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Identification of fish bones from archeological sites in southeast Arabia requires access to an extensive reference collection. This is often not possible, and repeated use of these resources when they are available ultimately damages bones. This paper provides a platform from which high‐resolution images of 60 species of marine fishes from southeast Arabia can be downloaded, aiding identification and providing illustrations that other researchers can modify to produce graphics to highlight taphonomic modification to bones or illustrate measurements taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers skeletal and dental lesions to assess the effects of aridification on two skeletal samples from the Bronze Age in what is now the United Arab Emirates (UAE), located on the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. This paper hypothesized that the sample from Qarn al‐Harf (QAH) Tomb 6 would show a greater prevalence of skeletal and dental lesions in comparison with that from QAH Tomb 5, because QAH Tomb 6 dates to a period of aridification when compared with the wetter Wadi Suq period (~2000 B.C.). The skeletal remains from two tombs from QAH cemetery are studied: one dated to the transition period from the Umm an‐Nar to Wadi Suq period (~2000 B.C.) (Tomb 6, n = 141) and one Wadi Suq period tomb (Tomb 5, n = 44; 2000–1600 B.C.). Skeletal and dental lesions, including carious lesions, antemortem tooth loss, dental enamel hypoplasia, periosteal new bone formation, cribra orbitalia, and porotic hyperostosis, were recorded and used to assess differential lived experience. Findings from the two tombs are compared with five contemporary sites of the Umm an‐Nar and Wadi Suq periods. Fisher's exact tests found more statistically significant differences in the prevalence of cribra orbitalia (p = 0.0050) and non‐adult mortality (p = 0.0118) for the QAH Tomb 6 skeletal sample than that from QAH Tomb 5. No other skeletal or dental lesions were significantly different according to Fisher's exact tests. While not significant, periosteal new bone formation rates in QAH 6 in conjunction with cribra orbitalia rates suggest individuals were experiencing stressors that were not impacting QAH Tomb 5 individuals. Skeletal and dental lesion rates are not directly attributable to climate change; however, we argue that intense aridification around 2000 B.C. caused desiccated crops and an increased reliance on marine sources for QAH Tomb 6. This reliance likely promoted nutritionally deficient diets manifesting as observed higher rates of cribra orbitalia and periosteal new bone formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of fish bones from archaeological sites in southeast Arabia is challenging because of high taxonomic diversity, comparatively few reference collections with a wide range of species, as well as access to these resources. This paper provides illustrations of bones from many common taxonomic groups of fish from the southeast Arabia including several species of fish identified in very few assemblages, probably because of the lack of comparative reference material. This is a guide to aid other analysts in the identification process. We also consider the effect of reference collection size on the taxonomic diversity of analysed fish bone assemblages and conclude that research would benefit by the publication of further identification guides. Ideally these should include differences between closely related species, as this has a significant impact on the taxonomic diversity of archaeo‐ichthyological assemblages. Although many papers are devoted to the influence of sample size, recovery method or recording protocols on the taxonomic diversity of faunal assemblages, a similar discussion on the effect of the reference collection used is often overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arabia – Eurasia collision zone in the central part of the Alpine – Himalayan orogenic system has had a complex deformation history since the Palaeozoic. In Iran, the collision zone consists of the Alborz‐Talesh, Kopeh Dagh and Zagros foldbelts and the intervening Central Iran area. In this review paper, we summarize the structural architecture and tectonostratigraphic characteristics of these domains and attempt to correlate regional deformation events between them. The results show that six regional‐scale deformation phases can be recognized and correlated in Iran over a time interval extending from the Late Palaeozoic to the Late Cenozoic. Late Palaeozoic rifting in northern Gondwana and subsequent oceanic spreading resulted in the separation of the Central and North Iran blocks from the Arabian Platform. These blocks later converged and collided with the southern margin of Eurasia due to the subduction of the intervening PalaeoTethys lithosphere ("Cimmerian orogeny": Late Triassic). The convergent setting resulted in the initial development of the Alborz‐Talesh foldbelt in present‐day northern Iran, while extensional basins developed in the forebulge area in Central Iran. Continuing northward subduction of NeoTethyan oceanic lithosphere at the southern Eurasia margin produced Early Cretaceous back‐arc extension and associated volcanism in Central Iran and the Alborz‐Talesh area to the north. A phase of compressional deformation in the Late Cretaceous was related to the collision of a series of microcontinents derived from Northern Gondwana, including the Ercinjan and Bitlis massifs, with the Central Iran block, and is recorded in the Alborz‐Talesh foldbelt and in Central Iran. Further back‐arc extension in the late Paleocene – Eocene was accompanied by pervasive volcanism and volcaniclastic sedimentation throughout northern and Central Iran. The final closure of NeoTethys and convergence between the Arabian and Eurasian Plates evolved through phases of early Oligocene "soft" collision and middle Miocene "hard" collision. This was accompanied by thrusting in the internal parts of the Zagros foldbelt and by folding and subordinate thrusting in the more external parts, with related development of the flexural Mesopotamian Basin in the foreland to the SW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landscape archaeology, as a type of research based on a systemic surface survey and that results in quantifiable datasets of high quality, has started to be practiced in southeastern Arabia only in recent years. In this paper, I will briefly review the short history of landscape archaeology in the area and its relevance. I will then present the approach and methods used in the Wadi al Jizzi Archaeological Project and discuss some of the results obtained to discuss both the potential and problems of the data that the project generated. In particular, I will focus on ephemeral sites and assemblages, data quality and data representativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of excavation at Mugharat al‐Kahf (WTN01) in Wādī Tanūf, North‐central Oman. It also provides information on the nonmortuary and nonsedentary activities in central Oman during the Wādī Sūq period (2000–1600 BCE), as the subsistence and social arrangements of this period are the subject of much debate. Previous surveys had discovered a substantial amount of Wādī Sūq pottery at the site. This project took forward the excavation for further exploration. The excavation at Test Pit 1 identified Layers Ia and Ib, wherein pottery sherds, charred date stones and other samples for radiocarbon dating were discovered. These prove the cave's occupation during the early third millennium BCE, early second millennium BCE and the Islamic period. The analysis of artefacts and floral remains provided insights into the sojourn, storage and consumption of dates in the cave, and the mobile lifestyle in central Oman. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the first results of the joint Omani‐Italian archaeological project at Wādī Banī Ḫālid (northern Šarqiyyah governorate, eastern al‐Ḥaǧar), where a dense Iron Age and ancient Islamic occupation was detected. The aim of the project is the definition of the Iron Age settlement patterns along the eastern al‐Ḥaǧar landscape and its relationship with both the coastal areas and the al‐Ḥaǧar inner piedmont sites of central Oman. In fact, this project follows previous studies of the coastal environment between Muscat and Raʾs al‐Ḥadd, where several seasonal fishermen villages were investigated, and their connections with inner permanent sites, such as Lizq, recognised during the Early Iron Age II (1300–600 BCE). Therefore, Wādī Banī Ḫālid stands as a peculiar case of an Iron Age territorial unit, a natural scenario made of a narrow alluvial valley which provided natural conditions for the development of a complex culture. Moreover, the material culture emerged after a first excavation campaign proved that the main occupational phase of the imposing fortified settlement WBK1 is the Late Iron Age (late first millennium BCE to third–fourth centuries CE), thus hopefully allowing new questions to be posed for the definition of Late Iron Age cultures and the chronology in central Oman, which is mostly known based on the excavation of funerary evidence. For this reason, the first part of the paper focuses on the results of the first season in Wādī Banī Ḫālid, and the second part discusses the links between Wādī Banī Ḫālid and the south‐eastern Arabia general framework during the Late Iron Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular epidemiology studies are essential to refine our understanding of migrations of phytopathogenic bacteria, the major determining factor in their emergence, and to understand the factors that shape their population structure. Microsatellite and minisatellite typing are useful techniques for deciphering the population structure of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri, the causal agent of Asiatic citrus canker. This paper presents a molecular epidemiology study, which has improved our understanding of the history of the pathogen's introductions into the Arabian Peninsula, since