HR: 0830h
AN: H31B-0452    [PDF]
TI: Hydrogeophysical Investigation at Luxor Archaeological Site, Southern Egypt
AU: * Ismail, A M
EM: aib57@umr.edu
AF: Department of Geology and geophysics, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, Mo 65409 United States
AU: Anderson, N L
EM: nanders@umr.edu
AF: Department of Geology and geophysics, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, Mo 65409 United States
AU: Atekwana, E A
EM: atekwana@umr.edu
AF: Department of Geology and geophysics, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, Mo 65409 United States
AB: Accelerated deterioration of the fabled monuments on the banks of the Luxor, southern Egypt, due to the elevated groundwater and increased salinity has caused global concern for preservation of these monuments. Groundwater delivering salts into the monuments' foundations evaporates leaving salts behind. Pressure developed during crystallization and hydration of residual salts within the foundations is suggested as the most likely cause for deterioration. The viable and safe mitigation of the deterioration problem requires an understanding of the hydrostratigraphy of the Luxor area. An integrated geophysical and hydrological investigations including resistivity soundings, seismic refraction, ground penetrating radar (GPR), and chemical analysis of ground and surface water were conducted. The objective was to characterize the subsurface geologic/hydrologic units and identify sources responsible for rise in groundwater and increase in salinity. Integrated interpretations of the geophysical and hydrological data successfully characterized the shallow subsurface ($<$100m) into seven geoelectric (geologic /hydrologic) units. A thick silty clay unit (12-28m) underlies the area of the Karnak and Luxor Temples, which we interpret as a paleo-meander of the River Nile. Depth to the top of water-saturated zone was determined to be about 9m at the area of the temples. Based on the GPR results, the upper limit of capillary water at the Karnak Temples complex was determined to be 0.0- 2m, which indicates that the capillary rise within the silty clay can reach up to 9m. The groundwater flow direction was determined to be from the central cultivated areas towards the River Nile. The regional increase in groundwater salinity was towards the River Nile (or area of temples) in the same direction of the groundwater flow with maximum concentration beneath the temples. Based on these results, we suggest that, the salt accumulation on the monument's foundations is mainly due to salt transport by capillary water from the higher salinity groundwater or paleo-water in the thick silty clay unit.
DE: 0600 ELECTROMAGNETICS
DE: 0935 Seismic methods (3025)
DE: 1719 Hydrology
DE: 1866 Soil moisture
DE: 3914 Electrical properties
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting