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We present the first faunal analysis of the ants (Formicidae) of the Kingdom of Bahrain (Bahrain), an island nation in the Arabian Gulf. We document a total of 35 ant species based on published, unpublished and new specimen records, including 26 presumed native species and nine non-native tramp species. The native fauna was predominantly of Palaearctic origin, with a few Afrotropical species. A new species of the genus Lepisiota Santschi, 1926, L. bahrainensissp. n., is described and illustrated based on the worker caste. Habitat suitability modelling of the ant fauna of Bahrain was generated using a total of 157 recorded points against the panel of 19 bioclimatic factors. We used Maxent software to generate the final map which indicates a significantly high and excellent habitat suitability of species on the northern part of the country and high suitability on the eastern coasts. Our results show that the mean temperature of the driest season is the most effective parameter in modelling the distribution, and we present interpretations of the very low habitat suitability in the extremely arid desert in the southern regions of the main island. Finally, we present ecological and biological remarks and distribution maps for each species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal evaluation of twin wall panel systems was assessed under vibrant hot and arid conditions of weather in the Arabian Peninsula. Two systems of wall panels (0.6 m × 0.6 m) were prepared. The first system was prepared with a 5.0 cm thick extruded polystyrene (XPS) board. While the second system was prepared with 5.0 cm thick layer of foam-mortar encompassing expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads. Both the thermal insulative layers were sandwiched between two 7.5 cm thick concrete layers. The two wall panel systems were thermally evaluated at the same time in a carefully designed test room. Comparison was accomplished between the two wall systems by measuring the U-value (thermal transmittance) and R-value (resistance). The U-value (air to air) for sandwiched XPS concrete wall system was 0.837 W/m2 K while it was 2.527 W/m2 K for sandwiched EPS beads foam-mortar concrete wall system. The mean U-values (surface to surface) of the sandwiched XPS concrete wall system was 1.143 m2 K/W and 0.293 m2 K/W for sandwiched EPS beads foam-mortar concrete wall system. The sandwiched XPS concrete wall system was more efficient than the sandwiched EPS beads foam-mortar concrete wall system in terms of thermal performance. About 4.5 h of time lag was observed for both the wall panel systems between the external surface temperature and the heat transmission in the internal surface. The output of the FEM simulation by ABAQUS is compared with the measured data for Set-1 (period 16-Aug-2022 to 26-Aug-2022). The hourly temperature change on the outer and inner surfaces has good agreement for both sandwiched XPS concrete wall system and sandwiched EPS beads foam-mortar concrete wall system. The simulation can also predict the heat flux through the two wall systems investigated. Practical application: This research was carried out with a view to explore the possibility of using thermally insulating materials for buildings. The outcomes showed that the system proposed has performed well in the Arabian Gulf environment which can be easily adopted in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the genus Cyprinion (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) are found in the Indus River basin west to the Arabian Peninsula and the Tigris‐Euphrates River drainages (Persian Gulf basin). The taxonomic status of Cyprinion including Cyprinion muscatense is poorly understood when compared to other cyprinid genera. C. muscatense has been considered as a member of the Cyprinion watsoni‐microphthalmum group and a valid species endemic to the Arabian Peninsula. Here, we redescribe C. muscatense based on an integrative morphological and molecular approach and freshly sampled material from several localities in the Oman Mountains ecoregion. The results showed that C. muscatense is distinguished from the other Cyprinion species in the Arabian Peninsula by having a short, thin, and slightly serrated last unbranched dorsal fin ray; the lower number of circumpeduncular scales; lateral line scales; and also scales between the lateral line and the dorsal‐fin origin. Subterminal mouth, presence of one pair of small barbels at the mouth corner, 3–4 unbranched and 9½–10½ dorsal‐fin branched rays, 12–14 pectoral‐fin rays, 7–8 pelvic‐fin rays, 2–3 unbranched and 6½–7½ branched anal‐fin rays, and 37–40 lateral line scales are other morphological characteristics of C. muscatense. C. muscatense is also well distinguished by molecular characters among its congeners. The first molecular phylogenetic analysis of the genus, covering all currently recognized Cyprinion species except for C. watsoni, is also presented. C. muscatense is resolved as the sister species to another endemic fish of the Arabian Peninsula Cyprinion mhalense, with a Kimura‐2‐Parameter model distance of 5.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arabian Peninsula accounts for approximately 6% of the world's coral reefs. Some thrive in extreme environments of temperature and salinity. Using 51 Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure (ARMS), a standardized non-destructive monitoring device, we investigated the spatial patterns of coral reef cryptobenthic diversity in four ecoregions around the Arabian Peninsula and analyzed how geographical and/or environmental drivers shape those patterns. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was used to identify Amplicon Sequence Variants and assign taxonomy of the cryptobenthic organisms collected from the sessile and mobile fractions of each ARMS. Cryptobenthic communities sampled from the two ecoregions in the Red Sea showed to be more diverse than those inhabiting the Arabian (Persian) Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Geographic distance revealed a stronger relationship with beta diversity in the Mantel partial correlation than environmental distance. However, the two mobile fractions (106–500 µm and 500–2000 µm) also had a significant correlation between environmental distance and beta diversity. In our study, dispersal limitations explained the beta diversity patterns in the selected reefs, supporting the neutral theory of ecology. Still, increasing differences in environmental variables (environmental filtering) also had an effect on the distribution patterns of assemblages inhabiting reefs within short geographic distances. The influence of geographical distance in the cryptofauna assemblages makes these relevant, yet usually ignored, communities in reef functioning vulnerable to large scale coastal development and should be considered in ecosystem management of such projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological systems occurring in ecologically heterogeneous and spatially discontinuous habitats provide an ideal opportunity to investigate the relative roles of neutral and selective factors in driving lineage diversification. The grey mangroves (Avicennia marina) of Arabia occur at the northern edge of the species' range and are subject to variable, often extreme, environmental conditions, as well as historic large fluctuations in habitat availability and connectivity resulting from Quaternary glacial cycles. Here, we analyse fully sequenced genomes sampled from 19 locations across the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian/Arabian Gulf (PAG) to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the species in the