Dead Sea Research Articles

"KERESZTYÉNNEK LENNI NAGY ÉS SOKSZOROS HŰSÉGET JELENT” PÁKOZDY LÁSZLÓ MÁRTON TEOLÓGUS PROFESSZOR, VALLÁSTÖRTÉNÉSZ, BIBLIAFORDÍTÓ MUNKÁSSÁGA

The world-famous theologian professor spent a significant part of his life in Debrecen. Between 1928 and 1932, he studied at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Debrecen, where he graduated, and in 1942 he received his doctorate in theology. At the end of 1945, he was appointed public extraordinary professor at the same faculty, and in the summer of 1949, he was appointed public ordinary professor. In the academic year 1949/50, as Dean of the Faculty of Theology, he was responsible for the establishment of the organizational structure of the Debrecen Theological Academy of the Tiszántúli Church District, which had been separated from the university by government action and had become an independent institution. In 1966, the church leadership transferred Pákozdy and his department from Debrecen to the Reformed Theological Academy in Budapest, where he taught future pastors for about two decades. Professor Pákozdy, a religious historian, has been awarded honorary doctorates by two foreign universities for his scholarly research on the Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and for his translation of the Bible into Hungarian. In the twilight of his life, obtaining the Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences degree was made possible.

Ghost Scrolls—Rumoured and Longed-for Dead Sea Scrolls

ABSTRACT There are myriads of bank boxes and vaults in the world and judging by some of the stories under scrutiny in this article, many of them contain Dead Sea Scrolls. The article analyses tales linked to three so-called ghost scrolls whilst focussing on contemporary manuscript tales as a phenomenon: What character-ises such stories? How are they developed, kept alive, and passed down? What are their functions? I will argue that these tales serve as adaptable templates for market players and bring colour and glamor to the grey market. The ghost scroll is not so much a container of text as a placeholder for hype, dreams and longing. It influences contemporary academic imaginations, expectations, desires and affects scholars’ interpretational frames.

Geomorphological Response of Alluvial Streams to Flood Events during Base-Level Lowering: Insights from Drone-Based Photogrammetric Surveys in Dead Sea Tributaries

The geomorphological impact of base-level lowering on ephemeral alluvial streams has been extensively investigated through fieldwork, experimentation, and modeling. Yet, the understanding of hydrological parameters governing the dynamics of the stream’s geometry during discrete flood events is lacking due to limited direct measurements of flood-scale erosion/deposition. The emergence of novel remote sensing methods allows for quantifying morphological modifications caused by floods in alluvial streams. This study utilizes drone surveys and hydrological data to quantitatively investigate the relation between channel evolution in alluvial tributaries draining to the receding Dead Sea and the hydrological characteristics of flash floods. Drone-based photogrammetric surveys were conducted before and after 25 floods, over a period of four years, to generate centimeter-scale Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and orthophoto maps of two major streams. The outcomes of these DEMs are maps of ground elevation changes (erosion/deposition), thalweg longitudinal profiles, and channel cross sections, revealing the incision/aggradation along and across the streams. Statistical comparison of results with flow hydrographs identified potential relations linking the hydrological characteristics of each flood and the corresponding geomorphological modifications. Peak discharge emerged as the primary factor influencing sediment removal, leading to more efficient sediment evacuation and a negative sediment budget with increased discharge. Water volumes of floods also exhibited a secondary effect on the sediment budget. The chronological order of floods, whether first or later in the season, was identified as the primary factor determining incision magnitude. Knickpoints formed at the streams’ outlets during the dry period, when lake-level drops, amplifying the impact of the first flood. These findings have potential implications for infrastructure planning and environmental management in the context of climate change and altered water runoff. The research highlights the efficiency of drone-based photogrammetry for cost-effective and timely data collection, providing invaluable flexibility for field research.

