Dust Events in the Western Parts of Iran and the Relationship with Drought Expansion over the Dust-Source Areas in Iraq and Syria

The most famous deserts exist in subtropical regions which is the direct outcome of insufficient precipitation and high temperatures. The Middle East deserts are subjected often to dust, which reduces horizontal visibility to 5 km, and sometimes even to less than 100 m. The severe and prolong drought recently afflicting the west Asia region has been suggested to be instrumental in producing an increased output of dust into the atmosphere from the region. Regarding the increasing of dust events over the west of Iran with the external origin in the recent decade (from 2000 to present), so the main dust-source areas over Iraq and Syria have been detected using the dust-source map of the southwest of Asia, satellite images and soil type maps. We considered the relationship between the increasing of dust events in the western of Iran and drought expansion over the main dust-production areas during the recent decade. Dust frequency data series, and drought variables which include the VHI (vegetation health index), precipitation and temperature data series in long-term and monthly scales have been monitored and compared. And then we used the correlation analysis that indicated the significant proximity between the dust events and droughts/dryness in a yearly scale and also during the warm season (May to Aug). Meantime the derived results from the T-student test for the aforementioned data series confirm the fact that the droughts are parallel to the increasing of dust events from 1996 to 2011 (especially in the recent decade). We found that the recent droughts in the external dust source areas had the remarkable potential to increase the dust events in the west of Iran.

Dolomitization of the lower cretaceous carbonate reservoir in the Euphrates Graben,Syria

Results of this study are based on core materials description,thin sections,Cathodoluminescence(CL),and Scanning Electron Microscope(SEM)examinations.The Lower Cretaceous over the Euphrates Graben area was characterized by carbonate sedimentation in shallow marine environments.The low energy lagoonal to inner shelf sediments of the Judea Formation includes micritic mudstone to wackestone texture,dolomitic limestones and dolostones.Two types of dolomites recognized in the carbonates of the Judea Formation,the preserving microcrystalline dolomites which commonly founded in the partially dolomitized micritic limestones,and the destructive coarsely crystalline dolomites which commonly founded in the dolostones and dolomitic limestones.Petrographic examinations indicate that the preserving microcrystalline dolomites represent subtidal cycles developed in a shoal to open marine depositional environments,they probably formed under conditions of the shallow burial diagenesis.The destructive coarsely crystalline dolomites may develop in more basinward,open marine environments under conditions of the deep burial diagenesis that accompanied by rising in temperature,pressure,and burial depth.It is believed that evolution of the diagenetic history of the Judean Formation sediments occurred in two diagenetic stages;the shallow burial diagenesis,and the deep burial diagenesis.Compaction processes,early fracturing,micritization,early calcite,and the early phase of dolomitization were part of the multiple diagenetic alterations during the shallow burial diagenesis.The deep burial diagenesis was marked by dissolution,late stage of dolomitization and replacement,mechanical and chemical compaction,and the late calcite precipitation.It is believed that dolomitization of the Judea Formation carbonates in the Euphrates Graben has contributed to improving the reservoir properties by increasing the porosity and thus the permeability.

Using Bayesian and Eigen approaches to study spatial genetic structure of Moroccan and Syrian durum wheat landraces

The Mediterranean durum wheat landraces are genetically diverse and important sources for improving resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses and developing adapted and productive durum wheat varieties in the Mediterranean region. To study the diversity two distant countries (MoroccoandSyria) durum landraces were studied. Fifty-one microsatellites were used as molecular markers tool to determine the genetic structure and spatial adaptation of these landraces. We used two spatially-explicit methods (Bayesian and Eigen) to determine the genetic diversity and structure of a population composed of Moroccan (98) and Syrian (90) durum wheat landraces. Non-spatial methods were also applied for comparison. A significant genetic difference was detected between the landraces originated from Morocco and Syria. Six subpopulations were revealed for each country using the Bayesian method and the Eigenanalysis, which generated PC1 and sPC1, showed similar structure. Eigenanalysis exhibited a significant global genetic structure for both countries landraces;and showed that neighboring landraces tend to have close genetic profile. The two first axes of PC1 and sPC1 had discriminated four out of the six subpopulations revealed by the Bayesian methodology. Also, our study detected the close relationship between the durum landraces from the coastal areas of Syria and the Moroccan landraces from the Atlantic coastal regions where the Phoenicians/Carthaginians had settled in Morocco. These results demonstrate the importance of using the spatial models in genetic analysis of durum wheat landraces;and also recommend the use of the easily usable Eigenanalysis to analyze the genetic diversity and structure.

