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, organ...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.展开更多
The Jordan River, also referred to as Nahr Al Sharieat in Arabic, is a long river in the Middle East that flows from north to south through the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. The Jordan River is bordered by the Golan...The Jordan River, also referred to as Nahr Al Sharieat in Arabic, is a long river in the Middle East that flows from north to south through the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. The Jordan River is bordered by the Golan Heights and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the east and by Israel and the Palestinian West Bank (Judea and Samaria) in the west. Soil tunnels, including those in the Jordan River watershed and on the Israel, Syria, and Lebanon borders, have a long history of use for warfare, as invasion pathways, smuggling, and storage of rockets, missiles and ordnance and are causes of serious political tension between the countries. Soil tunnel construction and destruction often has adverse environmental and human health impacts in the Jordan River landscape. Due to agricultural wastes, the discharge of untreated sewage, and diversion of saline springs into the river water there has been serious deterioration in the water quality in the lower courses of the Jordan River. The primary objective of this research is to encourage the development of a multi-country clean-up, mitigation, and protection plan for the Jordan River.展开更多
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 ...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/10<sup>6</sup> 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/10<sup>6</sup> yr. This fact can be explained by the very steep topography, calcareous rock cover of the catchment areas and the barren rock exposures.展开更多
This study discussed the water sector as a critical infrastructural element in Jordan where the sector is exposed to the extreme events. The exposure of the country to extreme events has initiated this study. Such eve...This study discussed the water sector as a critical infrastructural element in Jordan where the sector is exposed to the extreme events. The exposure of the country to extreme events has initiated this study. Such events are Pollution accidents, flooding, draughts, overexploitation, failure in electricity supply, climate changes, earthquakes, landslides, failure of dams, failure of wastewater treatment plants, failure of desalination plants, sabotage, fire, water theft, migration and demographic changes (immigration and urban migration), relations to neighboring countries, epidemics, and others. These extreme events are discussed in this article and the results show that failures in the water infrastructure and water supply, in Jordan, with its water sector situation have rigorous percussions on the country’s health, food supply, economy, societal stability, the built environment, and on other water-related issues. The study concludes that developing national programs to protect the water infrastructure in the water-fragile country has become very crucial to reach a robust and resilient water sector which not only means providing the inhabitants with quantitatively sufficient and qualitatively healthy water but also aims to incorporate guaranteeing social, economic and political stability.展开更多
When we stare into our complex surroundings, we see objects of different shapes and sizes. However, the shape that is always present, regardless of the complexity of the object, is the circle. The circle is arguably t...When we stare into our complex surroundings, we see objects of different shapes and sizes. However, the shape that is always present, regardless of the complexity of the object, is the circle. The circle is arguably the most fascinating shape in the universe. A circle is defined as the set of all points equidistant from a given point, which, therefore, lies at the center of the circle. One of the various properties of circles is that it has infinite inscribed squares. This is because it is a continuous function, therefore if any point in the circle is transitioned by a specific factor, the other related points in the square would be shifted by the same factor. An ellipse is a similar shape with several inscribed squares. But does any closed curve have an inscribed square? This question was proposed by Otto Toeplitz in 1911 and to this day it is not answered. Another version of this problem is the inscribed rectangle problem which will be discussed in this paper.展开更多
