Prof. Zvi Ben-Avraham Dr. Lev EppelbaumProf. Dan Kosloff Dr. Shmulik Marco Prof. Moshe Reshef

Dr. Hillel Wust Bloch

Submersible Submersible “Delta” in the “Delta” in the Dead SeaDead SeaNovember 1999November 1999

Prof. Z. Ben-Avraham

Prof. Z. Ben-Avraham

Prof. D. Kosllof

• Exploration seismology

• Seismic wave propagation

• Seismic inversion

• Signal processing

Ateret 1202

Jerash 749

Kala’at Nemord 1759

Analysis of earthquake damage in archaeological structures

Dr. S. Marco

Temporal distribution of earthquakes: Example from the Dead Sea basin based on deformation of rocks

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Earthquakes/5 kyr

Age, kyr

Cluster I

Cluster II

Seismite

Dr. S. Marco

Prof. Moshe Reshef

Seismic data analysis for oil exploration

Seismic imaging and velocity model building

Large-scale seismic data processing

Geophysical computer-algorithm development

Dr. Hille Wust-Bloch

Nanoseismic Monitoring Platforms

Dr. H. Wust-Bloch

2005:- 1.7 < ML < 3.3

Nanoseismic Monitoring

2004: ML 5.0

2002: ML -3.6

2005: ML 2.9

2004: ML 2.1

2005: ML -0.7

Types and Magnitudes of Source Processes

2006:- 2.3 < ML < 8 [CTBTO: Illegal blast monitoring]

[Weak seismicity monitoring]

[Aftershock monitoring]

[Sinkhole and cavitation monitoring]

[Blast monitoring]

[MERC: regional seismic calibration]

[CTBTO: blast activity monitoring]

Dr. H. Wust-Bloch

Integrated magnetic-paleomagnetic-radiometrical scheme of Lake Kinneret area 1 & 2 - respectively normally and reversely magnetized basalts, 3 - Neogene basalts, 4 - sediments, 5 - boundaries of paleomagneic zones in the Lake Kinneret, 6 - faults, 7 - radiometric age of basalts, 8 - data of surface paleo-magnetic measurements: a - reverse magnetization, b - normal magnetization, 9 - data of magnetic field analysis in the lake: a - reverse magnetization, b - normal magnetization; 10 - boreholes, 11 - generalized direction of the buried basaltic plate dipping, 12 - location of paleomagnetic profile. 1n, 2n, 3n, 1Ar, 2Ar and 3Ar are the indexes of paleomagnetic zones.

Dr. L. Eppelbaum

Interpretation magnetic data at the Roman archaeological site Banias (northern Israel):

A – Polynomial smoothed map of the total magnetic field (observation level is 1 m over the earth’s surface),

B – Results of inverse problem solution along profile I - I, C – Results of 3-D modeling of magnetic field

along profile I – I

Dr. L. Eppelbaum

Prof. Pinhas Alpert Dr. Pavel KishchaDr. Nili Harnik Dr. Shimon KrichakDr. Eyal Heifetz Prof. Zev Levin

Prof. Colin Price

Prof. P.AlpertDynamics of weather,

Numerical weather prediction,

Climate changes ,

Effects of land-use changes on climate,

Global warming and the E. Mediterranean ,

Rainfall variability ,

Mesoscale modeling & observations ,

Cyclogenesis,

Synoptic analysis ,

Aerosols effects on climate and weather ,

Modeling dust transport ,

Sea-Breezes- observations & modelling

Dr. N. Harnik

Former Research interests • Storm track dynamics and variability: Observations of the interannual

and decadal variations of the Northern Hemisphere storm tracks. The relationship between the interannual variations of the jet and storm track strength in the Pacific.

• Stratospheric dynamics: Planetary wave structure and variability. The effects of downward reflection on wave structure.

• TMME- Tropical Modulation of Midlatitude Eddies - the effect of  ENSO on midlatitude circulation.

• Mid latitude eddy life cycle dynamics. The effects of  basic state wave geometry on the life cycles (LC1 vs LC2), and possible consequences for larger scale circulation-  strom track structure and variability, the response of midlatitudes to El Nino.

• The North Atlantic Oscillation - Arctic Oscillation: the interaction with the stratosphere

Dr. Nili Harnik

figure 1: a schematic illustration of the two approaches to shear instability. the figures show at a glance that the approaches are very different from each other.

figure 2: Time lag-heigt correlations of the Northern Annular Mode (NAM). Figures show that the downward migration of the NAM signal from the stratosphere to the troposphere is absent during years with strong downward reflection of planetary waves. Since NAM is primarily a zonal mean signal driven by absorption of planetary waves, it suggets two dynamical regimes in the stratosphere- reflective or absorptive

figure 3: Seager et al 2003 (I am second author on these papers) studied the zonal mean response to ENSO. They defined an index based on the seasonally varying 300mb zona mean wind which essentially reflects ENSO. plotted are the regressions of DJF zonal mean temperature (colors in both plots), winds (top contours) and vertical velocity w (bottom contours). all based on ncep reanalysis after 79. the plots show the signal during El Nino: anomalous cooling in midlatitudes, which is located in a region of anomalous ascent. This anomalous ascent is driven by anomalous eddy momntum fluxes. the theory: el nino strengthens the subtropical jet (stronger Hadley cell), which alters the midlatitude eddies to yield the observed response. This is a main motivation to the ongoing research (topics mentioned above in the slide) how are midlatitude eddies affected by the anomalies in the basic state?

Overreflection

Dr. Nili Harnik – research interests

Shear instability- relating the two existing and very different theories, based on wave propagation in the shear direction or cross-shear direction:

Counter propagating Rossby Waves

Stratospheric dynamics and downward coupling to the troposphere - effects of downward reflection of planetary waves:

time lag - days

he

igh

tThe coupling is very different during years with downward reflection – two dynamical regimes?

Figure:

Time-height correlations of NAM index, reference height - 10mb(Perlwitz and Harnik 2004)

All years years with years with no reflection reflection

(Harnik and Heifetz, 2006, to be submitted to QJRMS)

Effects of barotropic shear on baroclinic waves – linear growth and nonlinear eddy life cycles .

The role of wave-mean flow interaction and eddy life cycles for mid-lattitude atmospheric variability

TMME- Tropical Modulation of Midlatitude Eddies: why are midlatitudes colder during El Nino?

Dr. Nili Harnik – research interests (cont)

Seager et al, J Clim 2003, QJRMS 2005ENSO has a zonal mean extratropical signal which is driven by anomalous eddy momentum fluxes.

Figure: Zonal mean ENSO related anomalies for DJF: Color in both - temperature. Top contours - wind, Bottom contours - vertical velocity.

Work with M. Whittman, Columbia University; Climate group, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, O. Pasternak, TAU

Dr. E. Heifetz

• Dynamic meteorology

• Cyclones formation and their interaction with the jet stream

• Non-linear and non-modal hydrodynamic unstable systems

1) The first is an image of a dust storm during MEIDEX. The image shows the interaction of the dust and the clouds to the north. We see some invigoration of the clouds as seen in the middle and the more eastern clouds. 2) The second is an electron microscope image of dust particles with sea salt on them. This is important because the dust is a good ice nuclei (forms ice crystals in clouds at warmer temperature than most natural particles) and sea salt is a good condensation nuclei. Thus such particles form giant CCN which form large drops leading to early and  rapid growth by collection.3) The third is a result from our model simulation showing the increased pollution decreases the rain. In Israel we normally have about 400 CCN/cm3 leading to about 300-400 drops near cloud base. Increase pollution will lead to much higher drop concentrations and reduced precipitation.4) The forth slide shows the lifetime of clouds as they become affected by pollution. The large clouds that contain ice in them tend to increase the lifetime with increase pollution. On the other hand, small clouds such as those in the tropics and over the ocean, tend to reduce their lifetime with increased pollution

Prof. Z. Levin

(4 slides)

Dust storm during MEIDEX – 28 January, 2003

1

2 3

1 – possible clouds without dust2,3 – possible regions of interactions of dust and clouds

MODIS

1

23

Prof. Z. Levin

A dust storm during MEIDEX. The image shows the interaction of the dust and the clouds to the north. We see some invigoration of the clouds as seen in the middle and the more eastern clouds.

