Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Salt layer characteristics in the Ghor Al-Haditha area, Jordan: comprehensive combined reprocessing of geophysical data

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The presence of buried salt layer in the Ghor Al-Haditha area is discussed concerning sinkhole hazard. Numerous geophysical methods such as seismic refraction (SRFR), reflection (SRFL), seismic tomography, multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) were developed earlier for the salt layer identification. Geophysical criteria of salt parameters (such as longitudinal Vp and shear Vs wave velocities) were established to identify salt layers. This paper presents new geophysical results proving the salt extension in the Dead Sea (DS) coastal area in its eastern shore potentially representing a sinkhole hazard. The reprocessing technique of MASW data using the synthetic modeling enabled us to detect salt layer characteristics such as depth to its top, the thickness of the layer, and its Vs velocity. It was established that a salt layer with 7–10 m thick is located at a depth of 37–41 m and is characterized by shear-wave velocity (Vs) of 850–1200 m/s. Similar results were obtained by the Transient Electromagnetic (TEM) resistivity method, which detected a comparatively resistive salt layer at a background of very low resistivity. The resolution of the TEM method allows detecting a salt layer of 3 m thick and more at a depth of 39–40 m. Seismic refraction data processing has shown the presence of a salt layer with a velocity of more than 2900 m/s at approximately or the same depths. Analysis of seismic tomography data also confirms the parameters of the discovered target. Analysis of results of geophysical studies in the western and eastern DS shores, comparison of geological conditions in shores, and sinkhole development, enabled us to conclude with a high probability that salt layers exist in both shores and sinkhole development is determined here by similar mechanisms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

modified by Frumkin et al. 2011, Fig. 5, herein)

Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

taken from Abelson et al. 2017a; b from Abelson et al. 2017b; c is taken from Watson et al. 2018)

Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abelson M, Yechieli Y, Crouvi O, Baer G, Wachs D, Bein A, Shtivelman V (2006) Evolution of the Dead Sea sinkholes. Geol Soc Am 401:241

    Google Scholar 

  • Abelson M, Yechieli Y, Baer B, Lapid G, Behar N, Calvo R, Rosensaft M (2017a) Natural versus human control on subsurface salt dissolution and development of thousands of sinkholes along the Dead Sea coast. J Geophys Res. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JF004219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abelson M, Yechieli Y, Baer G (2017b) Susceptibility assessment for development of sinkholes along the western coast of the Dead Sea, 2017 update, Geological Survey of Israel, unpublished report GSI/24/2017 (in Hebrew)

  • Abueladas A, Al-Zoubi A (2004) The application of a combined geophysical survey (GPR and seismic refraction) for mapping sinkholes in Ghor Al-Haditha Area, Jordan. EOS Transactions, American Geophysical Union, vol 85, issue 47, Fall Meeting Supplement, Abstract GP11A-0825.

  • Al-Halbouni D, Holohan EP, Saberia L, Alrshdan H, Sawarieh A, Closson D, Walter TR, Dahm T (2017) Sinkholes, subsidence and subrosion on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea as revealed by a close-range photogrammetric survey. Geomorphology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2017.02.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Zoubi A, ten Brink US (2001) Salt diapirs in the Dead sea basin and their relationship to quaternary extensional tectonics. Mar Pet Geol 18:779–797

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Zoubi A, Eppelbaum L, Abueladas A, Ezersky M, Akkawi E (2013) Removing regional trends in microgravity in complex environments: testing on 3D model and field investigations in the eastern Dead Sea coast (Jordan). Int J Geophys. https://doi.org/10.1551/2013/341797

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arkin Y, Gilat A (2000) Dead Sea sinkholes- an ever-developing hazard. Environ Geol 39(7):711–722

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barsukov P, Fainberg E, Khabensky E (2015) Shallow investigations by TEM-FAST technique: methodology y and examples. In: Spichak V (ed) Electromagnetic sounding of the Earth׳s interior: theory, modeling, practice, 2nd edn, vol 40. Methods in geochemistry and geophysics. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 55–77. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-62554-9.00003-9

  • Bartov Y, Agnon A, Enzel Y, Stein M (2006) Late Quaternary faulting and subsidence in the central Dead Sea basin. Isr J Earth Sci 55:17–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beyth M (2007) The Red Sea and the Mediterranian-Dead Sea canal project. Desalination 214:364–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bodet L, Galibert PY, Dhemaied A, Camerlynck C, Al-Zoubi A (2010) Surface-wave profiling for sinkhole hazard assessment along the eastern Dead Sea Shoreline, Ghor Al–Haditha, Jordan. Trans of the 72th EAGE Conference and Exhibition incorporating EUROPEC 2010, Barcelona, Spain, 14–17 June 2010, M027.

