Formation Mechanisms of Some Features in Siliceous Upper Cretaceous-Lower Tertiary Beds of Jordan-Undulations, Geodes, Boudinages

Geode, boudinage, and undulation structures are widely distributed in the siliceous beds of the Upper Cretaceous/Tertiary rocks in Jordan. Their formation was attributed to tectonic forces, syngenetic processes, organic disintegration processes, subaquatic gliding, compaction and settlement, and meteoritic impacts. In this work, the structural features in the siliceous beds of Jordan are attributed to an interplay of load and directed pressures, and mineralogical transformation processes (opal-A to opal-CT to quartz), governed by pH changes. Tectonic directed pressure was acting in an ESE-WSW direction and is common in the silicified limestone of Upper Cretaceous.

Erosion Rates in Dam Catchments in Jordan—Effects of Topography, Geology, and Urbanizations

Erosion as a natural process produces soils, which are very important natural resources for the fest land plant- and animal kingdoms. Loss of the soil cover reduces agricultural production, biodiversity, and the role of soil as a filter for infiltrating water to replenish the groundwater. It also threatens the food supplies. The knowledge of erosion rates of rocks and terrains is important for developing proactive measures to protect soils from erosion and loss. In this study, erosion rates of catchment areas were calculated based on dams’ catchment extensions and the sediment loads transported by flood flows into dams’ lakes. The study results show that the chemically, via floodwater, transported quantities of materials are negligible compared to the solid materials transported by the water. It calculates erosion rates ranging from 0.013 to 0.212 mm/yr (13 - 212 m/106 yr) for the different catchment areas. Erosion rates in Jordan are, generally, higher than those calculated for the different parts of the world ranging from 2.5 to 60 m/106 yr. This fact can be explained by the very steep topography, calcareous rock cover of the catchment areas and the barren rock exposures.

The Damaging Effects of Abstracting the Deep Aquifers’Groundwater in Jordan-Quality Constraints

The deep aquifers in Jordan contain non-renewable and fossil groundwater and their extraction is quasi a mining process, which ends in the depletion of these resources. Although aquifers in the majority of groundwater basins in Jordan are vertically and horizontally interconnected stratification in different water quality horizons with generally increasing water salinity with the depth is observed. Many officials and planners advocate the extraction of deep salty and brackish water to be desalinated and used in household, industrial, and agricultural uses. In this article, the quality of the groundwater in the different deep aquifers and areas in Jordan is discussed. The results of this study show that the consequences of the deep groundwater exploitation are not restricted to depletion of the deep aquifers but also that the overlying fresh groundwater will, due to vertical and horizontal interconnectedness of the different aquifers, percolate down to replace the extracted deep groundwater. This will cause the down-percolating fresh groundwater to become salinized in the deep saline aquifers, which means that extracting the deep brackish and saline groundwater is not only an emptying process of the deep groundwater but also it is an emptying process of the fresh groundwater overlying them. The results allow to conclude that any extraction of the deep groundwater in areas lying to the north of Ras en Naqab Escarpment will have damaging impacts on the fresh groundwater in the overlying fresh groundwater aquifers. This article strongly advises not to extract the deep brackish and saline groundwater, but to conserve that groundwater as a base supporting the overlying fresh groundwater resources, and that will help in protecting the thermal mineralized water springs used in spas originating from these deep aquifers. The increasing water needs of the country can be covered by the desalination of seawater at Aqaba, which is the only viable option for Jordan at present and in the coming decades.

Cretaceous Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) Affect Sedimentary Processing: Jordan, Arabian Plate;NW Germany, Central Europe

