The Contribution of Airborne EM for the Study of Dead Sea

AEM method can be a potential effective tool for aiding in the mapping and managing of the Dead Sea area, from the smallest scale to the macro-regional area. The Dead Sea scenario may represent a very interesting field study, as several crucial issues, that are related to the problems affecting the lake’s survival, could be better defined. From the smallest to the largest scale, we can identify the following items where AEM could play a role: detection of large sinkholes, better resolution of geological and hydrogeological relationships all around the coastline, resolution of the freshwater-saltwater interface, detailed hydrogeological mapping close to springs, study of the layering of the lake waters, contribute from the resistivity models to estimate submarine groundwater discharge, definition of the tectonic setting, with particular attention to fault systems related to hydrothermal activity, detection of the recharge areas, contribute to implement a Water Budget of the entire watershed. For each of these topics, case-studies and examples drawn from experiences collected all over the World will be presented