region and to identify adaptive mechanisms of lineage diversification. Population structure and phylogenetic analyses revealed marked genetic structure correlating with geographic distance and highly supported clades among and within the seas surrounding the Arabian Peninsula. Demographic modelling showed times of divergence consistent with recent periods of geographic isolation and low marine connectivity during glaciations, suggesting the presence of (cryptic) glacial refugia in the Red Sea and the PAG. Significant migration was detected within the Red Sea and the PAG, and across the Strait of Hormuz to the Arabian Sea, suggesting gene flow upon secondary contact among populations. Genetic‐environment association analyses revealed high levels of adaptive divergence and detected signs of multi‐loci local adaptation driven by temperature extremes and hypersalinity. These results support a process of rapid diversification resulting from the combined effects of historical factors and ecological selection and reveal mangrove peripheral environments as relevant drivers of lineage diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine aggregates are the main ingredients that control the success of the preparation and performance of strain-hardening cementitious composites (SHCCs). Worldwide deserts can be used as eternal sources of fine aggregates for the preparation of SHCCs. Arabian Peninsula desert sand spreads over the largest desert area in the world, covering an area of 2,300,000 km2 among the Arabian Gulf countries. White and dune desert sands were procured for use in this study. The morphological structure is important in selecting the appropriate sand for use in the preparation of SHCCs. The utilization of microfibers such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has become common practice for the preparation of SHCCs. The presence of desert sand is proven to enhance the dispersibility of PVA due to its spherical structure, which alleviates the friction among the ingredients forming SHCCs. Two mechanisms are defined under the tensile force at the interface of microfibers and natural sand, namely, a strong frictional force leading to rupture or a weaker force causing pullout. The synergy between fibers and fine aggregate grains depends on their surface characteristics, which can be modified using different types of mineral admixtures. In this research, the alignment of microfibers as an indication of the quality of dispersion could be evaluated using a proposed approach based on an advanced technique of microstructural analysis. PVA dispersion and its relation to strain-hardening properties are visually correlated to the surface interaction of the mineral admixture and dune sand. The microdurability and cost effectiveness of SHCCs could be assessed using the proposed approach, as depicted by the results obtained in this research work. [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]

In what ways does humanitarianism uphold racial capitalism? The article draws on and expands Cedric Robinson's arguments about the relationship between humanitarianism and racial capitalism in his Black Marxism. It does so by focusing on the Mission to Seafarers in the countries of the Persian/Arabian Gulf. The Mission has worked alongside state institutions and businesses, both before and after independence from Britain, to facilitate maritime trade through these Arabian ports. In the context of seafarer exploitation, these institutions – the extractive, the governing and the caring – need to ensure worker productivity to facilitate racial accumulation of capital. I argue that the Mission acts as part of the structure of political economic order to produce a racially striated, capitalist politics of care to individuated and atomised seafarers, acting to conciliate conflicts between seafarers and shipowners, maintain seafarer productivity and diminish the possibility of collective mobilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matondoni village in the Lamu archipelago is known for its jahazi (dhow) building tradition. The Swahili used to build dhows without using nails. Such dhows were known as mtepe (pl. mitepe). This article traces why mtepe became extinct and discusses jahazi building traditions, beliefs, dances and sacrifices in Matondoni village. These include jahazi launch feast, sewing and trying the sail and the role of the women's vugo4 dance. In addition, it investigates Swahili navigation and astronomy, from the Lamu archipelago to Arabia. The article establishes that jahazi became more popular than mtepe due to the need for a stronger vessel to promote the emerging maritime economy. The article finds that jahazi did not immediately replace mtepe, but the two coexisted until jahazi became the vessel of choice, which stopped the production of mtepe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zarqa Journal for Research & Studies in Humanities is the property of Zarqa Journal for Research & Studies in Humanities and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One of the less well-known facets of the final years of pax Britannica in the Persian Gulf was the unwritten policy that the British government overthrew rulers who breached their treaty commitments, failed to develop their states or who declined to accept advice. Between 1965 and 1970 the Foreign Office orchestrated three coups in the region: Sharjah in 1965, Abu Dhabi in 1966 and Salalah (Oman) in 1970. Various objectives were achieved including the maintenance of prestige, strategic interests and the introduction of a ruler who was more amenable. The mechanisms of influence that the British employed varied considerably between the Trucial States, which were protected by treaties signed in the nineteenth century with the Government of India, and the Sultanate of Oman, which was always regarded as nominally independent. The British created a network of influence in the Gulf that endured for 150 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formaldehyde (HCHO), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) and organic hydroperoxides (ROOH) play a key role in atmospheric oxidation processes. They act as sources and sinks for HO x radicals (OH + HO 2), with OH as the primary oxidant that governs the atmospheric self-cleaning capacity. Measurements of these species allow for evaluation of chemistry-transport models which need to account for multifarious source distributions, transport, complex photochemical reaction pathways and deposition processes of these species. HCHO is an intermediate during the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and is an indicator of photochemical activity and combustion-related emissions. In this study, we use in situ observations of HCHO, H 2 O 2 and ROOH in the marine boundary layer (MBL) to evaluate results of the general circulation model EMAC (ECHAM5/MESSy2 Atmospheric Chemistry; European Center HAMburg, Modular Earth Submodel System). The dataset was obtained during the Air Quality and Climate Change in the Arabian Basin (AQABA) ship campaign around the Arabian Peninsula in summer 2017. This region is characterized by high levels of photochemical air pollution, humidity and solar irradiation, especially in the areas around the Suez Canal and the Arabian Gulf. High levels of air pollution with up to 12 ppbv HCHO, 2.3 ppbv ROOH and relatively low levels of H 2 O 2 (≤0.5 ppbv) were detected over the Arabian Gulf. We find that EMAC failed to predict absolute mixing ratios of HCHO and ROOH during high-pollution events over the Arabian Gulf, while it reproduced HCHO on average within a factor of 2. Dry deposition velocities were determined for HCHO and H 2 O 2 at night with 0.77±0.29 cm s -1 for