Sinai Peninsula Research Articles

Assessment of Bioavailability of Some Heavy Metals to Wheat and Faba Bean in Sahl El-Tina, Egypt

Accumulation of heavy metals viz., Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Co, Cd and Cr in soils and commonly grown crop plants (wheat and faba bean) was studied in the fields in Sahl El-Tina, located in the Northwestern Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. Irrigation water at different sites was slight to moderately saline with no sodium hazard. About 50% of irrigation water samples revealed salt combinations consisting of NaCl, MgCl2, MgSO4, CaSO4 and Ca(HCO3)2, thereby indicating marine salt pollution. The results also revealed that heavy metals in irrigation and drainage water were within the recommended levels. The total contents of Ni, Pb, Co and Cd in subsoil samples were higher than the levels in topsoil samples, suggesting strong evidence of indigenous supply. However, total contents of Mn, Zn, Cu and Cr in topsoil samples were higher than the levels in subsoil samples, implying anthropogenic source of contamination. The highest single-element pollution index value in soil was found for Cd, which ranged from 0.289 to 3.763, indicating low to high contamination levels. Except for Zn and Pb which showed low contamination level, other elements showed low to moderate contamination levels in soil. The combined pollution index ranged from 0.238 to 1.688, indicating low to moderate multi-element contamination levels in soil. Except for Zn and Cd, the levels of heavy metals in wheat and faba bean were greater than the permissible limits. The highest transfer coefficients of metals from soil to plant were found for Zn and Cd in wheat. On the other hand, the highest coefficients in faba bean were found for Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu. Faba bean showed the ability to accumulate heavy metals in higher amounts than wheat. It was evident that there is a multi-element pollution source for the growing crops in Sahl El-Tina that could be due to the anthropogenic activities in respect of some elements but inherently for others.

Wind resource assessment and economics of electric generation at four locations in Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

Abstract The most attractive source of clean energy is the wind power; it is also a potentially valuable source of sustainable energy in the world in general and in Egypt in particular. Egypt's energy resources are limited in oil and petroleum products and it has large reserves of natural gas, the current projects are very massive. Nowadays, the increase in demand of energy of the country is mainly due to rapid expansion of industrial projects and the economic growth, particularly, in Suez Canal area and Sinai Peninsula. This study presents a realistic approximation of wind as a promising renewable source for electricity production along the coastal southern regions in Sinai Peninsula. Where an integrated analysis was made of the wind characteristics plus accurate estimation of the wind power potential per month and per season at different heights 10–50 m AGL for the selected locations along Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba at northern Red Sea namely: Ras Seder, Abu Redis, El Tor and Nabq. The average wind speed was obtained annually to be 8.6, 6.3, 5.8 and 8.0 m/s at altitude 50 m, respectively. According to the applied method, accurate estimation of the wind power density was done. The results confirmed that the two sites Ras Seder and Nabq are absolutely the best, which have annually available wind energies over 314 and 249 kWh/m2 at 50 m, respectively. Consequently, they can be evaluated as an international regions for electric power generation by the inshore wind. The project of installing 580 MW class inshore wind farms at the four locations has been examined and that requires due attention from the policy makers and the foreign investors. The proposed wind projects will produce 2335 GWh of electricity per year which is more than the needs of the country. The generation cost per kWh at these locations varies from 1.84 to 4.22 US cent. This expected cost of electric generation by the wind is less than the local tariff of electricity which will be produced by other ways during the financial year 2017/2018 according to the announcement the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity. In addition, this venture will reduce domestic fossil fuel consumption in Egypt and can prevent thousands of tons of carbon emissions every year which entering into the local atmosphere.

A geologic matching of the soil categories and their geo-chronological rock units covering the Sinai Peninsula using GIS, Sinai, Egypt

A geologic matching of the soil categories and their geo-chronological rock units covering the Sinai Peninsula using GIS, Sinai, Egypt

Crustal structure of northern Egypt from joint inversion of receiver functions and surface wave dispersion velocities

