Usama Massoud

The implementation of multi-task geophysical survey to locate Cleopatra Tomb at Tap-Osiris Magna, Borg El-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt “Phase II”

Abstract According to some new discoveries at Tap-Osiris Magna temple (West of Alexandria), there is potentiality to uncover a remarkable archeological finding at this site. Three years ago many significant archeological evidences have been discovered sustaining the idea that the tomb of Cleopatra and Anthony may be found in the Osiris temple inside Tap-Osiris Magna temple at a depth from 20 to 30 m. To confirm this idea, PHASE I was conducted in by joint application of Ground Penetrating Radar “GPR”, Electrical Resistivity Tomography “ERT” and Magnetometry. The results obtained from PHASE I could not confirm the existence of major tombs at this site. However, small possible cavities were strongly indicated which encouraged us to proceed in investigation of this site by using another geophysical approach including Very Low Frequency Electro Magnetic (VLF-EM) technique. VLF-EM data were collected along parallel lines covering the investigated site with a line-to-line spacing of 1 m. The point-to-point distance of 1 m along the same line was employed. The data were qualitatively interpreted by Fraser filtering process and quantitatively by 2-D VLF inversion of tipper data and forward modeling. Results obtained from VLF-EM interpretation are correlated with 2-D resistivity imaging and drilling information. Findings showed a highly resistive zone at a depth extended from about 25–45 m buried beneath Osiris temple, which could be indicated as the tomb of Cleopatra and Anthony. This result is supported by Fraser filtering and forward modeling results. The depth of archeological findings as indicated from the geophysical survey is correlated well with the depth expected by archeologists, as well as, the depth of discovered tombs outside Tap-Osiris Magna temple. This depth level has not been reached by drilling in this site. We hope that the site can be excavated in the future based on these geophysical results.

Characterization of the groundwater aquifers at El Sadat City by joint inversion of VES and TEM data

Abstract Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) and Transient ElectroMagnetic (TEM) survey have been applied for characterizing the groundwater aquifers at El Sadat industrial area. El-Sadat city is one of the most important industrial cities in Egypt. It has been constructed more than three decades ago at about 80 km northwest of Cairo along the Cairo–Alexandria desert road. Groundwater is the main source of water supplies required for domestic, municipal and industrial activities in this area due to the lack of surface water sources. So, it is important to maintain this vital resource in order to sustain the development plans of this city. In this study, VES and TEM data were identically measured at 24 stations along 3 profiles trending NE–SW with the elongation of the study area. The measuring points were arranged in a grid-like pattern with both inter-station spacing and line–line distance of about 2 km. After performing the necessary processing steps, the VES and TEM data sets were inverted individually to multi-layer models, followed by a joint inversion of both data sets. Joint inversion process has succeeded to overcome the model-equivalence problem encountered in the inversion of individual data set. Then, the joint models were used for the construction of a number of cross sections and contour maps showing the lateral and vertical distribution of the geoelectrical parameters in the subsurface medium. Interpretation of the obtained results and correlation with the available geological and hydrogeological information revealed TWO aquifer systems in the area. The shallow Pleistocene aquifer consists of sand and gravel saturated with fresh water and exhibits large thickness exceeding 200 m. The deep Pliocene aquifer is composed of clay and sand and shows low resistivity values. The water-bearing layer of the Pleistocene aquifer and the upper surface of Pliocene aquifer are continuous and no structural features have cut this continuity through the investigated area.

