4^th International Conference on Geology and Geoscience April 27-28, 2017 Dubai, UAE

Biography:

Qu Jili has his expertise in Engineering Geology and Geotechnique, as well as environmental protection. His prestigious research on soil modification of earth surface and detailed prediction of soil water content based on organic content and clay content creates a new pathway for improving the downsizing of remote sensing materials. He has been involved in this aspect of research for many years, being rich in experiences. The research foundation is based on the field investigation, related historic materials and compound statistic techniques. The results of his research have been used in effective land arrangement, soil modification, accurate interpretation of remote sensing data from satellites etc.

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Many remote sensing data from satellites can provide frequent globe coverage of soil water content (SWC) over a large area of earth surface, but they are almost all at a relatively course resolution (>9 km).  There are numerous efforts to further downscale these products from the generally coarse resolution of (9×9 km) to field scale (~0.5 km) based on the characterization of vegetation, soil, land surface, topography and rainfall that influence the variability of SWC at the field scale. This intensive soil water content (SWC) data will enable strides in weather and climate prediction, agricultural management and improve our understanding of hydrological processes and land-surface interactions. 

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: This field investigation offered key information about SWC and soil physical constitution from 52 agricultural lands to evaluate the impact of soil organic carbon (SOC) and other physical properties such as soil textural class on soil water content over a 12 week period. Cropland averaging SWC over the period of the investigation was projected in an optimum way by integration of soil texture class and SOC in every field moisture status. 

Findings: In spite of that both %Clay and SOC explained approximately 80% of variance in SWC over all cropland, respectively, soil organic carbon explained larger variation in soil water content than its other physical properties in desiccation situation. 

Conclusion: The strong association of SWC with SOC shows soil organic carbon may be a good parameter in downscaling the estimate of SWC from satellite data in particular where SWC information are unavailable or unreliable.

Biography:

Bashar Tarawneh holds a PhD degree and is a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE), who has more than 15 years of experience in Civil Engineering. He has experience in the fields of soil investigation, geotechnical engineering management, shallow and deep foundations, ground improvement, earth retaining structures, liquefaction evaluation and mitigation, project management and business development. Currently, he is the Civil Engineering Department Chair and Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan. He has been teaching courses and conducting research in the area of Civil and Geotechnical Engineering. His research interests include analytical aspects of soil-pipe interactions, inspection and risk assessment of structures, field performance and geotechnical analysis of shallow and deep foundations, settlements of shallow foundation on cohesionless soils, correlation of Standard Penetration Test (SPT) and Cone Penetration Tests (CPT), design and performance of Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Wall, application of artificial neural networks in civil engineering, resilient modulus prediction from FWD results, and ground improvement using dynamic compaction.

Abstract:

Ground improvement techniques have been used on many construction sites to improve soil properties, increase bearing capacity, and reduce potential settlements of problematic soils. Problematic soils are usually identified during the geotechnical exploration and treated prior to construction to avoid any future damage to structures. Dynamic compaction, dynamic replacement, rapid impact compaction, vibro compaction, and stone columns are considered the most popular ground improvement techniques in the Arabian Gulf region. A decision tree for the selection of appropriate ground improvement technique is developed. Percent of fine content, depth of required improvement, distance to existing nearby structures, and water table level were used in the decision tree. 

Biography:

Osman Abdelghany completed his BSc in Geology with honors and MSc in Stratigraphy and Micropaleontology from Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt respectively. He obtained his PhD in 1996 from Vienna University, Austria. He is currently Associate Professor of Stratigraphy and Micropaleontology at United Arab Emirates University. He is a member of many societies and the affiliations include the ESG, GSA, GSE, ESP and ENHG. He is particularly interested in Cretaceous/Tertiary stratigraphy and microfossils and published many papers in national and international magazines.

Abstract:

The lower Tertiary limestones of United Arab Emirates of Eocene to Lower Oligocene rocks are exposed on the limbs of the Jabal Hafit anticline. The Rus, Dammam and Asmari formations of this interval cover most of the foundational bedrock of Al Ain city, located in the southeastern part of the Abu Dhabi Emirate. The mechanical and the diagenesis processes of these limestones showed that the diagenetic processes include dissolution, dolomitization, compaction and cementation that partially control the mechanical behavior of the rocks. Three types of limestones recognized as chalky limestone (wackestone facies) are soft limestone consisting of the planktonic foraminifera such as (Cribrohantkenina inflata and Hantkenina longispina), deposited in deeper water environment. It was characterized by hard texture with dusty feel, with high porosity and relatively low dry density and can hold large amounts of water. The accumulations of large foraminifera of shoal energetic environment such as Asterocyclina pentagonalis, Discocyclina sp. and Nummulites sp. in dolomitic limestone (packstone/grainstone facies) as intermediate give variable sizes of pores which reach up to a few cm in diameter were observed and provide strong possibility for high permeability conditions. The third type is hard limestone with chert nodules and bands (mudstone/wackestone facies) that were deposited in a relatively deeper environment.

Biography:

Hasan Arman is a Professor at United Arab Emirates University, College of Science, Geology department since 2008. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Hacettepe University, Turkey in 1984 and PhD degree from University of Arizona, USA in 1992. He worked as a Postdoc at the University of Nevada, Reno, USA from 1992 to 1993. He was a Faculty Member at Sakarya University, Civil Engineering department, Turkey between 1993 and 2008. He has been teaching several different courses in undergraduate and graduate levels related to Engineering, Environment, Geology and Energy. His research interests include soil and rock mechanics, environmental geology, environmental degradation, water resources, global warming, climate change, renewable and sustainable energy sources.

Abstract:

The ophiolite sequences of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a northern part of Semail Oman ophiolite. The ophiolite sequences consists of layered series, which is divided into tectonized Peridotite that is older and the massive Peridotite that is younger is an ultramafic igneous rock. Estimating strength properties of a rock through in-situ and laboratory measurement are crucial tasks for geological, civil and mining engineering applications such as design of structures inside rock, usage of rocks as a construction material, slope instability and others. Rock strength measurement in either in-situ or laboratory environment is costly, time consuming and requires considerable efforts for rock sampling, preparation and laboratory tests. There are different suggested testing methods available and used to interpret rock strength properties. In this study, approximately fifty peridotite rock block samples, at least 0.30 x 0.30 x 0.30 m in size, were collected from the field. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS), Brazilian strength (BRS), point load strength index (PLSI) and Schmidt hammer hardness tests were carried out either on the selected rock block samples or core samples based on the suggested standards. The aim of this study is to estimate and report the strength properties of the Peridotite rocks from Masfout - Hatta area, UAE, through in-situ and laboratory studies and discuss their probable influences as design of structures inside rock, usage of rocks as a construction material, slope instability and others.

Biography:

Muhamed Fakhri Omer is a Lecturer at the department of geology, Salahaddin University in Erbil, Iraq since 2004. He has done M.Sc. in 2000 and Ph.D. in 2012 from Baghdad University, Iraq. In 15h January 2017 promoted to Assistant Professor at the same University. His Major filed of interests is sedimentology and sedimentary petrology with particular reference on Paleozoic formations exposed in northern Iraq. He is Expert in cathodoluminescence and scanning electron microscopy that was obtained through three months training course at Aarhus University in Denmark in 2011. He got Postdoctoral scholarships for one year at Warsaw University –Poland in 2014. He has published many papers in the Journal of African Earth Science in 2014 and 2015 and paper in the Arabian Journal of Geosciences in 2016. He has awarded Certificate of Reviewing on August 2016 from Journal of African Earth Sciences (ELSEVIER). In January 1st of 2017 became a member of the new project IGCP 635 the Onset of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification.