In this study, we used a combined inversion of body wave receiver functions and surface wave dispersion measurements to provide constraints on the crustal structure of northern Egypt. The two techniques are complementary to each other: receiver functions (RFs) are sensitive to shear-wave velocity contrasts, while surface wave dispersion (SWD) measurements are sensitive to finite variations of shear-wave velocity with depth. A database of 122 teleseismic events digitally recorded by the Egyptian National Seismological Network (ENSN) stations has been used as well. To enhance the resulting RFs at each ENSN station, the H-k stacking method was applied. A joint inversion process between the resulting receiver functions and the surface wave dispersion curves was applied as well. We have produced three averaged velocity structure models for distinct geographic and tectonic provinces namely Sinai, eastern desert, and western desert from east to the west respectively. These models will deeply help in estimation the epicenter distance of earthquake, focal mechanism solutions, and earthquake hazard analysis in northern Egypt. An obvious image of the subsurface structure has been determined which shows that generally the crustal structure of northern Egypt consists of three layers covered with a sequence of sediments that differs in thickness from across the region except in the Sharm area where the sedimentary cover is absent. The obtained results indicate that crustal thickness differs from east to west and reaches its maximum value of about 36 km at Siwa station (SWA) in the western desert and its minimum value of about 28 km at Sharm station (SHR) of the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. The Vp/Vs ratio varies between 1.71 and 2.07 in northern Egypt. Generally, the high values (1.93) of (Vp/Vs) at SWA station may reflect the well-known rich aquifer with fully saturated sediments of the Swia Oasis in the Western Desert. Moreover, the highest value (2.07) of (Vp/Vs) at BNS station may be attributed to the widespread recently discovered hydrocarbon fields at the Beni-Suef Basin along the Eastern Desert. Finally, an integrated geophysical and hydrological study of the dimensions and physical properties of the aquifer and hydrocarbon fields at SWA and BNS stations to confirm if they are sufficient to produce the elevated Vp/Vs ratios or not become essential and highly recommended.

1967: An Elegy of Conquest

1967: An Elegy of Conquest Seth Anziska Shortly after Israel's lightning victory in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, the leading Jewish philosopher and Israeli public intellectual Yeshayahu Leibowitz published his reflections on the territorial conquests that had brought the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights under the state's control. Our real problem is not the territory but rather the population of about a million and a half Arabs who live in it and over whom we must rule. Inclusion of these Arabs (in addition to the half a million who are citizens of the state) in the area under our rule will effect the liquidation of the state of Israel as the state of the Jewish people and bring about a catastrophe for the Jewish people as a whole; it will undermine the social structure that we have created in the state and cause the corruption of individuals, both Jew and Arab … In a short time the spiritual and emotional links between it and world Jewry would be severed, as well as the cultural and sentimental ties to the historical tradition of the Jewish people and to Judaism. The only concern of the monstrosity called "the undivided land of Israel" would be the maintenance of its system of rule and administration.1 Leibowitz was attacked at the time for his scathing indictment, which was written in Hebrew and directed at an Israeli public that the philosopher felt had not reckoned with the consequences of the war. His sentiments did not fit well with the explosion of nationalist fervor, from the redemptive messianism of the religious right to more earthly outpourings of support for expanded state lines among secular kibbutz members and Labor party stalwarts of the left. Whether in the name of security or [End Page 536] national rights, God or Bible, a large swath of Israeli society and Jewish supporters abroad embraced Israel's expansion. Prophets of doom and their dissenting voices were unwelcome guests at this celebratory gathering.2 More than fifty years have passed, and Leibowitz sounds less like a gadfly or crank and more a diagnostician of the present reality. Revisiting his writings on the anniversary of 1967 raises the question of that fateful year's impact on Israel, on Palestinians and the wider Arab world, and finally on modern Jewish politics. Unlike the 1948 war, which enabled Israel to achieve internationally recognized borders along the armistice lines, the 1967 victory set in motion the slow erosion of state boundaries.3 In the wake of the war, a fierce debate broke out in the Israeli cabinet about the future of the newly occupied territories and how to manage the Palestinian population under direct state control. As meticulous historical research reveals, the government of Levi Eshkol made a "decision not to decide" on the fate of the territories, preferring indefinite control over the land without conferring rights on the inhabitants who lived there.4 This "temporary" state of indecision became a model for permanence, leading to one of the longest military occupations of the twentieth century.5 An entirely new legal and bureaucratic apparatus was set in place [End Page 537] to sustain this occupation, deferring any reckoning with the political rights of the captive population.6 Alongside the deprivation of rights came the extension of Jewish sovereignty through the building of settlements in the occupied territories, a project that began under the Labor government of Eshkol and expanded dramatically under the Likud-led coalitions of Menachem Begin and his chief builder, Ariel Sharon.7 The accompanying transformation of Israeli society, from the birth of Gush Emunim (Bloc of the Faithful) to the influx of American Jewish settlers, led to the normalization of settlement life and the accompanying evisceration of the contiguous Palestinian territory itself.8 Beyond the daily indignities of life under such occupation, Palestinians have had to confront the deeper existential consequences of prolonged statelessness. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which was founded in 1964, was given new life in the aftermath of the war, as nationalist Palestinian leaders seized the struggle away from regional power brokers.9 A gradual abandonment of armed...

Alkanna Species: A Promising Herbal Medicine and its Uses

The use of traditional medicine, nowadays, has extended globally and has gained popularity worldwide. The growing importance and value of traditional and complementary medicine in the provision of health care, on national and global levels, are no longer limited exclusively to any specific regions or communities. Traditional medication involves the use of herbal medicines, animal parts and minerals; however, herbal medicine is the most common in use on large scale. Concisely, the herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent, taste, flavour, and therapeutic properties. Herbal medicines are considered as one type of dietary supplement which they can be sold in different forms as tablets, capsules, powders, tea bags, syrup extracts as well as fresh or dried plant parts depend on their use. These types of plants are named “Medicinal plants” since ancient era. They are diverse group of the plants that distributed all over the world. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimated in 2002 that over than 50,000 medicinal plants are in use across the world in which 80 to 85% are recorded in Africa. However, in Egypt more than 384 different species of medicinal plants recorded in the Mediterranean coastal region, in the deserts and in the Sinai Peninsula. Among these medicinal plants is Alkanna sp. which reported as important value as a source of health promoting substances and can be used as alternative medicine.

The Generals in Their Labyrinth

The Generals in Their Labyrinth

The Materiality of Power: Explorations in the Social History of Early Israelite Magic by Brian B. Schmidt

Reviewed by: The Materiality of Power: Explorations in the Social History of Early Israelite Magic by Brian B. Schmidt Gideon Bohak Brian B. Schmidt, Gideon Bohak, magic, Jewish magic, ancient Israel, ancient magic, social history of magic, materiality, Ancient Judaism, history of Judaism brian b. schmidt. The Materiality of Power: Explorations in the Social History of Early Israelite Magic. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2016. Pp. xv + 258. The Hebrew Bible is a very unusual book. On the one hand, it is a foundational text of both Judaism and Christianity, and is of some importance in Islam as well. As such, it is one of the most influential writings in the history of human culture. On the other hand, it is made up of many disparate texts, written by numerous people over several centuries, and stemming from a society about whose culture and religion we have very little information—apart, that is, from what these texts tell us. Thus, there is an inherent tension in the study of the Hebrew Bible between how much we would love to know about the world in which it came into being, and how little we actually know. This tension is responsible for the endless stream of studies about every aspect of ancient Israelite society, studies whose sheer volume is in inverse proportion to the quantity and quality of the archeological and historical sources on which they are based. This feature of biblical studies is amply manifest in the present volume, which is devoted to the issue of magic—or, more precisely, "the material evidence for pandemonium and apotropaism—object, image, and epigraph," in the Israelite society of 900–587 BCE (11). The book is divided into five chapters. In the first, Schmidt briefly discusses the term "magic," which he sees mostly as a modern construct, but the implications of this claim are never fleshed out, and it does not really affect any of his subsequent analyses. The second chapter—which occupies almost half the book (15–122) is devoted to the site of Kuntillet Ajrud, on the northeastern border of the Sinai Peninsula, where a road-station of the ninth/eighth century BCE had been excavated in the 1970s. This site has [End Page 288] gained much fame for the (relative) richness of its epigraphic and iconographic finds, including what have sometimes been interpreted as images of YHWH and his female consort, Asherah. Schmidt advocates this much-contested interpretation, and stresses the apotropaic aspects of both the epigraphy and the iconography, eventually concluding that the site offered its visitors "individual opportunities to participate in rituals comprising a range of localized and more regionally wide religious and magical, more specifically apotropaic, traditions" (112). The third chapter is devoted to two burial complexes—at Khirbet el-Qom, in the hill country west of Hebron, and at Ketef Hinnom, in Jerusalem—where a tomb inscription and two silver amulets were found. One interesting suggestion made by Schmidt is that the similarities between the apotropaic formulae found in all three sites and those found in the "priestly blessing" of Numbers 6:24–26 are due not to the "trickle down" effect of the priestly cult, but to the popularity of such formulae in many different locations, which "eventually made its way to the elite sector of society as a "popularized relic" of sorts" (143). To substantiate such a claim, one would need a fuller analysis of the appearance of such formulae both in the Hebrew Bible and in adjacent Near Eastern cultures, but Schmidt's interests lie elsewhere. In the fourth chapter, he discusses several biblical passages (esp. Dt 32 and 1 Sam 28) that might shed some light on the Israelites' views of the divine realm and of the Underworld, in order to show that the belief in demons was not alien to Israelite religion. Finally, Chapter 5 returns to the debates about Kuntillet Ajrud (201–19), and offers a five-page summary of Schmidt's main claims (219–23), namely, that the ancient Israelites had a firm belief in dangerous demons, and a set of apotropaic invocations of Yahweh and of his female consort, Asherah, who would ward off these evil beings. Or, to put it...