Syria Muslim Brotherhood After the Arab Spring

Since 2011,the Syria Muslim Brotherhood(SMB,hereafter)activism has been going through a shift at both political and military level.This paper explores various elements of this shift to explain the expansion of SMB political opportunity structure as well as the evolvement of their internal organizational structure and within the wider structure of the Syrian opposition and finally the framing approach adopted by the SMB to mobilize people and communities.The SMB’s efforts to institutionalize the opposition in exile and mobilize a wider spectrum of the Syrian society including the poor and middle class have helped increase their popular bases.On the military front,SMB lack of needed experience and resources hinder their progress in the battle field.Nevertheless,SMB continued to verify its engagement strategies based on application of the opportunity and threat analysis which helped expanding its operational space as a political,military and social movement laying the ground for a presumably steady role of the SMB in the post conflict era.

Geochemistry and Petrogenesis of Basaltic Rocks and Enclosed Xenoliths from the Ghab Pliocene Volcanic Field in Northwestern Syria

Basaltic rocks and their content of ultramafic xenoliths are common in the Ghab Pliocene Volcanic Field in northwestern Syria in the form of lava flows, cinder cones and pyroclastic deposits. The rocks occur within the Ghab pull- apart graben that formed by sinister strike slip faults within the zone that defines the boundary between the African and the Arabian plates. Three petrographic types occur: basanite, olivine basalt and more commonly alkali olivine basalt. The peridotite xenoliths are spinel lherzolite and harzburgite. Geochemical analysis indicates that the basalts are mostly alkaline to subalkaline. A distinctive feature of these rocks is the narrow compositional variations in the content of most major oxides and minor elements, SiO2 (44.33 - 46.43 wt%) and MgO (4.01 - 8.28 wt%). Some of the refractory and high field strength elements and incompatible minor elements in the basalts are relatively high (Cr average = 303 ppm and Ni average = 185 ppm) compared with their content in average basalts. These geochemical characteristics reflect crystallization of the Ghab basalts from pristine and primary magmas that have experienced minimal fractional crystallization and crustal contamination. Similarly, chemical compositions of the ultramafic xenoliths vary within a restricted geochemical range. They are compatible with the generation of these rocks from partial melting of a primitive mantle pyrolite to yield the xenoliths. These magmatic processes operated during the Pliocene in a regional transtensional stress environment attending the development of the Dead Sea Rift.

China FAW Participates in The China Auto International(Syria)Tour

At the beginning of the new year,a new message was released from the Organization Committee of China Auto International Tour - China FAW Group Corporation and China League of Machinery Industry will jointly sponsor the 4nd China Auto International(Syria) Tour. This is the first time that the giant state-owned auto enterprise participates in the sponsor of international auto exhibition.……

Porosity enhancement potential through dolomitization of carbonate reservoirs, a case of study from the Euphrates Graben fields, East Syria

The dolostones and dolomitic limestones of the lower Cretaceous Judea formation are a key target ofhydrocarbons in most of the Euphrates Graben fields. Core materials investigation, thin sections petrographicallyexaminations, and petrophysical evaluations were obtained to determine enhancement ofthe porosity through dolomitization. Results showed that the lagoon-shallow marine carbonates of theJudea formation are subdivided into two main zones;the upper “limestone zone” is micritic limestonesdominated with no reservoir potential, and the lower “dolomite zone” is dolomitic limestones anddolostones dominated with good to very good reservoir potential. Dolomitization of the mudstones andwackestones of the micritic limestones resulted in formation of microcrystalline dolomicrite and earlyfabric destructive dolomites. Conversely, dolomitization of the packstones and grainstones resulted information of the fabric destructive and saddle dolomites. Based on petrography data, dolomitization ofthe “limestone zone” is interpreted by the seawater dolomitization mechanism at low-temperatures,while dolomitization of the “dolomite zone” is interpreted by the burial dolomitization mechanismunder high temperature and pressure conditions. The “limestone zone” is characterized by the poorestreservoir quality, while the “dolomite zone” is characterized by the best reservoir quality. The seawaterdolomitization did not significantly enhance the porosity, while the burial dolomitization contributes toenhancing the preserved secondary porosity. Stylolites microfractures and dissolution seams associatedwith dolomitization played as major factors in porosity enhancement of the dolostones and dolomiticlimestones and serving as pathways for hydrocarbon migration. Dissolution processes increased theporosity and more permeability unless they are filled with the precipitated dolomite and/or calcite.Calcification had significant effects on the porosity by blocking the cavities and channels and decreasedthe effective pore volume.