Performance Analysis of Handwritten Text Augmentation on Style-Based Dating of Historical Documents

One of the main questions paleographers aim to answer while studying historical manuscripts is when they were produced. Automatized methods provide tools that can aid in a more accurate and objective date estimation. Many of these methods are based on the hypothesis that handwriting styles change over periods. However, the sparse availability of digitized historical manuscripts poses a challenge in obtaining robust systems. The presented research extends previous research that explored the effects of data augmentation by elastic morphing on the dating of historical manuscripts. Linear support vector machines were trained on k-fold cross-validation on textural and grapheme-based features extracted from the Medieval Paleographical Scale, early Aramaic manuscripts, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and volumes of the French Royal Chancery collection. Results indicate training models with augmented data can improve the performance of historical manuscript dating by 1–3% in cumulative scores, but also diminish it. Data augmentation using elastic morphing can both improve and decrease date prediction of historical manuscripts and should be carefully considered. Moreover, further enhancements are possible by considering models tuned to the features and documents’ scripts.

Developing significant earthquake damage scenarios following the July 2018 earthquake swarm in the Sea of Galilee area near the Dead Sea Fault

Developing significant earthquake damage scenarios following the July 2018 earthquake swarm in the Sea of Galilee area near the Dead Sea Fault

High-resolution co-seismic fault offsets of the 2023 Türkiye earthquake ruptures using satellite imagery

On February 6, 2023, southern Türkiye was struck by two large earthquakes at 01:17 UTC (Mw=7.8, Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş) and 10:30 UTC (Mw = 7.6, Elbistan, Kahramanmaraş), causing severe damage at the complex junction of the Dead Sea Fault (DSF), the Cyprus Arc and the East Anatolian Fault Zone (EAFZ). The ruptures propagated along several known strands of the southwestern termination of the EAFZ, the main Pazarcık and Karasu valley faults, and the Çardak-Sürgü fault. Here we present the high-resolution mapping of the entire coseismic surface rupture and an estimate of the rupture width, total and on-fault offset, and diffuse deformation obtained a few days to three months after the two mainshocks. The mapping is derived from image correlation of Sentinel-2 optical satellite imagery and validated with offset measurements collected on the ground. We find that the ruptures extend over lengths of 310 km and 140 km for the Mw 7.8 and Mw 7.6 mainshocks, respectively. The maximum offsets reach 7.5 ± 0.8 m and 8.7 ± 0.8 m near the epicenters of the Mw 7.8 and Mw 7.6 events, respectively. We propose a segmentation of the two ruptures based on these observations, and further discuss the location of the potential supershear rupture. The use of optical image correlation, complemented by field investigations along earthquake faults, provides new insights into seismic hazard assessment.

Resolving the slip-rate inconsistency of the northern Dead Sea fault.

Reported fault slip rates, a key quantity for earthquake hazard and risk analyses, have been inconsistent for the northern Dead Sea fault (DSF). Studies of offset geological and archeological structures suggest a slip rate of 4 to 6 millimeters per year, consistent with the southern DSF, whereas geodetic slip-rate estimates are only 2 to 3 millimeters per year. To resolve this inconsistency and overcome limited access to the northern DSF in Syria, we here use burst-overlap interferometric time-series analysis of satellite radar images to provide an independent slip-rate estimate of ~2.8 millimeters per year. We also show that the high geologic slip rate could, by chance, be inflated by earthquake clustering and suggest that the slip-rate decrease from the southern to northern DSF can be explained by splay faults and diffuse offshore deformation. These results suggest a microplate west of the northern DSF and a lower earthquake hazard for that part of the fault.