Introduction & General

Introduction & General Isaac Kalimi, Joseph E. Jensen, David A. Bosworth, Andrew W. Litke, Lesley R. DiFrancisco, Edward M. Cook, and Richard A. Taylor 1532. Shmuel Aḥituv, Esther Eshel, Zeʾev Meshel, and Tallay Oman, To Yhwh of Teman and His ashera: The Inscriptions and Drawings from Kuntillet ʿAjrud ("Ḥorvat Teman") in Sinai (Treasures of the Past; Jerusalem: Yad Ben-Zvi Press and Israel Exploration Society, 2015). Pp. 151 (Hebrew). N.I.S. 142. ISBN 978-965-217-385-0. This book presents the inscriptions and drawings that were found during archaeological excavations at Kuntillet ʿAjrud in 1975–1976 conducted under the supervision of Zeʾev Meshel from Tel Aviv University. This First Temple period archaeological site is situated in the northwestern part of the Sinai Peninsula. According to the evidence of the artifacts, the settlement was founded at the initiative of the Kingdom of Israel. The significance [End Page 516] of this settlement was highlighted by the discovery there of drawings and written sources in Hebrew and Phoenician. Chap. 1 discusses the structure, special features and archaeological finds from the site. Chap. 2 focuses on the ancient drawings. Chap. 3 presents the written sources and their interpretation. Chap. 4 includes a synthetic discussion and summation. The volume contains numerous illustrations. A bibliography, index of sources, and a table of contents in English conclude the volume.—I.K. 1533. David Alexander and Pat Alexander (eds.), Zondervan Handbook to the Bible (5th ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017). Pp. 816 + Col. Illus. $44.99. ISBN 978-0-310-53794-6. This edition of the Handbook consists of 127 articles by 70 international scholars offering background and guidance for better understanding of the histories, lands, cultures, artifacts, rituals, events, peoples, and individuals that appear within the Bible, accompanied by more than 700 color photographs and illustrations. A section-by-section guide to the Bible includes notes on key words, and questions about interpretation. A "Rapid Fact-finder" locates key people, places, events, and teachings both within the Bible and within the Handbook itself.—J.E.J. 1534. Noga Ayali-Darshan, Treading on the Back of Sea: The Combat between the Storm-god and the Sea in Ancient Near Eastern Literature (Biblical Encyclopaedia Library 33; Jerusalem: Bialik Institute, 2016). Pp. 406 (Hebrew) + viii (English). N.I.S. 111. ISBN 978-965-536-203-9. This book is a collection of all versions of the narrative of the combat between the Storm-god and the Sea as it appears in different ANE texts. A.-D. examines various literary sources in order to discover the origin of this myth, as well as to trace changes of detail that reflect the source's location and the influence of a specific culture on the plot. Each chapter consists of the presentation of different texts, according to their geographic location, and a summary of its content. In chap. 1, A.-D. surveys the traces of the motif in Egyptian literary texts, such as The Astarte Papyrus, incantations, Hymn to Ramesses III and Tale of the Two Brothers. Chap. 2 features the Hurro-Hittite Song of the Sea, The Pišaiša Myth, The Release of the Goddess from the Sea, The Song of Hedammu, and The Song of Ullikummi. In chap. 3, A.-D. reviews the motif in Ugaritic literature as represented by Baal's Struggle Against the Sea in the Baal Cycle and Baal and Anat's Fight Against the Sea Creatures. Chap. 4 focuses on Mesopotamian literature, in particular the Babylonian myth of Enūma Eliš. Chap. 5 concerns the traces of the motif in biblical literature, with special attention to instances of the Lord's Conflict with the Sea. Chap. 6 treats the motif as it appears in the Letter from the Mari Envoy at Aleppo and in the Sea and Astarte at Emar. Finally, in chap. 7, A.-D. discusses the transformations of the myth in terms of their locations. An epilogue, bibliography, indexes of sources, personal and geographical names, and a table of contents for the volume in English conclude the whole.—I.K. 1535. Katell Bertholet...