Objective To understand the perceptions of pregnant Jordanian women who received antenatal care via mobile clinic,and to contribute new insights into the experiences of these mothers and how they evaluated the service...Objective To understand the perceptions of pregnant Jordanian women who received antenatal care via mobile clinic,and to contribute new insights into the experiences of these mothers and how they evaluated the services that were available.Methods Ten Jordanian mothers who had received antenatal care at a mobile clinic discussed their experiences in semi-structured,audiotaped interviews in a study that adopted a qualitative research design.The analysis was done using interpretative phenomenological analysis.Results Three main themes were identified:Being informed about the medical campaign or missing the opportunity of being informed;The experience of receiving antenatal care was wonderful,although there was only one thing lacking;and they safeguard our life and take any opportunity to educate us.Conclusion Data indicate that the mothers were largely satisfied with most facets of the antenatal care services they had received at the mobile clinics.However,while services are generally well received,there are clear opportunities for ameliorating the quality of services provided.For mothers living in remote,deprived areas,outreach is not just an‘optional extra’but rather an essential service.展开更多
Globally,groundwater contamination by nitrate is one of the most widespread environmental problems,particularly in arid and semiarid areas,which are characterized by low amounts of rainfall and groundwater recharge.Th...Globally,groundwater contamination by nitrate is one of the most widespread environmental problems,particularly in arid and semiarid areas,which are characterized by low amounts of rainfall and groundwater recharge.The stable isotope composition of groundwater(δ2H-H2O andδ18O-H2O)and dissolved nitrate(δ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–)and factor analysis(FA)were applied to explore groundwater provenance,pollution,and chemistry evolution in the northwestern part of the Amman-Al Zarqa Basin,Jordan.In this study,we collected 23 samples from the Lower Ajloun aquifer in 2021,including 1 sample from a groundwater well and 22 samples from springs.These samples were tested for electrical conductivity,total dissolved solids,pH,temperature,dissolved oxygen,the concentration of major ions(Ca2+,Mg2+,Na+,K+,HCO3–,Cl–,SO42–,and NO3–),and the stable isotope composition of groundwater and dissolved nitrate.The results revealed that groundwater in the study area is mainly Ca–Mg–HCO3 type and can be classified as fresh water,hard water,and very hard water.The range and average concentration of NO3–were 3.5–230.8 and 50.9 mg/L,respectively.Approximately 33%of the sampling points showed NO3–levels above the maximum allowable concentration of 50.0 mg/L set by the World Health Organization(WHO)guidelines for drinking water quality.The values ofδ18O-H2O andδ2H-H2O showed that groundwater in the study area is part of the current water cycle,originating in the Mediterranean Sea,with significant evaporation,orographic,and amount effects.The values of the stable isotope composition of NO3–corresponded toδ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–values produced by the nitrification process of manure or septic waste and soil NH4+.The FA performed on the hydrochemical parameters and isotope data resulted in three main factors,with Factor 1,Factor 2,and Factor 3,accounting for 50%,21%,and 11%of the total variance,respectively.Factor 1 was considered human-induced factor,named"pollution factor",whereas Factor 2,named"conservative fingerprint factor",and Factor 3,named"hardness factor",were considered natural factors.This study will help local researchers manage groundwater sustainably in the study area and other similar arid and semiarid areas in the world.展开更多
Mr.Hasan Abdullah AI-Dajah,Jordanian sinologist and professor of Strategic Studies of Al-Hussein Bin Talal University delivered a speech themed on the Future of Chinese Modernisation.Mr.Hasan pointed out that China ha...Mr.Hasan Abdullah AI-Dajah,Jordanian sinologist and professor of Strategic Studies of Al-Hussein Bin Talal University delivered a speech themed on the Future of Chinese Modernisation.Mr.Hasan pointed out that China had embarked on the road of a large-scale modernisation and provided an Eastern mode that combines traditional and modern development.Chinese modernisation is a unique global model in the history of human development,and also a new ideology and theoretical alternative for modernisation of human society created by China with its own national wisdom.展开更多
Today,experts from different countries including Jordan gather together to discuss upon sinology studies and ways to strengthen cooperation with the great Chinese civilisation so as to enhance our perception.The histo...Today,experts from different countries including Jordan gather together to discuss upon sinology studies and ways to strengthen cooperation with the great Chinese civilisation so as to enhance our perception.The history of human being is a history of continued exploration,exchanges and pursuit of wisdom and knowledge,which led to our progress.展开更多