Both the NE Gondwana Platform (Jordan) and the Carpathian/NW Europe Seaway towards the N Atlantic expose comparable sequence analytical patterns as i.e. the Maximum Flooding Surface (MSF), relating to the Arabian Shelf, throughout one of the warmest Phanerozoic Epochs. Supervolcanic Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs), (explosive island arc andesitic volcanism), Mid-Oceanic Rift Basalts (MORB), (S/N Atlantic, Arctic) and kimberlitic volcanism (W Gondwana) provided striking conditions for an immense influence (tuff, degassing, T) on the sedimentary processing throughout the Cretaceous, mainly verified by K-montmorillonite , dozens of tuff beds (predominantly in NW Germany), zeolite, cristobalite, extremely high chert occurrences as well as the reconfirming of the global anoxic event around the Cenomanian/Turonian b. (94 Ma) by a positive ∂13C-maximum (~0.5%). Thus the lithofacies spectrum (carbonate rocks, chalk, chert, porcellanite, shale) was affected by pH, Eh, T, photosynthesis, and greenhouse gases—change during varying positive/negative climate forcing. While acid sturzrain events caused the transformation of arkosic/subarkosic sediments of the hinterlands to quartz arenite cycles deposited on the Jordanian Platform during early Cretaceous, the other patterns mentioned, led to a rapid change of lithofacies through Late Cretaceous. The southward directed Neotethys transgression can be reconstructed during the Early Cretaceous by glauconite-aged tidalites that give hint on transpressional tectonics during the Upper Cenomanian east of the Dead Sea. The Cretaceous/Paleogene (K-Pg) transitional zone evidences a zone of several cumulative events (island arc-volcanism) and the Chicxulub impact, indicated by at least two extinctions phases. The southward obduction of the Palmyrides, Syria and related transtensional/transpressional strike slip tectonics (partially pull-apart structures) left a fast facies change on the Jordanian Platform.

Jordan’s Water Sector—Alarming Issues and Future

Jordan has, to a satisfactory degree, managed its scarce water resources, especially during the last few decades due to the regional conflicts and refugee waves hosted in the country since 1948. The waves of refugees in 1967, and after), returnees from the Gulf States 1991/92, during the first Gulf war), Lebanon (1970s and 1980s), Iraq (2003 and after, and lastly Syria (2011-2017 have as well severely impacted the management of water resources which has negatively impacted the water sector especially in terms of allocating new water resources to satisfy the needs of the country. In addition, shortsightedness of some water policy-makers has led to the deteriorations in the water resources quantitatively and qualitatively, which has resulted in social and economic discomfort of the population. In this article, the shortcomings in the water sector are addressed, such as setting an end to groundwater overexploitation, providing water to the population in a continuous way, improving water use efficiency in agricultural uses and the way forward is delineated based on a critical judgment of the actual situation of the water sector in order to reach at a more robust water sector with all its positive impacts on the social, economic and political life in the country.

Deficient Developmental Planning Leading to Water Conflicts across Political Borders: The Way Forward

In this article, Turkey, Iran and Syria in the Middle East area are taken as examples for deficient planning and development of water resources shared with their downstream countries resulting in severe social, economic and political percussions to these neighbors. The current situation in the Middle East with wars against terrorism, uprising of population groups, and COVID-19 Pandemic have not allowed the affected countries Jordan, Iraq and Syria to properly react to the assaults of upstream water development and diversions on their fair shares in the transboundary waters. The rivers’ upstream developmental schemes have not taken advantages of recent advanced technological knowhow of water efficient development and use, seemingly because the arising water problems and catastrophes will not affect these upstream countries, but their downstream neighbors. Although, it is by now known that pressurized water conveyance system relative to canals saves 10% - 20% of the transmitted water, and drip and sprinkler irrigation require only 40% - 50% of the water used in surface and furrow irrigation, that is in addition to agricultural production increases when using advanced management strategies. As enhancing policies, tradeoffs between downstream and upstream countries are thought of as a strategic option to improve the water use efficiency in upstream countries in order to help downstream countries in obtaining their fair shares of the transboundary water resources.

The Impacts of Climate Change on the Availability of Surface Water Resources in Jordan