Abstract:

The Khabour formation is the oldest exposed rock unit in Iraq (Ordovician) and was studied in two sections at Chalky Nasara and Ora localities Northern Iraq. It is comprised of 806 thick sandstone-shale cyclic alternations. The formation sediment in type locality Chalky Nasara section can be divided into three main units A, B and C, depending on the kinds of sediments, vertical changes and the sedimentary structures. These three units also can be divided into numbers of main facies. Combined lithofacies/ichnofacies analysis of the Khabour formation allows recognition of 8 facies associations from type locality and subdivided into 23 facies. The prodelta deposits are mainly characterized by heterolithic strata (wavy and lenticular bedded), the trace fossils assemblages is dominated by deposits-feeder burrows skolithos Thalassinoids isp, Planolites isp, and Macaronichnus. isp. The delta front deposits consists of (planar cross-bedded, thick-bedded, very large scale and tabular cross-bedded) sandstone facies. Wave and storm dominated deposits are found in Khabour formation, including sands deposited by storm-generated, wind driven currents, by low to high intensity oscillatory flows, and by storm-initiated density flows, which deposits upper, middle and lower shoreface. Changing of sea level during (TST) coupled with upwelling currents created starved settings which was favorable for the deposition of thin to medium bedded of phosphatic sandstone associated with a black shale pristine phosphorite in Chalky Nasara section.  Lowering of wave base during relative sea-level fall reworked pristine facies into granular deposits and produce phosphatic large-scale planar cross-bedded sandstone in Ora section. The age of the formation is determined according to recognize three ichnotaxa of cruziana including Goldfussi, Furcifera and Rugosa Isp. This reflects upper tremadocian stages of lower ordovician for the formation.

Biography:

Sayyad Zahid Qamar is currently associated with the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. He has worked both as a University Academician and a Researcher, and as a Field Engineer (mechanical), during his twenty-five years of professional service. His main research areas are applied materials and manufacturing; applied mechanics and design; reliability engineering; and engineering education. He has worked on different funded projects in excess of 4 million US dollars. He is the author of one research monograph (book), two book chapters, over 120 publications in refereed international journals and conferences and 31 technical reports. He has also edited two technical book volumes and is serving on the Editorial Boards of various well-known research journals. He has conducted experimental, numerical, analytical and stochastic studies in the areas of swelling and inert elastomers; solid expandable tubulars; metal forming process, product, and tooling.

Abstract:

Swelling elastomers are fit-to-purpose advanced polymers that undergo an increase in volume upon interaction with water or oil. They have been successfully used in the field of oil and gas drilling and development, for varied applications targeted at production from difficult-to-access, damaged, and previously abandoned wells. Swell packers make it possible to isolate water-producing and other unwanted zones, replace or reduce cementing operations in well completion, and slim down wells for significant reduction in material and energy footprint. For effective design and development of these applications, it is necessary to evaluate the amount of swelling and its effect on material response of the elastomer under actual field conditions. Various studies have been carried out over the last ten years at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat for performance assessment and characterization of material behavior of swelling elastomers in petroleum applications. These investigations have been carried out through experimental work, analytical modeling, and numerical (FEM) modeling and simulation. The current paper presents some results from experimental investigation of some water-swelling and oil-swelling elastomers. Test procedures either followed standards laid down by ASTM and ISO, or were developed in-house for new types of tests in close collaboration with field engineers and rubber developers. Specialized jigs and fixtures, and dedicated test facilities were designed and constructed wherever necessary. Test parameters such as salt water concentration, type of crude oil, and applicable temperature were carefully selected to emulate actual well conditions in the region. Reported results include amount of volume and thickness swelling, hardness, and tensile properties of elastomer samples before swelling, and at various swelling stages.

Biography:

Mahmoud Abu Saima has completed his PhD from the Geology department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. He is Instructor of the Department of Geology at the United Arab Emirates University. He is particularly interested in Micropaleontology. He has published numerous papers on the Triassic and Jurassic palynomorphs and Cretaceous/Tertiary foraminifera in international journals.

Abstract:

Biostratigraphic correlation was conducted on Muthaymimah Formation in the western flank of the Northern Oman Mountains of United Arab Emirates and Atbasi Formation, northwest Turkey. Based on abundance and diversity of foraminiferal assemblages (such as Morozovella spp.) with the lithological characters, the two formations of the Late Paleocene to Early Eocene were deposited under tectonic movements with rapid sea level rise that caused the deposition of mudstone/wackstone facies in open marine environment. Both study areas also share a similar shallow-marine packstone/grainstone facies, rich in benthonic foraminifera (such as Bolivinoides curtus, Neoflabellina jarvisi and Somalina sp., and Nummulites spp.) and skeletal shell remains (molluscs, bryozoa and echinoids), accompanied by thin calcarenite and iron oxides. In both areas, sedimentation occurred during extensive rifting and rapid subsidence, in an environment of seafloor oxidation.

Biography:

Tong Jing is an engineer in Geophysics and a doctoral student in China University of Geosciences. Her research interests are in aeromagnetic and airborne gravity data processing and geological interpretation in China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Land and Resources (AGRS).

Abstract:

The South Yellow Sea is commonly assumed to be located in the northeast lower Yangtze block of the South China plate, and is bounded to the west by the Tanlu Fault, and to the north by the Sujiao–Qianliyan–Linjin orogenic belt, which is a large superposed basin composed of Paleozoic-Mesozoic marine sedimentary basin and Mesozoic-Cenozoic terringenous sedimentary basin developed on the crystalline basement of pre-Sinian age. The Paleozoic-Mesozoic marine sedimentary strata formed and evolved starting from Jinning movement and ending with Yindosinian and Yanshanian movements, among which, Sinian, Cambrian, Ordovician, Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic strata have been developed. Over more than 50 years oil-gas investigation of SYSB, it is much clearer to know about the feature of terringenous sedimentary basin, but the recognition on the thickness of Paleozoic-Mesozoic marine strata has not yet reached agreement for the lack of drilling data in Paleozoic age, which limits the progress of prospecting and investigation of oil-gas resources of the South Yellow Sea.

The Paleozoic-Mesozoic marine strata of the South Yellow Sea had attracted increasing attention of scholars because of the effective seismic reflection of Paleozoic-Mesozoic marine strata. Extensive geological and geophysical investigations and research has been carried out recently. Currently, seismic prospecting is the main exploration tool. However, even sophisticated seismic data analysis, has failed to identify the distribution of complete marine strata of whole region, and more importantly, has been unable to clarify different aspects of its tectonic evolution stage. Many others studied marine sedimentary basin based on gravity and magnetic data, however, they mainly focused on the basement of basin but less for the marine strata distribution, and no one has systematically discussed the feature of Paleozoic-Mesozoic marine strata using aeromagnetic and aero gravity data. The study calculated the depth of upper and lower marine stratigraphic interface using the tangent method based on the latest acquired high precision aeromagnetic and airborne gravity data with constrain of drilling data covering the latitude of 31°to 37°and longitude of 120°to124°. It is indicated that the Mesozoic-Paleozoic marine strata mainly existed in the Central and Wunansha uplift region with the maximum thickness up to 10 km (fig1), which has been proved to be the most prospective oil-gas area of the Southern Yellow Sea.

Biography:

Vishavjeet Singh Goraya is a student at the University Of Petroleum & Energy Studies , Dehradun, India  . I have presented many papers in various national level events conducted by Society of petroleum engineers at various colleges across India . I have a very keen interest in the GEOLOGY & GEOSCIENCES . My hobbies include travelling , reading novels and to spend time in nature .

Abstract:

The future of geosciences will be radically different than it was 100, 50, or even 5 years ago. We are on the cusp of new discoveries, techniques and ideas. Geoscientists are becoming well respected in the science and public communities as new challenges face us. The future of geosciences will involve research into renewable energy and the depleted water resources. The water crisis will also increase the need for medical geology research and will perhaps open up a new industry for this specific title. Geoscientists will be called to help find water on other planets or decipher the historical geology of a planet to see if it is habitable. These planetary geologists will also be used to set up lunar bases or develop local resources. Geoscientists will be educated in many disciplines to fully understand everything they are studying. As much as theory is important, classes in the geosciences will be aimed toward applicability and practical use. Dating techniques will improve so we can understand how fast one animal evolved, or how fast climate change can realistically take place. Geoscientists will be the experts and therefore must be more responsible with scientific evidence and the differences between truth and imagination. Finally, geosciences will depend on all encompassing ethical codes, meticulous documentation in the field and a better way to present confidence of a given topic.