Dams in Jordan are exposed to a variety of natural and manmade threats like dams worldwide, but with some peculiar threats due to Jordan’s semi-arid climate, steep topography, tectonic activity, especially along the ...Dams in Jordan are exposed to a variety of natural and manmade threats like dams worldwide, but with some peculiar threats due to Jordan’s semi-arid climate, steep topography, tectonic activity, especially along the Jordan Rift Valley, position in the turbulent Middle East area, and weak socio-economic situation. In this study, the threats facing the main dams in Jordan are discussed and their sources are defined. The responsible agencies for reducing the threats and eliminating their sources are identified, as long as they are manmade. Natural threats are dealt with as superimposed and Jordan has to adapt to them by taking the necessary protective measures. The study concludes that all dams in Jordan are threatened by climate change and siltation and hence reduction in storage. The quality of stored water in dams, which are used for supplying drinking water such as Al-Wehdah, Wadi Al-Arab, Ziglab, Al-Wala and to a certain extent Al-Mujib is threatened by pollution due to urbanization, agricultural and industrial activities. All dams in Jordan are exposed to sabotage threats, which may negatively affect dams’ water quantities and quality. The stability of dams due to engineering failures is observed in the cases of Al-Kafrain, the left abutment of Al-Mujib, the spillway of Wheidi and eventually Al-Wala Dam. The latter was raised based on unique construction technology. The study recommends developing and implementing, as soon as possible, rigorous action plans to eliminate or, minimize the impacts of threats facing dams in Jordan.展开更多
This study aims to assess the small ruminant value chain in Al-Ruwaished District,Jordan,to identify the potential intervention areas that could improve the production efficiency and guarantee the sustainability of th...This study aims to assess the small ruminant value chain in Al-Ruwaished District,Jordan,to identify the potential intervention areas that could improve the production efficiency and guarantee the sustainability of the small ruminant sector in this area.Sheep breeding is the source of livelihood for most of the people in Al-Ruwaished District,which is characterized by the large number of sheep and goats.We surveyed 5.0% of the small ruminant holders in the study area and conducted individual interviews and surveys with the potential actors in the value chain to undertake a small ruminant value chain analysis.From the survey,we found that the small ruminant value chain consists of five core functions,namely,input supply,production management,marketing,processing,and consumption.Despite the stable impression given by the large number of holdings in the small ruminant sector,the surveyed results show a clear fragility in the value chain of small ruminants in this area.The small ruminant production system is negatively impacted by climate change,especially continuous drought.In addition,the high prices of feed that the farmer cannot afford with clear and real absence of the governmental and non-governmental support activities also impact the development of the value chain.The results of strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)analysis reveal that the major constraints faced by this value chain could be divided into external and internal threats.Specifically,the most prominent external threats are the nature of the desert land and continuous drought,while the major internal threats are the absence of appropriate infrastructure,shortage of inputs,and weakness in the production management and marketing.We proposed solutions to these challenges to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the sector,such as the formulation of emergency response plans to severe weather,qualifying farmers’skills,and establishment of agricultural cooperative societies.展开更多
文摘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.
文摘The Jordan River, also referred to as Nahr Al Sharieat in Arabic, is a long river in the Middle East that flows from north to south through the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. The Jordan River is bordered by the Golan Heights and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the east and by Israel and the Palestinian West Bank (Judea and Samaria) in the west. Soil tunnels, including those in the Jordan River watershed and on the Israel, Syria, and Lebanon borders, have a long history of use for warfare, as invasion pathways, smuggling, and storage of rockets, missiles and ordnance and are causes of serious political tension between the countries. Soil tunnel construction and destruction often has adverse environmental and human health impacts in the Jordan River landscape. Due to agricultural wastes, the discharge of untreated sewage, and diversion of saline springs into the river water there has been serious deterioration in the water quality in the lower courses of the Jordan River. The primary objective of this research is to encourage the development of a multi-country clean-up, mitigation, and protection plan for the Jordan River.
文摘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/10<sup>6</sup> 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/10<sup>6</sup> yr. This fact can be explained by the very steep topography, calcareous rock cover of the catchment areas and the barren rock exposures.