Analysis of the seismicity related to the tidal stress prior to the M w7.8 Kahramanmaras, Türkiye earthquake

Based on the preliminary reference Earth model, we calculated the temporal variation of tidal shear and normal stresses on the focal fault plane of the M w7.8 Kahramanmaras, Türkiye earthquake. For earthquakes (M ≥ 4.0) occurring along and around the East Anatolian fault zone (EAFZ) and the Dead Sea fault zone (DSFZ) between January 2002 and December 2022, we analysed tidal stress-related seismicity from two viewpoints: occurrence time and seismic strain. Seismicity was found to be significantly correlated with semi-diurnal tidal shear stress (TSS) prior to the Kahramanmaras M w7.8 main shock. An area with significant correlation was ∼140 km northeast of the epicentre. For three and more years prior to the Kahramanmaras event, the temporal rate of seismic strain increased during periods of increasing TSS and did not change much during periods of decreasing TSS. From the above results, the increase in TSS may have facilitated the occurrence of earthquakes in the years preceding the Kahramanmaras earthquake. The reason for these tide-triggered earthquakes may be that the seismic region is loaded to a critical state. This observation may shed light on the seismogenic processes that led to the Kahramanmaras earthquake and its precursors.

Old basalts, young soils ‐ Age constraints for the Golan Heights plateau volcanic soils

AbstractThe Golan Heights plateau in northern Israel is underlaid by volcanic rocks ranging in age from ~5.5 to 0.1 Ma. Throughout the Golan Heights, these rocks are covered by shallow soils that rarely exceed 0.5 m in depth. The soils are generally assumed to form a chronosequence, in which their ages correspond to those of the basalts they cover. Such age correspondence would imply that the soils have been slowly accumulating over hundreds of thousands to a few million years, suggesting a generally stable system. The ages of these soils and their temporal correlation to the basalts, however, have never been determined or tested.Here, we present age constraints for the soils of the Golan Heights. Soils were surveyed and sampled with their corresponding basalt bedrock. Mass balance calculations based on conservative immobile elements, coupled with 36Cl‐based basalt denudation rates, suggest that the soil ages are decoupled from the ages of the underlying basalts, and represent up to a few thousand years of soil production, at most. This time frame is orders of magnitude shorter than the basalt age, challenging the prevalent assumption that the soils form a chronosequence.Our findings strongly suggest that erosion is a significant factor controlling soil formation and accumulation on the plateau, despite the generally flat morphology of the Golan Heights. The erosion is associated with tectonic activity along the Dead Sea transform, with the development of the Kinarot and Hula valleys, and with the consequential development of drainage systems of various sizes on the plateau. Throughout the Golan Heights, the timing of volcanic activity in relation to the development of the valleys and drainage systems also appears to strongly affect soil development and accumulation.

Combined Genomic and Imaging Techniques Show Intense Arsenic Enrichment Caused by Detoxification in a Microbial Mat of the Dead Sea Shore

AbstractMicrobial mats and microbialites are essential tools for reconstructing early life and its environments. To better understand microbial trace element cycling, a microbial mat was collected from the sinkhole systems of the western shores of the Dead Sea, a dynamic environment exhibiting diverse extreme environments. Intense arsenic enrichment was measured (up to 6.5 million times higher than current concentrations in water, and 400 times the bulk concentration in the mat). Arsenic was found predominantly as As(V) in organic molecules, as shown by XANES spectra and high‐resolution elemental mapping. Arsenic cycling genes obtained from metagenomic analysis were associated with arsenic detoxification, supporting an active mechanism of As(V) uptake, As(III) efflux and organoarsenic accumulation in the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of the mat. Thus, we propose that such localized As enrichment can be attributed to a transient increase in As(V) concentrations in the circulating subsurface water of the Dead Sea shore and its subsequent incorporation into organoarsenic molecules through microbial detoxification processes. Our data set supports the possibility of metalloid enrichment recorded in very localized facies due to rapid geogenic fluctuations in the chemistry of the water flowing over a biofilm. In this context, this example calls for caution in interpreting metal(loid) enrichment in organic matter‐rich layers and microbialites of Paleoproterozoic origin. Arsenic signatures in Precambrian organic matter and carbonate rocks may host biosignatures, including evidence for extracellular polymeric substances, As‐binding and detoxification processes, without supporting arsenotrophy. However, they provide clues to better assess the paleoenvironmental conditions at the time of microbial mat formation.