Climate change in the Middle East area including Jordan has started to be reflected in decreasing precipitation and increasing temperatures with their impacts on the availability of surface and groundwater. This article aims to evaluate the impacts of decreasing or increasing precipitation by 10% and 20% on the quantities of flood runoff based on recorded precipitation and runoffs of catchments during the past 60 to 70 years of observation, during which the precipitation in individual or a few years increased or decreased by tens of percentages relative to the long-term average precipitation. The results of quantification show that in Jordan as a whole, decreasing precipitation by 10% and 20% has historically (during the recording period) resulted in reductions in flood flows by 26.2% and 52.8% and that increasing precipitation by 10% and 20% has resulted in increases in flood flows by 26.4% and 56.5% respectively. These results look somehow paradox, because the general perception is that flood runoff changes in the same percentage like precipitation although flood flow is not linearly correlated with precipitation but exponentially. Decreasing precipitation in the water-scarce stressed country, Jordan due to climatic changes, will have strong implications on rain-fed and irrigated agriculture and on household water supplies with very severe socio-economic percussions expressed in increasing unemployment and poverty which may lead to social and political unrest. Therefore, proactive measures have to be implemented before disasters hit. Such measures are limited in Jordan to seawater desalination, intensified water harvesting and improved water use efficiency in agriculture.

Phanerozoic Quartz Arenite Formation and Sequence-Analytical Patterns: Indirectly Relating to Major Impacting and Super Plume Volcanism, Jordan, Arabian Plate

This paper deals with indirect effects of major impacting throughout the Early Paleozoic resp. with those of super plume activity during the Early Cretaceous, both applied to the siliciclastic series of Jordan deposited on the Arabian Platform, Arabian Plate. Its focus is mainly directed on gases released by both processes (CO2, SO2, NOx, HCl, HF) and the relating acids, challenged by experiments and microscopic analysis of grain mounts and thin sections that reveal chemical instability of quartz and ultrastable heavy minerals (i.e. tourmaline) under high acidity (pH °C - 90°C). According to Lopatin’s Time/Temperatur-Index the Lower Cambrian reached the onset of hydrocarbon generation (liquid window) during the Lower Early Cretaceous. Unstable heavy minerals (apatite, garnet, hornblende, epidote, zoisite/clinozoisite) are generally absent in quartz arenites while in arkosic sandstones of marine environment carbonate cement and primary clay minerals (illite) provide conservation. As known since the eighties, the K/T-event’s indirect effects had global influence on Earth’s surface sediments and atmospheric chemistry by wildfires, hot whirl storms, acidic “sturz rain”, dust, soot, darkness, loss of photosynthesis, toxic metals, gases and relating acids. All of them are here concerned and applied to major impacting throughout the Early Paleozoic using the impact data of Price (2001);while superplume volcanism during Cretaceous led to the opening of the South Atlantic accompanied by the cyclic outflow of the Para?a/Etendeka Flood Basalts and relating gases in a gigantic scale (137 - 127 Ma). Assuming that the gases cause similar global effects on Earth’s surface sediments, an according result may be expected in form of quartz arenites and their sequence-analytical patterns (cyclic SBs, MFSs).*

The Last 15,000 Years: Climate-Controlled and “Rare-Event”-Triggered/Rise and Fall of Holocene Cultures in the Near/Middle East and in Central Europe—Evidence and Background

Pushed by the results of a preceding publication on the possibly Quaternary Jebel Waqf as Suwwan Meteorite Crater, Jordan [5], where an amazing coincidence of Rapid Climate Changes (RCCs) with Rise and Fall of Neolithic and Bronze Age Cultures became evident for the Near/Middle East, this paper deals with the same subject, however, relating to the complete Holocene period in the same area and, additionally, in Central Europe as well. By application of modern climatic data [6] comprising isotope analysis (δ18O, 14C, 10Be), acid and aerosol events, and greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4) Greenland ice cores as well as other astro-/geophysical and geological parameters, an overwhelming coincidence/relation/interdependence of both natural and cultural evidences becomes obvious throughout the last 15,000 years across the Northern Hemisphere. Apart from solar output and other astrophysical processes, most important climate- and Earth-related parameters are Mega-Volcanism (i.e.Santorini Greece: ~3640 yr cal. B. P.), Impact Events (i.e. during Mesolithic: ~9600 yr cal. B. P), rapid oceanic current change (DO-Events), and Plate Tectonics (possibly Atlantis-Event: ~11,500 yr cal. B.P. = Pleistocene/Holocene boundary). The most essential parameter is a significant temperature change related to more or less restricted latitude realms of the Northern Hemisphere. Thus, glacier advance/retreat controls the mobility of peoples (i.e. Nations' Migration, Teutonic Empires) and the access to ore deposits (Au, Ag, Cu, Sn, Zn, Pb, Fe) located in Alpine Mountain Ranges (i.e. End-Neolithic, Early Bronze Age). Myths like the Gilgamesh Epos and John Apocalypse convincingly reveal realistic contents relating to natural hazards like tsunamis, impact and flooding events. They unmisunderstandably make obvious that Myths may provide valuable contributions, especially to Geosciences. Some of the controlling parameters interrelate with others or present a kind of hierarchy: Mega-Volcanism/impact events à ejecta à wildfires, heat storms à cosmic winter, sint winter à stop of photosynthesis à mass extinction environmental pollution à greenhouse effects. Significant events (21 cases in total) occurred on i.e.