Biography:

Abdul Wahid is presently doing MS from Xian Shiyou University, China. He is a researcher to evaluate the geochemistry of rocks and is able to give authentic predictions about characteristics of reservoirs on the basis of geochemistry. He did his bachelor’s degree in Geology from University of Sargodha, Pakistan. He gave expert opinions and predictions about depositional environment and some tectonic setting of the study area. His approach to determine the depositional environment, based on paleoredox indices, paleosalinity and enrichment of REE, is applicable widely and is a revolutionary step for the petroleum companies.

Abstract:

The Triassic Yanchang Formation (Chang 7) oil shale is widely distributed in Ordos Basin, while Tongchuan is one of the typical outcrop areas of distribution. The objective of this study was to determine the depositional environment and some tectonic setting in which the oil shale of the study area is deposited. Sixteen selected samples were analyzed using ICP-MS at the northwest institute for non-ferrous metal research for the abundances of some trace element contents such as V, Ni, Cr, Ba, Sr, U and Th and Rare Earth Elements (REE) contents like La, Yb, Eu and Ce. Paleo-redox indices such as Th/U, V/(V+Ni), V/Cr and δU indicate that the depositional environment of Yanchang formation is reducing. Molybdenum (Mo) is the diagnostic element for reducing environment under sea water, the enrichment of Mo as compared to other trace elements also supports the reducing environment of study area. Paleosalinity is determined on the basis of Boron (B), Illite, Montmorillonite and kaolinite contents and the results show that the study area belongs from brackish to semi saline water sedimentary environment. The negative values of Ce anomaly and Eu anomaly indicates that the study area belongs to hydrothermal sedimentary environment in redox situation. All the values of Th/U are less than 1; it means the deposition of the study area occurred under hot water. La/Yb-REE and La/Yb-Ce/Yb graphs show that mostly samples fall into basalt and other into overlapping areas. So in the expansion period, the basement fracture activities are responsible for hot fluids at the basement of the lake. In the study area, sedimentary period of Chang 7, hydrothermal activities in the lake bottom exist and played a key role in accelerating the extensive development of oil shale.

Biography:

Topan Ramadhan is a Geological Engineering Student at the Faculty of Mineral Technology, Institute of Science & Technology AKPRIND Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He is the Chairman of Indonesian Association of Geologists Student Chapter at the Institute of Science & Technology AKPRIND. He actively researches on geological science topics such as geology on oil and gas, sedimentology, geological environment and disaster mitigation and volcanology. He has previously done many researches on stratigraphy analysis for oil and gas implication, geological structure for a petroleum implication.

Abstract:

The volcano eruption is one of the events that frequently occurs in Indonesia, particularly in Java Island with the island arc, while the material is in the form of glowing clouds of hot, lava flow, lahar and avalanches of volcanic and much more. Merapi is a most active volcano in the world. This research focuses on the deposition of lahar, which is located in the district of Sleman, Magelang Regency and surrounding areas, with the object of research Krasak river, the Putih river and the Blongkeng river tipped in Mount Merapi as an analogy at the Southwestern part modern sedimentology especially on the river at the foot of volcanoes. The study covers analysis of field observations such as lithology, stratigraphy and direction measurement, lahar deposition, as well as more detailed observations in the laboratory by analyzing the grain structure by morphometric methods and the correlation of stratigraphic and abundance of lahar sediment at the foot of Mount Merapi. Three units of obtained Lahar (SSL) include, the SSL 1: More lava is deposited on the river Krasak Blongkeng with a thickness of 4 to 7.5 meters; the lahar flows more in the ancient current directions N214^oE Blongkeng River and River Krasak N 187^oE; SSL 2: Many on Krasak River and SSL 3: The Putih River has a thickness of 4-10 meters, as well as current directions are: N190^oE Krasak River and the Putih River N 205^oE. The data show the displacement of sediment input variations of lahar from Southwest to the South. Data shows the influenced displacement of the craters morphology as a supporting factor for the lahar flow channels. This study explains material volume and Merapi volcano eruption deposition process and expected as a mitigation disaster and finds out lahar flow deposition area for the next volcanic eruption.

Biography:

Atef Abdullah Abdelhady is an Academic Staff in Petroleum Department in British University in Egypt. He was an Operations Manager in BP/Gupco Company. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Enhanced Oil Recovery by Chemical Water Flooding. He holds a PhD degree in the specialty of Petroleum Production Engineering. He has 24 years of field operation experience for all activities associated with processing of oil and gas onshore and offshore locations. He is an SPE active member for more than 27 years. During his career, he has authored several technical papers in Egypt and USA. He has been selected as a qualified candidate for inclusion in the 1998 edition of International Who’s Who Membership. He has training skills and experience inside and outside Egypt. 

Abstract:

Oil recovery after water flood, by surfactant-polymer flooding at different percentages of clay content, has been studied for July oil field. Formation water (72000 ppm) and crude oil of the July field have been used; the study was performed on Mesh to represent the porous field. Bentonite, colloidal sand packs media of clay from Wyoming Company, dispersion into USA, has been used as sand-packs. Dowell EZEFLO and polyacrylamide were used. This study concentrates on clay surfactant, F-75, this study effect of sur-in the various percentages of clay content (0%, 3.5%, 5%, tertiary oil 10%, 15% and 20%) on recovery. The effect of secondary and of surfactant concentration on tertiary oil recovery at the mentioned clay content values has been also studied to determine the maximum ultimate oil recovery for each case. The experimental results show that, the major factor affecting tertiary oil recovery by surfactant-polymer method is the surfactant concentration; the recovery is improved as the concentration increased; for any clay content, as the surfactant concentration increases the oil production starts sooner (earlier breakthrough) and sustains at higher level; for clay content less than 10 % it is more efficient to use a large pore volume of surfactant slug  with low concentration; for oil value of clay content more than 15%, the recovery increases with increasing surfactant concentration up to the value of 4% and after that, the recovery decreases. Thus this value (4%) is taken as the optimum value of surfactant concentration in this case and for any slug concentration, as the clay content increases, the oil breakthrough is delayed.

Biography:

A Geetha Selvarani has completed her PhD from Anna University, Chennai. She has published more than 35 papers in reputed journals and conferences and has been serving as an Editorial Board Member and reviewer for various reputed journals. She has published five books with ISBN number and filed two patents. She participated as Invited Speaker and Chair Person for the 5^th International Conference on Civil Engineering and Urban Planning (CEUP 2016) held in Xian, China during 23^rd to 26^th, August 2016. She is a member in Technical Program Committee for “International Conference on Geomatics and Civil Engineering [GCE2017]”, which will be held during September 8^th - 10^th, 2017, Shanghai, China.

Abstract:

The water is a nature’s valuable gift to all life forms. Depending upon the quality and quantity of groundwater it can be used for various purposes, such as drinking, agricultural and industrial uses. Due to revolution in industries and various anthropogenic sources in the past decades, groundwater has been polluted and depleted. Remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) has become one of the leading tools in the field of hydrogeological science, which helps in assessing, monitoring and conserving groundwater resources. GIS technology provides suitable alternatives for efficient management of large and complex databases. In recent years, the increasing use of satellite remote sensing data has made it easier to define the spatial distribution of different groundwater prospect classes on the basis of geomorphology and other associated parameters. Analysis of remotely sensed data along with topographical sheets and collateral information with necessary field checks helps in generating the base line information for groundwater exploration and non-natural (artificial). The groundwater exploration and Non-Natural recharge sites were identified by integrating thematic maps of geology, geomorphology, slope, drainage density and lineament density of the study area. The weights of different parameters/themes were computed using weighed index overlay analysis (WIOA), analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy logic technique. Through this integrated GIS analysis, groundwater prospect map non-natural recharge sites map of the study area was prepared qualitatively. Field verification at observation wells was used to verify identified potential zones and depth of water measured at observation wells. Generated map from weighed overlay using AHP performed very well in predicting the groundwater surface and hence this methodology proves to be a promising tool for future.