Exploring the phytoconstituents, antimicrobial potency, and cytotoxic effects of essential oil from Origanum punonense from Palestine

BackgroundOriganum punonense Danin is one of the old traditional medicinal plants Bedouins utilize in the Dead Sea region to treat a variety of illnesses, those caused by infections. The current study aimed to identify the phytochemical components of O. punonense essential oil (EO) and determine its antiproliferative and antimicrobial effects.MethodsGas chromatography and mass spectrometry were employed to detect the phytochemical constituents of O. punonense EO. Broth microdilution assay was utilized to determine the antimicrobial effects against various microbial species, including those causing diabetic foot infections.ResultsThis study revealed that O. punonense EO contains 44 phytochemical compounds, of which 41 compounds were detectable and amounted to 99.78% of the total oil. The main chemical components of the oil were carvacrol (57.4%), p-cymene (6.66%), carvone (5.35%), pinene (4.9%), and terpinene (2.96%). The antiproliferative activity of different concentrations of O. punonense EO was noted in all of the investigated cell lines, with the best activity at the concentration of 500 µg/mL. The greatest antibacterial activity was against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus vulgaris, with MIC values of 1.56 µL/mL. In addition, and the O. punonense EO showed strong antifungal activity against Candida albicans with a MIC value of 0.8 µL/mL. In addition, the O. punonense EO showed potent antibacterial activity against all MRSA samples obtained from the diabetic foot with a MIC value of 3.13 µL/mL. The O. punonense EO demonstrated potent activity against Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, Citrobacter freundii, and K. pneumoniae, with MICs value of 6.25 µL/mL.ConclusionThe potent antiproliferative and broad antimicrobial activity of O. punonense EO makes it an effective strategy for treating infections, especially in immunocompromised patients with chronic comorbidities such as cancer and diabetes mellitus.

Tremor along the Dead Sea Transform remotely triggered by the 2023 MW7.6 Kahramanmaraş earthquake

Tremor signals are weak and emergent, and the physics governing their generation is not well understood. Here, I report on tremor occurring along the Dead Sea Transform (DST), and a microearthquake on the Carmel-Fari’a Fault (CFF), both remotely triggered by the 2023 MW7.6 Kahramanmaraş earthquake. The triggered events location coincides with maxima of long-period velocity gradients, concentrated in the CFF-DST intersection and near a CFF fault-jump. Relative to other remotely triggered tremors, the DST tremor is strong and deficient in high-frequency seismic energy. Furthermore, analysis of several remotely triggered tremor episodes suggests that tremors spectral fall-off rates are not universal. I discuss the seismological attributes that may give rise to these observations in the context of two models. In the first, tremor is produced due to inertial vibrations of a frictionally-controlled oscillator, and in the second it is produced by a swarm of Low-Frequency Earthquakes.

Adjoint Waveform Tomography for Crustal and Upper Mantle Structure of the Middle East and Southwest Asia for Improved Waveform Simulations Using Openly Available Broadband Data

ABSTRACT We present a new model of radially anisotropic seismic wavespeeds for the crust and upper mantle of a broad region of the Middle East and Southwest Asia (MESWA) derived from adjoint waveform tomography. The new model enables fully 3D simulations of complete three-component waveforms and provides improved fits that were not possible with previous models. We inverted over 32,000 waveforms from 192 earthquakes recorded by over 1000 openly available broadband seismic stations from permanent and temporary networks in the region with highly uneven coverage. Inversion iterations proceeded from the period band 50–100 s in six stages and 54 total iterations reducing the minimum period to 30 s. Our final model, MESWA, improves waveform fits compared to the starting and other models for both the data used in the inversion and an independent validation set of 66 events. Restitution tests indicate that the model resolves features in the central part of the model to depths of about 150 km. The new model reveals tectonic features imaged by other studies and methods but in a new holistic model of anisotropic shear and compressional wavespeeds (VS and VP, respectively) covering a larger domain with smaller scale length and amplified features. Examples include low crustal VS in the Tethyan belt and low mantle VS following divergent (Gulf of Aden, Red Sea) and transform (Dead Sea fault) margins of the Arabian plate. Low VS is imaged below Cenozoic volcanic centers of the Mecca–Madina–Nafud Line, Arabian Peninsula, and the Türkiye–Iran border region. Elevated VS tracks Makran subduction under southeast Iran with near vertical dip. MESWA could be used as a starting model for further improvements, say, using waveforms from in-country seismic networks that are not currently openly available and/or smaller-scale studies targeting a shorter period. The model could be used to improve earthquake hazard studies and nuclear explosion monitoring.