HCHO and 1.03±0.52 cm s -1 for H 2 O 2 over the Arabian Sea, which were matched by EMAC. The photochemical budget of H 2 O 2 revealed elevated HO x radical concentrations in EMAC, which resulted in an overestimation of H 2 O 2 by more than a factor of 5 for the AQABA dataset. The underestimated air pollution over the Arabian Gulf was related to EMAC's coarse spatial resolution and missing anthropogenic emissions in the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imported ceramics from Early Bronze Age contexts in southeast Arabia illustrate a complex multidirectional network of material and social interactions at this time. Significant socioeconomic changes that occurred in the Hafit (3200–2800 B.C.) and Umm an‐Nar (2800–2000 B.C.) periods have been linked to external demand for copper, which is argued to have stimulated a change in subsistence patterns. Similarly, disruption to long‐distance exchange networks by external factors has been cited as driving change at the end of the Umm an‐Nar period. Archaeological evidence from the region suggests a shift in the direction of exchange from Mesopotamia to the Indus occurred around the middle of the third millennium B.C. However, a recent analysis of Mesopotamian historical sources has highlighted the scale of state‐organised textile production for export to the lower Gulf in the later third millennium B.C. The site of Kalba 4 has a stratified sequence of occupation deposits dating from the Umm an‐Nar and Iron Age (1300–300 B.C.). In this study, a typological analysis of imported ceramics is used to locate the Kalba in the chronological framework of the region and discuss the changing networks of long‐distance exchange that were operating. The imported pottery at Kalba 4 indicates that the inhabitants of the site were exchanging goods with a range of polities, including southern Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley (Meluhha), southeast Iran (Marhashi) and Bahrain (Dilmun). A significant quantity of Late Akkadian ceramics at the site suggests it became an important location for Mesopotamian trade at this time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Oman upwelling zone (OUZ) creates an unfavorable environment and a major biogeographic barrier for many coral reef species, such as giant clams, thus promoting and maintaining faunal differences among reefs on the east and west side of the Arabian Peninsula. We record the former existence of Tridacna in the Gulf of Oman and review its stratigraphic distribution in the Persian Gulf to provide new insights on the connectivity of coral reef habitats around southern Arabia under changing climate and ocean conditions. Fossil shells were carbon-14 dated and employed as sclerochronological proxy archives. This reveals that the Omani population represents a last glacial colonization event during the Marine Isotope Stage 3 interstadial under colder-than-present temperatures and variable upwelling intensity linked to Dansgaard-Oeschger climate oscillations. It was favored by temperatures just above the lower threshold for the habitat-forming reef coral communities and instability of the upwelling barrier. We conclude that the distribution of Tridacna in the northern Arabian Sea is generally limited by either strong upwelling or cool sea surface temperature under gradually changing climate conditions at the interglacial-glacial scale. Opportunities for dispersal and temporary colonization existed only when there was a simultaneous attenuation of both limiting factors due to high-frequency climate variability. The OUZ will unlikely become a future climate change refuge for giant clams because they will be exposed either to thermal stress by rapid anthropogenic Indian Ocean warming or to unfavorable upwelling conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal reclamation for residential, tourism, and commercial developments in the Arabian Peninsula and other global regions has dramatically increased in recent decades. This phenomenon is undoubtedly innovative and novel; however, it disrupts the natural balance of marine environments and degrades coastal and marine resources. Moreover, the long-term sustainability of such developments might be undermined by rising water levels, earthquakes, and the behavior of filling material and others. This paper analyzed the extent of land reclamation in the Dammam Metropolitan Area (DMA) along the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia within the last two decades and its environmental sustainability impacts. The study used satellite images to compare the coastal boundary of the study area from 2000 to 2020. The study analyzed five major reclamation projects and found that a total of 6081 hectares of land has been reclaimed from the Arabian Gulf, thereby altering the coastal profile of DMA significantly. The environmental sustainability implication of these projects includes the degradation and loss of ecosystem services and marine habitat, urban sprawl, and flood risk. Therefore, environmental regulations, such as the strict prohibition of coastal reclamation, and ecosystem-based urban planning, are needed for sustainable coastal land development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Al Malweah for Archaeological & Historical Studies is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Tropical cyclones (TC) are one of the biggest natural hazards with significant threat to life and property due to storm surge, flooding and extreme winds. Combined, these hazards substantially increase the potential for loss of life and damage especially in populated landfall‐locations such as the countries on the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman. Hence, it is important to identify the factors that modulate the trajectory of TC in order to better predict their lifetime and dynamics. Since 1900, only two TCs moved into the Sea of Oman and made landfall on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula (AP): TC Shaheen in 2021 and Gonu in 2007. In this study, the mechanisms behind the exceptional trajectories of these two TCs are investigated. Both TCs developed during the active phase of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation, and benefited from above‐average sea surface temperatures (SSTs), ocean heat content and reduced vertical wind shear. Their paths over the Indian Ocean were controlled by large‐scale forcings, whereas regional‐scale processes, such as the local SST gradients and the Arabian Heat Low (AHL) defined their trajectories near landfall location over the AP. An exceptionally deep AHL was present during these events. The AHL is found to interact two‐way with TCs: its associated circulation drags the TCs inland while the TCs, through the advection of cooler marine‐air inland, cause the collapse of the AHL. It is recommended to account for the AHL as fluctuations in its position and strength can determine where future TCs make landfall. Key Points: Cyclones Shaheen and Gonu developed in the active phase of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation and in a La Nina state in the northern Indian OceanPositive surface and subsurface ocean temperature anomalies fueled the storms and played important role in their pathsAn abnormally deep Arabian Heat Low over the Arabian Peninsula dragged the cyclones inland and modulated their exceptional trajectories [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current seawater temperatures around the northeastern Arabian Peninsula resemble future global forecasts as temperatures > 35 °C are commonly observed in summer. To provide a more fundamental aim of understanding the structure of wild populations in extreme environmental conditions, we conducted