How to Trace out Impact-Triggered Effects Globally Scattered around Formation Boundaries: Case Uhry, North Germany (Eocene/Oligocene Boundary)

By focusing on impact-triggered phenomena having occurred synchronously with or shortly prior to formation boundaries, two glass sand pits (Upper Maastrichtian) located near Uhry, North Germany have been studied in regard to the K/T boundary throughout the last 40 years during progressive exploitation of glass sand. However, a clastic sequence of sand, mass flow and pelite deposited in a deep channel of about 10 - 12 m in depth, eroded into the glass sand, surprisingly shows an Upper Eocene/Lower Oligocene age, well defined by a Dinocyst assemblage (Chiripteridium c. galea, Enneado cysta arcuata, Areoligera tauloma = D 12na - D 14na) from a 0.5 meter thick pelite that marks the Rupelian transgression within an estuarian system running northwest/southeastward. The section exposes a high energy mass flow and formerly solid frozen angular glass sand blocks of up to a meter-size embedded in fluvial sand of the channel base. Furthermore, erratic clastics of up to 0.4 meter in diameter appear at the pelite base. The “unusual” Dinocyst assemblage is of autochthonous origin and comprises the fresh water alga Pediastrum Kawraiskyias indicator for cold climate, hitherto only known from Quaternary. Missing pollen indicate a vegetation-less hinterland. Thus, there cannot be any doubt that around the E/O b. at least one “rare event” has happened as verified by short tremendous flooding and significant temperature fall (“cosmic winter”). According to the attitude of the global impact scientific community, these phenomena belong to the spectrum of “indirect effects” of major impacts. Radiometric ages of relevant major impact events underline that both impact craters of Popigai, Russia (100 Kilometer in diameter, 35.7 Ma) and Chesabreake, USA (85 Kilometer in diameter, 35.5 Ma) happened shortly before the E/O b.(33.75 Ma). In addition, a tektite strewn field along the eastern coast of the USA and micro-tektites (Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Barbados) yield an age of ~34.4 Ma, close to the E/O b. Consequently, there does exist an extremely high probability that Uhry site hosts impact-triggered products at the E/O b. It should be stressed that the Upper Eocene Epoch comprises an amazingly high number of impact events during the time-span 34.2 - 37.0 Ma.

The Hydrogeological Consequences of the Proposed Extraction of the Deep Groundwater in Jordan

Many officials and planners in Jordan have advocated in the last decade extracting the deep brackish, thermal, and salty groundwater resources, desalinate them, and use them for household water supplies. Generally, such groundwater is non-renewable and is found in aquifers underlying fresh renewable groundwater bodies building the base support for them. The deep groundwater feeds the thermal mineralized springs issuing along the eastern escarpment of the Dead Sea-Jordan Rift Valley used for therapeutic purposes. In this article, the geologic set-up of the aquifer series underlying the different parts of the country is outlined to illustrate that all such aquifers extending from ground surface to the impermeable granitic Basement Complex are, in the majority of areas, directly or indirectly interconnected and that extractions from any aquifer, shallow or deep, are effectively taken from the same stock of the groundwater body. Hence, it is concluded that advocating the extraction of the deep salty or brackish groundwater is quasi extracting the same amount of groundwater from the overlying, shallower fresh water aquifers. The deep groundwater issues along the eastern escarpment of the Jordan Rift Valley and is used in household supplies, in irrigation and in spas as curative agent. In addition, the intended use of the deep groundwater to be extracted according to the suggested policy in household supplies requiring desalination, which is a costly unnecessary process accompanied with rigorous environmental ramifications of disposing off the desalination brines.