Black Soils in the Eastern Mediterranean: Genesis and Properties

This study investigates the distribution, morphology, and properties of these soils, focusing on areas such as littoral plains, high hilly areas, and rift depression valleys. Black soils occur in the eastern Mediterranean with a limited distribution, and some of them meet the requirements for black soils according to the INBS (International Network of Black Soils), while others do not. Black soils can be categorized into three types based on their genesis and evolution: calcareous black soils (mainly raw rocky rendzina), hydromorphic black soils, and black soil on basalt. While black soils were found in various bioclimatic stages and parent materials, their presence was notably limited in certain areas, contrary to prior indications. A soil morphology analysis revealed distinct color variations and depths, influenced by the accumulation of organic matter for hydromorphic and calcareous black soils and basaltic parent material for black soils on basalt. A particle size analysis indicated texture variations from clay to loam, with no clear indication of illuviation. A chemical analysis showed alkaline pH levels, except in basalt-derived soils, which exhibited a slight acidity. Hydromorphic black soil is the most important in terms of expansion and agricultural use and is only found in limestone marl deposits and lakes in depressions emerging from Dead Sea rifts under conditions of saturation or poor drainage. These soils have a thick, dark moly horizon and a high organic matter content.

Insights into the Dead Sea Transform Activity through the study of fracture-induced electromagnetic radiation (FEMR) signals before the Syrian-Turkey earthquake (Mw-6.3) on 20.2.2023

Observations of fracture-induced electromagnetic radiation (FEMR) were conducted along the Dead Sea Transform (DST) from Sodom to Jericho, coinciding with a magnitude (Mw) 6.3 aftershock earthquake (EQ) in the Turkey-Syrian region on February 20, 2023. The FEMR parameters (“hits,” Benioff strain release, frequency, rise-time, energy) and associated crack dimensions were analyzed, focusing on trends leading up to the EQ. This study investigated the Benioff Strain plot and other parameters in three consecutive earthquake nucleation stages leading to the catastrophe. The first stage showed increased FEMR hits and frequency, decreased rise time (T′), and crack dimensions. In the second stage, FEMR hits and crack width decreased while other parameters continued to rise, accumulating the second-highest energy, likely due to high-stress drop. The third stage exhibited steadily increasing FEMR hits and energy and a notable increase in crack dimensions, suggesting an imminent macro failure event. The cyclic trend in FEMR hits indicates alternating periods of high activity and silence, potentially linked to stress changes during crack propagation. Taken shortly before the earthquake, these measurements offer valuable insights into how FEMR parameters vary before seismic events, bridging the gap between lab-scale studies of rock collapses under stress and large-scale failure phenomena.

Modelling principal stress orientations in the Arabian Plate using plate velocities

Abstract We model maximum principal horizontal stress orientations in the Arabian Plate using a 3D finite element approach in conjunction with plate velocities. To capture the impact of geometry and tectonics, the model considers an accurate plate boundary shape and associated deformations. Three primary geological units represent plate architecture: sedimentary cover, crust and upper mantle. The mesh resolution varies to capture important geometrical features. Subsequently, we calculate the stress field using the force balance equation. Displacement boundary conditions are evaluated as accumulative deformation. NE–SW maximum principal horizontal stress (S Hmax ) azimuths dominate in northeastern Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, whilst NW–SE to NNW–SSE define the Dead Sea area. The Red Sea Basin and Saudi Arabia's interior is characterized by north–south S Hmax azimuths. Iraq's western area shows azimuths from NNW–SSE to NW–SE due to the collision at the Zagros Mountain Range, but changes to NE–SW in the east at the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt. An extensive literature review reveals publicly available S Hmax azimuth data which augment the sparse records compiled in the World Stress Map database. Our simulated S Hmax azimuths are consistent with these data. The results further corroborate ongoing tectonic processes, deepen our understanding of in situ stress variation drivers and inform current elastic deformation mechanisms in the Arabian Plate.