文摘This study discussed the water sector as a critical infrastructural element in Jordan where the sector is exposed to the extreme events. The exposure of the country to extreme events has initiated this study. Such events are Pollution accidents, flooding, draughts, overexploitation, failure in electricity supply, climate changes, earthquakes, landslides, failure of dams, failure of wastewater treatment plants, failure of desalination plants, sabotage, fire, water theft, migration and demographic changes (immigration and urban migration), relations to neighboring countries, epidemics, and others. These extreme events are discussed in this article and the results show that failures in the water infrastructure and water supply, in Jordan, with its water sector situation have rigorous percussions on the country’s health, food supply, economy, societal stability, the built environment, and on other water-related issues. The study concludes that developing national programs to protect the water infrastructure in the water-fragile country has become very crucial to reach a robust and resilient water sector which not only means providing the inhabitants with quantitatively sufficient and qualitatively healthy water but also aims to incorporate guaranteeing social, economic and political stability.
文摘When we stare into our complex surroundings, we see objects of different shapes and sizes. However, the shape that is always present, regardless of the complexity of the object, is the circle. The circle is arguably the most fascinating shape in the universe. A circle is defined as the set of all points equidistant from a given point, which, therefore, lies at the center of the circle. One of the various properties of circles is that it has infinite inscribed squares. This is because it is a continuous function, therefore if any point in the circle is transitioned by a specific factor, the other related points in the square would be shifted by the same factor. An ellipse is a similar shape with several inscribed squares. But does any closed curve have an inscribed square? This question was proposed by Otto Toeplitz in 1911 and to this day it is not answered. Another version of this problem is the inscribed rectangle problem which will be discussed in this paper.
文摘Objective To understand the perceptions of pregnant Jordanian women who received antenatal care via mobile clinic,and to contribute new insights into the experiences of these mothers and how they evaluated the services that were available.Methods Ten Jordanian mothers who had received antenatal care at a mobile clinic discussed their experiences in semi-structured,audiotaped interviews in a study that adopted a qualitative research design.The analysis was done using interpretative phenomenological analysis.Results Three main themes were identified:Being informed about the medical campaign or missing the opportunity of being informed;The experience of receiving antenatal care was wonderful,although there was only one thing lacking;and they safeguard our life and take any opportunity to educate us.Conclusion Data indicate that the mothers were largely satisfied with most facets of the antenatal care services they had received at the mobile clinics.However,while services are generally well received,there are clear opportunities for ameliorating the quality of services provided.For mothers living in remote,deprived areas,outreach is not just an‘optional extra’but rather an essential service.
基金funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research,Jordan University of Science and Technology(20210159).
文摘Globally,groundwater contamination by nitrate is one of the most widespread environmental problems,particularly in arid and semiarid areas,which are characterized by low amounts of rainfall and groundwater recharge.The stable isotope composition of groundwater(δ2H-H2O andδ18O-H2O)and dissolved nitrate(δ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–)and factor analysis(FA)were applied to explore groundwater provenance,pollution,and chemistry evolution in the northwestern part of the Amman-Al Zarqa Basin,Jordan.In this study,we collected 23 samples from the Lower Ajloun aquifer in 2021,including 1 sample from a groundwater well and 22 samples from springs.These samples were tested for electrical conductivity,total dissolved solids,pH,temperature,dissolved oxygen,the concentration of major ions(Ca2+,Mg2+,Na+,K+,HCO3–,Cl–,SO42–,and NO3–),and the stable isotope composition of groundwater and dissolved nitrate.The results revealed that groundwater in the study area is mainly Ca–Mg–HCO3 type and can be classified as fresh water,hard water,and very hard water.The range and average concentration of NO3–were 3.5–230.8 and 50.9 mg/L,respectively.Approximately 33%of the sampling points showed NO3–levels above the maximum allowable concentration of 50.0 mg/L set by the World Health Organization(WHO)guidelines for drinking water quality.The values ofδ18O-H2O andδ2H-H2O showed that groundwater in the study area is part of the current water cycle,originating in the Mediterranean Sea,with significant evaporation,orographic,and amount effects.The values of the stable isotope composition of NO3–corresponded toδ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–values produced by the nitrification process of manure or septic waste and soil NH4+.The FA performed on the hydrochemical parameters and isotope data resulted in three main factors,with Factor 1,Factor 2,and Factor 3,accounting for 50%,21%,and 11%of the total variance,respectively.Factor 1 was considered human-induced factor,named"pollution factor",whereas Factor 2,named"conservative fingerprint factor",and Factor 3,named"hardness factor",were considered natural factors.This study will help local researchers manage groundwater sustainably in the study area and other similar arid and semiarid areas in the world.