Biography:

M G Thakkar is working on neotectonics, paleoseismology, paleoclimates and quaternary science of Kachchh intra-plate basin in western India since 25 years. He worked as an Assistant Professor in an undergraduate college in Bhuj. He also worked efficiently and effectively as a Principal in the same college for two years and received NAAC accreditation. From 2008 onwards, he established a new Department of Earth and Environmental Science in KSKV Kachchh University and became the Associate Professor and Head. Simultaneously, he also acted as a Dean-Science Faculty and is still working with the same designation. He became a Professor. He has received several research awards/grants from the Government of India, ministry of science and Technology and published ~50 national and international research papers in peer reviewed journals till date. He has also attended and convened several international conferences during his career.

Abstract:

Kachchh is a pericratonic rift basin, traversed by E-W trending faults viz. Nagar Parkar Fault, Island Belt Fault, Kachchh Mainland Fault, South Wagad Fault, Katrol Hill Fault and North Kathiyawar Fault. These make the half-graben structures bounded by uplifts. Transverse faults trending N-S, NW-SE to NE-SW cut across the E-W tectonic fabric in dip-slip and strike slip manners. Central part of the Kachchh basin is affected by basement high known as Median high trending NNE-SSW. Neotectonics along the median high causes structural bending developing several N-S, NNW-SSE, NNE-SSW transverse faults, which form in the network of the law amplitude but extensive faults. The mainland is geographically divided into northern hill range and Katrol hill range flanked by the major faults. At places KMF and KHF are dissected by transverse faults of varying trends. Most transverse faults are caused by the structural bending of Median high. University fault, Ratiya Fault and Kodki faults are low amplitude faults developed as bending fractures on the crest of the Median High. These show geometry of normal, reserve and strike slip movement in the field. N-S trending Kodki fault shows normal nature forming graben and half-Graben structures, while NNE-SSW trending University fault is reverse forming a small scarp. Ratiya fault is oblique slip in nature evidenced by drainage offsetting and alluvial fan and debris deposits on the hanging wall, above the fault plane. Presently studied varied (normal, reverse and oblique slip) transverse faults are restricted to the Median High region between two major E-W trending reverse faults suggesting N-S and E-W compressive stresses. The studies suggest that in neotectonic movement in median high of Kachchh mainland has generated varied transverse faults due to multiple stress regimes during inversion phase. It needs detailed geodetic and structural analysis to know the sources of these tectonic forces.

Biography:

Hooshang Asadi Haroni holds degrees in Geology (BSc in National Iranian University, Tehran, Mineral Exploration (MSc in Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, ITC, The Netherlands) and also Mineral Exploration (PhD, Centre for Technical Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands). He worked as Exploration Geologist and GIS Database Analyst at the international mining company of “Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration Limited. He worked an Assistant Professor in the Mining Engineering department of Isfahan University of Technology in Iran. In addition, he is appointed as Adjunct Senior Researcher in the Centre for Exploration targeting (CET), University of Western Australia (UWA). 

Abstract:

The Kahang porphyry copper deposit is located in the central part of Urumieh-Dokhtar Magmatic Arc (UDMA) segment of the Tethyan metallogenic belt in Iran. The giant Sar-Chesmeh and Sungun porphyry Cu deposits are also located along this arc. The Kahang deposit consists of three porphyry centers that crop out in an E-W trending direction (Afzal, 2009). During the reconnaissance stage by Rio Tinto in 2003, the first porphyry center was identified by mapping hydrothermal alteration using TM satellite data and ground control. In 2004 during the prospecting stage, an Iranian company (DORSA) re-evaluated the Kahang occurrence and successfully identified a 7.5×3.5 km zone of hydrothermal alteration using ASTER satellite data (Figure 1). Disseminated Cu mineralization is associated with plutons of quartz diorite showing potassic and phyllic alteration comprising magmatic K-feldspar, secondary biotite and well-developed quartz-sericite surrounded by barren argillic and extensive propyllitic alteration. In normalized multielement diagrams, Kahang host intrusions are characterized by enrichments in large ion lithophile elements and depletions in high field strength elements, and display features typical of subduction-related calc-alkaline magmas. In 2005, DORSA by applying an additive index analysis on the soil geochemical data, three Cu-Mo anomalies were identified. A reduced to the pole magnetic map revealed strong negative magnetic anomalies at these centers. An IP/RS survey was also carried out at these centers; this information was combined with the earlier exploration data to generate drill targets tested by 18 deep holes. Most of these holes intersected several zones of economic Cu mineralization, mostly from 180 m to 456 m, and the project was upgraded to systematic drilling. In 2008, the Kahang deposit was transferred to the National Iranian Copper Industry Company (NICICO) and then in total about 45000 m drilling was carried out at Kahang to calculate a proved reserve of 110@0.45% Cu just at East Kahan porphyry center. 

Biography:

Jarot Setyowiyoto is a Lecturer for Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses in the Department of Geological Engineering, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. His teaching experience is in the areas of Petroleum Geology, Subsurface Geology, Petroleum Geochemistry, Well Log Analysis/Formation Evaluation, Reservoir Engineering, Organic Petrology, and Unconventional Resources (Coal Bed Methane, Shale Gas, Tight Sand Gas). He is also an Oil and Gas Researcher in Depatrment of Geological Engineering, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Abstract:

This research took place at an off-shore oil field in Soka Field, North-west Indonesia Basin, Riau Islands Province approximately 300 km west of Natuna Island which covers the area of 1.320 km². It aims to determine lithology facies and sedimentation environment which lead to distribution, thickness, and the geometry of prospect reservoir. Well log, core, and seismic 2D, as main data of this research, are combined and integrated. Additional data like thin-section and drill stem test (DST) data are also used as well. There are 2 prospect Oligo-Miocene reservoirs found in this area of study which potentially become drilling target. Specifically, those reservoirs are Late Oligocene Reservoir Zone A (A1, A2, A3) and Early Miocene Reservoir Zone B. Reservoirs Zone A and B are parts of mixed flats and tidal sand bar facies in tidal flats sedimentation environment. It is concluded by the presence of typical tidal activity sediment structures, such as lenticular, wavy, and flaser bedding. Ichnofacies Glossifungites and mineral glauconite also appear. Both reservoir zones also have a typical elongate geometry with NW-SE orientation, following development of strike-slip fault in research area. Reservoir Zone B is thicker than Reservoir Zone A, but both reservoir zones show the same pattern of thicker Northeast-ward.

Biography:

Fatemeh Sadat Sharifi is a PhD student at Azad Islamic University of Iran working in the field of Physical Oceanography. She is interested in areas of tidal currents and waves, oceanic circulation, upwelling and down welling, fronts, seasonal monsoons and modeling.   

Abstract:

In this research, a barotropic model was used to consider the tidal studies in Persian Gulf and Oman Sea where the only effective force was the tidal force. To do that, a finite-difference, free surface model called ROMS, was employed on the data over the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. The two places were chosen since both are one of the most important water bodies in case of economy, biology, fishery, navigation and petroleum extraction. The modeled result was validated by the OTPS tidal data and also the data gathered from some stations. Next, tidal elevation and speed, and tidal analysis were rendered.  The preliminary result shows a significant accuracy in the tidal elevation compared with the tidal stations and OTPS, revealing that tidal currents are highest in Hormuz Strait, and the narrow and shallow region between Kish Island and other Iranian coasts. Moreover, tidal analysis clears that the M₂ component has the greatest value. Finally, the tidal currents entering Persian Gulf are divided into two branches: the first branch turns from south to Qatar and via United Arab Emirate returns to Hormuz Strait. The second branch, in north and west, continues up to the highest point in Persian Gulf and in the head of Gulf turns counterclockwise.