Magnesium of Dead Sea Salts as a Key Factor for the Treatment of Seborrheic and Atopic Dermatitis: A Case Report

Background: Seborrheic and atopic dermatitis are common and chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Conventional treatments are often ineffective and can have significant side effects. Magnesium dead sea salt has a high concentration of magnesium, and previous research shows its potential to help improve skin conditions.
 Case presentation: Patients with chronic seborrheic and atopic dermatitis were treated with topical 5% dead sea salt magnesium for 4 days. Patients experienced significant improvement in their symptoms.
 Conclusion. Dead Sea salt magnesium can be a safe and effective treatment for seborrheic and atopic dermatitis.

Chemical recovery of magnesium from the Dead Sea and its use in wastewater treatment

Abstract The objective of this study was to establish a suitable chemical process to recover magnesium compounds from Dead Sea water using a selective precipitation process. The recovered magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) and magnesium chloride (MgCl2) are applicable for wastewater treatment processes since they can effectively remove total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Magnesium salts recovered from Dead Sea water were compared with cationic polyacrylamide (PAM) and inorganic salts, including aluminum sulfate Al2(SO4)3, ferric chloride (FeCl3), and ferrous sulfate (Fe2SO4) to investigate the removal efficiency of TSS and COD from wastewater using a chemical precipitation method by using coagulation and flocculation process. Results show that Mg(OH)2 yielded the highest TSS and COD removal efficiencies of 59 and 57%, respectively, with a wastewater pH of 11.5. MgCl2 yielded lower removal efficiencies of 46 and 44%, respectively; at pH 10.5, lower magnesium concentration doses were needed. The most effective chemical precipitation method for removal involved cationic PAM coagulants, resulting in an 86% reduction in TSS and a 65% reduction in COD. Combining commercial Fe2SO4 and MgCL2 recovered from Dead Sea water reduced up to 90 and 73% of TSS and COD, respectively.

Shear-Wave Velocity Model for the Dead Sea Transform from Multimode Inversion of Surface Waves Excited by the February 2023 Southeast Türkiye Earthquake Sequence

Abstract The dispersive nature of surface waves can be used for shear-wave velocity inversion at different scales. We show that four large earthquakes from the 2023 Türkiye earthquake sequence generate visible surface waves recorded by a dense strong-motion network deployed along the Dead Sea Transform (DST) in Israel. Thanks to favorable geometrical conditions and source radiation patterns, we observe both Rayleigh and Love waves that travel predominantly parallel to the network. We can reliably compute the dispersion of three Love-wave modes and two Rayleigh-wave modes. Using these dispersion curves, we invert for a 1D S-wave velocity model of the entire DST, outperforming an existing model. Statistical and kernel sensitivity analysis show high certainty down to a depth of 30 km thanks to the multimode joint inversion in the frequency band of 0.03–0.3 Hz. Using a multiwindow approach, we invert for an along-strike laterally varying velocity model of the DST. Although it is limited to the fundamental Love-wave mode, using the 1D model as a constraint allows us to recover a shallow (10 km) velocity structure in agreement with previous studies of the area. Despite the simplicity of our used approach, it can be used as a basis for more advanced studies.

Fluorine in the Waters of Hypersaline Water Bodies: Dead Sea, Lake Urmia

Fluorine in the Waters of Hypersaline Water Bodies: Dead Sea, Lake Urmia