1D and 3D inversion of VES data to outline a fresh water zone floating over saline water body at the northwestern coast of Egypt

Abstract Seawater intrusion is a widespread environmental problem in the Egyptian coastal aquifers. It affects the groundwater used in domestic and agricultural activities along these coasts. In this study, resistivity survey in the form of Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) was conducted at ZAWYET EL HAWALA cultivated site, northwest coast of Egypt to outline a freshwater zone overlies the main saltwater body, and to determine the most suitable location for drilling water well for irrigation purposes. The VES data were measured at 11 stations in the studied site. After processing, the data were inverted in 1-D and 3-D schemes and the final model was presented as resistivity slices with depth. The results indicate that the effect of saltwater intrusion was observed, as low resistivity values, at 7.5 m below ground surface (bgs) at the northern part of the study area (toward the Mediterranean Sea), and extends southward with increasing depth covering the whole area at about 30 m bgs. The fresh water zone shows a minimum thickness of less than 7.5 m at the northern side and a maximum thickness of about 20 m at the southern side of the area. The proper site for drilling water well tap and the freshwater zone is the location of VES6 or VES9 with a maximum well depth of about 20 m bgs. The water withdrawal from the proposed well should be controlled not to raise the main saline water table in the well site. The main sources of the freshwater zone are the rainfall and surface runoff descending from the southern tableland. Excess rainfall and surface runoff can be avoided from direct discharge to the sea by collecting them in man-made outlined trenches and re-using the stored water in irrigation during the dry seasons.

Using tensorial electrical resistivity survey to locate fault systems

This paper deals with the use of the tensorial resistivity method for fault orientation and macroanisotropy characterization. The rotational properties of the apparent resistivity tensor are presented using 3D synthetic models representing structures with a dominant direction of low resistivity and vertical discontinuities. It is demonstrated that polar diagrams of the elements of the tensor are effective in delineating those structures. As the apparent resistivity tensor shows great inefficacy in investigating the depth of the structures, it is advised to accomplish tensorial surveys with the application of other geophysical methods. An experimental example, including tensorial, dipole–dipole and time domain surveys, is presented to illustrate the potentiality of the method. The dipole–dipole model shows high-resistivity contrasts which were interpreted as corresponding to faults crossing the area. The results from the time domain electromagnetic (TEM) sounding show high-resistivity values till depths of 40–60 m at the north part of the area. In the southern part of the survey area the soundings show an upper layer with low-resistivity values (around 30 Ω m) followed by a more resistive bedrock (resistivity >100 Ω m) at a depth ranging from 15 to 30 m. The soundings in the central part of the survey area show more variability. A thin conductive overburden is followed by a more resistive layer with resistivity in the range of 80–1800 Ω m. The north and south limits of the central part of the area as revealed by TEM survey are roughly E–W oriented and coincident with the north fault scarp and the southernmost fault detected by the dipole–dipole survey. The pattern of the polar diagrams calculated from tensorial resistivity data clearly indicates the presence of a contact between two blocks at south of the survey area with the low-resistivity block located southwards. The presence of other two faults is not so clear from the polar diagram patterns, but their location can be afforded combining tensorial, dipole–dipole and TEM results.

VLF-EM study for archaeological investigation of the labyrinth mortuary temple complex at Hawara area, Egypt

The present study is a test of the applicability of the VLF-EM method in archaeological prospecting. The Hawara area is about 90 km south of Cairo and is the location of an important archaeological site known as the labyrinth mortuary temple complex, situated south of the Hawara pyramid. No official excavations have been carried out in the labyrinth complex since 1911. VLF-EM was employed in this study using a small grid, 2 m between profiles and stations. The measured data were interpreted using Fraser and Karous-Hjelt filters. Two-dimensional (2D) resistivity cross-sections have been calculated inverting VLF-EM data in a quantitative manner. A three-dimensional (3D) resistivity inversion scheme has been applied to a grid of nine Schlumberger vertical electrical soundings to provide information on the resistivity of the shallow and deep structures in the study area. Results show a large group of elongated and square subsurface anomalies at shallow depths, connected in some parts and separated in others. The spatial distribution of the anomalies significantly matches a historical description by Herodotus.

