EAGE Workshop on Dead Sea Sinkholes: Causes, Effects & Solutions www.eage.org

EAGE Workshop on Dead Sea Sinkholes

Causes, Effects & Solutions

www.eage.org

FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT

23-25 September 2012Amman, Jordan

Technical CommitteeGeert Janssen Co-chair (Keller Grundbau)Damien Closson Co-chair (Royal Military Academy, Belgium)Bahjat Aladwan (Jordanian Geologists Association)Issa Al-Nsour (CEC)Masdouq Al-Taj (Hashemite University)Abdullah Alzubi (Al Balqa University)Nidal Attiat (Natural Resources Authority)Mufeed Batarseh (Mutah University)Marco Gonella (Med Ingegneria)Don Houser (JDH Engineering, PLC)Rasheed Jaradat (Yarmuok University)Antonio Mengini (Aarhus Geophysics)Yousef Moqbel (CEC)

EAGE Workshop on Dead Sea Sinkholes: Causes, Effects & Solutions www.eage.org

Workshop Overview

The sinkholes in relation to the terminal lake level‘s lowering were observed for the first time in the dried-up Lynch Strait in the early 1980s, ret-rospectively, from aerial photographs acquired at that time. Explanatory models of the formation of ground collapses do not explain why the sinkholes occurred from the 80s and not before. The lowering of the Dead Sea dates back to the early 60s. What is causing this delay of nearly 20 years? The sinkholes of the Dead Sea are located mainly in the southern part of the lake, over and on either side of the Lisan Peninsula. Why is there such asymmetry between northern and southern parts of the Dead Sea?

At regional scale, the collapses have a linear geo-graphical distribution. What is the role played by tectonics in the past, present and future distribution of the sinkholes? And last but not least: are we just going to learn to live with it or do we want to find out more, do we want to predict where the next sinkhole will occur and do we want to generate solutions so that we can use the affected areas as we see fit?

All together, we expect that this workshop will answer to these questions.

Workshop FormatThe format will include a mixture of keynote, invited experts and posters. Interactive discussions are encour-aged by way of Q&A and panel discussions. All par-ticipants are expected to contribute fully to all aspects of the workshop. A full report of the discussions and conclusions will be available to all participants after the event.

Who should attend?The workshop is aimed at practising geologists, hydrogeologists, geophysicists, geochemists, mine engineers, civil engineers, academia & NGOs.

Technical Programme

24 SeptemberBallroom 3

08:00 Registration & Welcome Coffee

09:00 Welcome Remarks (National Anthem, Quran, HSE)

SESSION 1: GEOLOGY, HYDROGEOLOGY & HYDROCHEMISTRY OF SINKHOLESD. Closson (Royal Military Academy) & A. Masdooq (The Hashemite University)

09:10 DS01 - The Dead Sea Subsidence and Sinkhole Disasters, over Two Decades of Monitoring and Studies. It is Time for an Early Warning System Now! - N.A. Karaki* (University of Jordan) & D. Closson (Royal Military Academy, Belgium)

10:00 Coffee Break

10:30 DS02 - Geology of the Dead Sea Basin - A. Abed* (University of Jordan)

11:00 DS03 - Ghor Al Haditha Sinkholes Database and Tectonic Interpretation - M. Idrissa* (Royal Military Academy, Belgium), D. Closson (Royal Military Academy, Belgium) & N. Abou Karaki (University of Jordan)

11:20 DS04 - Geophysical Investigations of Ghor Haditha Sinkholes, Jordan - Hussam Alrshdan* (Natural Resources Authority)

11:40 DS05 - Origin of Unusual Dolines (Sinkholes) in Maqarin Area, North Jordan - H. N. Khoury* (University of Jordan) & E. Salameh (University of Jordan)

12:00 DS06 - Sinkholes Related to Tectonic Factor at Ghor Al Haditha Area, Dead Sea, Jordan - A. Diabat* (Al-Bayt University)

12:20 Session 1: Panel Discussion

13:00 Lunch

SESSION 2: INVESTIGATION & MONITORING TECHNIQUES - SURFACE GEOPHYSICSG. Janssen & R.J. Jaradat (Yarmouk University)