Zev Levin et al 2005, Submitted to JGR

Sea salt on dust particles in a dust storm over the Mediterranean Sea

Prof. Z. Levin

An electron microscope image of dust particles with sea salt on them. This is important because the dust is a good ice nuclei (forms ice crystals in clouds at warmer temperature than most natural particles) and sea salt is a good condensation nuclei. Thus such particles form giant CCN which form large drops leading to early and  rapid growth by collection.

The combined effect of GCCN and IN on total precipitation

Prof. Z. Levin

A result from our model simulation showing the increased pollution decreases the rain. In Israel we normally have about 400 CCN/cm3 leading to about 300-400 drops near cloud base. Increase pollution will lead to much higher drop concentrations and reduced precipitation.

CCN effect on cloud lifetime

)Hongli et al., in press GRL, 2006(

Prof. Z. Levin

The lifetime of clouds as they become affected by pollution. The large clouds that contain ice in them tend to increase the lifetime with increase pollution. On the other hand, small clouds such as those in the tropics and over the ocean, tend to reduce their lifetime with increased pollution.

Prof. Colin PriceTropical Thunderstorms Influence Water Vapor in the Upper Troposphere (UTWV)

Radio Waves from Lightning in Africa (detected at our Negev station) can be used to track changes in UTWV

Lightning

Water Vapor

First observations of Sprites above Thunderstorms in Israel

January 14th 2006, from Mitzpe-Ramon

Prof. Colin Price

Dr. Pavel Kishcha Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences,Tel-Aviv University

Research topics:

1. Modeling and forecasting of desert dust aerosols and their effects on the Eastern Mediterranean weather and climate;

2. Modeling and forecasting of sea-salt aerosols;

3. Global distributions of aerosol-cloud radiative properties and their trends based on satellite data and ground-based pyranometer measurements.

Saharan dust over the Mediterranean on May 5,

2007.

05/05/2007 SeaWIFS satellite data

3D-distributions of Saharan Dust: Daily Forecasting

Dr. Pavel Kishcha

Sea-salt aerosols over the Mediterranean region on February 07, 2007

Dr. Pavel Kishcha

Aerosol optical depth (AOD)

Latitudinal variations of cloud and aerosol optical thickness and their trends based

on MODIS data (2000 – 2006)

(Reference: Kishcha, P., B. Starobinets, and P. Alpert, GRL, 2007)

Cloud optical thickness (COT)

In contrast to AOD, COT is quite symmetrical in both hemispheres.

Effect of Urbanization on Solar Dimming

obtained for all 317 worlwide sites (1964-1989)

Dimming is essentially dominated by anthropogenic emissions: a decline in surface solar radiation became sharper at sites with population density increasing up to 200 persom/km2; Some saturation was observed at highly-populated sites: the trend at sites with population density < 200 persom/km2 was less pronounced than that at sites with a lower population density.

-0.22 W/m2/yr-0.24 W/m2/yr 55

-0.05 W/m2/yr

-0.26 W/m2/yr

-0.32 W/m2/yr

44

109

56

Not signific.