Kanał do zdobycia – egipskie założenia przeprawy przez Kanał Sueski w przededniu wojny październikowej z 1973 roku

W wyniku wojny czerwcowej z 1967 r. Izrael opanował egipski Półwysep Synaj. Linią rozdzielającą obie strony stał się Kanał Sueski. Izrael, aby zabezpieczyć swój stan posiadania i uchronić się przed nową wojną, wybudował na wschodnim brzegu Kanału system fortyfikacji zwany linią Bar-Leva. Armia egipska, chcąc odzyskać utracony obszar, musiała opracować plany przekroczenia Kanału Sueskiego, a co za tym idzie – uwzględnić specyfikę budowy Kanału, warunki hydrograficzne i system opracowany przez Izraelczyków, w tym bariery z piasku, zagrożenie wywołane pożarem na Kanale. Egipcjanie musieli również opracować sposób przeprawienia się wojsk korpusu inżynieryjnego, piechoty, a następnie czołgów. Wszystkie kwestie zawierał plan opracowany przez S. Shazlyego zwany operacją „Badr”, a skuteczność planowania potwierdzona została 6 października 1973 r., w dniu rozpoczęcia wojny październikowej.

Holocene evolution of Dahab coastline – Gulf of Aqaba, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

Dahab is a little Bedouin-village in Sinai Peninsula on the east coast of the Gulf of Aqaba and it lies approximately 90 km north of Sharm-el-Sheikh City. Dahab means “gold” in the Arabic language; over the past 20 years it has become one of the most visited tourist sites in Egypt.The basement complex is composed mostly of biotite aplite-granite, mica-aplite granite, granodiorite, quartz diorite, alaskite, and diorite. This composition correlates to similar igneous rocks in the most southern areas of Sinai and the Red Sea. Wadi Dahab is composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks and the coastline is formed of fragments of its rocks mixed with fragments of coral reef. The morphology of Dahab's coastline is characterized by a hooked marine spit composed of fluvial sediments carried by marine currents from the mouth of Wadi Dahab. This spit encloses a shallow lagoon, but the active deposition on the lagoon bottom will turn it into saline marsh.This paper investigates the evolution of the Dahab spit and lagoon during the Holocene and over the last 100 years, as well as the potential impacts of future management of the coastal area. The coastline mapping during the study was dependent on GIS techniques and data were collected by using total station, aerial photographs and satellite image interpretation as well as soil sample dating.

Distribution and phylogeography of Blanford’s Fox, Vulpes cana (Carnivora: Canidae), in Africa and the Middle East

The distribution of Vulpes cana in the extreme eastern Sahara is described on the basis of new photographic and sight records, as well as a recently acquired specimen from south-eastern Egypt. The proven range of this elusive fox now extends about 1000 km south into Africa along the Red Sea coastal mountains. The proven and predicted distribution ranges of this fox are discussed. Its phylogeography and evolutionary relationship to other foxes of the region are gleaned from analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b DNA sequence and are discussed in light of climatic and paleogeographic history of the area. The results show that the species could have initially moved into Africa during the Pliocene-Pleistocene transition period when several land bridges occurred across the Gulf of Suez. More recent land bridges between the mountains of the Sinai Peninsula and the Eastern Desert of Egypt seem to have developed and disappeared several times during the Pleistocene, possibly allowing genetic exchange between V. cana populations in these two areas. The last of this population exchange and genetic flow between the two areas seems to have ended some 14,000 years ago when the present Gulf of Suez inundation took place.