14:00 DS07 - Geophysical Assessment of Sinkhole Hazard Evaluation at Ghor Haditha (Dead Sea, Jordan) - C.M. Camerlynck* (Université Pierre et Marie Curie UPMC), A. Abueladas (Al-Balqaí Applied University, Amman, Jordan), R. Al-Ruzouq (Al-Balqaí Applied University, Amman, Jordan), A. Al-Zoubi (Al-Balqaí Applied University, Amman, Jordan), M. Boucher (IRD/ UJF-Grenoble 1, France), L. Bodet (Université Pierre et Marie Curie UPMC), A. Dhemaied (Université Pierre et Marie Curie UPMC) & P.Y. Galibert (Université Pierre et Marie Curie UPMC)

EAGE Workshop on Dead Sea Sinkholes: Causes, Effects & Solutions www.eage.org

14:20 DS08 - Detecting the Sink-Holes by Microgravity Data - Vahid E. Ardestani* (Institute of Geophysics)

14:40 DS09 - Active Multichannel Seismic Surface Wave Method for Subsurface Cavity Detection - A. Al-Bis* (Arab Center for Engineering Studies, UAE), E. Sharif (Arab Center for Engineering Studies, UAE) & M. Harb (Arab Center for Engineering Studies, UAE)

15:00 Coffee Break

SESSION 3: INVESTIGATION & MONITORING TECHNIQUES - AIRBORNE GEOPHYSICS

15:30 DS10 - The Contribution of Airborne EM for the Study of Dead Sea - A. Menghini* (Aarhus Geophysics) & A. Viezzoli (Aarhus Geophysics)

15:50 DS11 - Design of an Airborne EM Survey over the Dead Sea - T.H. Asch* (U.S. Geological Survey) & B.D. Smith (U.S. Geological Survey)

16:10 DS12 - Sinkholes Detection by AEM Method: a Case Study from Yucatan, Mexico - A. Menghini* (Aarhus Geophysics), Y. Ley-Cooper (CSIRO) & A. Viezzoli (Aarhus Geophysics)

16:30 DS13 - Using Multi-Temporal Satellite Data to Support Geophysical AEM Characterization and Numerical Modelling of Sinkhole Development - P. Teatini* (medingegneria), M. Gonella (med-ingegneria), F. Immordino (Medingegneria) & V. Stigher (Medingegneria)

16:50 Session 2 & 3: Panel Discussion

19:30 Workshop Dinner

25 September

Ballroom 308:00 Welcome Coffee

09:00 Opening Remarks

SESSION 4: ADVANCED TECHNIQUESA. Menghini (Aarhus Geophysics) & N. Abou Karaki (University of Jordan)

09:10 DS14 - Karst Dynamics Revealed by Small Baseline Subset Interferometric Technique - D. Closson* (Royal Military Academy, Belgium), N. Abou Karaki (University of Jordan), P. Pasquali (Sarmap s.a), P. Riccardi (Sarmap s.a) & F. Holecz (Sarmap s.a)

09:50 DS15 - SARscapeÆ, a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf Software Package for the Measurement, Monitoring and Modeling of Geophysical Phenomena - P. Pasquali* (Sarmap s.a.), S. Atzori (Sarmap s.a.), A. Cantone (Sarmap s.a.), P. Riccardi (Sarmap s.a.), M. De Filippi (Sarmap s.a.) & M. Barbieri (Sarmap s.a.)

10:30 Coffee Break

SESSION 5: WATER ISSUES RELATED TO THE DEAD SEA SINKHOLESI. Al-Nsour (Consulting Engineering Center (CEC))

11:00 DS16 - Retreat of the Dead Sea and its Implications on the Surrounding Groundwater and on the Stability of Coastal Deposits - E. Salameh* (University of Jordan)

11:30 DS17 - Transboundary Water Governance and Climate Change: Focus on Dead Sea, Jordan - M. Batarseh* (Mutah University), H. Khan (Mutah University), M. Goebel (Mutah University), P. Dawe (Mutah University), T. El-Hasan (Mutah University), A. Jireis (Mutah University), M.Y. Al Rawashdeh (Mutah University), R. Paterson (Mutah University), J. Pomeroy (Mutah University) & O. Mhawesh (Mutah University)