0.002

0.001

Surface solar radiation trend

Number of pyranometer

Significance

siteslevel

0.013 53 0.007

Population density

< 10

10 < & < 100

100 < & < 200 200 < & < 400 < 400

< Dr. Pavel Kishcha

Dynamic Tropopause Effects of a Dec. 2001Atlantic-Mediterranean Teleconnection Episode Initiated by

Extratropical Transition of Hurricane Olga

Simon O. Krichak, P. Alpert & M. Dayan

(e-mail: shimon@tau.ac.il)

Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel

WMO/TMRP THIRD INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON EXTRATROPICAL TRANSITION

(IWET-III )Perth, Australia, 5-9 December 2005

Israeli floods of December 3 – 5 2001

Hydrodynamic modeling of the Earth atmosphere for weather/mineral dust prediction, atmospheric circulation studies and climate simulation

Dr. Shimon Krichak

Weather Research Center (WeRC) at TAU

The system developed performs- Twice-daily weather prediction for the eastern Mediterranean region with the MM5 model: 60 and 20 km resolution 36 vertical layers- Once-daily mineral dust prediction with the Eta (DREAM) mineral dust prediction. 50 km resolution, 32 vertical layers

Signatures of the NAO in the atmospheric circulation during wet winter months over the Mediterranean region

NAO low NAO high

Dr. Shimon Krichak

Regional Climate Modeling for the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) region

50 km coarse resolution run 17 km nesting of the coarse resolution results

Results of RegCM3 downscaling of current (1961-1990) and future climate 2071-2100 (A2 and B2 emission scenarios) are produced

Example: downscaling regional winter precipitation with RegCM3 model. Driving data: NNRP 1982-1983 (DS=250 km)

Hydrodynamic modeling of the Earth atmosphere for weather/mineral dust prediction, atmospheric circulation studies and climate simulation

Prof Akiva Bar-Nun Dr. Leonid Alperovich

Prof. Morris Podolak Dr. Peter Israelevich

Prof. Dina Prialnik Kovetz

Dr. Shay Zucker

Comet Simulation Systems

Prof. A. Bar-Nun

0

50

100

150

200

250

0 2 4 6 8

Dist. (AU)

Te

mp

. (K

)

Grain temperature – for 10m grains of pure ice, dirty ice, 1m silicate core, 5m silicate core, all in the photosphere. The green squares show the location of the snowline. In all cases it is around 145 K. The grain temperatures for pure ice and 1 m silicate core at midplane are also shown. Here the snowline is at around 170 K. This research is being done in collaboration with Prof. D. Sasselov of Harvard University

Prof. M. PodolakProf. M. Podolak

1.00E-02

1.00E-01

1.00E+00

1.00E+01

1.00E-07 1.00E-06 1.00E-05 1.00E-04 1.00E-03 1.00E-02 1.00E-01 1.00E+00

Grain Size (m)

Gra

in S

pee

d (

m/s

)

Speeds of ice grains ejected from a comet for the Rosetta Mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. I am associated with the SESAME experiment run by the DLR Istitute of Space Simulation, Koeln, Germany.

Prof. M. PodolakProf. M. Podolak

EnergyEnergy sourcessources

ProcessesProcesses ActivityActivity

PropertiesProperties

Structure,Structure,Composition,Composition,

OrbitOrbit

physics

physics

mo

mmooddeelilinngg

observationsobservations

observationsobservations

Cometary ResearchCometary Research

Prof. Dina Prialnik, Prof. Morris Podolak + 10 Ph.D. and M.Sc. students

Numerical Numerical modeling of modeling of comet nucleicomet nuclei

Prof. D. Prialnik

Dr. Shay Zucker – research interests

• Search for extrasolar planets: – Ground-based spectroscopic observations (Doppler method)– Ground-based photometry (looking for transits/eclipses)– Space-based observations (the satellite Hipparcos, the planned

space missions CoRoT, Gaia)

• Formation and evolution of planetary systems– Statistical properties of current extrasolar planet sample– Conditions in the protoplanetary disk (gas and dust properties,

planetary migration)

Dr. Shay Zucker – research interests

• The Black Hole in the Galactic Center as a ‘planetary’ system– Celestial mechanics of the stars around the Black Hole– Role of interstellar comets in the Galactic Center

