@article{MohsenKindSobolevetal.2006, author = {Mohsen, Ayman and Kind, Rainer and Sobolev, Stephan Vladimir and Weber, Michael}, title = {Thickness of the lithosphere east of the Dead Sea Transform}, series = {Geophysical journal international}, volume = {167}, journal = {Geophysical journal international}, number = {2}, publisher = {Blackwell}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0956-540X}, doi = {10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.03185.x}, pages = {845 -- 852}, year = {2006}, abstract = {We use the S receiver function method to study the lithosphere at the Dead Sea Transform (DST). A temporary network of 22 seismic broad-band stations was operated on both sides of the DST from 2000 to 2001 as part of the DESERT project. We also used data from six additional permanent broad-band seismic stations at the DST and in the surrounding area, that is, in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Cyprus. Clear S-to-P converted phases from the crust-mantle boundary (Moho) and a deeper discontinuity, which we interpret as lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) have been observed. The Moho depth (30-38 km) obtained from S receiver functions agrees well with the results from P receiver functions and other geophysical data. We observe thinning of the lithosphere on the eastern side of the DST from 80 km in the north of the Dead Sea to about 65 km at the Gulf of Aqaba. On the western side of the DST, the few data indicate a thin LAB of about 65 km. For comparison, we found a 90-km-thick lithosphere in eastern Turkey and a 160-km-thick lithosphere under the Arabian shield, respectively. These observations support previous suggestions, based on xenolith data, heat flow observations, regional uplift history and geodynamic modelling, that the lithosphere around DST has been significantly thinned in the Late Cenozoic, likely following rifting and spreading of the Red Sea.}, language = {en} } @article{MohsenAschKindetal.2013, author = {Mohsen, Ayman and Asch, G{\"u}nter and Kind, Rainer and Mechie, James and Weber, Michael H.}, title = {The lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary in the eastern part of the Dead Sea Basin (DSB) from S-to-P receiver functions}, series = {Arabian journal of geosciences}, volume = {6}, journal = {Arabian journal of geosciences}, number = {7}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {1866-7511}, doi = {10.1007/s12517-011-0503-4}, pages = {2343 -- 2350}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Clear S-to-P converted waves from the crust-mantle boundary (Moho) and lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) have been observed on the eastern part of the Dead Sea Basin (DSB), and are used for the determination of the depth of the Moho and the LAB. A temporary network consisting of 18 seismic broad-band stations was operated in the DSB region as part of the DEad Sea Integrated REsearch project for 1.5 years beginning in September 2006. The obtained Moho depth (similar to 35 km) from S-to-P receiver functions agrees well with the results from P-to-S receiver functions and other geophysical data. The thickness of the lithosphere on the eastern part of the DSB is about 75 km. The results obtained here support and confirm previous studies, based on xenolith data, geodynamic modeling, heat flow observations, and S-to-P receiver functions. Therefore, the lithosphere on the eastern part of the DSB and along Wadi Araba has been thinned in the Late Cenozoic, following rifting and spreading of the Red Sea. The thinning of the lithosphere occurred without a concomitant change in the crustal thickness and thus an upwelling of the asthenosphere in the study area is invoked as the cause of the lithosphere thinning.}, language = {en} } @article{StankiewiczWeberMohsenetal.2012, author = {Stankiewicz, Jacek and Weber, Michael H. and Mohsen, Ayman and Hofstetter, Rami}, title = {Dead Sea Basin imaged by ambient seismic noise tomography}, series = {Pure and applied geophysics}, volume = {169}, journal = {Pure and applied geophysics}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Basel}, issn = {0033-4553}, doi = {10.1007/s00024-011-0350-y}, pages = {615 -- 623}, year = {2012}, abstract = {In the framework of the Dead Sea Integrated Research project (DESIRE), 59 seismological stations were deployed in the region of the Dead Sea Basin. Twenty of these stations recorded data of sufficiently high quality between May and September 2007 to be used for ambient seismic noise analysis. Empirical Green's functions are extracted from cross-correlations of long term recordings. These functions are dominated by Rayleigh waves, whose group velocities can be measured in the frequency range from 0.1 to 0.5 Hz. Analysis of positive and negative correlation lags of the Green's functions makes it possible to identify the direction of the source of the incoming energy. Signals with frequencies higher than 0.2 Hz originate from the Mediterranean Sea, while low frequencies arrive from the direction of the Red Sea. Travel times of the extracted Rayleigh waves were measured between station pairs for different frequencies, and tomographically inverted to provide independent velocity models. Four such 2D models were computed for a set of frequencies, all corresponding to different sampling depths, and thus together giving an indication of the velocity variations in 3D extending to a depth of 10 km. The results show low velocities in the Dead Sea Basin, consistent with previous studies suggesting up to 8 km of recent sedimentary infill in the Basin. The complex structure of the western margin of the Basin is also observed, with sedimentary infill present to depths not exceeding 5 km west of the southern part of the Dead Sea. The high velocities associated with the Lisan salt diapir are also observed down to a depth of similar to 5 km. The reliability of the results is confirmed by checkerboard recovery tests.}, language = {en} } @article{KottmeierAgnonAlHalbounietal.2016, author = {Kottmeier, Christoph and Agnon, Amotz and Al-Halbouni, Djamil and Alpert, Pinhas and Corsmeier, Ulrich and Dahm, Torsten and Eshel, Adam and Geyer, Stefan and Haas, Michael and Holohan, Eoghan and Kalthoff, Norbert and Kishcha, Pavel and Krawczyk, Charlotte and Lati, Joseph and Laronne, Jonathan B. and Lott, Friederike and Mallast, Ulf and Merz, Ralf and Metzger, Jutta and Mohsen, Ayman and Morin, Efrat and Nied, Manuela and Roediger, Tino and Salameh, Elias and Sawarieh, Ali and Shannak, Benbella and Siebert, Christian and Weber, Michael}, title = {New perspectives on interdisciplinary earth science at the Dead Sea: The DESERVE project}, series = {The science of the total environment : an international journal for scientific research into the environment and its relationship with man}, volume = {544}, journal = {The science of the total environment : an international journal for scientific research into the environment and its relationship with man}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0048-9697}, doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.003}, pages = {1045 -- 1058}, year = {2016}, abstract = {The Dead Sea region has faced substantial environmental challenges in recent decades, including water resource scarcity, similar to 1 m 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. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.}, language = {en} }