Biography:

Wided Batita received Ingenior degree in Aquatic Resources from National Agronomic Institute of Tunis, MSc degree in Environmental Management from Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Greece, in 2006 and 2009, respectively and the PhD degree in Geomatics from Laval University, Quebec, Canada in 2016. She has taught GIS, mapping and GIS analysis as auxiliary teaching at Laval University.She is mainly interested in issues on access and use of geospatial technologies for planning and Geodesign, VGI, risk assessment, and spatial database

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Soil erosion by water is recognized as a major problem arising from agricultural intensification, land degradation and possibly global climatic change. It is, in our days, a major threat to sustainable land and crop production and causes degradation of water resources. This phenomenon is leading to significant decrease of soil fertility in the Mediterranean region as well as in Europe. GIS and Remote Sensing become necessary tools to prevent further soil degradation, by assessing risk. These tools have been implemented to assess the soil erosion risk in Kolymvari, Crete, Greece, which is due to intensive olive cultivation.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: The main aim of this study is to monitor potential land degradation in the Kolymvari municipality, which will be achieved through Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation Model (MUSLE) that could be utilized for predicting the scale and extent of land degradation in the study area. The estimation of the peak discharge, and the runoff volume were estimated. After that, the MUSLE factors have been generated. The watershed study area has been classified into categories (5ERCs) according to the degree of erosion risk, based on the predicted soil loss potential by the model. So, the high erosion risk areas (hot spots ERC5) have been identified in the watershed and accordingly, simple and low cost conservation and management practices have been proposed.

Findings: The strength of MUSLE model includes its ability to directly estimate sediment delivery potential from soil erosion. This is a valuable tool for environmental management and much needed for source-sink characterization of terrestrial source and aquatic sinks of particulate matters.

Conclusion & Significance: There is no big difference between the thematic maps generated by the two models MUSLE and RUSLE, almost the same values were found for the 5 ERCs. The areas located in the northern part of the peninsula belong to ERC5, because soil erosion potential coincided with the steeper slope length (L) and steepness (S) factors. Additionally, the areas in the southern part of the area belong to ERC5, because soil erosion potential coincides with relatively intense olive cultivation.

Biography:

Said Khouya is an undergraduate third year student at the Department of Geology, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), UAE. His research interest includes Stratigraphy and Paleontology. This presentation is a part of his research project supported by UAEU.

Abstract:

Middle to late Eocene diagnostic planktonic foraminifera (Cribrohantkenina inflata and Hantkenina longispina) and shoal bank accumulations of benthonic (Asterocyclina pentagonalis, Discocyclina sp. and Nummulites sp.) were discovered from marls and limestones of the Dammam Formation, at Jabals Hafit, Malaqet and Mundassah in Al Ain area and Jabals Buhays and El Aqabah, El Fayiah area in the United Arab Emirates. Lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic correlations are proposed based on fossil data. The Dammam Formation unconformably overlies nodular limestone rocks of the Rus Formation. The described fossils are highly sensitive to environmental changes, especially fluctuations in sea level. Variable sizes of pores reaching up to a few cm in diameter were observed and provide strong possibility for high permeability conditions. Such conditions make the Dammam Formation as a potential aquifer or hydrocarbon reservoir at depth.

Biography:

Viqar Husain is the Former Chairman at Department of Geology and Dean Faculty of Science, University of Karachi. He is founder Convener SEGMITE, AGID Vice President and Chief Editor of online International Journal of Economic and Environmental Geology. After serving for about 12 years in Pakistan CSIR, he joined as Professor of Geology at University of Karachi in 1999 and currently is engaged in research and teaching Economic and Environmental Geology at University of Karachi and Federal Urdu University, Karachi. He has published over 50 research papers, supervised a number of M.Phil/Ph.D students and organized many national/international conferences.

Abstract:

The cultivable lands are reducing significantly in hot and dry arid regions of the world due to soil salinity and sodicity and resulting in yield losses. Similarly, the coastal Shah Bandar Tehsil of Thatta district is also severely affected by different levels of soil salinity and sodicity. The topography of the area is uneven, so ill drained depressions and saline creeks are common. The area was worst affected by floods of 2010 and 2011 and flood water was kept standing for several months causing waterlogging. Irrigation is done with perennial and non perennial canals in the area as groundwater is highly saline. In order to identify spatial and temporal variations in soil salinity and sodicity, 48 soil samples were collected from six sites of Shah Bandar Tehsil during post- and pre-monsoon seasons of 2011-2013. Physicochemical data show that average pH of soil ranged between 7.4 and 7.8 during post- and pre-monsoon seasons of 2011-2013 and the soil salinity (ECe) and sodicity (SAR) ranged between 1.09 to 47.10 dS/m and 2.43 to 43.79 respectively during post-monsoon seasons. During pre-monsoon seasons, EC and SAR ranged from 2.30 to 65.8 dS/m and 3.12 to 50.51 respectively. Thus, soil salinity and sodicity vary in post- and pre-monsoon seasons due to arid climate, high evapotranspiration and fallow lands due to reduced flow of freshwater and seawater intrusion in the area. Data show that the soil quality improved significantly in areas affected with floods of 2010 and 2011.

Biography:

Seema Naz Siddique is the Chairperson of Department of Geology, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi, with about 25 years of teaching and research experience. She served as Lecturer in Department of Soil Science, Baluchistan Agriculture College, Quetta during 1990-1993. In 1993 she joined Department of Geology, Federal Urdu College which became Federal Urdu University, of Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi in 2002 where she is serving as senior faculty member. 

Abstract:

Lakhra coal field covering an area of about 100 sq. km is located 35 km northwest of Hyderabad city between latitudes 25-32-45 N and longitudes 68-O-15 E. The coal beds occur on the Lakhra anticline in the lower part of the Ranikot Formation belonging to Paleocene age. The thickness of coal seams varies between 1.5 to 3.5 meters (Avg. 1 meter) at 15-25 meters depth with estimated reserves of about 240 million tons. The coal is subbituminous and lignite in rank, classed as medium to high ash and high sulfur grades. About two dozens of small private mining units are engaged in exploiting coal from Lakhra without using underground machinery. The coal is produced by hand tools causing health hazards to the mine workers. Unscientific mining methods are also causing damage to the coal resources of Lakhra, as open pits are abandoned after excavating upper coal seams lying at shallower depth, leaving unexploited two other coal beds occurring at deeper levels in the area. Recent exploration studies by electrical resistivity method reveal new coal deposits in the vicinity of Lakhra coalfield. This paper discusses the economic potential of Lakhra and other coalfields in the area, as their easy accessibility ensure large scale utilization of coal. The skilled mine workers engaged in coal open pit mining are often facing serious health and safety problems due to poor working and living conditions in the area. The environmental hazards for miners and mitigation measures are also part of the present study. 

Biography:

Nicola Capuano is the Professor of Geology, Regional Geology and Sedimentology. His research areas include geological and structural surveys of the Marches North, study lithostratigraphic and sedimentological of syn-orogenic basins, sedimentological analysis of the Messinian evaporite deposits of the Marche-Romagna, correlation and nomenclature of lithostratigraphic and tectonic units of the Members of the Marnoso-Arenacea outcropping in the Marche and Romagna sector and tectonic and sedimentary evolution of the Apennine foredeep turbidite deposits.

