Patterns of seismic sequences in the Levant—interpretation of historical seismicity

There are historical accounts of about a hundred damaging earthquakes that occurred during the last two millennia in the Levant, in and around the Dead Sea fault system, and about half of which were associated with additional felt shocks. Several modes of earthquake sequences can be distinguished in them: (a) In 46 accounts, only one single event is noted. These are not known from tectonic settings similar to that of the Levant, and may just be a result of incomplete reporting. (b) In four cases, quakes preceded the mainshock by minutes, hours, and up to several weeks—possibly foreshocks. (c) Thirty-five mainshock–aftershock sequences were noted, lasting hours, days, weeks, months, and even more than a year; four of these also have foreshocks. No typical delay time was recognized for the largest or most significant aftershocks: they appeared up to several months later. (d) Six of the reported mainshock–aftershock sequences appeared in a “storm.” Another 13 sequences are insufficient to specify further.     

The heat flux density in a non-homogeneous bare loessial soil

This work describes the relationship between the diurnal patterns of the radiant energy exchange in the atmospheric surface layer and the soil heat flux density of a bare irrigated soil in an arid environment. The measurements show that the soil heat flux density is a large fraction of the net radiation. The soil moisture content has little effect on this fraction but modifies the phase relationship between the net radiation and the soil heat flux density waves. Differences between the thermal regimes of the wet and dry soil appear to be caused by latent heat exchanges rather than changes of the soil thermal properties. The data also show that the variation with depth of the soil thermal properties strongly influences the propagation of the temperature and heat flux density waves in the soil. A heat diffusion theory for non-homogeneous conductors (Lettau, 1962) which enables the thermal properties of the soil to be predicted is tested by comparison with experimental determinations in the field.     

Paleomagnetism of tertiary and recent lavas of Israel

Magnetizations in 24 flows of Tertiary age in Israel indicate two stable directions, each of which has both normal and reversed polarities. AF demagnetization decreases the scatter of the NRM results. Typical Tertiary poles are near 70°N 110°W and another set of anomalous poles are near 34°N 50°W. These are similar to other reported Tertiary and Cretaceous poles.     

Distribution of hydrocarbons in the oyster,Pinctada margaratifera,along the coast of Kuwait

Concentrations of total hydrocarbons within the boiling point range of the alkanes n-C₁₄ and n-C₃₂ were determined in oysters, Pinctada margaratifera, from coastal waters of Kuwait. Levels of petroleum-derived hydrocarbons were highest in an area adjacent to the major oil loading facilities. Whether the use of dispersants to treat minor spills increases levels of incorporation of petroleum compounds into the food webs could not be concluded from the data of this study. Levels of total petroleum-type hydrocarbons in the oysters at this site were equivalent to those in mussels, Mytilus sp., from harbours, bays and urban coastal areas of California. The Kuwaiti oysters lacked a C₂₈ pentacyclic triterpane that was present in extracts of mussels from southern California that had been recently exposed to a minor spill or to a natural seepage. Levels of DDE and PCB were comparable to those in relatively unpolluted areas of North America.