Geochemistry, petrogenesis and radioactive mineralization of two coeval Neoproterozoic post-collisional calc-alkaline and alkaline granitoid suites from Sinai, Arabian Nubian Shield

The Younger Granites of Yahmid-Um Adawi area, located in the southeastern part of Sinai Peninsula, comprise two coeval Late Neoproterozoic post-collisional alkaline (hypersolvous alkali-feldspar granites; 608–580 Ma) and calc-alkaline (transsolvous monzo- and syenogranites; 635–590 Ma) suites. The calc-alkaline suite granitoids are magnesian and peraluminous to metaluminous, whereas the alkaline ones are magnesian to ferroan alkaline to slightly metaluminous. Both granitoid suites exhibit many of the typical geochemical features of A-type granites such as enrichment in Nb (>20 ppm), Zr (>250 ppm), Zn (>100 ppm) and Ce (>100 ppm) and high 10000*Ga/Al2O3 ratios (>2.6) and Zr + Nb + Y + Ce (>350 ppm). Accessory mineral saturation thermometers demonstrated former crystallization of apatite at high temperatures prior to zircon and monazite separation from the magma for both granitoid suites. The mild zircon saturation temperatures of the studied Younger Granites (around 800 °C) imply low-temperature crustal fusion and incomplete melting of the largely refractory zircon. The two Younger Granite suites were semi-synchronously evolved during the post-collisional stage of the Arabian-Nubian Shield subsequent to the collision between the juvenile shield crust and the older pre-Neoproterozoic continental blocks of west Gondwana. Their parental magmas has been generated by melting of crustal source rocks with minor involvement from mantle, which might participated chiefly as a source of heat necessary for fusion of the crustal precursor. Extensive in-situ gamma-ray spectrometry revealed anomalously high radioactivity of some Younger Granite exposures along Wadi Um Adawi (eU; 388–746 ppm and eTh; 1857–2527 ppm) and pegmatitic pockets pertaining to the calc-alkaline suite (equivalent U and Th; 212–252 ppm and 750–1757 ppm, respectively). The radioactivity of the syngenetic pegmatites arises from the primary radioactive minerals uranothorite and thorite together with the U- and/or Th-bearing minerals zircon, columbite, samarskite and monazite. The anomalously high radioactivity of some Younger Granite exposures in Wadi Um Adawi stem from their appreciable enclosure of the epigenetic uranium minerals metatorbenite and uranophane.

ARMED CONFLICTS IN AFRICA: FRAGILE STATES AND RISING INSTABILITY

The first part of this article provides an overview of the development of entrenched armed conflicts in Sub Saharan Africa which continue or have resurfaced in 2016. The author (JVdB) aims to expose the underlying causes and nature of the violent contestation by drawing of the works of C. T. Call in order to break open the black box of ‘failed states’ and analyze their legitimacy, capacity and security gaps separately. In addition the author will provide short scenarios of how these conflicts are likely to evolve in the short and medium-term and which (structural) factors will dominate these trends. The second part of this article (by JR) mainly aims at presenting the basic preconditions for the activities of the major terrorist organizations in Africa. With emphasis on the importance of the north-east and north-west regions of this continent in context of terrorist threats. Hence the initial focus was put on Somalia, which as a permanent fragile state remains under the increased influence of the Jihadist organization Al Shabaab, which is an organization with a high potential for increased capacity in the coming years. Next, was sketched out the situation in Egypt, considering, in essence, the activity of the so-called Islamic State in Sinai Peninsula. In this Analysis it also pointed to the intricate internal situation in modern Libya after so-called Arab Spring and international military intervention, where, despite earlier appearances, the terrorist threat was too much positioned, mostly by comprised to the internal conflict between the different Libyan political parties. Finally, efforts were made to illustrate the current terrorist activity in the Mali area, highlighting the importance of Al Qaeda branch AQIM and the situation in Nigeria where Boko Haram group operates.