Abstract:

This work discusses the synsedimentary structural control affecting the pliocenic turbidites deposited in an elongate foreland basin formed in front of the growing Northern Apennines orogenic wedge. Several Pliocene marine foreland basin outcrops along the Apennine Chain. The sedimentary basin of Montecalvo-in-Foglia is located on the Pedeapennine margin, shows a synclinal structure and was formed on an active thrust. This basin is one of the better preserved cases in the Apennine chain, which originated and evolved during the later compressive tectonic phases from Late Miocene to Early Pliocene. It was completely filled by terrigenous sequence deposited during the Pliocene between 4.2-2.9 My. The stratigraphic succession records the progressive closure of the Apennine foredeep basin due to the NE propagation of thrust fronts. The foreland basin of Montecalvo-in-Foglia, confined by two adjacent thrusts systems, is characterized by two turbidite systems: one deposited during periods of highstand of sea-level, with low sedimentation rates and muddy deposits: the other, very coarse-grained with high sedimentation rates, was deposited during periods of lowstand of sea-level. High frequency tectonic uplift “events” within a short interval of time, about 1.3 My are thought to be responsible for relative sea-level lowstand. The coarseness and volume of the turbidite units appear to be related both to eustatic sea-level and/or to regional tectonism. Both factors combine to create the basic framework within which turbidite bodies were deposited. Turbidite systems reflect an alternation of thrust activity and quiescence. The regional distribution of facies and facies associations, and the orogenic trends, shows that the foreland basin was narrow, elongated (NW-SE) and confined within the Peri-Adriatic foredeep. It was characterized by an internal margin with continuous syn-sedimentary tectonic activity (slumps, cannibalistic input, allochthonous Ligurian sheets have been identified). Nevertheless, the coarse-grained turbidite facies are seen to be the result of the collapse of the shelf as well as the interaction between tectonic uplift, tilting of the depositional surfaces, and eustatic sea-level fall. The rapid sea-level fluctuations in the Pliocene probably contributed to the changes in sedimentation style, and to a significant increase in the volume of turbidity currents. It is concluded the causes of cyclicity in the coarse-grained turbidite sequence are complex. They include factors both internal and external to the sedimentary setting, such as subsidence and tectonic uplift, relative sea-level variation, climate changes during the Pliocene and global astronomical cycles.

Biography:

Jincai Tuo is a Professor at Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His main research areas are oil & gas geology, application of organic geochemistry, and unconventional oil and gas resources. In recent years, more than 80 papers were published in domestic and international academic journals, including 25 papers cited by SCI and 16 papers cited by EI. He was awarded American Association of Petroleum Geologists (Foundation AAPG) Grants-in-Aid scholarship twice. He has made important achievements and great progress in hydrocarbon source rock evaluation, natural gas accumulation and shale oil and gas exploration.

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Marine black shales were widely developed during the Early Cambrian (Niutitang Formation), Late Ordovician (Wufeng Formation), and Early Silurian (Longmaxi Formation) periods. Discovery of the Jiaoshiba shale gas field in southeastern margin of the Sichuan Basin marks a significant progress in the shale gas exploration in the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation and has a guiding significance for shale gas exploration in China. Compared with the Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian shales, the Lower Cambrian Niutitang shales are more widely and stably distributed throughout southern China, and contain higher TOC with greater thermal maturity levels. Therefore, the Lower Cambrian black shales also have a promising potential of shale gas.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: In this study, Lower Paleozoic shale samples collected from Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation, Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation, and Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in different regions in the Sichuan Basin were analyzed using geochemical and petrophysical methods to characterize the difference in organic matter properties (including abundance, type and thermal maturity), pore development, mineralogy to shale gas resources potential.

Findings: The total porosity of the lower Paleozoic marine shales displays a roughly decreasing trend with increasing age. The Lower Cambrian shales with higher TOC have pore sizes skewed toward smaller pores and lower total pore volumes, most notably pore sizes with a distribution range of less than 50 nm, whereas in the Lower Silurian shales, the pores are almost uniformly distributed over different pore sizes (micropores, mesopores and macropores).

Conclusion & Significance: The negative relationship was observed between the total porosity and the TOC and quartz contents in the three Paleozoic marine shales suggests that re-precipitated pyrobitumen (coke) created by oil cracked to gas in overmature source rocks may have led to the lowest porosity level and minimum pore sizes in the most aged but most TOC-abundant shales.

Biography:

Zhaoliang Song is a Professor of Institute of the Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, China. He has completed his PhD from Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research interests include carbon sequestration from enhanced mineral weathering, coupled biogeochemical cycles of carbon and silicon, phytolith carbon sequestration, phytolith geochemistry, phytolith and geochemical record of climate change. As a first and/or corresponding author, he has published 27 papers in SCI journals (Average IF=3.6) including 9 papers published in international top SCI journals such as Global Change Biology (IF=8.444) and Earth-Science Reviews (IF=6.991) and has been selected as experts to review papers for many SCI journals such as Plant and Soil, Scientific Reports, Functional Ecology, Science of the Total Environment, European Journal of Soil Science.

Abstract:

Silicon (Si), the second abundant element on the Earth’s surface, is usually coupled with global biogeochemical carbon (C) cycle at different time-scales, and plays an important role in regulating the concentration of atmospheric CO₂. Bio-available Si is absorbed by plant root and deposited within plant tissues to form phytoliths (opal-A, SiO₂-nH₂O) during the plant growth. A small percentage of organic carbon (0.2-5.8%) could be occluded within phytoliths (PhytOC). PhytOC is relatively stable and may be preserved in soils or sediments for many hundreds to thousands of years due to their chemical compositions, morphology and local environment conditions. Recently, the occlusion of carbon within phytoliths is considered to be one of the key important global biogeochemical C sequestration mechanisms. Here we review recent advances about the study of phytolith C sequestration and estimate the potential of phytolith C sequestration in China. This work indicates that the production rates of PhytOC among different terrestrial ecosystems in China decrease in the following order: croplands>forests>grasslands. In addition, active management measures, including mulching organic manures, fertilizing silicon, amending rock powder, cultivating Si-accumulating plants and partial harvesting of plants to maximize silicon supply and above-ground net primary production, have a significant potential to promote the phytolith C sink in China and the rest of the world. However, further studies are need to demonstrate the cost of these management measures, the exact mechanisms involved and the magnitude of C sequestration through phytoliths among various terrestrial ecosystems, and to make the C sequestration of phytoliths as one of the global important mechanisms of biogeochemical C sequestration.

Biography:

Xiong Sheng-Qing is a senior Geophysicist and Professor. His research interests are in aero geophysics and remote sensing. Presently, he is the chief geoscientist at the China Aero Geophysical Survey & Remote Sensing Center for Land & Resources. 

Abstract:

Using the most advanced method of processing and mapping, the compilation of 1:1000000 series of China land aeromagnetic map has provided high quality fundamental materials of regional geophysics for the research of regional geological structures in our country, which innovates a lot upon mapping of regional aeromagnetic and geological structures, data processing technology, interpretation method and recognition of geological structures etc, also promotes the progress of scientific and technology in related field. Based on about 120000 depth data of magnetic body calculated by surveyed magnetic materials, the depth map of China land magnetic basement was compiled. We carried out research on characteristic of China land rugged magnetic basement, especially the distribution of depression and uplift, and the depth and current status of the sedimentary cover layer, which provided reference materials for the study of regional structures and prognosis of oil-gas exploration target area in China. Depending on the magnetic data, and combining the comprehensive research of gravity, geology and remote sensing data etc, we compiled distribution map of 1:2500000 China land fault and magnetic rocks, regional structure map (fig1) and series of interpretation map of geological structures, and then established the framework of fault structures; found many new faults; delineated concealed and half concealed magnetic rock body; characterized regional structural unit and its boundary; clearly illustrated the characteristics of basal lithofacies structure; evaluated the stability of basement; discussed the characteristics of deep magnetic structure and depth of magnetic layer. These maps will give blueprint for the work of geosciences and benefit a lot to the study of framework. The first aeromagnetic-geological structure maps of continental China, has significantly important reference value for the analysis of regional structures, geological background of oil-gas and mineral resources formation, the evaluation of geological environment, geological disaster and development of geosciences theory.