Preliminary hydrogeophysical investigation at the 10th of Ramadan City, Egypt, by 1D and 2D inversion of VES data

Electrical resistivity survey in the form of vertical electrical sounding was conducted at the 10th of Ramadan City, Egypt, to analyse subsurface lithology distribution and the inter-relation between the possible infiltrated wastewater from oxidation ponds and the surface seepage emerged at the city centre. Special interest was paid for tracing the low-resistivity clayey layer, which can act as a barrier against surface water percolation and as a low permeable zone to form local perched water system. Vertical electrical sounding data by Schlumberger electrode configuration were taken at 17 stations along a line extended from the city centre to the oxidation ponds used for wastewater treatment. The data were inverted by using 1D and 2D inversion schemes to construct geoelectrical cross section along the surveyed line. The geoelectrical layers were interpreted principally in terms of lithology and water content by correlation with borehole information. From the obtained results, four layers were identified in the subsurface medium. The upper three layers are located above the regional water table, whereas the fourth one was interpreted to be fully water saturated. The second layer from the surface is of great importance as it is the low-resistivity clayey layer. This layer is discontinuous along the survey line. Downward infiltration of wastewater from the oxidation ponds is possible especially at the pond No. 2 as the clayey layer was interpreted not to exist at the site. The infiltrated wastewater from the oxidation ponds was interpreted not to be the cause of the surface seepage emerged at the city centre because the clayey layer dips toward opposite direction. The probable sources of the seepage were considered the local surface infiltration from excess irrigation water in the nearby cultivated land and/or leakage from the underground water utilities in the city centre.

Integrated geophysical application to investigate groundwater potentiality of the shallow Nubian aquifer at northern Kharga, Western Desert, Egypt

Abstract Continuous evaluation of groundwater aquifers in the basin of Kharga Oasis is very important. Groundwater in Kharga Oasis represents the major factor for the development plans of this area as it is the sole source for water supplies required for drinking and irrigation purposes. This study is concerned by analyzing the groundwater potentiality of the shallow aquifer at the northern part of Kharga basin by integrated application of Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) and Time domain Electromagnetic (TEM) techniques. The VES data were measured at 28 points arranged along a north–south trending line by applying Schlumberger array with a maximum current-electrode spacing (AB) of 1000 m. The TEM data were measured at 167 points arranged along 11 east–west trending lines by using a single square loop with 50 m loop-side length. The VES and TEM data have been individually inverted, where the VES models were used as initial models for TEM data inversion. The final models were used for construction of 17 geoelectrical sections and 5 contour maps describing subsurface water-bearing layers at the investigated area. Correlation of the obtained models with geologic, hydrogeologic and borehole information indicates that the shallow aquifer comprises two zones (A-up) and (B-down) separated by a highly conductive shale layer. The upper zone (A) is composed of fine to medium sand with thin clay intercalations. It exhibits low to moderate resistivities. This zone was detected at depth values ranging from 10 to 70 m below ground surface (bgs) and shows a thickness of 25–90 m. The lower zone (B) exhibits moderate to high resistivity values with expected good water quality. The upper surface of zone B was detected at 60–165 m depth.

Investigation of the probable wastewater infiltration and its impact on groundwater quality by electrical resistivity tomography and hydrochemistry: a case study of the Pleistocene aquifer at El Sadat city, Egypt

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and hydrochemical investigations were conducted at the wastewater ponds (oxidation ponds) in El Sadat industrial city, Egypt, to study the possibility of wastewater percolation to the Pleistocene aquifer and its effect on the groundwater chemistry. Pleistocene aquifer is the main groundwater reservoir in this area, where El Sadat city and its vicinities use it as a main source for water supplies required for drinking, agricultural and industrial activities. In this study, seven ERT profiles were measured around the wastewater ponds and ten water samples were collected from the ponds and the nearby groundwater wells. The water samples were analyzed for major cations (Ca2+, Na+, K+, and Mg2+); major anions (Cl−,

A Coastal Aquifer Study Using Magnetotelluric and Gravity Methods in Abo Zenema, Egypt

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