it was first reported in the 1980s. An unexpectedly high genetic diversity of the pathogen was revealed. The four distinct genetic lineages within X. citri pv. citri, which have been reported throughout the world, were identified in the Arabian Peninsula, most likely as the result of multiple introductions. No copper‐resistant X. citri pv. citri strains were identified. The pathogen's population structure on Mexican lime (their shared host species) was closely examined in two countries, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. We highlighted the marked prevalence of specialist pathotype A* strains in both countries, which suggests that specialist strains of X. citri pv. citri may perform better than generalist strains when they occur concomitantly in this environment. Subclade 4.2 was the prevailing lineage identified. Several analyses (genetic structure deciphered by discriminant analysis of principal components, RST‐based genetic differentiation, geographic structure) congruently suggested the role of human activities in the pathogen's spread. We discuss the implications of these results on the management of Asiatic citrus canker in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very few cylinder seals are reported from South‐East Arabia. This paper reports on two cylinder seals that were found as heirlooms at Mleiha, UAE. The first is a Neo‐Assyrian seal with a ritual scene: kneeling worshippers around a tree of life. The second is a seal of local manufacture. The positioning of its image, a human figure holding an Arabian horned viper, is turned 90°, questioning whether it was ever used as a seal or rather worn as an amulet or bead. Local seal production and seal use are discussed. Seals from the Iron Age II suggest that the object is of local production, as does the iconography that can be linked to Iron Age snake cults in South‐East Arabia. Comparable snake representations are, however, occasionally still found in the Mleiha/PIR period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bahra 1 is a large site in the north of the Arabian Peninsula that provided an assemblage of nearly 100,000 lithic artefacts. The whole lithic industry of Bahra 1 represents a set of well‐thought‐out flint, quartz and stone tools for the mass production of shell jewellery, with only a small share of typical household tools. They mostly relate to the Ubaid tradition with Arabian Neolithic influences. However, limited excavations of the oldest occupational layers of the site also revealed an Epipalaeolithic Zarzian tradition. This paper presents a techno‐typological, functional and cultural characteristic of the whole Bahra 1 chipped and ground stone industry identified during the excavations at the site in 2009–2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper represents a study of archaeological fish remains retrieved from the excavations conducted by C. S. Phillips between 1993 and 2001 at Kalbāʾ 4 (Emirate of Sharjah, UAE). Kalbāʾ 4 is a major coastal site that was continuously occupied from the Umm an‐Nar period to the Iron Age (c. 2700–600 BCE). The site is of particular interest regarding monumental architecture, pottery studies and exchange networks across Arabia and its neighbouring regions from the Bronze Age onwards. A corpus of about 5500 fish remains provides information on fishing economies during the entire occupation of the site. Data regarding fish complement results previously obtained from the study of other fauna including marine molluscs, sea turtles, terrestrial and marine mammals. They allow us to document a fishing‐based economy at Kalbāʾ 4. The results highlight the exploitation of a quite limited range of fish taxa associated mostly with reef areas (groupers, trevallies, snappers, spangled emperors, King soldierbreams), brackish waters (mullets) and the open sea (scombrids). The techniques seem to have mainly involved the use of baited lines from boats, fishing nets and possibly cage traps. The discussion includes comparisons with the other main fish studies conducted for the Bronze Age and the Iron Age in Eastern Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fog microphysics characteristics play an important role in fog life cycle, radiation and visibility. Measurements of fog microphysics are important in understanding these processes and improving existing model parameterization schemes. From 28 January to 17 February 2021, we carried out the first measurements of fog microphysics in the arid region of the United Arab Emirates and present initial results in this paper. Five events occurred, the longest lasting about 4 hr 28 min and the remaining lasting 2 hr or less. In this study, the meteorological conditions at synoptic scale associated with the formation of fog, are presented as well as the microphysics characteristics of fog. Maximum cloud droplet count ranged from 80 to 700 cc, Liquid Water Content (LWC) from 0.06 to 0.58 g m−3 and the Median Volume Diameter reached 25 μm in all the cases. The estimated Liquid Water Path reached a maximum of 100 g m−2. The size distribution was bimodal for all visibility classes of mist, fog and thick fog with modes at around 4.5 μm and between 22 and 25 μm. The droplet size distribution broadened as the mature phase progressed, demonstrating a decrease in droplets in the 6–16 μm range and an increase in droplets above 19 μm. During the mature stage, droplet growth was observed with no associated decrease in LWC, suggesting growth by collision and coalescence was occurring. However, LWC did increase concurrently suggesting droplet growth by condensation was also taking place. Plain Language Summary: During the cold season of each year, desert regions experience the formation of radiation fog due to the rapid cooling of the desert surface at night. Cities built on the fringes of major desert regions, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) cities, witness very poor visibility due to seasonal fog formation. The fog impacts air and road traffic and disrupts the daily life. Fog microphysics characteristics play a key role in fog life cycle, radiation and visibility. Measurements of fog microphysics are important to understand and improve existing model parameterization schemes for a more accurate forecast of fog occurrence and life cycle. We carried out the first fog microphysics measurements over the UAE, an arid region on the Arabian Peninsula, where fog is a frequent occurrence in winter months. Results from this study are the first of their kind in the region and are expected to advance the current knowledge on fog dynamics and characteristics. Key Points: First microphysical measurements of radiation fog in the United Arab Emirates, a warm, arid region in the subtropicsThe cloud droplet size distribution was bimodal for all visibility classes, with modes at around 4.5 μm and between 22 and 25 µmDroplet growth was observed to be due to collision, coalescence and condensation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The substantial growth rate of skin cancer has necessitated adequate protection from solar radiation. Consequently, analyzing sun protection practices is an imperative research area in dermatology and pharmacology. Aims: This paper aims to analyze public sun‐protection manners in the Arabian Peninsula regions. Methods: A simple random survey was conducted to assess public sun protection manners. Artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM) were selected from several machine learning algorithms to create the models for predicting public sun protection measures based on the prediction accuracy. Model performances were evaluated based on several performance indicators depending on the confusion matrices and receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: 51% of the respondents have a low level, and 49% have a high level of sun protection practices. The results showed that the SVM performed considerably amended than the ANN for predicting the response. The relative importance of the predictors for the best predictive SVM model was also analyzed. The predictors are ranked as: the number of times having sunburnt >gender > use seat belt while driving/riding a vehicle >considers the UV index for personal sun exposure >income based on the expenses >sports/exercise activities >consciousness of the chance for having sunburnt on extended exposure to the sun >age > having any skin problem >nationality > skin type. Conclusion: These identified significant predictors might be considered for developing an effective policy to increase public consciousness using proper protection from solar radiation's detrimental effect to rule out skin diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an analysis of a 3‐year time series of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery covering the southern Arabian Peninsula, spanning two devastating typhoons that impacted the region in 2018. The limited vegetation and precipitation in the area allows for clear separation of soil moisture changes from other factors that typically also affect microwave imagery. We generate soil moisture proxies from Interferometric SAR (InSAR) coherence and compare them with a range of other soil moisture products. We estimate the decay timescale over which the surface returns to its pre‐storm state for each event and data type, and find that the radar coherence‐based timescales tend to be longer than those for the other products. We also find that the coherence‐based timescales of the two events differ from each other in a manner that is consistent with seasonal temperature fluctuations and the total rainfall that occurred each time. The higher spatial resolution of the InSAR coherence results and differing sensitivity to the vertical distribution of soil moisture complements the other more temporally dense products, particularly in regions of high heterogeneity along the edge of the storm and within regions where the surface properties change dramatically over small spatial scales. As the frequency and strength of tropical cyclones increase, and as already scarce water resources