Geomorphology

Imaggeo on Mondays: The shrinking of Earth’s saltiest lake

Laura Roberts-Artal December 5, 2016

One of the consequences of the rapid fall of the water level (>1 m per year), is that vast areas of salt-rich ground of the shrunken Dead Sea are prone to strong dissolution and mechanical erosion of the subsurface processes.

Submarine springs at the Dead Sea shoreline. Credit: Djamil Al-Halbouni and Dr. Eoghan Holohan (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

The Dead Sea is one of the saltiest lakes on Earth, located at the lowest point of the globe. For centuries it has been known for the restorative powers of its muds and waters. Their hypersalinity means it is possible to easily float on the lake’s surface. Bordering Israel, the West Bank and Jordan, it is a unique environment in an otherwise arid region. Changing climate, which is seeing tempera ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Gole dell‘ Alcantara

Laura Roberts-Artal November 7, 2016

Find a new way . Credit: Wolfgang Fraedrich (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

On account of Mount Etna (Europe’s largest volcano), the island of Sicily is peppered with geological wonders. Starting with the summit craters of the volcano itself, right through to over 200 caves formed within lava tubes, the island is packed with volcanic sights.Chief among them is Gole dell ‘Alcantara, a system of gorges formed 8,000 years ago in the course of the river Alcantara ...[Read More]

GeoTalk: Drilling into the crater which contributed to the demise of dinosaurs

Laura Roberts-Artal October 28, 2016

The Onshore Science Party for Expedition 364. Image courtesy of Volker Diekamp@ECORD_IODP

Six months ago, somewhere in the tropical waters off the coast of Mexico, scientists began drilling into one of the most iconic geological features on Earth: the Chicxulub crater; the 66 million year old remnants of a deadly asteroid impact, thought to have contributed to the demise of dinosaurs and most other forms of life which inhabited the Earth at the time. Today we speak to Sonia Tikoo, Assi ...[Read More]

Celebrating Earth Science Week!

Laura Roberts-Artal October 6, 2016

For those not so familiar with the Earth sciences, geosciences and all its subdisciplines might be shrouded in mystery: boring, unfathomable, out of reach and with little relevance to everyday life. Nothing could be further from the truth! Earth Science Week, an international annual celebration founded by the American Geosciences Institute in 1998, aims to change the public’s perception of the ge ...[Read More]