文摘Mr.Hasan Abdullah AI-Dajah,Jordanian sinologist and professor of Strategic Studies of Al-Hussein Bin Talal University delivered a speech themed on the Future of Chinese Modernisation.Mr.Hasan pointed out that China had embarked on the road of a large-scale modernisation and provided an Eastern mode that combines traditional and modern development.Chinese modernisation is a unique global model in the history of human development,and also a new ideology and theoretical alternative for modernisation of human society created by China with its own national wisdom.
文摘Today,experts from different countries including Jordan gather together to discuss upon sinology studies and ways to strengthen cooperation with the great Chinese civilisation so as to enhance our perception.The history of human being is a history of continued exploration,exchanges and pursuit of wisdom and knowledge,which led to our progress.
文摘Dams in Jordan are exposed to a variety of natural and manmade threats like dams worldwide, but with some peculiar threats due to Jordan’s semi-arid climate, steep topography, tectonic activity, especially along the Jordan Rift Valley, position in the turbulent Middle East area, and weak socio-economic situation. In this study, the threats facing the main dams in Jordan are discussed and their sources are defined. The responsible agencies for reducing the threats and eliminating their sources are identified, as long as they are manmade. Natural threats are dealt with as superimposed and Jordan has to adapt to them by taking the necessary protective measures. The study concludes that all dams in Jordan are threatened by climate change and siltation and hence reduction in storage. The quality of stored water in dams, which are used for supplying drinking water such as Al-Wehdah, Wadi Al-Arab, Ziglab, Al-Wala and to a certain extent Al-Mujib is threatened by pollution due to urbanization, agricultural and industrial activities. All dams in Jordan are exposed to sabotage threats, which may negatively affect dams’ water quantities and quality. The stability of dams due to engineering failures is observed in the cases of Al-Kafrain, the left abutment of Al-Mujib, the spillway of Wheidi and eventually Al-Wala Dam. The latter was raised based on unique construction technology. The study recommends developing and implementing, as soon as possible, rigorous action plans to eliminate or, minimize the impacts of threats facing dams in Jordan.
文摘This study aims to assess the small ruminant value chain in Al-Ruwaished District,Jordan,to identify the potential intervention areas that could improve the production efficiency and guarantee the sustainability of the small ruminant sector in this area.Sheep breeding is the source of livelihood for most of the people in Al-Ruwaished District,which is characterized by the large number of sheep and goats.We surveyed 5.0% of the small ruminant holders in the study area and conducted individual interviews and surveys with the potential actors in the value chain to undertake a small ruminant value chain analysis.From the survey,we found that the small ruminant value chain consists of five core functions,namely,input supply,production management,marketing,processing,and consumption.Despite the stable impression given by the large number of holdings in the small ruminant sector,the surveyed results show a clear fragility in the value chain of small ruminants in this area.The small ruminant production system is negatively impacted by climate change,especially continuous drought.In addition,the high prices of feed that the farmer cannot afford with clear and real absence of the governmental and non-governmental support activities also impact the development of the value chain.The results of strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)analysis reveal that the major constraints faced by this value chain could be divided into external and internal threats.Specifically,the most prominent external threats are the nature of the desert land and continuous drought,while the major internal threats are the absence of appropriate infrastructure,shortage of inputs,and weakness in the production management and marketing.We proposed solutions to these challenges to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the sector,such as the formulation of emergency response plans to severe weather,qualifying farmers’skills,and establishment of agricultural cooperative societies.