are utilized further in arid regions, InSAR coherence data constitutes another tool that researchers can use to expand our understanding of these challenges. Plain Language Summary: In this paper, we compare an estimate of soil moisture that is calculated using high resolution satellite radar imagery to several other estimates of soil moisture from satellite and weather data. We perform this study in a hyper‐arid region that experiences infrequent but large rain events, such that we can confidently attribute any change in soil moisture to a single rain event. We find that our method of estimating soil moisture with high resolution radar data agrees well with other methods, which is a promising step towards the development of a high resolution soil moisture product. In addition, we find that this new method records a higher soil moisture signal for a longer period of time after a rain event, revealing that it has a different sensitivity to soil moisture than other satellite and weather data‐based methods. Characterizing soil moisture in hyper‐arid climates is important because rainfall in these regions poses a significant hazard, and can cause severe damage to infrastructure. In addition, the growing stresses placed on water resources worldwide has resulted in an expansion in efforts to monitor soil moisture and its variability on a global scale. Key Points: We examine changes in Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar coherence following two cyclones that impacted the southern Arabian Peninsula in 2018The spatial extent of the coherence changes agrees broadly with independent soil moisture productsThe decay timescale of the coherence changes is significantly longer than that observed in other microwave‐based products [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ancient port city of Sumhuram (Dhofar Governorate, Sultanate of Oman) has been the focus of over 20 years of research by the Italian Mission to Oman (IMTO), University of Pisa, in collaboration with the Office of the Adviser to His Majesty the Sultan for Cultural Affairs (Muscat‐Salalah, Sultanate of Oman). Excavation has revealed most of the town layout, leading to the identification of several buildings, alleyways, squares and workshops, among which two massive buildings stand out, significantly named by the excavators as "Monumental Building" 1 and 2 (MB1 and MB2). This paper presents the results of the excavation inside MB1, characterised by the presence of the only well discovered within the city walls, which was previously interpreted alternatively as a palace or as a temple. The architectural development of the building, its distinctive features, the archaeological material discovered inside it, and its chronology will be discussed. These results highlight the absence of fitting parallels from other ancient South Arabian towns. Overall, it is clear that access to, management of, and control over the water supply of the town represented a key asset which justified the huge investment in workforce and building materials that is reflected in the monumental architecture of this edifice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a group of inscriptions and rock drawings from Ṭūr al‐Qawwās in the Ḥismā desert (Saudi Arabia). These include two Nabataean and three Hismaic inscriptions, in addition to a Hismaic/Nabataean bilingual. The presence of Hismaic and Nabataean texts carved side by side as well as this new ANA/Nabataean bilingual raise the question of the linguistic diversity in northern Arabia and that of the relationships between the Nabataeans and their nomadic neighbours. From the point of view of Nabataean grammar, the texts provide us with new lexical items at the same time as they illustrate a new example of an optative use of the prefix conjugation. One of the inscriptions is a prayer to Dushara that exhibits a unique religious formula requesting the deity's protection. Leading to reflect on the association of rock art with Nabataean inscriptions, the drawings are also of interest. They include a rare representation of a bird, possibly an eagle, which could find its source of influence in the Nabataean sculpture. Just as interesting are a cameleer dressed with izār and ridāʾ, and the figure of a saddled equid which suggests, for the first time, an occasional employment of horse saddles among the Nabataeans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study of nearly 8000 fish bones from MR11 Area A, a Neolithic stone‐built house located on Marawah Island, United Arab Emirates. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the site was inhabited from the first half of the 6th to the mid‐5th millennium BC, making it one of the oldest Neolithic occupation sites in the whole of the Arabian Gulf. Initial excavations between 2003 and 2004 revealed a single room and then more recent excavations in 2016–2017 uncovered two adjacent structures which proved to be a tripartite house. Examination of the fish remains from this particular site allows both a spatial and diachronic analysis. Archaeo‐ichthyological studies can determine the role of fisheries within the subsistence strategies of past societies and the fishing techniques they adopted. This study provides important evidence regarding coastal and island lifestyle during the Neolithic. It outlines the predominance of small coastal fish such as grunts, emperors, and seabreams in the faunal assemblage. It thus suggests that fishing was essentially carried out in the surrounding shallow waters where soft‐bottoms and seagrass meadows predominate. Non‐selective fishing techniques probably involved the use of small‐mesh devices such as beach seines and coastal barrier traps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine resources were an integral and consistent component of subsistence strategies employed in south‐eastern Arabia throughout late prehistory. Of particular interest is the movement of these resources from the coast to interior sites and the implications of this movement for transhumance and trade in the region during this period. Marine species were frequently identified in the faunal assemblage from the inland site of Saruq al‐Hadid, dating from the Bronze Age to Early Iron Age (c.2000–c.800 BCE). This included marine fish species, along with two cormorant species (Phalacrocorax sp.) and several fragments of dugong (Dugong dugon). Twenty‐seven families of marine shell were also identified in the remains recovered from the site. The presence of these remains at this inland site demonstrates that resources were frequently moved from the coast to the interior throughout Saruq al‐Hadid's occupation, indicative of their enduring significance in subsistence strategies employed at the site. This paper presents the results of zooarchaeological analysis of these remains and discusses the significance of their presence at Saruq al‐Hadid, with reference to subsistence, craft production and intra‐regional exchange during the Bronze and Iron Ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new combination Vincetoxicum arabicum is made for a species in Saudi Arabia and northeastern and eastern Africa that has previously mostly been called Blyttia fruticulosa or Vincetoxicum fruticulosum. The basionym, Blyttia arabica, previously regarded as a superfluous name, is resurrected. A synonymy of V. arabicum is provided, and the species is illustrated by photographs. Rhinolobium, with R. tenue as type, published simultaneously with Blyttia and B. arabica, is an older name for Aspidoglossum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates how Gulf nationals' claims to their homelands are affirmed and enacted through the ostensibly banal, but highly political, effort to construct falconry as a 'heritage sport'. Taking the case of the United Arab Emirates, I argue that local elites have harnessed the global discourse of 'heritage' to construct an ethnicized and gendered vision of a primordial Arab homeland. Heritage discourses surrounding falconry play an important role in legitimating prevailing structural inequalities in Gulf societies, reaffirming the minority citizen-nationals' claims to 'ownership' of the state, as well as naturalizing the masculinist imaginings of desert landscapes. Also considering the transnational dimensions of a geopolitics of falconry, I show how these nationalist narratives relate to cross-regional networks between the Arabian Peninsula and Central Asia. I argue that Gulf Arab falconry practices are not essentially 'primordial', but are made possible by and reinforce political economic inequalities institutionalized by contemporary territorial regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater fishes are facing considerable threats in the Arabian Peninsula which is considered as a highly stressed region in the Middle East. It is predicted that northern Oman is likely to face decreasing rainfall and increasing temperature in coming decades. In this study, we focused on an endemic cyprinid fish Cyprinion muscatense, as a model to investigate impacts of climate change on the mountain fishes inhibiting in this arid region. This species is expected to be strongly affected by climate change because of its limited distribution range in a montane area surrounded by lowlands and sea, limiting the species in shift to other areas. We used an ensemble approach by considering two regressions‐based species distribution modeling (SDM) algorithms: generalized linear models (GLM), and generalized additive models (GAM) to model the species habitat suitability and predict the impacts of climate change on the species habitat suitability. Based on the distribution models, the montane area located in northeastern Oman was identified as the most suitable habitat for this species. Our results indicate that, even under the minimum greenhouse gas emissions scenario (RCP 2.6), climate change will produce a high reduction in its potential future habitats. According to the results of percent contribution, elevation and annual minimum temperature were the most important variables in predicting the species suitable