11:50 DS18 - Vision and Politics of Water in the Middle East: Challenges Facing Jordan River and Dead Sea - O. Mohawsh* (Mutah University) & M. Batarseh (Mutah University)

12:10 DS19 - Relocation Processing of Selected Earthquakes in the Gulf of Aqaba Region - A. Ghannam* (Royal Jordanian Geographic Center)

12:30 Lunch

SESSION 6: SPECIAL CASES AND ENGINEERING SOLUTIONSG. Janssen

14:00 DS20 - ìRock Noiseî monitoring System Aimed to Control of Carrel Hut Basement on Mt Cervino/Matterhorn - S. Priano* (SolGeo)

14:20 DS21 - Diagnosis of Problematic Underground Conditions by Geophysical Techniques - F.A.I. Hamdi* (Orbit Geological Consultancy)

14:40 DS22 - The Sudden Subsidence (Sinkhole) in Musafah Highway, Abu Dhabi, Associated with Localized Collapse of Subsurface Cavity During Micro ñTunnelling - M. Hassouneh* (Arab Center for Engineering Studies)

15:00 Coffee Break

15:30 DS23 - Natural or Mankind Induced Cavities or Caves: Solutions to Live With Them or Do Something About Them - G. Janssen* (Keller Grundbau)

16:00 Discussion Session: Sinkholes - Are we just going to live with it or do want to find out more? Do we want to predict where the next sinkholes will occur and do we want to generate solutions so we can use the affected areas as we see fit?

17:15 Workshop Summary Remarks

EAGE Workshop on Dead Sea Sinkholes: Causes, Effects & Solutions www.eage.org

Field trip

One day will be dedicated to a guided tour along the coast of the Dead Sea. The Trip Leaders will explain the evolution of the landscape andof the area’s most affected by the lowering the terminal lake level based on diachronic analysis of photographies and satellite images. The areas of new hotels (Suweimeh) will be observed in regards to subsidence. The bridge of the Wadi Mujib will be analyzed according to the regressive erosion caused by the base level lowering. The agricultural area of Ghor Al Haditha will be the frame of a discussion about the location of hazard-ous areas in relation to active tectonics.

Social programme

Icebreaker ReceptionSunday 23 September 2012 18:00 – 20:00French Quarter, Terrace (Holiday Inn Amman)

Workshop DinnerMonday 24 September 19:00 - 22:00The Workshop Dinner will take place at Reem Al Bawadi. The restaurant serves traditional Arabic menu and is a short walk from the hotel (600 m).

Venue

The EAGE Workshop on Dead Sea Sinkholes will be held at the Holiday Inn Amman in Amman, Jordan. Holiday Inn Amman is conveniently situ-ated just off the main Madina Al Munawarah road, 35 km from Queen Alia International Airport. The hotel is a comfortable base for discovering the capital’s rich history. Step back in time at the Roman Amphitheatre and gaze out over whitewashed houses from the hilltop Amman Citadel.

Registration

Online registration is currently open!

Workshop Until 15/07/2012

16/07/2012- 15/09/2012

EAGE member € 395 € 495EAGE student member1

€ 100 € 150

Non-member2 € 495 € 595Full time student non-member1,2

€ 100 € 150

All member rates are only applicable if the member-ship dues for 2012 have been paid. Please note that EAGE reserves the right to cancel the event due to low participation. In this case, payment will be refunded in full.

1 To qualify for the reduced registration fee, a copy of your

student identification card for a geoscience institute must

be submitted together with this registration form.2 The non-member fee includes EAGE membership for the

remainder of 2012.

Sponsors

Gold sponsor

ARAB POTASH COMPANYJORDAN

Silver sponsor Student sponsor

Contact

For more information or enquiries about this work-shop, please visit the event’s website (www.eage.org) or contact the Middle East Office via middle_east@eage.org or telephone +971 4 369 3897.

We hope to see you in Amman!