a population genetic study of a widespread, regional endemic table coral species, Acropora downingi, across the northeastern Arabian Peninsula. A total of 63 samples were collected in the southern Arabian/Persian Gulf (Abu Dhabi and Qatar) and the Sea of Oman (northeastern Oman). Using RAD-seq techniques, we described the population structure of A. downingi across the study area. Pairwise G'st and distance-based analyses using neutral markers displayed two distinct genetic clusters: one represented by Arabian/Persian Gulf individuals, and the other by Sea of Oman individuals. Nevertheless, a model-based method applied to the genetic data suggested a panmictic population encompassing both seas. Hypotheses to explain the distinctiveness of phylogeographic subregions in the northeastern Arabian Peninsula rely on either (1) bottleneck events due to successive mass coral bleaching, (2) recent founder effect, (3) ecological speciation due to the large spatial gradients in physical conditions, or (4) the combination of seascape features, ocean circulation and larval traits. Neutral markers indicated a slightly structured population of A. downingi, which exclude the ecological speciation hypothesis. Future studies across a broader range of organisms are required to furnish evidence for existing hypotheses explaining a population structure observed in the study area. Though this is the most thermally tolerant acroporid species worldwide, A. downingi corals in the Arabian/Persian Gulf have undergone major mortality events over the past three decades. Therefore, the present genetic study has important implications for understanding patterns and processes of differentiation in this group, whose populations may be pushed to extinction as the Arabian/Persian Gulf warms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new model of the thermal structure of the easternmost portion of the Arabian continental crust is presented. Detailed heat flow models based on more than 660 temperature measurements from 230 exploration wells have been performed over an area of 166,000 km2 in size, spanning from the Arabian Gulf to the Eastern Arabian Shield. Geothermal gradients exhibit an increase from 22 ºC/km on the Arabian Platform, to 35 ºC/km in the Faydah-Jafurah Basin. Related surface heat flow (SHF) increases in the same direction from 44 to 72 mW/m2. Heat flow analysis reveals that the radiogenic heat contribution to the total surface heat flux accounts for up to 58%, and the Moho heat flux for 42%, accordingly. From thermal modeling constraints, i.e., matching borehole temperature data and resulting heat flow distribution, it can be inferred that the crust underneath the easternmost Arabian Platform (east of En Nala terrane suture) is significantly more felsic (~ 2.5 µW/m3) than the central Arabian Platform and Arabian Shield (~ 0.9 µW/m3). This is supported by deep wells intersecting rocks of granitoid composition east of the Arabian Shield. Reconstructions of lithosphere geotherms has revealed Moho temperatures around 850–900 °C. Moho heat flow is in the order of 26 mW/m2. Thermal modeling revealed a spatial relationship between regional surface heat flow distribution, crustal structure and the extension and composition of basement terranes. The study demonstrates that the Proterozoic crustal configuration has an impact on the Phanerozoic thermal evolution and its subsidence pattern.Modeled temperature (C) at the top of the basement.Graphical abstract: A new model of the thermal structure of the easternmost portion of the Arabian continental crust is presented. Detailed heat flow models based on more than 660 temperature measurements from 230 exploration wells have been performed over an area of 166,000 km2 in size, spanning from the Arabian Gulf to the Eastern Arabian Shield. Geothermal gradients exhibit an increase from 22 ºC/km on the Arabian Platform, to 35 ºC/km in the Faydah-Jafurah Basin. Related surface heat flow (SHF) increases in the same direction from 44 to 72 mW/m2. Heat flow analysis reveals that the radiogenic heat contribution to the total surface heat flux accounts for up to 58%, and the Moho heat flux for 42%, accordingly. From thermal modeling constraints, i.e., matching borehole temperature data and resulting heat flow distribution, it can be inferred that the crust underneath the easternmost Arabian Platform (east of En Nala terrane suture) is significantly more felsic (~ 2.5 µW/m3) than the central Arabian Platform and Arabian Shield (~ 0.9 µW/m3). This is supported by deep wells intersecting rocks of granitoid composition east of the Arabian Shield. Reconstructions of lithosphere geotherms has revealed Moho temperatures around 850–900 °C. Moho heat flow is in the order of 26 mW/m2. Thermal modeling revealed a spatial relationship between regional surface heat flow distribution, crustal structure and the extension and composition of basement terranes. The study demonstrates that the Proterozoic crustal configuration has an impact on the Phanerozoic thermal evolution and its subsidence pattern.Modeled temperature (C) at the top of the basement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arabist scholars have started quite recently to pay attention towards the fascinating Gulf literary production. However, Qatari literature remains one of the most under investigated subjects, especially in Europe, despite its interesting aspects and remarkable development. Through the literary comparison of three short stories, namely al-Ḫuṭwa al-aḫīra (The Last Step) by Umm Akṯam, Ṣafā' ar-rūḥ (The Purity of Soul) by Nāṣir Ṣāliḥ al-Faḍāla, and Ḥarām ʻalayk (Shame on You) by Muḥsin Fahd al-Hāǧirī, this article aims to provide a thematic analysis of some insights of the marriage in Qatar. Through the short stories we will be able to explore the relationship between men and women related to the social local issues affecting the community at the time of writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of the Center Papyrological Studies (BCPS) is the property of Ain Shams University, Faculty of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is the most abundant aldehyde in the troposphere. While its background mixing ratio is mostly determined by the oxidation of methane, in many environments, especially in the boundary layer, HCHO can have a large variety of precursors, in particular biogenic and anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and their oxidation products. Here we present shipborne observations of HCHO , hydroxyl radical (OH) and OH reactivity (R(OH)), which were obtained during the Air Quality and Climate Change in the Arabian Basin (AQABA) campaign in summer 2017. The loss rate of HCHO was inferred from its reaction with OH, measured photolysis rates and dry deposition. In photochemical steady state, the HCHO loss is balanced by production via OH-initiated degradation of VOCs, photolysis of oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) and the ozonolysis of alkenes. The slope αeff from a scatter plot of the HCHO production rate versus the product of OH and R(OH)eff (excluding inorganic contribution) yields the fraction of OH reactivity that contributes to HCHO production. Values of αeff varied between less than 2 % in relatively clean air over the Arabian Sea and the southern Red Sea and up to 32 % over the polluted Arabian Gulf (also known as Persian Gulf), signifying that polluted areas harbor a larger variety of HCHO precursors. The separation of R(OH)eff into individual compound classes revealed that elevated values of αeff coincided with increased contribution of alkanes and OVOCs, with the highest reactivity of all VOCs over the Arabian Gulf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present