habitats. Results also showed that only a small percentage of suitable habitats for the species within boundaries of protected areas. Therefore, the impact of climate change on the species appears particularly alarming. Although our study was restricted to a single cyprinid freshwater species, decreases in potential habitats are likely predicted for other cyprinid fish species restricted to the mountains of this region, suggesting severe consideration is needed for aquatic systems in future conservation planning, especially for endemic freshwater fishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Basaltic lavas from Harrat Uwayrid, Saudi Arabia, record the evolving magmatic and tectonic context of the Arabian Peninsula from at least the mid‐Miocene to the present day. New 40Ar/39Ar ages spanning from the mid to late Miocene reveal that mid‐Miocene mafic volcanism formed a large, subalkaline volcanic plateau parallel to Red Sea rifts. Subsequent volumetrically subordinate late Miocene‐Quaternary alkaline volcanism erupted monogenetic cinder cones roughly orthogonal to the earlier volcanic field. The source region for all samples was affected by both fluid and silicate metasomatism; inferred mantle mineral assemblages include amphibole for mid‐Miocene lavas and phlogopite for late Miocene‐Quaternary samples. Calculated melting depths become shallower with time across the Miocene volcanic episode (∼20–15 Ma) but become deeper in the late Miocene to Quaternary (∼10–0 Ma), indicating melting pressures and temperatures significantly higher than those recorded in Miocene lavas despite progressive lithospheric thinning. We offer a two‐stage model for the formation of Harrat Uwayrid: (a) Early‐ and mid‐Miocene rifting associated with the Red Sea opening facilitated adiabatic melting of uppermost mantle lithosphere to form the early volcanic plateau and (b) Plate motion changes in the mid‐ and late‐Miocene initiated the Dead Sea Fault and destabilized a dense pyroxenitic lower lithosphere leading to foundering or lithospheric drip beneath Harrat Uwayrid that allowed deep lithospheric melting and formed the young volatile‐rich eruptives. Key Points: Mafic volcanism at Harrat Uwayrid records the geodynamic evolution of the Arabian plate margin since the OligoceneMio‐Pliocene lavas formed from adiabatic melting as a result of lithospheric extension associated with spreading of the Red SeaVolatile‐rich Quaternary alkaline basalts reflect melting of hydrated metasomatized lithosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a recurring hydroclimatic extreme over the Arabian Peninsula (AP). So far, no study has examined the changes in drought characteristics in recent decades, not to mention the background mechanisms for such changes. To this end, analyzing the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) mainly from the European Reanalysis (ERA5) data sets, in addition to other observational/reanalysis data sets over the period of 1951–2020, we show that droughts over the AP have increased in frequency and severity over the last two decades. We show that this drought acceleration, which was not observed in the previous 40–50 years, is a combination of decadal variability and long‐term trends. Importantly, we demonstrate that the decadal SPEI variability is due to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). The unprecedented multiyear drought over the AP in recent decades is evidently associated with the current positive phase of the AMO. We also show that the recent warming of the AP is a more significant factor in the drought intensification than the concurrent weakening of local precipitation. Furthermore, we developed a machine learning model largely based on the observed AMO–SPEI relationship. This model predicts a reduced drought severity over the AP in the near future. Plain Language Summary: Our study shows that the drought frequency and severity have increased over the Arabian Peninsula (AP) in the last two decades relative to the preceding five decades. This recent drought intensification exhibits a dominant decadal variability in addition to what appears to be a long‐term trend. Enhanced warming over the AP appears to be a larger factor for the current drought intensification than the weakening of local precipitation. The decadal drought variability is strongly related to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) cycle, and the current unprecedented multiyear drought is associated with the current positive phase of AMO. We developed a machine learning model for future projections that suggests that the drought frequency and intensity over the AP are expected to weaken substantially in the next two to three decades. Key Points: Drought variability over the Arabian Peninsula (AP) is the manifestation of decadal variability and long‐term trendsThe enhanced warming over the AP is a dominant factor for drought intensity relative to the weakening of local precipitationThe phase change of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation in the last two decades has caused unprecedented severe droughts over the AP [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eustatic sea level changes and vertical tectonic movements are producing uplifted paleoshorelines. Along subduction zones, uplifted terraces are used to study fault activities and, overall, allow to interpret the tectonic history of plate convergence. Northeastern Oman is experiencing plate convergence following the late Cretaceous obduction of the Semail Ophiolite. Post-obduction shallow-marine carbonates have been uplifted to different elevations from 133 to >2,000 m. The present study employs a multidisciplinary approach to elucidate the variability in relief and to introduce a geodynamic model that extends beyond the temporal constraints imposed by the late Quaternary age of the sediments found on the uplifted terraces. Stratigraphic and fault analyses produced a post-obductional geodynamic model to advance the existing regional models in the framework of the subduction of the Arabian Plate in the Makran Zone. In addition, we rely on imaging geodesy, geomorphology and dating to explain the late Quaternary uplift scenario. Overall, analyses of geomorphology, stratigraphy, and fault patterns reveal spatially heterogeneous post-late Cretaceous uplift in the region. Compartmentalization by major faults created individual blocks and relief variability. Within the timeframe of marine terrace formation (late Quaternary), we also observed spatially varied displacements. Ground displacements by Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar document an ongoing spatial heterogenous uplift at approximately 1.3 mm/a. Finally, temporal variability was evident during the late Quaternary by unusually high late Pleistocene (<40 ka) uplift rates averaging ≥2 mm/a in younger terraces, while for older terraces (>40 ka) the uplift rate is distinctly lower (<1 mm/a). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the climate and hydrochemistry of Mars is still a mystery but it must have been at least occasionally warm and wet to have formed the ancient fluvial and lacustrine landforms observed today. Terrestrial examples and geochemical modeling under proposed early Mars conditions show that zeolite minerals are likely to have formed under alkaline (pH > 8) conditions with low water/rock ratio and surface temperatures below 150°C. The identification and spatial association of zeolites on the surface of Mars could thus be used to reconstruct the paleoclimate, paleohydrochemistry, and geological evolution of some locations on Mars. Previous studies identified the zeolite analcime and discuss the difficulties of identifying other zeolite species on the surface of Mars using orbital spectroscopy. We used published global mineralogical, geological, geomorphological, hydrological, physical, and elemental abundance maps and the locations of hydrous minerals detected and mapped using orbital data to create a map that delineates favorable areas to look for zeolites on Mars. We used the data‐driven fuzzy‐based Weights‐of‐Evidence method to identify and map favorable areas for zeolites on the surface of Mars up to ±40° latitude toward the poles. The final map shows that the eastern and western Arabia deposits, some sites in the Medusae Fossae formation, and some areas within and near Valles Marineris, Mawrth Vallis, highlands north of Hellas, and the Terra Cimmeria and Terra Sirenum regions would be favorable areas to look for zeolites using targeted orbital spectral analysis or future in situ observations. Plain Language Summary: Our knowledge of early Mars environmental conditions is limited. Field examples from the Earth and computer models that simulate how zeolites form under early martian conditions showed that they prefer water‐limited, high pH conditions and surface temperatures below 150°C. Therefore, if zeolite minerals are present in certain locations on the surface of Mars, based on their presence, we can infer the geological and environmental history of that location. We used a computer model to identify where zeolite minerals can be present on Mars, based on existing maps and data sets of martian surface features, properties, and compositions. Using that model, we identified several areas of Mars that would have been favorable for zeolites, which could be targeted for future more detailed studies. Key Points: This study creates a map to delineate the favorable areas to look for zeolites on the surface of MarsWe used the data‐driven fuzzy‐based Weights‐of‐Evidence method to identify and map favorable areas for zeolites using published global maps on MarsThe final map shows the prospective areas for zeolites which could be used for more detailed orbital data analysis or future in situ observations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a broad overview of the current state of archaeogenetic research in Arabia. We summarise recent studies of mitochondrial DNA and lactase persistence allele -13915*G in order to reconstruct the population histories of modern Arabs. These data, in turn, enable