Microfracture Characterization in Sandstone Reservoirs:A Case Study from the Upper Triassic of Syria's Euphrates Graben

The Euphrates Graben is located in eastern Syria.The Upper Triassic Mulussa F Formation sandstones serve as the primary reservoir intervals in the majority of the graben fields.The study’s findings were based on core studies:petrographic examination of thin sections,scanning electron microscope(SEM),imaging of backscatter scanning electron microscope(BSE),X-ray microprobe examinations,and carbon-oxygen stable isotope analysis of microfracture-filling cements.Three of the most common types of microfracture found in the investigated sandstones are intragranular or intracrystalline microfractures,grain boundary or grain-edge microfractures,and transgranular(crossing grains)microfractures.Sandstone microfractures that are open and free of secondary mineralization improve sandstone storage and permeability.However,microfractures that are cemented and filled with secondary mineralization reduce storage and permeability.Common siderite and pyrite cements were identified within the microfractures and the nearby sandstone matrix.Larger anhedral or euhedral siderites are thought to form during shallow burial diagenesis,whereas poikilotopic siderites are thought to form during deep burial diagenesis.Poikilotopic pyrite is believed to be a diagenetic cement,which is attributed to the reduction of iron oxides present in the sediments in the presence of hydrocarbons.Microfractures reflect tectonic,overpressure,and diagenetic origins.Microfractures of tectonic origin are associated with folding and thrust activities over the Euphrates Graben area,and they were formed at the beginning of the Upper Triassic with siderite and pyrite cement equilibration temperatures of approximately 100–105℃,and they continued forming from the middle to the end of the Upper Triassic with cement equilibration temperatures of approximately 90–100℃in conjunction with the first phase of the Euphrates Graben.Microfractures related to diagenetic and overpressure processes are tension microfractures and were formed in compression settings during the Upper Triassic.

Cementation Characteristics and Their Effect on Quality of the Upper Triassic, the Lower Cretaceous, and the Upper Cretaceous Sandstone Reservoirs, Euphrates Graben, Syria

This article presents the results of cementation characteristics and their effect on sandstone reservoir quality of the Upper Triassic Mulussa F, the Lower Cretaceous Lower Rutbah, and the Upper Cretaceous Post Judea Sandstone formations in selected fields in the Euphrates Graben area, Syria. This study emphasises the role of cementation in the evaluation of the diagenetic history of the sediments, developing effective porosity, as well as evaluation of reservoirs stimulation procedures and potential for formation damage of the sandstone reservoirs. Quartz cement is present as well developed tabular or pyramidal syntaxial overgrowths. Kaolinite cement is present as vermicular aggregates which are most abundant within sandstones of the Mulussa F Formation. Carbonate cements include siderite and dolomite. Four lithofacies were identified within the studied formations;lithofacies-1 and 2 correspond to fluvial depositional environments, lithofacies-3 and 4 correspond to fluvial to estuarine channel environments. The Post Judea Sandstone and the Lower Rutbah reservoir units are typically lithofacies-3 sequences in which quartz overgrowths are the dominant cement. Because the total cement is more extensive in the Post Judea Sandstone Formation than in the Lower Rutbah Formation, resulting in high porosity(up to 26%) and permeability(6 000 mD), the reservoir quality is predicted to be best in the Post Judea Sandstone Formation. The reservoir units in the Mulussa F Formation contain the highest cement volumes comprised of early siderite and kaolinite, which, with the development of compaction-resisting quartz overgrowths and resultant compactional pore volume loss, has resulted in typically lower porosity being preserved than in the Lower Rutbah and Post Judea Sandstone formations.

Syria’s Future

With reform pledges and public support,the Bashar al-Assad administration is likely to survive protests The Syrian domino has finally fallen,joining many other Arab and Middle East nations embroiled in unrest.Demonstrations burst out in southern Syria in mid-March,and rapidly spread to

Strategies,Dynamics,and Outcomes of Hezbollah’s Military Intervention in the Syrian Conflict

This paper reevaluates the political and military significance of Hezbollah’s intervention in the Syrian conflict by exploring the organization’s strategies and dynamics and the outcomes of these in the post‘Arab Spring’Middle Eastern regional order.Hezbollah deployed troops in Syria.In May–June 2013,the leadership officially began to publicize the progress of its‘just war’based on a neo-muqawama scenario in which it called for an armed resistance to the dual threats of Zionists and takfiri jihadists.Hezbollah’s operations have assisted Syrian President Bashar alAssad to stay in power,albeit at a significant military and financial cost.However,it has also resulted in a serious side effect;the erosion of the organization’s identity as the‘Lebanese national resistance’and the subsequent escalation of Sunni-Shi‘a hostilities and sectarianism across the region.This,in turn,has incited further offensives by the Sunni takfiri jihadists active in the region and a vicious cycle of violence.Nevertheless,Hezbollah should not be seen only as a‘spoiler’for political stability in the Middle East.On the contrary,despite its provocative and radical revolutionary narratives,it remains in the‘conservative camp’and seeks to pursue a political status quo so as to prevent total collapse of the balance of power in the post‘Arab Spring’regional order.