shipborne measurements of NO x (≡ NO + NO 2) and NO y (≡ NO x+ gas- and particle-phase organic and inorganic oxides of nitrogen) in summer 2017 as part of the expedition "Air Quality and climate change in the Arabian BAsin" (AQABA). The NO x and NO z (≡ NO y -NO x) measurements, made with a thermal dissociation cavity ring-down spectrometer (TD-CRDS), were used to examine the chemical mechanisms involved in the processing of primary NO x emissions and their influence on the NO y budget in chemically distinct marine environments, including the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Arabian Gulf, which were influenced to varying extents by emissions from shipping and oil and gas production. Complementing the TD-CRDS measurements, NO and NO 2 data sets from a chemiluminescence detector (CLD) were used in the analysis. In all regions, we find that NO x is strongly connected to ship emissions, both via direct emission of NO and via the formation of HONO and its subsequent photolytic conversion to NO. The role of HONO was assessed by calculating the NO x production rate from its photolysis. Mean NO 2 lifetimes were 3.9 h in the Mediterranean Sea, 4.0 h in the Arabian Gulf, and 5.0 h in the Red Sea area. The cumulative loss of NO 2 during the night (reaction with O 3) was more important than daytime losses (reaction with OH) over the Arabian Gulf (by a factor 2.8) and over the Red Sea (factor 2.9), whereas over the Mediterranean Sea, where OH levels were high, daytime losses dominated (factor 2.5). Regional ozone production efficiencies (OPEs; calculated from the correlation between O x and NO z , where O x= O 3+ NO 2) ranged from 10.5 ± 0.9 to 19.1 ± 1.1. This metric quantifies the relative strength of photochemical O 3 production from NO x compared to the competing sequestering into NO z species. The largest values were found over the Arabian Gulf, consistent with high levels of O 3 found in that region (10–90 percentiles range: 23–108 ppbv). The fractional contribution of individual NO z species to NO y exhibited a large regional variability, with HNO 3 generally the dominant component (on average 33 % of NO y) with significant contributions from organic nitrates (11 %) and particulate nitrates in the PM 1 size range (8 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue engages the historical and contemporary heterogeneity of the Gulf, which was a transcultural space long before the discovery of oil. Over the past two decades, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have actively begun to harness the media's power, while at the same time grassroots productions—online, through social media and in regional festivals—reframe assumptions about film and visual media. With resident expatriate population comprising up to 90 percent of the population in Gulf states, film and visual media complicate conventional frameworks derived from area studies, such as 'Arab media', 'Middle Eastern and North African cinema', or 'South Asian film'. These articles also unsettle the modernist divisions of media into distinct categories, such as broadcast television and theatrical exhibition, and consider forms that move between professional and nonprofessional media, and between private and semi-public spaces, including the transmedia spaces of theme parks and shooting locations. Articles examine the subjects of early photography in Kuwait, the role of Oman TV as a broadcaster of Indian films into Pakistan, representations of disability and gender in Kuwaiti musalsalat , tribal uses of social media, and videos produced by South Asian and Southeast Asian expatriates, including second-generation expatriates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured around the Arabian Peninsula using a research vessel during the AQABA campaign (Air Quality and Climate Change in the Arabian Basin) from June to August 2017. In this study we examine carbonyl compounds, measured by a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS), and present both a regional concentration distribution and a budget assessment for these key atmospheric species. Among the aliphatic carbonyls, acetone had the highest mixing ratios in most of the regions traversed, varying from 0.43 ppb over the Arabian Sea to 4.5 ppb over the Arabian Gulf, followed by formaldehyde (measured by a Hantzsch monitor, 0.82 ppb over the Arabian Sea and 3.8 ppb over the Arabian Gulf) and acetaldehyde (0.13 ppb over the Arabian Sea and 1.7 ppb over the Arabian Gulf). Unsaturated carbonyls (C 4 –C 9) varied from 10 to 700 ppt during the campaign and followed similar regional mixing ratio dependence to aliphatic carbonyls, which were identified as oxidation products of cycloalkanes over polluted areas. We compared the measurements of acetaldehyde, acetone, and methyl ethyl ketone to global chemistry-transport model (ECHAM5/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry – EMAC) results. A significant discrepancy was found for acetaldehyde, with the model underestimating the measured acetaldehyde mixing ratio by up to an order of magnitude. Implementing a photolytically driven marine source of acetaldehyde significantly improved the agreement between measurements and model, particularly over the remote regions (e.g. Arabian Sea). However, the newly introduced acetaldehyde source was still insufficient to describe the observations over the most polluted regions (Arabian Gulf and Suez), where model underestimation of primary emissions and biomass burning events are possible reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the past few decades a concern with heritage in the countries of the Arab Gulf has led to the reclamation of the purebred Arabian horse as one of the iconic animals of the Bedouin identity and to developing a thriving horse breeding industry in the region. While stud farms and equestrian sport events are intended to reinforce the Arabian identity of the breed, a closer look at its history demonstrate in fact the complexity of its identity. The complexity of cultural transfers with respect to horse breeding between the East and the West from the Early Modern period on, highlights the connected history of both the Arabian horses and the Thoroughbreds, and the ongoing cultural re-appropriation of both breeds as 'native' to the Arabian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The names of two major Gulf airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates, have saturated the European football scene for many years, sponsoring some of the most prominent European teams and FIFA itself. These state-backed airlines are also active in motorsports, rugby, cycling, tennis, golf, cricket, and equestrian sport, while several prominent Gulf elites and royal family members have recently taken over major sports franchises in Europe and elsewhere. How should we understand these far-reaching sponsorship agendas in the Gulf? What can they tell us about the politics and ethics of international sport on the Arabian Peninsula? Moving beyond the general readings of Gulf sport sponsorship as an exercise in 'soft power,' this article shows how these deals are strategic nodes for diverse actors in the Gulf and in the international sporting community to advance various interests: personal, political, financial, and otherwise. Informed by a critical geopolitics lens that questions the coherence of the 'state' as an actor, I ask what it means to say that 'the Gulf' sponsors sport, and more specifically investigate the relevant actors behind these sponsorship deals. To do so, this article examines regional and global political economy through a focus on three Gulf airline sponsors, Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways, and three elite sports