  • Camerlynck C M, Abueladas A, Al-Ruzouq R, Al-Zoubi A, Boucher M, Bodet L, Dhemaied A, Galibert P Y (2012) Geophysical assessment of sinkhole hazard evaluation at Ghor Haditha (Dead Sea, Jordan). EAGE workshop on Dead Sea Sinkholes—causes, effects and solutions, 23–25 September 2012, Amman, Jordan, DS07, 4 pp

  • Charrach J, Goretsky I, Frydman S (2007) Geotechnical studies of soils from an evaporate environment in Israel. In: Proceedings of fifth international congress on environmental geotechnics, Cardiff, Wales 1, Thomas Telford, London, pp 407–414

  • Closson D, Abou Karaki N (2009) Human-induced geological hazards along the Dead Sea coast. Environ Geol 58:371–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coianiz L, Ben-Avraham Z, Stein M, Lazar M (2019) Spatial and temporal reconstruction of the late Quaternary Dead Sea sedimentary facies from geophysical properties. J Appl Geophys 160:15–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2018.11.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dal Moro G-C (2014) Surface wave analysis for near surface application. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 244

    Google Scholar 

  • Dhemaied A (2007) Tomographie seismique d'une zone de subsidence (Sinkhole zone, Ghor Al-Haditha, Jordanie). In: Supervisors Galibert PY, Camerlynck C, Bodet L, Unpublished MSc Report, Paris University, Paris, France (in French)

  • El-Isa Z, Rimawi O, Jarrar G, Abu-Karaki N, Taqieddin S A, Atallah M, Seif El-Din N., Al-Saed A (1995) Assessment of the hazard of subsidence and sinkholes in Ghor Al-Haditha area. Report (unpublished) submitted to Jordan Valley Authority, University of Jordan, Center for consultation, Technical services and Studies, Amman, 141 pp

  • Eppelbaum LV, Mishne AR (2011) Unmanned airborne magnetic and VLF investigations: effective geophysical methodology of the near future. Positioning 2(3):112–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eppelbaum L, Ezersky M, Al-Zoubi A, Goldshmidt V, Legchenko A (2008) Study of the factors affecting the karst volume assessment in the Dead Sea sinkhole problem using microgravity field analysis. Adv Geosci 18:1–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ezersky M (2006) The Geophysical properties of the Dead Sea salt applied to the sinkhole problem. J Appl Geophys 58(1):45–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2005.01.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ezersky M, Frumkin A (2013) Faults—dissolution front relations and the DS sinkholes problem. Geomorphology 201:35–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.06.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ezersky MG, Goretsky I (2014) Velocity-resistivity versus porosity-permeability inter-relations in Dead Sea salt samples. Eng Geol 183:95–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2014.09.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ezersky M, Legchenko A (2014) Quantitative assessment of in-situ salt karstification using shear wave velocity, Dead Sea. Geomorphology 221:150–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.06.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ezersky MG, Livne E (2013) Geotechnical and geophysical properties of soils in the Dead Sea sinkhole problem. EAGE Annual Meeting of Near Surface Geoscience, 9–12 September 2013, Bochum MO P13, 4 pp

  • Ezersky M, Legchenko A, Camerlynck C, Al-Zoubi A, Eppelbaum L, Keidar S, Baucher M, Chalikakis K (2010) The Dead Sea sinkhole hazard– new findings based on a multidisciplinary geophysical study. Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie 54(2):69–90. https://doi.org/10.1127/0372-8854/2010/0054S2-0069

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ezersky MG, Legchenko A, Al-Zoubi A, Levi E, Akkawi E, Chalikakis K (2011) TEM study of the geoelectrical structure and groundwater salinity at the Nahal Hever sinkhole site, Dead Sea shore, Israel. J Appl Geophys 75:99–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ezersky M, Bodet L, Akkawi E, Al-Zoubi A, Camerlynck C, Dhemaied A, Galibert P-Y (2013a) Seismic surface-wave prospecting methods for sinkhole hazard assessment along the Dead Sea shoreline. J Environ Eng Geophys 18(4):233–253. https://doi.org/10.2113/JEEG18.4.233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ezersky MG, Eppelbaum LV, Al-Zoubi A, Keydar S, Abueladas A-R, Akkawi E, Medvedev B (2013b) Geophysical prediction and following development sinkholes in two Dead Sea areas. Israel Jordan Environ Earth Sci 70(4):1463–1478. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2233-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ezersky MG, Legchenko A, Eppelbaum LV, Al-Zoubi A (2017) Overview of the geophysical studies in the Dead Sea coastal area related to evaporite karst and recent sinkhole development. Int J Speleol 46(2):277–302. https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.46.2.2087