End-Cretaceous Quartz Arenite Formation in an Estuarian Environment under Brine Influence, N. Germany;Linked to both Deccan Volcanism and Chicxulub Impact Degassing during Climate Change

Maastrichtian off-shore carbonate sediments and transitional estuarian quartz arenite (primarily subarkosic/arkosic) deposited in N Germany, underwent indirect effects by end-Cretaceous plume volcanism (Caribbean Arc/Antilles, Amirante Arc/Seychelles, Deccan Traps) and by the Chicxulub impact during climate change. In addition, brines of local salt structures had increasing influence on pore water chemistry of siliciclastics deposited in rim synclines and sub-rosion bowls during the transition from salt pillow state (Upper Campanian/Maastrichtian) to diapirism since the KPgB (66.043 Ma) until end-Paleocene. As main drivers degassing (CO2, SO2 et al.), temperature rise, acid rain/metal toxicity of both volcanic and impact origin caused kill effects by acidification (pH-drop) of sea water resp. dissolution processes on land initiated by complex acid mixtures onto both marine and continental sediments;all in all, leaving a remarkable reduction of the clastics’ primary mineral content, accompanied by kaolinite in-situ neoformation (quartz, kaolinite). Furthermore, driving effects even controlled lithofacies and sequence-analytical patterns (LST, TST, HST). Around the Lower/Upper Maastrichtian B. (MFS) radiolarian ooze was deposited across flat estuarian mouth channels during an ingression (tsunami), originally as soft pebbles, then diagenetically slightly consolidated. Surprisingly, the radiolarian skeletons normally composed of opal or celestite, were identified as β-quartz and elementary silicon. The latter hitherto unknown in nature, demands extreme reducing conditions (in Industries: by elementary A1, Mg, C) in pore water as possibly given by brines (see Atlantis II-Deep, Red Sea). The top portions of the uppermost Maastrichtian deposits of N Germany were eroded by the KPgB-convulsive events. However, recent publications (i.e. from Seymour Island, Antarctica) make evident that Deccan volcanism played obviously a prime role versus the Chicxulub impact during reversal magnetization (Chron 29 R). Thus, there exists a high probability that plume volcanism had important influence on the quartz arenite in-situ formation by degassing and related acid in combination with brines in trap position of the ascending salt diapirs. Accordingly, Price’s concept (2001) major impacting may cause plate motion, has to be modified towards the version plume mechanism and may have the same or even stronger effect, thereby relating to recent studies on the Arabian Platform, Jordan. A synopsis of Phanerozoic loss of biodiversity-events caused by both plume volcanism and impacting comparatively exposes Homo sapiens since the Industrial Revolution as a geological force in biotic as well as abiotic processes in Earth History.

Did Major Impacts Affect Sedimentologic/Sequence-Analytical Pattern of the Early Palaeozoic Sedimentary Systems of Jordan,Arabian Plate?

Based on profound sequence-analytical data of the early Palaeozoic sedimentary systems of Jordan, Arabian Plate, a correlation attempt is proposed with regard to possible major impact events after Price [10]. His methodological concept tells that abrupt 441 Ma. Referring to the fact that major impacts may trigger, respectively influence, exogenic and endogenic processes on an over-regional, even global, extent, this paper put the “sensitive” geological setting of Jordan at the Arabian Platform’s margin into focus. That mainly concerns the early Palaeozoic coastlines as to sea level change as well as the Jordan Valley Rift as being possibly to susceptible for tectonic re-activation changes of both direction and speed of plate motions would indicate such convulsive processes as occurred on: 550 Ma, 526.5 Ma, 514 Ma, 502 Ma, 456/455.4 Ma, and following triggering of magmatism at the Precambrian/Cambrian boundary. The following phenomena are taken into account: Faulting and magmatism triggered along the Jordan Valley Rift (Wadi Araba) in connection with the Pan-African Orogeny, anoxic sediments, temporary high detrital input onto the adjoining stable platform from Gondwana hinterlands, and significant chemical weathering in the Gondwana source areas by intensive acid (nitric) rain directing mineral content variation in the “Nubian Sandstones” (e.g. feldspar, kaolinite/dickite, tourmaline).

Potential Areas for Managed Aquifer Recharge in the Eastern Lower Jordan Valley Area

The article deals with the feasibility of using the recent geological formations in the eastern Jordan Valley for water storage through artificial recharge due to water scarcity and water needs in this area. Water storage in surface reservoirs in arid and semi-arid areas is afflicted with a variety of issues such as high evaporation, eutrophication processes and exposure to contamination and accidents. Dams to capture all rare-event floods are, generally, big and expensive structures. Artificially recharging aquifers and storing the water in the underground offer a competing alternative. In this study, hydrogeological, geological, geophysical and hydrochemical investigations were carried out to study the potentials of the eastern side of the Lower Jordan Valley for artificial recharge. The results reveal that relatively extended areas on the eastern side of the Lower Jordan Valley have the potential to accommodate large amounts of recharge water and that the impacts of artificially storing the water in aquifers are to be judged very positive compared to surface storage, especially when the amounts of available recharge water can quantitatively be accommodated in recharge facilities. In addition, the study shows, the advantages of underground water storage compared to surface storage in dams. The potential storage capacities in the different parts of the Lower Jordan Valley are quantified based on rechargeable aquifer volumes and porosities. The potential uses of the recharged water are also elaborated on depending on recharge and aquifer water qualities.

Hydro-Geoelectrical Investigation for the Potential of Underground Water Storage along the lower reaches of King Abdullah Canal-Deir Alla Area/Jordan

In this article the potential stoarativity of groundwater in the alluvial deposits along the King Abdullah Canal (KAC) in Deir Alla-Sulikhat area is studied. In this study geological, geoelectrical and Hydro-geochemical methods were used with the aim of storing some water of the Canal during water excess times in the underground to be extracted for use as drinking source for human during shortages in the Canal water and in emergency causes of Canal water pollution. The results show the existence of appropriate underground space in the alluvial deposits for water storage and that the water/ water and water/rock interactions are also be minimal and will not present and detriment to the different groundwater bodies. Implementing groundwater artificial recharge in the Jordan Valley area to create storage for King Abdullah Canal (KAC) water will enhance the drinking water supply during the dry season and it will also serve as a reserve for emergency causes, especially pollution accidents in King Abdullah Canal (KAC), such as those taking place almost every year.

Uncommon and Impact-Suspicious Geologic Phenomena across Jordan and Adjacent Areas, Arabian Plate