sponsors—the UAE's Sheik Mansour, Qatar's Nasser bin Ghanim Al-Khelaïfi, and Sheikh Nasser of Bahrain. By decentering 'soft power' approaches to sport that unduly emphasize the 'state' as an actor, this article suggests a more grounded approach to the geopolitics of sport in the Arabian Peninsula, which simultaneously acknowledges the complicity of Western actors and institutions in the rise of Gulf sports sponsorship deals in the past decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arabian Peninsula borders the hottest reefs in the world, and corals living in these extreme environments can provide insight into the effects of warming on coral health and disease. Here, we examined coral reef health at 17 sites across three regions along the northeastern Arabian Peninsula (Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Oman Sea) representing a gradient of environmental conditions. The Persian Gulf has extreme seasonal fluctuations in temperature and chronic hypersalinity, whereas the other two regions experience more moderate conditions. Field surveys identified 13 coral diseases including tissue loss diseases of unknown etiology (white syndromes) in Porites, Platygyra, Dipsastraea, Cyphastrea, Acropora and Goniopora; growth anomalies in Porites, Platygyra and Dipsastraea; black band disease in Platygyra, Dipsastraea, Acropora, Echinopora and Pavona; bleached patches in Porites and Goniopora and a disease unique to this region, yellow-banded tissue loss in Porites. The most widespread diseases were Platygyra growth anomalies (52.9% of all surveys), Acropora white syndrome (47.1%) and Porites bleached patches (35.3%). We found a number of diseases not yet reported in this region and found differential disease susceptibility among coral taxa. Disease prevalence was higher on reefs within the Persian Gulf (avg. 2.05%) as compared to reefs within the Strait of Hormuz (0.46%) or Oman Sea (0.25%). A high number of localized disease outbreaks (8 of 17 sites) were found, especially within the Persian Gulf (5 of 8 sites). Across all regions, the majority of variation in disease prevalence (82.2%) was associated with the extreme temperature range experienced by these corals combined with measures of organic pollution and proximity to shore. Thermal stress is known to drive a number of coral diseases, and thus, this region provides a platform to study disease at the edge of corals' thermal range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The translocation of livestock into the Arabian Peninsula was underway by the sixth millennium BC. It remains unclear, however, whether nascent pastoralism in Arabia focused on specialised cattle herding, intensive caprine husbandry, or more extensive forms of sheep, goat and cattle management. Here, the role of Bos in Neolithic animal exploitation systems in the Arabian Peninsula is re‐examined in the context of fisher‐hunter‐gatherer groups inhabiting the coasts of the Arabian Gulf, agro‐pastoralist settlements located in the Jordanian highlands, and hunter‐herder communities in adjacent Jordanian steppe (badia). By the late sixth millennium BC, cattle from southern Mesopotamia were imported to the Arabian littoral via Ubaid exchange networks but remained a relatively unimportant part of local hunter‐gatherer‐herder subsistence for at least a millennium. New zooarchaeological evidence indicating cattle herding in the Jordanian highlands by the late eighth millennium BC suggests a southern transmission route originating out of Late Pre‐Pottery Neolithic B settlements and the subsequent spread of cattle along the Sarawat mountains into the interior or down the relatively arid Red Sea coast via land or boat. Cattle eventually played a central role in the symbolic and ritual lives of herders in southern Arabia, but the use of the term 'cattle pastoralism' to describe early Neolithic subsistence systems in the region is premature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well before metallurgy, Neolithic societies in the Gulf were engaging in a very peculiar form of metal object production, particularly of axes and adzes made from haematite. In the heart of the Neolithic Middle East, this innovation was specific to Arabian shores between the Musandam and Qatar peninsulas. Quite infrequent among Neolithic lithic assemblages from Arabia, axes and adzes were mostly collected on the surface of domestic settlements. One is often dealing with objects to which the most focus has been given, apart from arrowheads and projectile points. Several sites or outcrops are present on the Emirati coastline and Gulf islands. Inland mountain ranges also include some of these. From Ra's al‐Khaimah to Qatar, only 500 km separate the most distant Neolithic domestic settlements which possess haematite axes or hoes, a distance that is quite small when one considers the circulation of polished stone blades in other societies of the same period. Within the Middle East, south‐eastern Arabia during the Neolithic engaged in a very original means of production of metal objects, as the latter did not focus on copper, a very malleable and much more available material, but on haematite, which was much harder. [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]

Invasive non‐native species (NNS) are internationally recognized as posing a serious threat to global biodiversity, economies and human health. The identification of invasive NNS is already established, those that may arrive in the future, their vectors and pathways of introduction and spread, and hotspots of invasion are important for a targeted approach to managing introductions and impacts at local, regional and global scales. The aim of this study was to identify which marine and brackish NNS are already present in marine systems of the northeastern Arabia area (Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman) and of these which ones are potentially invasive, and which species have a high likelihood of being introduced in the future and negatively affect biodiversity. Overall, 136 NNS were identified, of which 56 are already present in the region and a further 80 were identified as likely to arrive in the future, including fish, tunicates, invertebrates, plants and protists. The Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS‐ISK) was used to identify the risk of NNS being (or becoming) invasive within the region. Based on the AS‐ISK basic risk assessment (BRA) thresholds, 36 extant and 37 horizon species (53.7% of all species) were identified as high risk. When the impact of climate change on the overall assessment was considered, the combined risk score (BRA+CCA) increased for 38.2% of all species, suggesting higher risk under warmer conditions, including the highest‐risk horizon NNS the green crab Carcinus maenas, and the extant macro‐alga Hypnea musciformis. This is the first horizon‐scanning exercise for NNS in the region, thus providing a vital baseline for future management. The outcome of this study is the prioritization of NNS to inform decision‐making for the targeted monitoring and management in the region to prevent new bio‐invasions and to control existing species, including their potential for spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monthly and seasonal variability and distribution of dust events over northern Saudi Arabia were studied using ground‐based measurements from 11 surface stations for the period of 1978–2010. Additionally, to study the synoptic climatology of the dust variability, the aerosol index (AI) data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) satellite and meteorological data from the National Center for Environmental Prediction and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis datasets were used. The dust types observed at the surface stations are classified into two categories: weak dust and dust storms. A statistical study of the ground measurements demonstrated that weak dust category events are prevalent in the cold months, whereas storm category events are prevalent in the hot months. Additionally, the annual distribution distinguishes two periods for dust observations, before and after 1989, where the number of events in the first period is lower than the annual average but increases during the second period. The synoptic climate study indicated that two main atmospheric wind patterns, anticyclonic and northerly (shamal) patterns, accompany the dust events in the study area. The dust in winter and autumn is mainly affected by the anticyclonic pattern, while that in spring and summer is mainly affected by the shamal pattern. In addition, a synoptic study of selected cases confirmed the climate results and demonstrated the existence of two atmospheric patterns corresponding to winter and summer. Both patterns include troughs over the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf and a ridge or high‐pressure cell over the eastern Mediterranean region during the summer atmospheric pattern and over the mid‐Arabian Peninsula during the winter atmospheric pattern. The characteristic of non‐dust storm composition demonstrated that the storms exhibit pronounced synoptic systems (winter and summer) with the highest pressure/geopotential gradient near the Arabian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Neolithic period in Eastern Arabia (especially from 5500 to 3100 BC) is better understood due to recent excavations of stratified sites stretching from Kuwait to the Sultanate of Oman. When oasis agriculture developed from the Bronze Age onwards, herding, shellfish gathering, and fishing became the primary modes of subsistence, and despite strong regional aridity, coastal shell middens provide the best preservation conditions in the Persian Gulf. Akab, one of the many Neolithic shell middens of the United Arab Emirates coastline, is situated in the Umm al-Quwain lagoon. This settlement is dated to the second part of the fifth millennium BC and has provided more than 37,000 fish remains, derived from over 50 fish species. Ichthyofaunal analysis underlines the predominance of coastal pelagics, such as kawakawas and trevallies, and the exploitation of several coastal fishes, mostly seabreams and emperors. Inhabitants fished over a wide aquatic territory, which included shallow-water biotopes, situated inside the lagoon, and the open sea. The associated fishing gear, composed of stone sinkers and shell fishhooks, indicates that nets and lines were used. Here, we review the seasonal organization of activities and mobility schemes from an archaeo-ichthyological perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyzes the policies of the Arab Gulf states in the Central Asian region. Common cultural and religious traditions, solidarity with the Muslim Ummah and historical heritage provided impetus to broaden the development of cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and the Arabian Peninsula after the end of the Cold War. The Arab Gulf countries, which possess significant foreign exchange reserves, are investing in a promising region. Two of the five Central Asian states, namely Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, which occupy a key geo-economic position in the Caspian region are of the greatest economic importance for the Arab countries. The Arab states seek to expand ties with these countries in the existing regional transport corridors and in the emerging infrastructure of the Belt and Road project, and anticipate an increased significance of their role as major hubs. The areas of economic cooperation between the Arab monarchies and the countries of Central Asia include infrastructure project financing, development of hydrocarbon deposits and the banking sector, especially Islamic banking. The agriculture and water security sphere is another area of cooperation. The countries of the Arabian Peninsula import 60% of their food. The countries of Central Asia, in turn, are the most active food exporters in the region. Due to the geographical conditions, namely the absence of a logistics corridor directly to the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, transport problems, including guarantees of secure supplies by Central Asian countries, need to be resolved. The social sphere is the third area of cooperation. By providing extensive financial investments, including sponsorship of large-scale educational and healthcare projects, the Arab monarchies planned to gain political solidarity from the Central Asian states. Immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Gulf states established a large number of Arab religious foundations, which aimed to coming closer together with the Muslims in Central Asia through madrassas and religious education programs in the Arabian states. Of particular importance is the confrontation of the Arabian monarchies with Shi'a Iran and relatively secular Turkey in promoting their own "visions of Islam." After the events of the Arab Spring in 2011, the Central Asian states paid more attention to the internal stability, and cooperation with the countries of the Arabian Peninsula was reoriented to other social spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a 40-year hindcast, we analyze the climatology and long-term trends of wind and waves in the Arabian Gulf. We identify and characterize four dominant wind systems, and their related mean wave conditions and long-term trends. Focusing on the summer Shamal wind, we observed a mild decrease in the number of Shamal events with time, whereas their intensity shows little to no variation. Further, we revealed a tendency toward an extension of the summer Shamal season from August to September. On a short time scale, the related wind fields show an evident daily oscillation associated with the daily heating of the Arabian Peninsula, with wind speeds peaking at 3:00 p.m. local time (UTC+3) on land and 12 h later on the sea. The long-term analysis conducted herein reveals limited, but significant, trends in surface pressure and related west-to-east pressure gradients in August. In September, the observed increasing number of Shamal storms is associated with an increase of the longitudinal local pressure gradient. • Analyzed the climatology and trends of wind and waves in the Arabian Gulf. • Mild decrease in Shamal events observed with little to no variation in the intensity. • An extension of the summer Shamal season from August to September. • Increased number of storms in September suggests intense climatological variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Advective travel time along streamlines is analytically found for phreatic aquifers. • The Laplace/Poisson equations are solved in polygon's exterior/interior. • The water table, flownet, hydraulic gradients, and discharge streamlines are obtained. • Ecohydrology of parks and desert oases in arid zones is discussed. • Isoperimetric problems travel time – park's area are formulated. Strack's (1984, 2017) analysis of infiltration from a pond into a shallow aquifer, with a generated groundwater mound, is modified for steady phreatic groundwater flows in perched aquifers, typical for arid/hyperarid environments, with a zone of intensive transpiration and induced groundwater trough. The interior of an urban phreatophytic park is an n -polygon (in an aerial view), which degenerates into a circle at n → ∞. Transpiration acts as an areal groundwater sink. The water table drawdown is hydrologically symmetric with Strack's