Biography:

Ghassan Aleqabi is a Seismology scientist. He has completed his PhD and is an expert in seismic and acoustic wave propagation and recently researched a spate of explosions that jostled Baghdad in October 2006.  His research includes crustal and upper mantle tomography from ambient noise and teleseismic earthquakes recordings. He involves in projects that focuses on the current status of earthquake monitoring in Middle East and earthquake hazard assessment of the Middle East.

Abstract:

Seismic waves travel inside and on the surface of the earth with no regard to political boarders or geography.  The Middle East today is full of seismic stations and standalone national data centers that fall short of fulfilling their potential monitoring capabilities.  For Example, North Iraq Seismological Network (NISN), Iraq Seismological Network (ISN), Jordan Seismological Observatory (JSO), Qatar Seismic Network (QSN), Saudi Arabia Geological Survey (SGS) seismic network, Oman Seismological Network (OSN), Kuwait National Seismic Network (KNSN), UAE National Center of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) and Dubai Seismic Network (DSN), Bahrain National Seismic Monitoring Station (NSMS), Iran International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), and Kandilli Observatory and Research Institute (ISK), among others, do not share data in real-time with neighboring countries as if all damaging earthquakes can only occur within the boundaries of their respective borders.  The seismic risk that a country like UAE may encounter, is from neighboring earthquakes in Iran rather than from local seismicity.  The purpose of sharing continuous seismic data in real-time is to take full advantage of a significantly expanded virtual network at no or little communication cost, since it does not require building more seismic station in each county.  Without sacrificing control over their networks, data centers carry their own seismic data processing. Seismological data centers and institutions in the Middle East may enter into bi-lateral agreements to share their data in real-time.  NISN in Iraq and JSO in Jordan are preparing to demonstrate the feasibility and advantages of this virtual Middle East Seismographic Network (vMESN). vMESN objective is to virtually expand the existing countries seismic networks and enhance seismological research in the Middle East and support required civil protection activities.

Biography:

Yasemin Korkusuz Öztürk is a Geophysicist with a background of physics. She has been recently involved in TRIDEC, CTBTO, MARSITE, ASTARTE FP7 European Union and MarDIM (Satreps), Turk-Japan projects. She has expertise on "3D and 2D Dynamic earthquake rupture simulations based on BIEMs and FDMs" and "analysis of seismotectonics of the Marmara Region, via sensitive individual and relative earthquake locations, focal mechanism solutions and stress tensor analyses". She also has experience on kinematic earthquake rupture modeling. She currently works for the achievement of 3D dynamic earthquake rupture simulations in the Marmara Sea concerning non-planar and heterogeneous fault structures through the MarDIM project. She also works as a researcher in the department of Geophysics and basic disaster awareness educator (as a volunteer) in the Basic Disaster Awareness Unit, in Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, BoÄŸaziçi University.

Abstract:

Extensional focal mechanism solutions are mostly observed in the Central Marmara by this comprehensive research although the main Marmara Fault, the western branch of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ), is dominated by a right lateral strike-slip regime. Marmara Region is a seismically very active area. The 1912 Mürefte and 1999 Izmit earthquakes are the last devastating earthquakes of the western and eastern sections of it, respectively. The region between these earthquakes, close to Istanbul, is prone to a large earthquake. Therefore, the analysis of the Marmara Sea is significant.

The goal of this research is to determine earthquake hypocenters and focal mechanism solutions accurately, hence obtain recent states of stresses in the Marmara Region. Accordingly, this research aims to define branches of fault structures and their geometrical orientations. In this study, six clusters of earthquakes are located using hypocenter program. Next, they are submitted to the stress tensor inversion procedure and their simultaneous focal mechanism solutions are obtained. Besides, they are relocated one again using HYPODD relative location technique. Consequently, from the comparison of relocation results of hypocenter and HYPODD programs, it is found out that most of the relocations have the same orientations due to the usage of a high quality data set. Dipping angles of the segments of the Main Marmara Fault could not be observed; on the other hand,  important information is discovered about seismogenic zones. Besides, mostly NE-SW oriented extensional stress structures are  found in the five regions, while a right lateral strike-slip stress structure is found in the most western Marmara. Further, our sensitive relocation and stress analyses will make an important contribution to a better understanding of the fault movements of the Sea of Marmara, and shed light on earthquake rupture analyses for heterogeneous stress states and other seismological studies.

Biography:

Wided Batita received Ingenior degree in Aquatic Resources from National Agronomic Institute of Tunis, MSc degree in Environmental Management from Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Greece, in 2006 and 2009, respectively and the PhD degree in Geomatics from Laval University, Quebec, Canada in 2016. She has taught GIS, mapping and GIS analysis as auxiliary teaching at Laval University.She is mainly interested in issues on access and use of geospatial technologies for planning and Geodesign, VGI, risk assessment, and spatial database

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Soil erosion by water is recognized as a major problem arising from agricultural intensification, land degradation and possibly global climatic change. It is, in our days, a major threat to sustainable land and crop production and causes degradation of water resources. This phenomenon is leading to significant decrease of soil fertility in the Mediterranean region as well as in Europe. GIS and Remote Sensing become necessary tools to prevent further soil degradation, by assessing risk. These tools have been implemented to assess the soil erosion risk in Kolymvari, Crete, Greece, which is due to intensive olive cultivation.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: The main aim of this study is to monitor potential land degradation in the Kolymvari municipality, which will be achieved through Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation Model (MUSLE) that could be utilized for predicting the scale and extent of land degradation in the study area. The estimation of the peak discharge, and the runoff volume were estimated. After that, the MUSLE factors have been generated. The watershed study area has been classified into categories (5ERCs) according to the degree of erosion risk, based on the predicted soil loss potential by the model. So, the high erosion risk areas (hot spots ERC5) have been identified in the watershed and accordingly, simple and low cost conservation and management practices have been proposed.

Findings: The strength of MUSLE model includes its ability to directly estimate sediment delivery potential from soil erosion. This is a valuable tool for environmental management and much needed for source-sink characterization of terrestrial source and aquatic sinks of particulate matters.

Conclusion & Significance: There is no big difference between the thematic maps generated by the two models MUSLE and RUSLE, almost the same values were found for the 5 ERCs. The areas located in the northern part of the peninsula belong to ERC5, because soil erosion potential coincided with the steeper slope length (L) and steepness (S) factors. Additionally, the areas in the southern part of the area belong to ERC5, because soil erosion potential coincides with relatively intense olive cultivation.

Biography:

Abstract:

Groundwater is the main source for land development in the Arabian Gulf countries particularly in the United Arab Emirates. To investigate the influence of geological structures on groundwater flow and accumulation, we used a set of multi-sources remote sensing data in a GIS to map fault zones and drainage pattern and spatially analyze their association with groundwater quantity and quality in Al Jaaw Plain, Al Ain, UAE.  As a first step, the remote sensing data were spatially and atmospherically corrected and enhanced by applying a set of convolution filters. After that, the main fault zones and drainage pattern were extracted manually and automatically from SAR images and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM). These features were brought into a GIS environment to correlate them against groundwater data (e.g. hydraulic head, thickness aquifer, and groundwater salinity). The results of the study show that the drainage pattern, thickness of the aquifer, and topography are structural controlled by NNW– SSE, NE–SW, and ENE–WSW trending fault zones, significantly influencing the groundwater flow and groundwater quality in Al Jaaw Plain. The results also show the groundwater flow follow the trends of fault zones  and the groundwater quality increases as the flow length increases from the east to the west. 

Biography:

Mohamed F Khalil is an Associated Professor of Applied Geophysics at the Department of Geological Sciences, Assiut University, Egypt. He has received his PhD in 1998 from University of Assiut. His research interests include geophysical methods and ground water in Egypt. Also, he is a research member in some projects of investigation and evaluation of the ground water and distillation and supervising on drilling and development of the ground water wells in some localities in Egypt.

