at the site.