• Celestial Mechanics– Detectable orbital effects of Special and General Relativity– Orbital resonances– Tidal evolution

• Minor Bodies in the Solar System– Photometric analysis of binary and rotating asteroids– Occultations by Kuiper betl objects and asteroids

Dr. Leonid Alperovich Ultra Low Frequency geomagnetic pulsations

I. Magnetospheric propagation of the MagnetoHydroDynamic (MHD) waves;

II. Ionospheric transformation of MHD waves;

III. Separation of the ground variations into two classes:

A. Space produced oscillations;

B. Tectonogenic variations.

C. Signal processing

N

Magnetosphericsource, frequency

Resonance field line

MHD wave

Two conjugate points, N and S

S

Magnetospheric plasma can be considered as a high conductive fluid embedded into the strong magnetic field

N

Continuous pulsations

Irregular pulsations

NamePeriod (s)NamePeriod (s)

Pc10.5 - 5Pi11 - 40

Pc25 - 10Pi240 - 150

Pc310 - 45

Pc445 - 150

Pc5150 - 600

Dr. L. Alperovich

Magnetospheric Diagnostics

Resonance period:

length of a field line

phase velocity

.

Magnetic field

cold plasma density

N

AS

A

dl

V l

lV l

l

Israel

T=35s

Dr. L. Alperovich

ULF Magnetospheric Diagnostics and Deep Electromagnetic Sounding of the Earth

I. Magnetospheric plasma can be considered as a high conductive fluid in the strong magnetic field

II. Ground observations of the ULF geomagnetic pulsations yield information

A. on distribution of the cold plasma in the magnetosphere

B. Geoelectrical structure of the Earth

C. Geomagnetic perturbations associated with an earthquake

Dr. L. Alperovich

Dr. Peter Israelevich

• Solar-terrestrial relations

• Magnetospheric physics

• Physics of comets

• Laboratory simulations

• Space technology

We have studied the problem of bifurcation of the current sheet in the magnetospheric tail. We succeded to find the first example of current sheet bifurcation in the Jovian magnetosphere. Figure shows the profile of the electric current density during one of the Voyager 2 current sheet crossings. Distribution of the current density exhibits two distinct maxima and the minimum at Bx = 0, i.e. at z = 0. In contrast to the Earth’s magnetosphere, double peak current sheet is a rather rare feature of Jovian magnetosphere

Crossing of the bifurcated Jovian magnetotail current sheet

Dr. P. Israelevich

We have proposed a model of the magnetic tail current sheet bifurcation due to the ion pressure anisotropy in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field.

The figure shows the model profile of electric current density (red line) and the averaged dependence of electric current density on the Bx-component of the magnetic field in the geomagnetic tail, measured by CLUSTER in August-October 2001

Perpendicular temperature anisotropyDr. P. Israelevich

ISA-MEIDA = Israel Space Agency - Mid-East Interactive Data ArchiveHead: Prof. Pinhas AlpertScientific Manager: Dr. Amnon StuppIn Israel 90% of the data collected for Earth System research is lost. The Israeli In Israel 90% of the data collected for Earth System research is lost. The Israeli NASA Node is the only organization in Israel committed to saving and preserving NASA Node is the only organization in Israel committed to saving and preserving Earth System Data. Earth System Data. ISA-MEIDA is part of a network including NASA, DLR, JAXA (previously NASDA), ISA-MEIDA is part of a network including NASA, DLR, JAXA (previously NASDA), and more.and more.

ISA-MEIDA Access Statistics 2007

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1,000

2,000

3,000

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9,000

January February March April May June July August September October November December

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ISA-MEIDA Access year 2007

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50,000

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200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

January February March April May June July August September October November December

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Hits

ISA-MEIDA Access Statistics for the year 2007Head: Prof. Pinhas AlpertScientific Manager: Dr. Amnon Stupp