us to assess different scenarios for the peopling of the Peninsula over the course of the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene. The evidence supports the posited existence of Arabian refugia, although it is inconclusive which (e.g. Persian Gulf basin, Yemeni highlands and/or Red Sea basin) was/were responsible for housing ancestral populations during the Last Glacial Maximum. Synthesising genetic and archaeological data sets, we conclude that a substantial portion of the present South Arabian gene pool derives from a deeply rooted population that underwent significant internal growth within Arabia some 12,000 years ago. At the same time, we interpret the disappearance of Nejd Leptolithic archaeological sites in southern Arabia around 8000 years ago to represent the termination of a significant component of the Pleistocene gene pool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early to mid-Holocene has long been recognised as a period of wetter climate with widespread lacustrine development and vegetation expansion throughout south-east Arabia. Recent palaeoclimate data has, however, transformed our understanding of the Holocene Pluvial Phase ( HPP) and evidence presented in this paper demonstrates that climate was neither homogeneous during the period, nor were shifts between pluvial and arid episodes synchronous across the region. This dynamic setting provided the backdrop for human expansion during the Neolithic, and in turn raises important questions about the interactions between these populations and the natural environment in south-east Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Albian Upper Qamchuqa Formation in NE Iraq is part of an extensive dolomitized carbonate platform developed during the Barremian - Albian over the passive continental margin of NE Arabia. Recent drilling at the Taq Taq oilfield in Kurdistan has renewed interest in this formation as a reservoir unit. In this paper, the reservoir and petrophysical characteristics of the Upper Qamchuqa Formation at Taq Taq are described using data from wireline logs, cores and thin-sections from four wells. At Taq Taq oilfield, the Qamchuqa Formation can be divided on the basis of lithology into two units: an upper Dolomite Unit and a lower Limestone Unit. The Dolomite Unit is 140-190 m thick and is dominated by massive dolomites and dolomitic limestones. High porosity values (up to 26%, estimated from well logs) were recorded in intervals comprising fine to medium crystalline planar-e to planar-s type dolomite which were frequently oil stained. Pore types include microvugs, moulds, fractures, stylolites and intercrystalline porosity. The Limestone Unit is 72-55 m thick and is composed mainly of bioturbated bioclastic limestones with minor dolomites. A wide range of carbonate facies are present and are dominated by foraminiferal wacke-packstones and rudist packstones. Wireline log data was used to characterize the reservoir quality of the Qamchuqa Formation at Taq Taq. Four porosity units were recognized. The upper porosity units has the best reservoir quality with average porosities of 15 %, compared to the second unit (7.5%), the third unit (7%) and the fourth unit (4%). Different cut-off values were estimated, and related petrophysical parameters were evaluated and were used to subdivide the reservoir succession into three reservoir units. The uppermost of these units was found to have the best reservoir characteristics and represents the upper part of the Dolomite Unit. It has a thickness of 31-43.5 m with 25-41 m of net pay and 82% oil saturation. Flow in this unit is dual, dominated by fracture flow superimposed on matrix flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mimusops laurifolia (Forssk.) Friis is the largest tree species in the Arabian Peninsula, and a characteristic species of the threatened southwest Arabian valley forest habitat. In order to understand the distribution and conservation status of M. laurifolia, this paper collates the historical records of M. laurifolia and compares them with recent survey data. This comparison highlights that the abundance of M. laurifolia has dramatically declined at sites that were previously considered important for this species. In Arabia, approximately 100 individuals of M. laurifolia remain at eleven localities. From their size, it is likely that many of these are extremely old trees, but there is currently little regeneration. The main threats to this species are the loss of valley forest habitat through overgrazing and road construction, overexploitation of M. laurifolia for wood as well as climate change. Based on these findings, we recommend that M. laurifolia should be classified as Endangered (EN) in the region on the IUCN red list. We recommend some basic conservation measures and identifies an urgent need for further research on the distribution, propagation and restoration of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper surveys the recent archaeological information for the balîya immolation tradition of pre-Islamic Arabia, whereby a camel or other valued animal was slaughtered to accompany a person of status in death so that they had an animal to ride or to maintain their status in the afterlife. In contrast to the dhibh immolation, which is prescribed in the Holy Qur'ân in memory of the sacrifice of the Prophet Ibrâhîm, the balîya is forbidden in Islam. Unlike the dhibh immolation, the balîya sacrifice was interred whole and provides precise archaeological information about the circumstances of its slaughter and burial. Information about such immolations derives largely from excavations in southern and eastern Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses method to modify hydrograph estimates of floods in arid regions in Saudi Arabia. According to the author, flood forecasts in Saudi Arabia depend on incomplete measurements and catchment morphological features. He developed a modification of the classical hydrograph method which uses logic for arid regions and is localized by empirical data. The method is based on a dimensionless synthetic unit hydrograph and applied a Gamma distribution function to the Wadi Baysh sub-basins.

In the case of onshore data sets, the acquired reflection events can be strongly impaired due to rough top-surface topography and inhomogeneities in the uppermost low-velocity layer, the so-called weathering layer. Without accounting for these influences, the poor data quality will make data processing very difficult. Usually, the correction for the top-surface topography is not perfect. The residuals from this correction and the influence of the weathering layers lead to small distortions along the reflection events. We integrated a residual static correction method into our data-driven common-reflection-surface-stack-based imaging workflow to further eliminate such distortions. The moveout-corrected traces and the stacked pilot trace are cross-correlated to determine a final estimate of the surface-consistent residual statics in an iterative manner. As the handling of top-surface topography within the common-reflection-surface stack is discussed in a separate paper in this special issue, the corresponding residual static correction will be explained in more detail. For this purpose, the results obtained with a data set from the Arabian Peninsula will be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this case study we consider the seismic processing of a challenging land data set from the Arabian Peninsula. It suffers from rough top-surface topography, a strongly varying weathering layer, and complex near-surface geology. We aim at establishing a new seismic imaging workflow, well-suited to these specific problems of land data processing. This workflow is based on the common-reflection-surface stack for topography, a generalized high-density velocity analysis and stacking process. It is applied in a non-interactive manner and provides an entire set of physically interpretable stacking parameters that include and complement the conventional stacking velocity. The implementation introduced combines two different approaches to topography handling to minimize the computational effort: after initial values of the stacking parameters are determined for a smoothly curved floating datum using conventional elevation statics, the final stack and also the related residual static correction are applied to the original prestack data, considering the true source and receiver elevations without the assumption of nearly vertical rays. Finally, we extrapolate all results to a chosen planar reference level using the stacking parameters. This redatuming procedure removes the influence of the rough measurement surface and provides standardized input for interpretation, tomographic velocity model determination, and post-stack depth migration. The methodology of the residual static correction employed and the details of its application to this data example are discussed in a separate paper in this issue. In view of the complex near-surface conditions, the imaging workflow that is conducted, i.e. stack – residual static correction – redatuming – tomographic inversion – prestack and post-stack depth migration, leads to a significant improvement in resolution, signal-to-noise ratio and reflector continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a severe zoonotic mosquito‐borne disease that represents an important threat to human and animal health, with major public health and socioeconomic impacts. This disease is endemic throughout many African countries and the Arabian Peninsula. This systematic review with meta‐analysis was conducted to determine the RVF prevalence in humans, mosquitoes and other animal species in Africa. The review also provides contemporary data on RVF case fatality rate (CFR) in humans. In this systematic review with meta‐analysis, a comprehensive literature search was conducted on the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Global Index Medicus databases from January 2000 to June 2022 to identify relevant studies. Pooled CFR and prevalence estimates were calculated using the random‐effects model. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed, and the I2‐statistic was used to investigate a potential source of heterogeneity. A total of 205 articles were included in the final analysis. The overall RVF CFR in humans was found to be 27.5% [95% CI = 8.0–52.5]. The overall pooled prevalence was 7.8% [95% CI = 6.2–9.6] in humans and 9.3% [95% CI = 8.1–10.6] in animals, respectively. The RVF prevalence in individual mosquitoes ranged from 0.0% to 25%. Subgroup analysis showed substantial heterogeneity with respect to geographical regions and human categories. The study shows that there is a correspondingly similar prevalence of RVF in human and animals; however, human CFR is much higher than the observed prevalence. The lack of a surveillance programme and the fact that this virus has subclinical circulation in animals and humans could explain these observations. The implementation of a One Health approach for RVF surveillance and control would be of great interest for human and animal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the physicochemical properties and the biotic interactions of breeding sites of tropical mosquito species. Field sampling was done in 12 study areas in Sri Lanka covering areas with secondary natural forests and human settlements. A total of 226 breeding sites were investigated to determine the biotic interactions and physiochemical properties of breeding water (pH, Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, Total Dissolved Solids and Temperature). A total of 80.5% of breeding sites from both habitats were positive for mosquito larvae of seven genera and 24 species. Orthopodomyia flavithorax (297) and Aedes albopictus (295) were dominated in tree holes of Alstonia macrophylla, Vateria copallifera and Artocarpus nobilis. Diversity indices showed that the diversity of mosquitoes is high in wet zone habitats of Sri Lanka compared to dry and intermediate zone habitats. Aedes albopictus coexisted with 11 different mosquito species while it avoided larvae of Culex fuscanus, Cx. uniformis and Tripteroides affinis. Strong positive associations were reported between Ae. albopictus and Ar. subalbatus while larvae of Or. flavithorax mosquitoes were not co‐occurred with the larvae of Ae. vittatus, Ae. aegypti, Cx. sitiens, Ar. subalbatus, Anopheles spp and Tr. affinis. The findings identified the breeding adaptability and tolerance to a wide range of physiochemical properties of tropical mosquito communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The representation of heatwaves (HWs) in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) models is analyzed. This study (a) evaluates the performance of CMIP6 simulations against global reanalysis and observations regarding time‐ and intensity‐related criteria and (b) investigates how HWs are projected to change at different global warming levels (GWLs). During 1979–2014, the dispersion of the models is comparable to the observational uncertainty for the time indices (duration, frequency, number of events). It is of the order of one event per year, 1 day for the duration of the events and 2 days for the frequency, with tendencies for over‐ or underestimation, depending on the reference data set and the region considered. For the HW magnitude, the models' dispersion can reach 15°C for a given region and is significantly higher than the observational uncertainty. The mean intensity of HWs tends to be overestimated, which is partly attributed to overly pronounced drying of the soil during HW events. The contribution of the soil moisture anomaly to the temperature anomaly during recent specific HWs is shown to reach up to 30% of the signal. For a given GWL, intensification of HW occurrence, spatial extension, and duration is detected worldwide, but it is modulated at the regional scale and strongly model dependent. For time‐related indices, tropical regions and the Arabian Peninsula will be most impacted, but the maximum temperature will strongly increase in mid‐latitude regions. Time–space analyses of the evolution of HW properties for a given GWL are discussed. Plain Language Summary: In this study, we evaluate the number of heatwaves (HWs) occurrences (HWN), the duration of the longest event (HWD), the frequency of HW days (HWF), the near‐surface maximum temperature for HW days (HWM), and the day with the hottest events (HWA) simulated by Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models against observations and reanalysis over 1979–2014, and their projections. The CMIP6 models overestimate HWN and HWF in the Mediterranean, Central Russia, Northeast Asia, and Southeast China against observations. All considered CMIP6 models overestimate HWD in the Mediterranean and Southeast Chinese regions against HadGHCND observations, but the estimates fell within the range of observations for all other regions. Many models overestimate HWM against both observations and reanalysis. A global warming of 3°C above preindustrial levels will significantly increase HWN by over four events per year in most regions except Amazonia and the Arabian Peninsula. The longest HW event is projected to increase by 20–30 days under 3°C of global warming across Amazonia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. Excessive drying is detected in the recent climate simulated HW's days, which might impact the strength of the response of the simulated HWs to global warming, and the characteristics of future droughts. Key Points: Heatwaves (HWs) properties are analyzed at the regional and global scales by using observations and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 simulationsFor a given global warming level, the intensification of future HWs is strongly model dependent and modulated at the regional scaleExcessive drying during HW days with respect to non‐HW days [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present simulations of a series of dust‐and‐rain events in July/August 2020 that caused significant loss of life and property over northeast Africa and the Red Sea coast using convection‐permitting Weather Research and Forecasting‐Chem simulations at 1.5 km horizontal grid spacing coupled with prognostic dust and aerosol scheme together with a double‐moment cloud microphysical scheme. The model generally captures the optical properties and vertical profiles of dust but has difficulty reproducing the seasonal dust plumes that originate over northeast Africa and reach the western Arabian Peninsula through the Tokar gap. Overlapping of synoptic events with local, diurnal‐scale, convective features caused continuous rainfall over the study domain in July/August 2020. The model well simulates the synoptically‐driven clouds over the ocean (∼4–8 km) and daytime deep convective clouds over the land but cannot reproduce cumulus clouds over the ocean advected from land, which leads to some biases in simulating peak rainfall rates. Although our simulations do not explicitly consider aerosol particles as ice nuclei, the model reproduces the cirrus clouds found at ∼10–15 km height during the study period. Simulations with a planetary boundary layer (PBL) scheme better represented the diurnal profile of surface temperature and winds, as well as the rainfall distribution, than without using a PBL scheme. Dust generally enhanced rainfall during the synoptic rain event through indirect effects but suppressed rainfall during sea‐breeze‐induced convective events through dust direct effects by weakening the sea‐breeze circulation. Plain Language Summary: Although extreme rainfall events have been studied extensively over the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the underlying physical mechanisms are not well known, particularly in relation to dust, the reason why most models do not consider the effect of dust on rainfall or consider limited treatment of dust‐cloud‐rainfall interactions. Consequently, there exists high uncertainty in simulating rainfall over the region. Here, we assess the performance of Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)‐Chem in simulating dust and rainfall dynamics and calculate the direct and indirect effect of dust on rainfall over the Red Sea coast. WRF‐Chem generally reproduces the optical properties and vertical profiles of dust but has difficulty reproducing the seasonal dust plumes. The model well simulates the synoptically‐driven clouds over the ocean (∼4–8 km) and daytime convective clouds over the land but cannot reproduce cumulus clouds over the ocean advected from land, which leads to some biases in peak rainfall rates. Dust enhanced rainfall during the synoptic rain event through indirect effects but suppressed rainfall during convective events through dust direct effects by weakening the sea‐breeze circulation. Our results can help improve regional climate model simulations in dusty regions and better inform regional water resource planning, which requires accurate rainfall predictions. Key Points: Weather Research and Forecasting‐Chem captures the aerosol optical properties during dust events but has difficulty reproducing seasonal dust plumes over the Red SeaSynoptic systems produced long‐lasting rainfall whereas deep convective clouds caused diurnal‐scale rainfall over the Red SeaThe direct effect of dust dominates the indirect effects during large dust events but both effects are comparable during small dust events [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exhumation of actively deforming orogenic systems is commonly due to the incision of river systems in response to tectonically driven surface uplift. However, a regional base level and/or climatic variations can also cause erosional exhumation. The temporal and spatial distinction of the dominant mechanism during the topographic evolution of orogens is challenging. Using detailed morphological analyses and thermal modelling of an intrusive body through triple dating (zircon U–Pb, ZHe, and AHe), combined with the previously published structural, detrital, and bedrock low‐temperature thermochronometry (apatite fission track and apatite helium) analysis, the transition from early Oligocene (~27 Ma) and middle Miocene (~12 Ma) tectonic exhumation to late Miocene–early Pliocene (~7–5 Ma) river incision and erosional exhumation in the Talesh Mountains in the NW of the Arabia–Eurasia collision zone was documented. The late Miocene‐early Pliocene incision and the contemporaneous rapid exhumation documented in the Talesh Mountains are related to the base‐level fall of the Caspian Sea due to its isolation from the Paratethys domain. The effect of this base‐level fall then migrated to the margin of the Iranian Plateau and captured the overspilled basins (~4 Ma). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 40‐year hindcast of the wave conditions in the Arabian Gulf, the elongated basin between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran, is described. The input wind fields were derived from the ERA5 reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts for the period 1979–2019. Extensive comparisons with scatterometer data suggested a direction‐dependent wind calibration with a strong influence on the underestimation of offshore blowing winds. The dominant wave patterns in the basin are described together with the characteristics of the related winds. After characterizing the possible meteorological conditions, the corresponding wave fields were hindcast using the WAVEWATCH III model. Extensive validation against altimeter data shows an almost unitary fit and a 0.02‐m bias; a comparison with measured data strongly demonstrates that the general patterns and conditions were well reproduced. The wave physics was also analysed, revealing the crucial role of their dynamic generation in the investigated area domain. The very shallow nature of some limited coastal zones suggests that locally focused studies, with more detailed and specific physics, are required for the best description of the waves in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic attenuation values based on inverse Q‐filtering are useful in enhancing seismic data resolution for quantitative interpretation. However, as field attenuation estimations are often contaminated by noise and overburden effects, an inverse Q‐filter may reduce the signal‐to‐noise ratio. To help reservoir mapping with seismic resolution enhancement, we use well logs and surface seismic data to estimate the attenuation of a depth interval composed of several carbonate oil reservoirs onshore the Arabian Peninsula. From applying a prestack Q inversion on τ–p gathers from a large 3D seismic survey, the estimated effective attenuation values show spatially coherent patterns, likely corresponding to changes in the petrophysical and fluid properties. The patterns of the estimated effective attenuation values correlate considerably with the anticline geometry, with higher values on its crest than its flanks. The small percentage of the negative effective attenuation values indicates that the apparent attenuation and overburden effects are insignificant. At well locations, the effective attenuation values show a good correlation with the average porosity of the main reservoir, verifying that they are related to changes in petrophysical properties in the analysis interval. We propose an extended inverse Q‐filter with two additional parameters to make it more robust and flexible and test it with synthetic and field datasets. We estimate a multiple‐scattering attenuation value from well logs and use it in the proposed filter for the field dataset. The compensation for the multiple‐scattering effects suppresses the overprints of the data components unrelated to the target interval, hence benefitting the quantitative data interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is evidence for the effects of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) in the Western world, we know little about their effects on Arab cultures. This review aimed to assess the effects of PPIs on well‐being and mental health across Arab countries. Systematic searches of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi‐experimental studies investigating PPIs in Arabia were conducted in six English and Arabic databases from the inception of positive psychology in 1998 to 28 February 2022. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk‐of‐bias tools. The protocol was published in the BMJ Open. Forty‐four studies from 10 Arab countries (n = 3598 participants) were included. Of these, 12 were RCTs and 32 were quasi‐experimental. The studies mainly focused on adults (73%) and healthy populations (86%). PPIs included mindfulness, positive thinking, strengths, hope, optimism, self‐compassion, positive traits, and multiple PPIs. Nearly all studies (91%) mentioned cultural adaptation; however, little detail was given. This is the first review in Arabia. PPIs appear to be effective for promoting well‐being and reducing mental health issues. However, there were some risks of bias concerns. Future research should include younger and clinical populations, using larger samples and providing more details about adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The assumption of normality has underlain much of the development of statistics, including spatial statistics, and many tests have been proposed. In this work, we focus on the multivariate setting and first review the recent advances in multivariate normality tests for i.i.d. data, with emphasis on the skewness and kurtosis approaches. We show through simulation studies that some of these tests cannot be used directly for testing normality of spatial data. We further review briefly the few existing univariate tests under dependence (time or space), and then propose a new multivariate normality test for spatial data by accounting for the spatial dependence. The new test utilises the union‐intersection principle to decompose the null hypothesis into intersections of univariate normality hypotheses for projection data, and it rejects the multivariate normality if any individual hypothesis is rejected. The individual hypotheses for univariate normality are conducted using a Jarque–Bera type test statistic that accounts for the spatial dependence in the data. We also show in simulation studies that the new test has a good control of the type I error and a high empirical power, especially for large sample sizes. We further illustrate our test on bivariate wind data over the Arabian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arabic-speaking region is affected by a public health nutrition crisis characterised by both under- and overnutrition. Previous studies have described the full spectrum of medical, biomedical and public health journals within the Arabic-speaking region. The aim of this brief communication is to highlight the current status of professional nutrition journals in the Arabic-speaking region and demonstrate a gap between need and availability. An electronic search examined five databases to identify nutrition journals published in the Arabic-speaking region. Journal sites were evaluated for primary scope, publication history, current status, available formats and language. The search revealed 12 nutrition journals associated with Arabic-speaking countries. Two journals have a current publication history of 20 or more consecutive years. The majority were discontinued or interrupted at the time data were collected; five have done so within the last 10 years. The high prevalence of under- and overnutrition in Arabic-speaking countries is not reflected by the nutrition journals currently available, which are required to communicate relevant research to health professional and policymakers working in the area of public health nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equatorial Layered Deposits (ELDs) reveal aspects of past depositional environments useful for timing climatic and geological events on Mars. However, their formation has several contending hypotheses which reflect a diverse range of possible environments. To better constrain their formation mechanism, we analyzed the stratigraphic and mineralogical characteristics and mapped the distribution of ELDs within three close craters, Sera, Jiji, and an unnamed crater in central Arabia Terra. Analyses of craters' geology allowed us to reconstruct the paleo‐environments where ELDs have been deposited. Thinning and thickening sequence trends show shared and repeated variations in the depositional environment, reflecting sediment accumulation strongly controlled by a regional groundwater reservoir. Layered deposits are characterized by monohydrated and polyhydrated sulfate signatures implying an interaction between water and rock in acidic conditions. Our study contributes to the understanding of regional geological processes in Arabia Terra revealing long‐term aqueous activity. Plain Language Summary: Despite years of orbital observations of the surface of Mars, mid‐to low‐latitude layered deposits (LD) in Arabia Terra are not yet fully understood. These deposits record an important geological sequence of the early Martian history, but their exact formation, specifically the putative role of the water in their formation and preservation, remains an unanswered question. This study helps in further understanding these processes by comparing and contrasting LD present in craters in very close proximity to each other. In this way, proposed hypotheses benefit from having a control that is not limited to a singular crater or location. Our study contributes to the understanding of regional geological processes in Arabia Terra revealing long‐term aqueous activity. Results combine various analyses, including measurements of layer thickness and attitudes, orbital spectroscopy, basin geometry, and morphologies aimed at reconstructing the geological evolution of the area. In particular, we interpreted that LD were emplaced in a depositional environment reflecting sediment accumulation strongly controlled by a regional groundwater reservoir in acidic conditions. Key Points: Regional groundwater fluctuations influenced the deposition, mineralogy, and preservation of Equatorial