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frumkin A (2013) Salt karst. In: Shroder J (ed) Treatise on Geomorphology, vol 6. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 407–424

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Frumkin A, Raz E (2001) Collapse and subsidence associated with salt karstification along the Dead Sea. Carbonates Evaporites 16(2):117–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frumkin A, Ezersky M, Al-Zoubi A, Akkawi E, Abueladas A-R (2011) The Dead Sea hazard: geophysical assessment of salt dissolution and collapse. Geomorphology 134:102–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2011.04.023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frydman S, Charrash J, Goretsky I (2008) Geotechnical properties of evaporate soils on the Dead Sea area. Eng Geol 101:236–244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2008.06.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herrmann RB, Al-Eqabi GI (1991) Surface wave inversion for shear velocity. In: Hoven JM et al (eds) Shear waves in marine sediments. Kluwer, Amsterdam, pp 545–556

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Interpex Ltd. (2012) IX1D v.3 inversion software. Accessed 6 June 2019. http://www.interpex.com/SoftwareIndex.htm

  • Kafri U, Goldman M, Lang B (1997) Detection of subsurface brines, freshwater bodies and the interface configuration in-between by the time domain electromagnetic method in the Dead Sea Rift, Israel. Environ Geol 31(1–2):42–49. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002540050162

  • Krawczyk CM, Polom U, Trans S, Dahm T (2012) Sinkholes in the city of Hamburg—new urban shear-wave reflection seismic system enables high-resolution imaging of subrosion structures. J Appl Geophys 78:133–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2011.02.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krawczyk CM, Polom U, Alrshdan H, Al-Halbouni D, Sawarieh A, Dahm T (2015) New process model for the Dead Sea sinkholes at Ghor Al Haditha, Jordan, derived from shear-wave reflection seismics. Geophys Res Abstr 17:5761

    Google Scholar 

  • Legchenko A, Ezersky M, Boucher M, Camerlynck C, Al-Zoubi A, Chalikakis K (2008a) Pre-existing caverns in salt formations could be the major cause of sinkhole hazards along the coast of the Dead Sea. Geophys Res Lett 35:L19404. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL035510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Legchenko A, Ezersky M, Girard J-F, Baltassat J-M, Camerlynck C, Al-Zoubi A (2008b) Interpretation of the MRS measurements in rocks with high electrical conductivity. J Appl Geophys 66:118–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2008.04.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Legchenko A, Ezersky M, Camerlynck C, Al-Zoubi A, Chalikakis K, Girard J-F (2008c) Locating water-filled karst caverns and estimating their volume using magnetic resonance soundings. Geophysics 73(5):51–61. https://doi.org/10.1190/1.2958007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Legchenko A, Ezersky MG, Camerlynck C, AlZoubi A, Chalikakis K (2009) Joint use of TEM and MRS methods in complex geological setting. CR Geosci 341:908–917. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crte.2009.07.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNeill JD (1980) Applications of transient electromagnetic techniques. Technical Note TN-7, Gionics Limited, Canada

  • Nof RN, Abelson M, Raz E, Magen Y, Atzori S, Salvi S, Baer G (2019) SAR interferometry for sinkhole early warning and susceptibility assessment along the Dead Sea, Israel. Remote Sens 11:19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O'Neill A (2003) Full-waveform reflectivity for modelling, inversion and appraisal of seismic surface wave dispersion in shallow site investigations. PhD Thesis, The University of Western Australia

  • Park C, Miller R, Xia J (1999) Multichannel analysis of surface waves. Geophysics 64:800–808

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polom U, Alrshdan H, Al-Halbouni D, Holohan EP, Dahm T, Sawarieh A, Atallah MY, Krawczyk CM (2018) Shear wave reflection seismic yields subsurface dissolution and subrosion patterns: application to the Ghor Al-Haditha sinkhole site, Dead Sea, Jordan. Solid Earth 9:1079–1098. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-9-1079-2018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rix G J, Leipski E A (1991) Accuracy and resolution of surface wave inversion. In: Bhatia SK, Blaney GW (eds) Recent advances in instrumentation, data acquisition and testing in soil dynamics, pp 17–32