Abstract:

Flash floods are severe disasters in terms of human lives loss and economical damages. However, it is a vital source of fresh water especially for wadi system and arid environments. Modelling tools are needed for an effective flash flood management. Due to the scarcity of gauged data, hydrological modeling is carried out using alternative data as remote sensing to simulate the flash floods at wadi system. The target study area is Wadi Qena, which considered as one of the most promising areas for development in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. The adopted methodology was based on Hydro-BEAM (Hydrological River Basin Environmental Assessment Model) linked with several remote sensing data types as to overcome data limitation in wadi environments. Hydro-BEAM is a physical based distributed hydrological model. Transmission losses have been estimated using the empirical Walter equations. The simulation has been successfully carried out indicating that the proposed methodology can be used to predict the flash floods in Wadi Qena. The behaviors of flash floods have been depicted revealing that the warning time of flash floods is very short. The remote sensing data can be reasonably used to compensate measurements deficiency. Results interpretations revealed that Wadi Qena has a significant water resources where the estimated surface water that drained by the wadi outlet is equal to 71.7 million m3 for Jan-2010 and the total transmission losses is equal to 13.15 million m3. Therefore, such amount of water should be efficiently managed and utilized.

Biography:

Ahmed Hosny completed his PhD at the Trieste University, Italy and Post-doctoral studies from Penn State University, Geosciences department, USA. He is an Associate Professor at the Seismology Department, specialized in deep earth structures using seismic tomography, receiver functions and joint inversion methods. He has published more than 20 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as a reviewer for many international journals, such as BSSA, ACTA Geophysica etc.

Abstract:

P-wave receiver functions from 26 stations in the Egyptian National Seismic Network (ENSN) have been modeled using the H-k stacking method and in a joint inversion method with Rayleigh wave group velocities to investigate crustal structure across Egypt and the northern Red Sea region. The new estimates of crustal structure, when combined with previous results, show that the rifted margins along the Red Sea, Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba crustal thickness ranges from 25-30 km, the average crustal Vp/Vs ratio is 1.77 and the average crustal shear-wave velocity is 3.6 km/s. Beneath northern and central Egypt, including the Sinai Peninsula, crustal thickness ranges from 32 to 38 km, the average crustal Vp/Vs ratio is 1.79 and the average crustal shear-wave velocity is 3.5 km/sec. Beneath southern Egypt, crustal thickness ranges from 35-40 km, the average crustal Vp/Vs ratio is 1.76 and the average crustal shear-wave velocity is 3.7 km/s. In southern Egypt, the crust is also characterized by a 10-20 km thick mafic lower crust. These findings indicate that crust along the rifted margins of the northern Red Sea and Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba have been thinned by about 5 to 10 km. The thick mafic lower crust in southern Egypt can be attributed to suturing during the Neoproterozoic collision of east Gondwana against the Sahara metacraton. Overall, the structure of the crust in Egypt away from the northern Red Sea region is similar to the structure of Precambrian crust in many other parts of Africa.

Biography:

Ibrahim M Metwally has his expertise in Geotechnical and Engineering Geological science in improving the concepts and theories. His model based on continuum mechanic and descriptive geometry in three-dimension creates new pathways for improving the understanding of earth creation and its first size and how continents and oceans formed. He has built this model after years of experience in research, evaluation, teaching and administration both in industrial and education sectors. He has outstanding productivity both as a Civil Engineering Consultant and as a Professor.

Abstract:

Wegener's theory of Continental Drift was formulated in the early 20^th Century, and accepted worldwide by many scientists and philosophers. Tectonic plate theory followed the same approach.  However, these theories have great shortcomings and raise a lot of unanswered questions. No one denies the geometrical fit of some continental boundaries, but it is hard to accept the mechanism of drifting the Pangaea and the presence of that Pangaea surrounded by that huge ocean. The main problem in these theories is the limitation in the two-dimensional view, while reality is three dimensional one. However, Earth's continents were once connected forming the earth hard surface, but without any oceans or seas. This paper is devoted to prove that these theories are unrealistic ones. It also shows that there is no plate movement, neither convergent nor divergent. This paper handles the subject from the civil engineering point of view within the continuum mechanics framework. 

Biography:

Nageh A Obaidalla is a Professor of Stratigraphy and Micropaleontology at the Department of Geological Sciences, Assiut University, Egypt. He has received his PhD in 1993 at the University of Assiut. His research interests include the upper cretaceous-paleogene stratigraphy and marine micropaleontology of Egypt. His interests are with the regional Paleocene-lower Eocene stratigraphy, planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy of Egypt and the Neogene stratigraphy of the Nile Delta. He earned his geological expertise through field studies in several provinces of Egypt. In the last ten years, he has directed his investigations towards the stratigraphically tectonic events such as the Cretaceous/Paleogene, the Danian/Selandian and the Paleocene/Eocene events.

Abstract:

This work depends on the detail field, litho- and bio-stratigraphic studies on the Lower Paleogene succession of nine stratigraphic sections in Sinai, Egypt. These sections are nearly arranged in a geologic profile from north to south direction (e.g. Al-Hasanah, Sahabah, Sudr Al-Hitan, Al-Thamad, Wadi Sudr, Abu Qada, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran). Lithostratigraphically, the studied sections are composed of five rock units namely, Sudr (uppemostpart), Dakhla, Tarawan, Esna (El-Hanadi, El-Dababiya, El-Mahmiya and Abu Had members) and Thebes formations. The vertical contacts of the rock units are gradational or intercalation in some sections and sharp at the others. Moreover, a paleosol and an erosive surface are recorded at the formational boundaries. Biostratigraphically, a general planktonic foraminiferal zonal scheme consists of eighteen zones is constructed for the Lower Paleogene strata. Some of these zones are absent in the studied sections. Based on the field and stratigraphic criteria, three remarkable tectonic events related to the Syrian Arc Orogeny are recognized. These tectonic events correspond to the Cretaceous/Paleogene, the Danian/Selandian and the Paleocene/Eocene boundaries respectively. The magnitude of these tectonic events varies in the different localities in Sinai. The Cretaceous/Paleogene event led to the missing of the lowermost part of Danian sediments. The Danian/Selandian and Paleocene/Eocene events are lithostratigraphically evidenced by the missing of Qreiya Beds and El Dababiya Quarry Member respectively. Moreover, the Paleocene/Eocene event led to the missing of the upper part of the Thanetian and the lower part of the Ypressian sediments at some section and replaced by a paleosol and an erosive surface. It subdivided the Sinai into two sedimentary sub-basins in the north and south isolated by huge aerial paleohigh which extends from Sudr Al-Hitan in the north to Abu Qada in the south.

Biography:

Noor Al-Dousari has obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Botany from Kuwait University. She started her research career at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research and published more than 20 conference and journal papers. During the last six years she has taken intensive training courses on desert and coastal rehabilitation programs.

Abstract:

Arid regions are affected by many environmental challenges such as the absence of vegetation cover, lack of rain fall, increase wind erosion, which eventually increases sand and dust storm events. The upper surface of soil is vulnerable to land degradation causing the accumulation of sand around building, roads, and different man made infrastructure that cost the country tremendous amount of money yearly for mechanical sand removal. The cost of mechanical sand removal is 5.20 USD for 1 m³. Therefore, this study focuses on three different types of nabkhas namly; single plant, double plants and group of plants nabkhas. the physical and chemical properties of nabkha i.e. particle size, organic matter, moisture content, acidity, electrical conductivity were also covered. The volume of trapped sand accumulated around nabkhas are measured in cubic meters (m³), and converted to calculated cost of mechanical sand removal.  A single nabkha of Nitraria retusa, is capable of trapping mobile sand with a maximum of 21.9 m³ and an average of 2 m³. The equivalent cost of trapped sand in forming single nabkha is 10.4 USD. Hence, the efficiency of native plant species in trapping mobile sand reduces the cost of sand removal in the different forms of nabkhas. Therefore, Nitraria retusa as a dominant native plant in Kuwait represents valuable and efficient control measure for mobile sand and dust.