For the discovery and analysis of Jebel Waqf as Suwwan (JWS) Impact Crater, Jordan pushed the authors to consequently focusing on other unusual geologic phenomena such as circular/oval structures (some of “crypto-volcanic” origin), disharmonic folding, horizontal stylolites, and a broad stripe of?Sanidine-Hornfels-Facies, all of them hosted in Upper Cretaceous/Paleogene carbonate rocks exposed across Jordan and adjacent areas. Shatter cones are the most useful tools during field work in the realm of circular structures. In addition to the impact-geologic data of JWS Impact Structure hitherto available, the cooling process of melted Lower Cretaceous Kurnub-Sandstone could be verified by microscopically identified SiO2-modifications between the melting point (1714°C) and low temperatures. In comparison with the Suffield 500 tons explosion tests [20] and with the Ries Impact Crater, Germany, excavation and vaporization processes of target rocks demand drilling between Central Uplift and Inner Ring of the JWS Impact Structure (“Chert-Carbonate-Impact-Chess Game”). In a scenario: “Impacting meets Plate Tectonics”, phenomena like disharmonic folding, horizontal stylolites, and an abundance of circular/oval structures of high diameter variation through northwest Jordan are discussed under aspects of gravitational gliding, effects of seismic surface waves (Love-), transpressional structures related to Jordan Rift-Tectonics, and possible impact processes of unknown number occurred on the Arabian Plate in southeastern direction with northwest-directed impulse. The so-called “Mottled Zone” of Jordan and Palestine owning a high number (~100) of mineral neoformations with formation temperatures up to ~1120°C(pseudo-wollastonite = β-CaSiO3), is to be interpreted as of “Sanidine-Hornfels-Impact Facies” under ricochet conditions along an “Avenue of Ricochet-Impact-Thermo-Cataclysm”. Marble-related travertines represent a low temperature facies of the impact event. The temporal projection of patterns like Rapid Climate Change (RCC), astrophysical data [Hoyle’s Comet: 47], acid events in ice-cores, tektite fall, Rise and Fall of Neolithic/Bronze Age Cultures, reveals an amazing “Ensemble” of coincidences among all of these parameters since the Middle/Upper Pleistocene boundary throughout Holocene. Ten short Interval Cases are discussed as being “Rare Event”- suspicious. Myths like the “Gilgamesch Epos” and “John’s Apocalypse” surprisingly provide realistic hints on impact events comparable with modern observations and experiments, which are: approach of extraterrestrial bodies, impact cratering, earthquakes and faulting, supercyclonic whirl-storms (wildfires), effects of hot ejecta, destruction of fauna, flora, and cities, long-lasting flooding, darkness caused by ashes and dust circulating in atmosphere and stratosphere (sintwinter), and environmental pollution. Such hints were handed down in myths of ~180 ethnic peoples around the globe. “High probability Cases” focus on impact events on ~9600 yr B.P and on ~6000 yr B.P. Other “Rare Events” may have possibly occurred about ~8000 yr B.P. and on ~3200 yr. B.P. (all radiocarbon yr.cal.). Core-drilling in the pull-apart basins of the Jordan Rift System (Dead Sea, Lake Tiberias) as traps having possibly preserved volcanic and impact ejecta would be a challenging international and interdisciplinary project.

Historical Course Follows Climate Change: Patterns of the Northern Hemisphere — From Peoples’ Migration until the Industrial Revolution (3^rd-18^thCentury)

This paper relates to the statement that the so-called “Little Ice Age” (RCC 6: 1.350-1.800 A.D.) represents—besides the 8k-Event (8.200-8.000 yr cal. B.P.)—the fastest and strongest onset in Holocene History [1]. Its intention focuses on the correlation of interplaying natural processes (i.e. solar energy variation, aerosols, oceanic currents, volcanism as part of plate tectonics, heat flow) with social/political evidence through the time-span of Peoples’ Migration until Industrial Revolution (3rd-18th Century). The time-span comprises the cool/wet/respectively dry climate phase of the P.M. (260-550), a Climate Optimum (600-1.100 A.D.) owning a final Thermal Maximum (1.100-1.260 A.D.) and the “little Ice Age” (1.350-1.800 A.D.), the latter intercalated by the Spörer Minimum (1.460-1.550 A.D.) and the Maunder Minimum (1.650-1.720 A.D.). Thereby, an average temperature difference of 1.0°C - 2.0°C seems sufficient for incising climatic/cultural consequences [2]. It has become obvious that a Climate Optimum primarily provides constructive life conditions;however with a problematic final as the following “Effect-Chain” tells: balanced agricultural/cultural population growth → rich harvests → satisfying nourishment → health, encouragement → overpopulation under favorable materialistic conditions → increasing stress → lack of food, high prices → revolts → migration. In contrast, cool/wet/resp. dry conditions originate destructive/depressive conditions (see Peoples’ Migration) which initiate the following “Effect Chain”: bad agricultural conditions → poor/no harvesting → famine → disease, growing death rate → social, political revolts, wars → human cruelties with psychic/religious background (inquisition, witch-combustion → general chaos (30 yr-war) → death, migration (maritime endeavors, colonization). Furthermore, it should be stressed that volcanic aerosols play besides the solar influx variation—an important role on climate/cultural change [3]. However, the effects of oceanic currents’ heat flow of Mid-Oceanic Ridges and Hot Spots, as well as Earth-Magnetism and Sun/Earth Geometry are poorly understood in this context (Example: Iceland as hot spot situated on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge having been working since 40 Ma). The Chapter-introducing citations play a challenging role in regard to Science Criticism and touch the so-called 95% Confidence line (accepted realm of causal interrelation and according recommendation to Society [4]).