  • Sawarieh A, Abueladas A, Al Bashish M, Al Seba’i E (2000) Sinkholes Phenomena At Ghor Al Haditha Area, Sinkholes Project (Phase 2). Natural Resources Authority, Unpublished Internal Report No. 12., Amman

  • Sharma PW (1997) Environmental and engineering geophysics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p 605

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sheehan JR, Doll WE, Mandell WA (2005) An evaluation of methods and available software for seismic refraction tomography analysis. JEEG 10(1):21–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shirav M, Calvo R, Bein A, Burg A, Nof R, Baer G (2006). Red Sea-Dead Sea Conduit. Geo-Environmental study along the Arava Valley. GSI Report No. GSI/29/2006, PEACE%20CONDUIT/Dead%20Sea%20-%20Red%20Sea%20conduit%20environm%20study%2006.pdf

  • Socco LV, Strobia C (2004) Surface-wave method for near-surface characterization: a tutorial. Near Surf Geophys 2:165–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stein M, Torfstein A, Gavrieli I, Yechieli Y (2010) Abrupt aridity and salt deposition in the post-glacial Dead Sea and its north Atlantic connection. Q Sci Rev 29:567–575

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoyer C (2010) Equivalence analysis of DC and EM data for layered models using the resolution matrix. SAGEEP 2010:173–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Taqieddin SA, Abderahman NS, Atallah M (2000) Sinkhole hazard along the eastern Dead Sea shoreline area, Jordan: a geological and geotechnical consideration. Environ Geol 39(11):1237–1253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson RA, Holohan EP, Al-Halbouni D, Saberi L, Sawarieh A, Closson D, Alrshdan H, Abou Karaki N, Christian Siebert C, Walter TR, Dahm T (2018) Sinkholes, stream channels and base-level fall: a 50-year record of spatial-temporal development on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. Solid Earth Discuss. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2018-105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weisbrod N, Alon-Mordish C, Yechieli Y (2012) Dynamic dissolution of halite rock during flow of diluted saline solutions. Geophys Res Lett 39:L09404. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051306(7pp.)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yechieli Y (2000) Fresh-saline ground water interface in the western Dead Sea area. Ground Water 38(4):615–623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yechieli Y, Ronen D, Berkowitz B (1995) Are sedimentary salt layers always impermeable? Geophys Res Lett 22(20):2761–2764

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yechieli Y, Abelson M, Bain A, Shtivelman V, Onn C, Wacks D, Bar G, Kalbo R, Lyachovski V (2004) Sinkhole phenomena along the Dead Sea shore line. Unpublished Report GSI-21/04 (in Hebrew)

  • Yechieli Y, Abelson M, Bein M, Crouvi O, Shtivelman V (2006) Sinkhole “swarms” along the Dead Sea coast: reflection of disturbance of lake and adjacent groundwater systems. Geol Soc Am Bull 118:1075–1087. https://doi.org/10.1130/B25880.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yechieli Y, Abelson M, Baer G (2016) Sinkhole formation and subsidence along the Dead Sea coast, Israel. Hydrogeol J. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-015-1338-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was made possible through support provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development, under the terms of Award No M27-050 and NATO's Science for Peace Program (project No. 981128). Thank the field crews of the Al-Balqa Applied University, which has been working in the difficult and dangerous conditions of the Dead Sea sinkhole areas. We thank our colleagues C. Camerlynck, P.-Y. Galibert, L. Bodet, and A. Dhemaied from Paris 6 University for permission to reuse their data. We are grateful to C. Krawczyk for the results of the S-wave reflection survey in the area. We thank four anonymous reviewers for their comprehensive and constructive criticism allowed us to significantly improving the quality of our manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geotec Engineering & Environmental Geophysics Ltd., Tel Aviv University, 18b, Ruzhanski Str., PO Box 25031, 7502501, Rishon Lezion, Israel

    Michael Ezersky

  2. Department of Geosciences, Raimond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Lev Eppelbaum

  3. Institute of Research for Development, University Grenoble Alpes, UGA-IGE, CS 40700, 38 058, Grenoble, Cedex 9, France

    Anatoly Legchenko

  4. Engineering Faculty, Al-Balqa Applied University, Salt, 19117, Jordan

    A-R. A. Abueladas

Authors
  1. Michael Ezersky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lev Eppelbaum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anatoly Legchenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Al-Zoubi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A-R. A. Abueladas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Ezersky.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ezersky, M., Eppelbaum, L., Legchenko, A. et al. Salt layer characteristics in the Ghor Al-Haditha area, Jordan: comprehensive combined reprocessing of geophysical data. Environ Earth Sci 80, 124 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09373-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09373-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation