US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Imaging the Geometry of the Kharga Basin (New Valley Oasis) and its Groundwater Capacity

该项目支持俄克拉荷马州立大学（Stillwater）的Estella Atekwana博士和埃及Helwan国家天文与地球物理研究所（NRIAG）的Magdy Atya的合作研究项目。他们计划研究“哈尔加盆地（新山谷绿洲）的几何成像及其地下水容量”。pi将调查拥有努比亚砂岩含水层（NSA）的Kharga盆地的地下几何结构。国家安全局很可能成为埃及日益重要的淡水来源，而更彻底的分析对于确保这一水资源得到有效利用至关重要。许多地下水数值模型的建立都依赖于区域尺度的地质调查，没有考虑到地下水的结构复杂性。这种结构的复杂性被钻孔数据所突出，这些数据表明，埃及南部NSA的中生代沉积剖面的厚度在40公里的距离上可以在600米到0米之间变化。盆地几何形状的精确成像对利用美国国家安全局地下水的任何努力都至关重要；一种被认为对埃及至关重要的淡水资源。目前，埃及8500万人口中约99%生活在尼罗河流域和三角洲沿岸，每年使用尼罗河排放的550亿立方米淡水。然而，由于上游其他国家对尼罗河水的需求不断增加，以及全球气候变化对河水流量的不可预测的影响，这种供应可能会变得不那么可靠。古生代-中生代国家安全局，其大部分似乎位于埃及下方，但也延伸到利比亚，苏丹和乍得，被认为是提供急需地下水资源的可能候选人。该项目的具体目标是：(1)确定Kharga凹陷下NSA所在盆地的地下几何形状；(2)绘制并描述该盆地断层系统的地表和地下几何形状，作为地下水流动的潜在管道；(3)开发一个有助于资源规划和管理的地球科学GIS数据库。这些目标将通过利用遥感数据和地质调查以及沿东西向和南北向剖面的地球物理调查（地震、重力、磁和电磁数据）来实现，以便对盆地和相关含水层进行详细的地下成像，从而确定潜在的地下水积聚。这些数据也将对地下水模型的发展提供重要的限制，这些模型将量化地下水的可用性。可以在其他绿洲进行类似的研究，以提供更准确的现有和可持续水资源清单。这项研究建立在美国和埃及科学家在NRIAG和俄勒冈州立大学之间现有的研究合作基础上。该项目将确认一种平等的伙伴关系，加强智力合作，并作为培训下一代从事全球工作的科学家的平台。埃及机构的科学投入以及与美国机构的合作将有助于为西部沙漠绿洲的可持续资源管理建立一种长期战略规划方法。该研究将把水资源勘探的地质、地球物理和遥感信息与基于gis的制图数据结合起来。地球物理研究、制图和建模工作还将培养学生的技能，这些技能在地表淡水资源日益稀缺的情况下与世界各地相关。培训来自埃及和美国的从事国际研究的早期职业教师和研究生，并指导他们领导国际、多元文化和多学科的研究团队，将是该项目的一个重要好处。女性和少数族裔学生将有特别的机会通过与美国国家科学基金会资助的俄克拉荷马州路易斯斯托克斯少数族裔参与联盟（LSAMP）项目在俄勒冈州立大学合作参与国际研究。与LSAMP的整体培训和合作将帮助学生认识到国际研究的相关性，并将提供重要的机会来发展在日益全球化的世界中有效生活和工作所需的知识，技能和能力。技术转让将通过同行审查的出版物、讲习班、短期课程和在诸如非洲地质学会、美国地球物理联合会和美国地质学会等国际科学场所传播项目成果的方式进行。该项目由美国-埃及联合科学技术基金项目资助。这些合作项目的美方支持由美国国务院提供给国家科学基金会。埃及政府为埃及方面的合作提供支持。

This project supports a cooperative research project by Dr. Estella Atekwana of Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma and Magdy Atya of the the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, Egypt. They plan to study "Imaging the Geometry of the Kharga Basin (New Valley Oasis) and its Groundwater Capacity." The PIs will investigate the subsurface geometry of the Kharga Basin which hosts the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer (NSA). The NSA is likely to become and increasingly important source of fresh water for Egypt and a more thorough analysis is crucial to ensuring that this water resource is used effectively. Many numerical groundwater models used to evaluate the groundwater potential of the NSA have relied on regional-scale geological investigations and did not consider the structural complexity of the NSA. This structural complexity is highlighted by borehole data that suggest that the thickness of the Mesozoic sedimentary section of the NSA in southern Egypt can vary between 600m and 0 m along a distance of 40 km. Accurate imaging of the basin's geometry is critical to any effort to utilize the NSA groundwater; a freshwater resource believed to be of fundamental importance to Egypt. Currently ~99% of Egypt's 85 million population lives along the Nile Valley and Delta using the 55 billion cubic meters of fresh water discharged annually by the Nile River. However, this supply is likely to become less reliably due to the increasing demand by other countries upstream for a larger share of the Nile's water and also the unpredictable consequences of global climate change on the river's discharge. The Paleozoic-Mesozoic NSA, The majority of which appears to lie under Egypt but also stretches into Libya, Sudan and Chad, is thought to be the likely candidate for providing badly needed groundwater resource. The specific objectives of this project are to: (1) determine the subsurface geometry of the basin hosting the NSA underlying the Kharga Depression, (2) map and characterize the surface and subsurface geometry of the fault systems of this basin as potential conduits of groundwater flow, (3) develop a geoscientific GIS database that would aid in resource planning and management. These objectives will be accomplished by utilizing remote sensing data and geological investigations in association with geophysical surveys (seismic, gravity, magnetic and electromagnetic data) along E-W and N-S profiles for detailed subsurface imaging of the basin and associated aquifers, hence identifying potential groundwater accumulations. These data will also provide important constraints for the development of groundwater models that will quantify the availability of groundwater. Similar studies can be conducted at other oases to provide a more accurate inventory of available and sustainable water resources. The research builds upon existing research collaborations between the US and Egyptian scientists at NRIAG and at OSU. The project will affirm an equal partnership, enhance intellectual collaboration and serve as a platform for the training of the next generation of globally-engaged scientists. The scientific input of the Egyptian institution and collaboration with the US institution will help establish an approach for long term strategic planning for sustainable resources management for the oases in the Western Desert. The study will integrate geological, geophysical and remote sensing information for water resources exploration with GIS-based mapping data The geophysics research, mapping and modeling efforts will also train students in skills that are relevant around the world as surface freshwater resources become more scarce. The training of early career faculty and graduate students in international research from both Egypt and the US, and mentoring them to lead international, culturally diverse, and multidisciplinary research teams will be a significant benefit of this project. There will be specific opportunities for women and minority students to participate in international research by partnering with the NSF-funded Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program at OSU. The overall training and collaboration with LSAMP will help students realize the relevance of international research and will provide important opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to effectively live and work in an increasingly globalized world. Technology transfer will occur through peer reviewed publications, workshops, short courses and dissemination of project results at international science venues such as the Geological Society of Africa, American Geophysical Union and Geological Society of America. This project is funded through the US-Egypt Joint Science and Technology Fund Program. Support for the U.S. side of these cooperative projects is provided to the National Science Foundation by the U.S. Department of State. The Egyptian Government provides support for the Egyptian side of the collaboration.