Integration of Aeromagnetic Data and Landsat Imagery for Structural Analysis Purposes: A Case Study in the Southern Part of Jordan

In this study, different digital format data sources including aeromagnetic and remotely sensed (Landsat ETM+) data were used for structural and tectonic interpretation of the southern part of Jordan. Aeromagnetic data were analyzed using advanced processing techniques (Spectral analysis, deconvolution). The aeromagnetic interpretation was carried out using the analytical signal, horizontal gradient, vertical gradient, Euler deconvolution. The results were improved by the study of enhanced Landsat ETM+ images and correlated with the extracted surface lineaments. Two main lineament sets are observed in the study area. The major lineaments strike NW-SE, NE-SW and the minor E-W. General coincidence of both landsat and aeromagnetic lineaments trends were observed in the study area, which reflecting the real continuous fractures in the depth. The 3D Euler solution of the study area shows that the depth of the magnetic source body ranges from hundreds of meters to more than 3000 m in the middle northern part of the study area. The combined interpretation of aeromagnetic data and Landsat ETM+, added several significant structural elements, that were previously unrecognized from the separate interpretations of aeromagnetic and remotely sensed data.

Floral Species as Environmental Quality Indicators in Jordan: High Salinity and Alkalinity Environments

In this study the occurrence and ecology of plant assemblages are investigated, mainly for use as indicator plants of saline grounds in several locations in Jordan. High alkalinity and H2S-rich water tolerant species of plants are also discussed. Plants growing on salty grounds have distinct composition regarding their place in the taxonomic system. Plant assemblages and their degree of tolerance to salinity as in Karama area in the Jordan Valley are found to be distinct from that of Azraq Sabkha (Cental Jordan) with salt-tolerant flora. Karama area provides the living space for Mesembryanthemum on the saltiest ground, Suaeda further up on wetter surrounding and Salicornia succeeding on moist and less salty grounds. Drier places with rather salty grounds have bushes of Arthrocnemum, while slightly less salty places are preferred by Tamarix tetragyna. When Prosopis bushes appear, salt is only present periodically in the ground, as is also the case with Atriplex halimus and Capparis. In Azraq the former beach of a temporal lake is characterized by two species of Spergularia in its saltier parts and by Tamarix passerinoides. It was recognized that Tamarix, Phragmites, Chenopodium, and Inula represented alkaline water tolerant plants. The study concludes that the salt concentration in the ground is reflected in the composition of the flora growing on it. On the other hand, plants are also found vulnerable to fluctuation in the salt concentration of their environments with different resistance degrees. This makes them excellent bioindicators of salty environments.

Evolution and Termination of Lakes in Jordan and Their Relevance to Human Migration from Africa to Asia and Europe

The hydrologic system in Jordan began its evolution with the regression of the Tethys during the Eocene and the rifting of Arabia from Africa. From that time onward Jordan lay on land. The rivers from Jordan and the Sirhan east of it flew into the Rift. On the Jordan land volcanism developed and was on and off active until sub-recent times. Flows of magma covered large areas in north and central Jordan. The uppermost hard layers of the deep valleys of the Yarmouk and the Mujib present evidence for their later erosion. The land to the east of the rift was low and in depressions lakes formed on the Jordan plateau, which began to rise less than half a Million years ago. Especially the Jafr and the Azraq Lakes developed a belt of green vegetation that attracted numerous animals which were hunted by early men. Tools for hunting and food preparation were produced from flint and assembled next to the former lake shores with time. The shape of these flint tools allows a coarse dating and documents the arrival of humans hundred thousand years ago and of modern men between 50,000 and 80,000 years ago. Great changes in the shape of the eastern Rift margin had occurred before Lake Lisan evolved and its rising water flooded the mouths of canyons for example of Wadi Hasa, Wadi Mujib and Wadi Zerka Ma’in. On former gravel fans into Lake Lisan of the Tabaqat Fahl first agriculture still in Neolithic times evolved as well as in Amman where people from Ain Ghazal planted crops like barley and peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas and domesticated sheep, goats and pigs. The existence of the highland lakes seems to have been of utmost importance to human migrations from Africa. Such lakes provided water and food for those humans in the Arid area of Jordan.