SELECTION OF OPTIMAL HYPERSPECTRAL VEGETATION INDICES FOR ESTIMATING CHLOROPHYLL CONTENT OF SOME PLANT SPECIES

Remote sensing enables for costly effective, timely efficient and multi-temporal monitoring of natural vegetation. Spectral reflectance pattern either in forms of row reflectance values or in form of spectral vegetation indices (SVIs) could be used as estimators of plant biophysical and biochemical parameters through statistical models. The main objective of the current study is to correlate plant chlorophyll concentration with different (SVIs) and to identify the most sufficient index to discriminate among the twenty common natural vegetation species in Sinai Peninsula. Calculated values of five hyper spectral vegetation indices (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI); Chlorophyll Index; Chlorophyll a,b; Simple ratio index (SRI); Modified chlorophyll absorption ratio index (MCARI) fir the twenty observed vegetation species were used as spectral factors in the modeling process. The result showed that the relatively high chlorophyll content was found in broad leaves plants when needle-leaved plant species showed relatively low ones. Laboratory chlorophyll estimation indicated that Asclepias sinaica has the highest chlorophyll content (79mg/cm-2) when the same plant specious showed the highest chlorophyll index value. It was found that plants of family Zygophyllaceae have low chlorophyll content. Among observed (SVIs), (NDVI) was the most correlated index with chlorophyll. At the same time, it was the optimal index to differentiate the different species.

Implementation of magnetic and gravity methods to delineate the subsurface structural features of the basement complex in central Sinai area, Egypt

The area of study is situated in the center of Sinai Peninsula. The current study is concerned with the analysis of magnetic and gravity data aiming to evaluate the subsurface structure of the basement rocks. The aeromagnetic and gravity methods of prospecting give an effective presentation of the subsurface structures. The aeromagnetic data was corrected and represented by total aeromagnetic intensity map then was reduced to the north magnetic pole. The corrected gravity data is represented by Bouguer anomaly map. The filtering techniques were applied to the corrected aeromagnetic and gravity maps to obtain the residual component caused by local structures and anomalies bodies. The integration of radially power spectrum was applied on both magnetic and gravity to estimate the depths of the shallow sources and the deep sources. The equivalent depths of the isolated short wavelength anomalies are 0.5 km and 0.4 km, and the depths of the long wavelength anomalies are 3.5 and 3 km for the magnetic and gravity data, respectively. The Euler deconvolution and 3-D modeling were applied to magnetic and gravity data. The 3-D Euler deconvolution is used not only to delineate major subsurface structures but also to determine the structural indices of them as well as the average depth of the magnetic and gravity sources. The calculated structural indices show that the area is mainly affected by contacts/thin sheet and the estimated depth of magnetic and gravity sources ranged between 500 m and 2000 m, also the 3-D Euler deconvolution showed that the area was affected by different fault trends such as NNE-SSW, NW-SE and E-W trends. The results of 3-D magnetic and gravity interpretation revealed that the depth of basement was ranging from 2500 m to 3000 m .The main tectonic deformations of the area of study have NNE-SSW, NW-SE and E-W trends.

RISK ASSESSMENT OF ZOONOTIC CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS CASES AMONG MANUAL WORKERS IN EGYPT

The Egyptian endemic foci of cutaneous leishmamasis were mainly in the Sinai Peninsula. To study the epidemiological characteristics of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in special groups in endemic area in Sinai, a descriptive study was conducted to assess the risk of cutaneous leishmania within spreading places in Sinai among special groups working in endemic areas, during the study period from January- December 2015. All patients in the study setting described before were submitted to clinical examination and history taking based on epidemiologically linked diagnosis. Their total number was (124) cases divided into (85) patients locally treated and (39) patients referred to central hospital. The results showed that (85.5%) was in middle education class, had stable work (87%) and working in manual services (91.1). A total of 58.1% slept outdoor at the dusk time (54%). Three quarters (75.8%) didn't use insect repellant and 56.55 didn't use bed nets. Sandy ground, mountain and desert surrounds geographic environment (100%, 97.6% & 96%) respectively. They lived in one floor buildings (85%), dormitories habitat (98%), soiled (92%), have cracks on the wall (60%), ceiling made of wood (74%) and fence was not available in majority of buildings (96.8%). Disfiguring was commonest complain in 55% of cases. The lesions (85%) were ulcers (2x2cm in size (51%), at lower limb (55%) and two in numbers in (50%). All cases were treated with fluconazole and 8.9% was cured. Stibogluconate was given to 91% andwith cure rate of 53%. Both Cryotherapy and laser therapy was applied to 16% of cases. Treatment cured 87% but 39.5% suffered scar complications with main sequelae (15.3%).

RISK ASSESSMENT OF ZOONOTIC CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS CASES AMONG MANUAL WORKERS IN EGYPT

The Egyptian endemic foci of cutaneous leishmamasis were mainly in the Sinai Peninsula. To study the epidemiological characteristics of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in special groups in endemic area in Sinai, a descriptive study was conducted to assess the risk of cutaneous leishmania within spreading places in Sinai among special groups working in endemic areas, during the study period from January- December 2015. All patients in the study setting described before were submitted to clinical examination and history taking based on epidemiologically linked diagnosis. Their total number was (124) cases divided into (85) patients locally treated and (39) patients referred to central hospital. The results showed that (85.5%) was in middle education class, had stable work (87%) and working in manual services (91.1). A total of 58.1% slept outdoor at the dusk time (54%). Three quarters (75.8%) didn't use insect repellant and 56.55 didn't use bed nets. Sandy ground, mountain and desert surrounds geographic environment (100%, 97.6% & 96%) respectively. They lived in one floor buildings (85%), dormitories habitat (98%), soiled (92%), have cracks on the wall (60%), ceiling made of wood (74%) and fence was not available in majority of buildings (96.8%). Disfiguring was commonest complain in 55% of cases. The lesions (85%) were ulcers (2x2cm in size (51%), at lower limb (55%) and two in numbers in (50%). All cases were treated with fluconazole and 8.9% was cured. Stibogluconate was given to 91% andwith cure rate of 53%. Both Cryotherapy and laser therapy was applied to 16% of cases. Treatment cured 87% but 39.5% suffered scar complications with main sequelae (15.3%).

Seismicity and major geologic structures of Tiran and Sanafir islands and their surroundings in the Red Sea

Tiran and Sanafir islands and their surrounding areas are very important due to their location within the Red Sea, which is in a triple junction among the African and Arabian plates and the Sinai Peninsula microplate. Consequently, this area should be studied from a geological point of view, particularly because there is a plan to construct King Salman’s bridge connecting Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Freely available potential field data, such as magnetic and gravity data, were integrated with seismological data from nearby seismic stations to understand the regional structure and seismic activity in the area. Potential field data were analysed using edge detection techniques (Tilt DeRivative and horizontal gradient) for qualitative interpretation and 2D inversion modelling for quantitative interpretation. Seismological data were analysed geostatistically to identify many epicentre locations and estimate the focal depths. The results of the potential field data analysis indicate that Tiran and Sanafir islands are located along a subsurface geological edge trending NW, parallel to the Red Sea. A similarity in potential field anomalies between both islands and the southern Sinai Peninsula indicates that these islands were separated from the Sinai Peninsula during the formation of the Gulf of Aqaba via Dead Sea Transform fault. The analysis of the seismic data indicates that a specific motion characterizes each focal depth solution. The seismic events are related to main structural trends NW–SE and NE–SW.

Fishes in the desert: mitochondrial variation and phylogeography of Danakilia (Actinopterygii: Cichlidae) and Aphanius (Actinopterygii: Cyprinodontidae) in the Danakil Depression of northeastern Africa

The Danakil Depression in northeastern Africa represents one of the harshest arid environments on Earth, yet two genera of fishes, Danakilia (Cichlidae) and Aphanius (Cyprinodontidae), share its sparse aquatic habitats. The evolutionary history of these fishes is investigated here in the context of genetic, geological and paleoenvironmental information. We collected samples from seven sites and assessed phylogeographic relationships using concatenated COI and cytb mtDNA genes. Danakilia morphospecies show low differentiation at mitochondrial markers, but variation is partitioned between a northern cluster containing D. dinicolai plus three undescribed riverine populations, and a southern cluster including two creek populations of D. franchettii separated by the hypersaline waters of Lake Afrera. Aphanius displayed four genetically distinct clades (A. stiassnyae in Lake Afrera; one distributed across the entire area; one in Lake Abaeded; and one in the Shukoray River), but without clear large-scale geographic structure. However, Danakil Aphanius are clearly differentiated from A. dispar sensu stricto from the Sinai Peninsula. Geological evidence suggests that after the Late Pleistocene closure of the Danakil-Red Sea connection, increased post-glacial groundwater availability caused the formation of a brackish paleo-lake flooding the entire region below the –50 m contour. Fish populations previously isolated in coastal oases during glaciation were able to mix in the paleo-lake. Subsequently, in a more arid phase starting ∼7300 BP, paleo-lake regression isolated fishes in separate drainages, triggering their still ongoing diversification.