Layered Deposits (ELDs) in Arabia TerraFour different stratigraphic sequences of layered deposits have been identified on the basis of strata thickness and attitudeMineralogical analyses of ELDs suggest the presence of different levels of hydration of sulfates [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Iranian plateau is at the early stage of plateau development and intracontinental deformation in response to the Arabia‐Eurasia collision. Its compressive deformation is concentrated in the northern plateau but skips the central counterpart, challenging the common views envisaging the progressive uplift from the collisional front to the hinterland. Based on three‐dimensional, crustal‐scale numerical models, we present how the rheological heterogeneities common in continents control the deformation of the young Iranian plateau. The weak northern plateau ensures itself a preferential zone in accommodating continental collision. The N‐S strike‐slip faults within the non‐rigid central plateau, formed along the boundaries between the tectonic units with rheological contrast, suppress the shortening of the central plateau while further accentuating the compressive deformation of the northern plateau. Our results suggest a non‐progressive intracontinental deformation pattern where rheological boundaries and mechanically weak zones, not necessarily those close to collisional fronts, preferentially accommodate continental convergence. Plain Language Summary: Continental collisions can produce extensive intracontinental deformation and uplift, forming orogenic plateaus. Common views predict progressive plateau uplift from the collisional front to the hinterland. In the young Iranian plateau, however, uplift mainly occurs in its northern and southern (collisional front) boundary zones while its central part shows relatively low elevation. Here, we perform numerical modeling experiments to investigate the deformation and uplift mechanisms of the Iranian plateau, which can promote our understanding of plateau evolution. The models show that only when the northern plateau is weaker than the central counterpart, uplift will preferentially occur in the north. The central plateau, which displays minor compressive deformation and uplift, is not necessarily rigid. The large‐scale N‐S strike‐slip faults in this region that developed along the boundaries between tectonic blocks with strength contrast can facilitate compressive deformation to concentrate on the northern plateau, making the central plateau less uplift. The results suggest that rheological boundaries and mechanically weak zones, not necessarily those close to collisional fronts, deform preferentially to accommodate continental convergence. Therefore, we suggest a non‐progressive intracontinental deformation pattern, since orogenic plateaus are usually composed of multiple tectonic blocks with different properties. Key Points: 3D crustal‐scale models investigate the strain partitioning and non‐progressive uplift of the young Iranian plateauRheological heterogeneities and large‐scale strike‐slip faults jointly dominate the intracontinental deformationRheological boundaries and mechanically weak zones preferentially accommodate continental convergence [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mitochondrial DNA haplogroup J is the third most frequent haplogroup in modern‐day Scandinavia, although it did not originate there. To infer the genetic history of haplogroup J in Scandinavia, we examined worldwide mitogenome sequences using a maximum‐likelihood phylogenetic approach. Methods: Haplogroup J mitogenome sequences were gathered from GenBank (n = 2245) and aligned against the ancestral Reconstructed Sapiens Reference Sequence. We also analyzed haplogroup J Viking Age sequences from the European Nucleotide Archive (n = 54). Genetic distances were estimated from these data and projected onto a maximum likelihood rooted phylogenetic tree to analyze clustering and branching dates. Results: Haplogroup J originated approximately 42.6 kya (95% CI: 30.0–64.7), with several of its earliest branches being found within the Arabian Peninsula and Northern Africa. J1b was found most frequently in the Near East and Arabian Peninsula, while J1c occurred most frequently in Europe. Based on phylogenetic dating, subhaplogroup J1c has its early roots in the Mediterranean and Western Balkans. Otherwise, the majority of the branches found in Scandinavia are younger than those seen elsewhere, indicating that haplogroup J dispersed relatively recently into Northern Europe, most plausibly with Neolithic farmers. Conclusions: Haplogroup J appeared when Scandinavia was transitioning to agriculture over 6 kya, with J1c being the most common lineage there today. Changes in the distribution of haplogroup J mtDNAs were likely driven by the expansion of farming from West Asia into Southern Europe, followed by a later expansion into Scandinavia, with other J subhaplogroups appearing among Scandinavian groups as early as the Viking Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The interpretation of low-temperature thermochronology (LTT) data in magmatic and metallogenic provinces requires a knowledge of the geothermal field through time. There, the challenge is differentiating rapid cooling following transient perturbations of the geotherms (reheating) from exhumational cooling induced by erosion during tectonic uplift or normal faulting. The Takab Range Complex (NW Iran) is a basement-cored range of the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone that experienced voluminous Eocene to Miocene magmatism and mineralization. Our new apatite and zircon (U-Th-Sm)/He and apatite fission track data, together with field observations, a dedicated numerical thermal model, and a re-evaluation of available geochronology data document the occurrence of a complex geological and thermal history including: (a) late Cretaceous-Paleocene exhumation possibly controlled by regional contractional deformation followed by Eocene deposition; (b) Oligocene to possibly early Miocene (29 to 22-20 Ma) exhumation of basement rocks from 13 to 8 km of depth, most likely through normal faulting during a thermal anomaly that led to migmatization and partial melting; (c) early to late Miocene (~22-20 or earlier to 11-10 Ma) regional subsidence with deposition of an up to ~2- to 3-km-thick Oligo-Miocene sedimentary sequence in association with the emplacement of shallow intrusions, which led to a partial to total reset of our LTT systems sometime between 18 and 13 Ma; and (e) erosional exhumation after 11-10 Ma with the development of a transpressional system and a master, right-lateral, strike slip fault (Chahartagh Fault). Our data highlights the impact of magmatic reheating on LTT ages in areas affected by intense magmatism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of divergent plate boundaries involves the opening of continental basins and uplift of plate margins accompanied by seawater ingression and the reorganization of surface and groundwater drainage systems. These processes drive water‐rock reactions, resulting in the deposition of epigenetic minerals in the country rock adjacent to the plate boundary. Here, we study the isotopic geochemical record of epigenetic dolomite and ferric‐oxide minerals that occur along tectonic lines in the Negev (southern Israel), which border the Cenozoic rift system that developed between the African and Arabian plates. The observed ranges of new and published O, C, Sr, Mo, Fe, and Pb isotope compositions indicate mixing between the country rock, seawater and deep‐seated groundwater source‐solutions. We suggest that mineralization occurred as brines migrated from their marine source, mixed with groundwater in a deep siliciclastic aquifer environment, and subsequently upwelled along tectonic lines and reacted with the overlying carbonate rocks. Relative and U‐Pb dating of epigenetic minerals suggest that mineralization occurred at 31.4 ± 4.6 Ma in the central Negev sites and at 46 ± 12 Ma and again at 14.5 ± 2.3 Ma in the northeast Negev. The younger two ages overlap the timing of pre‐ Red Sea Rift doming of northeastern Africa and Arabia, driven by the Afar Plume, and lateral‐movement along the Dead Sea Transform (DST), respectively. We associate the youngest mineralization event with a time‐interval in which the DST already hosted a marine lagoon, while the transform's western margin has remained a low relief landscape. Plain Language Summary: Stages in the breakup of continental plates are accompanied and recorded by the formation of mineral deposits by water‐rock reactions. We studied dolomite and iron mineralization occurrences along tectonic lines between the Red Sea Rift and its Dead Sea Transform (DST) segments of the Cenozoic rift system between the African and Arabian plates. We combine new and published isotope compositions of O, C, Sr, Mo, Fe, and Pb to identify the sources and timing of mineralization. We demonstrate that the mineralization occurred as seawater migrated through the subsurface, mixed with continental groundwater, and upwelled through tectonic lines to interact with carbonate country rocks. Age constraints based on geological observations and absolute U‐Pb dating suggest three mineralization events at 46 ± 12, 31.4 ± 4.6, and 14.5 ± 2.3 Ma. The two younger events correspond to the timing of pre Red Sea Rift doming of northeastern Africa and Arabia driven by the Afar Plume, and DST. We associate the youngest age with the presence of a lagoon in the DST. The results of this study demonstrate that marine ingression into the DST preceded significant surface uplift of the transform's western margin. Key Points: Mineral deposits along the African‐Arabian plate‐margins formed by mixing between country rocks, seawater, and continental groundwaterU‐Pb dating indicate three phases of mineralization that overlap intervals of Red Sea Rift and Dead Sea Transform (DST) activitiesMarine ingression into the DST preceded surface uplift of the transform's western margin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]