The uranium content of sediments from the Jordan Gulf of Aqaba

The cities of Aqaba, Jordan and Elat, Israel are vulnerable to seismic damage because they are built over the active faults of the Dead Sea Transform that are the source of historically destructive earthquakes. A liquefaction susceptibility map was generated for the Aqaba–Elat region. Borehole data from 149 locations and the water table depth were used to calculate effective overburden stress in the Seed–Idriss simplified method. The liquefaction analysis was based on applying a cyclic loading scenario with horizontal peak ground acceleration of 0.3 g in a major earthquake. The liquefaction map, compiled using a GIS platform, shows high and moderate liquefaction susceptibility zones along the northern coast of the Gulf of Aqaba that extend 800 m inland from the shoreline. In Aqaba, several hotels, luxury apartment complexes, archaeological sites, ports and commercial districts are located within high and moderate liquefaction zones. In Elat, the seaport and the coastal hotel district are located within a high susceptibility zone. Most residential areas, schools and hospitals in both cities are located within zones not susceptible to liquefaction based on the methods of this study. The total area with the potential to be liquefied along the Gulf of Aqaba is c. 10 km2. Given predictions for global sea-level, we ran three liquefaction models utilizing projected water table rises of 0.5, 1 and 2 m. These models yielded an increase in the area of high liquefaction ranging from 26 to 49%. Given the high potential of future earthquakes, our liquefaction susceptibility maps should help inform city officials for hazard mitigation planning.

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No Correlation Between Atmospheric Dust and Surface Ocean Chlorophyll-a in the Oligotrophic Gulf of Aqaba, Northern Red Sea

Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences ◽

10.1002/2017jg004063 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 123 (2) ◽

pp. 391-405 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

A. Torfstein ◽

S. S. Kienast

Keyword(s):

Chlorophyll A ◽

Red Sea ◽

Gulf Of Aqaba ◽

Atmospheric Dust ◽

Surface Ocean ◽

Northern Red Sea

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Morphological and cytological ontogenesis of the ampullae of Lorenzini and lateral line canals in the Oman shark,Iago omanensis Norman 1939 (Triakidae), from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

The Anatomical Record ◽

10.1002/(sici)1097-0185(199812)252:4<532::aid-ar4>3.0.co;2-g ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 252 (4) ◽

pp. 532-545 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Lev Fishelson ◽

Avi Baranes

Keyword(s):

Red Sea ◽

Lateral Line ◽

Gulf Of Aqaba ◽

Ampullae Of Lorenzini

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Shrimp-gobies in the southern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea)

Zoology in the Middle East ◽

10.1080/09397140.2012.10648916 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 55 (1) ◽

pp. 41-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mario Freinschlag ◽

Robert A. Patzner

Keyword(s):

Red Sea ◽

Gulf Of Aqaba

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The Study of Uranium Accumulation in Marine Bottom Sediments: Effect of Redox Conditions at the Time of Sedimentation

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences11080332 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 332

Author(s):

Nadezhda Khaustova ◽

Yulia Tikhomirova ◽

Svetlana Korost ◽

Elena Poludetkina ◽

Andrey Voropaev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bottom Sediments ◽

White Sea ◽

Uranium Content ◽

Black Shales ◽

Redox Conditions ◽

Source Rocks ◽

Shelf Zone ◽

The Black Sea ◽

The White Sea ◽

Run Off

To evaluate the effect of redox conditions at the sedimentation stage on uranium content and U/TOC ratio in marine source rocks, we analyzed the accumulation of uranium in modern marine bottom sediments formed in different redox conditions. The behavior of uranium from bottom sediments formed in oxidizing and sub-oxidizing settings has been studied on the sediments of the Upper Pleistocene–Holocene age accumulated in the coastal area of the White Sea (Kandalaksha Gulf). We studied the content of uranium, Eh, pH, TOC, C, H, N, and S element and isotope compositions and other parameters in two sampled columns of bottom sediments at a depth of 0–2.5 m. The composition of sediments was typical for the shelf zone where marine genesis mixes with the continental run-off. The upper layer of sediments (0–50 cm) were characterized by oxidizing conditions (Eh ~ 400 mV); with the increase in depth, redox conditions changed from oxidizing to reducing (0 ÷ 200 mV). The uranium concentration in the upper layer was 1–1.5 ppm, U/TOC ratio varied in the range of 0.8–1.1 ppmU/%TOC. The uranium content and U/TOC ratio increased up to the values of 2.6 ppm and 1.4 ppmU/%TOC at a depth of 0.5−2.5 m, respectively, but the general content of uranium in the studied environment was close to the values characterizing continental run-off. The results obtained for the White Sea sediments were compared with the sediment of the Black Sea, formed in the anoxic conditions of hydrogen sulfide contamination. In these conditions, the uranium content varied from 10 to 20 ppm. The obtained data were interpreted using thermodynamic modeling of the uranium forms in the seawater at different pH and Eh. This study demonstrated that the change of redox conditions from oxidizing to reducing leads to increased uranium content due to a decrease in uranium’s solubility in water. These results show that oxidation–reduction potential could be one of the most important factors controlling uranium content in black shales formed in the marine environment.

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