drawup. In the exterior of the park, the ground surface is phyto-sterile (e.g. a desert in Arabia or a paved megapolis) and evapotranspiration from the water table there is ignored. The travel (residence) time of advected marked particles along the flowpaths (streamlines) towards the park and under it are analytically evaluated. In terms of the Dupuit-Forchheimer model of a vertically averaged hydraulic head, the Strack potential obeys the Laplace and Poisson equations in polygon's exterior and interior (correspondingly), with a hydraulic commingling along the park boundary. The tracer particles start their topologically converging journey from a remote circular zone of contamination (e.g. sewage from urban septic tanks recharging the water table). Porosity, hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer, evapotranspiration rate and a piezometric head in a remote observational well are given. For a circular park flow is 1-D radial. In the park exterior, the Schwarz-Christoffel formula maps conformally the physical domain (an infinite trigon) onto a half-strip in the complex potential plane. Strack's potential is expressed via hypergeometric functions, whose parameters depend on n. The flow net is reconstructed with the help of the stream function. For a triangular park interior, there is no stream function and the Saint-Venant solution to the Poisson equation is engaged to find the water table, hydraulic gradients, and discharge streamlines. The total dewatered volume and groundwater storage under the water table and "gross travel time" are evaluated for circular parks. Implications for ecohydrology of parks and desert oases in the Gulf countries and intuitive isoperimetric problems are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights key foreign policy aspects of the two Gulf countries - Yemen and Kuwait. It is revealed that the key feature of Kuwait's foreign policy is that, in addition to the established political and economic aspect, the humanitarian sphere is of great importance in its activities. Unlike Kuwait, Yemen's foreign policy, while not paying enough attention to the humanitarian sphere, has been found to be exclusively in peaceful, constructive forms (resolving territorial disputes with Saudi Arabia and Eritrea). It is proved that although the two countries are in the context of the Arab world, close foreign policy cooperation with other countries of the region comes from certain political events (Kuwaiti crisis, Iran-Iraq war) and geopolitical interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arabian Peninsula is characterized by high and increasing levels of photochemical air pollution. Strong solar irradiation, high temperatures and large anthropogenic emissions of reactive trace gases result in intense photochemical activity, especially during the summer months. However, air chemistry measurements in the region are scarce. In order to assess regional pollution sources and oxidation rates, the first ship-based direct measurements of total OH reactivity were performed in summer 2017 from a vessel traveling around the peninsula during the AQABA (Air Quality and Climate Change in the Arabian Basin) campaign. Total OH reactivity is the total loss frequency of OH radicals due to all reactive compounds present in air and defines the local lifetime of OH, the most important oxidant in the troposphere. During the AQABA campaign, the total OH reactivity ranged from below the detection limit (5.4 s -1) over the northwestern Indian Ocean (Arabian Sea) to a maximum of 32.8±9.6 s -1 over the Arabian Gulf (also known as Persian Gulf) when air originated from large petroleum extraction/processing facilities in Iraq and Kuwait. In the polluted marine regions, OH reactivity was broadly comparable to highly populated urban centers in intensity and composition. The permanent influence of heavy maritime traffic over the seaways of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Oman resulted in median OH sinks of 7.9–8.5 s -1. Due to the rapid oxidation of direct volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) were observed to be the main contributor to OH reactivity around the Arabian Peninsula (9 %–35 % by region). Over the Arabian Gulf, alkanes and alkenes from the petroleum extraction and processing industry were an important OH sink with ∼9 % of total OH reactivity each, whereas NOx and aromatic hydrocarbons (∼10 % each) played a larger role in the Suez Canal, which is influenced more by ship traffic and urban emissions. We investigated the number and identity of chemical species necessary to explain the total OH sink. Taking into account ∼100 individually measured chemical species, the observed total OH reactivity can typically be accounted for within the measurement uncertainty (50 %), with 10 dominant trace gases accounting for 20 %–39 % of regional total OH reactivity. The chemical regimes causing the intense ozone pollution around the Arabian Peninsula were investigated using total OH reactivity measurements. Ozone vs. OH reactivity relationships were found to be a useful tool for differentiating between ozone titration in fresh emissions and photochemically aged air masses. Our results show that the ratio of NOx - and VOC-attributed OH reactivity was favorable for ozone formation almost all around the Arabian Peninsula, which is due to NOx and VOCs from ship exhausts and, often, oil/gas production. Therewith, total OH reactivity measurements help to elucidate the chemical processes underlying the extreme tropospheric ozone concentrations observed in summer over the Arabian Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study mainly focuses on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and adjoining areas, in the Arabian Peninsula, coming under the arid/semi-arid climatic conditions. The extremely intermittent rainfall strongly hinders the economic growth of this region. The freshwater primarily comes from the desalination of seawater along with other resources such as groundwater in the UAE region. Nevertheless, the declining groundwater reserves and expensive desalination approach have made to search for alternative sources for rain enhancement and one such approach is through the cloud seeding. However, there are barely few studies concentrated on the occurrence frequency of clouds and seasonal variability including their natural microphysics and dynamics that is crucial for precipitation augmentation through cloud seeding. Hence, the present study uses two geostationary satellites, namely, Meteosat-8 and Meteosat-10, due to their higher spatiotemporal observations in this region. The two geostationary satellites scan the UAE and adjoining regions in different view angles due to their positioning in different longitudes. Therefore, the Meteosat-8 has more advantage than Meteosat-10 in terms of the biases associated with the angular view and spatial resolution over the UAE and adjoining regions. Hence, the present study also evaluates the biases related to cloud occurrence due to different view angles. The winter (February–March) and summer (June–August) seasons indicate the frequent occurrence of clouds with distinct spatial distribution in these arid/semi-arid areas. The Arabian Gulf shows a higher percentage of clouds during winter while frequent convective clouds are noticed during summer over the Al Hajar Mountains. The evaluation of liquid and ice clouds also indicates that the warm cloud percentage is higher over the mountainous regions. However, the ice cloud distribution is higher over the Arabian Gulf during winter while they are highly confined along the Al Hajar Mountains in summer. The evaluation of cloud cover from Meteosat-10 and Meteosat-8 indicates the former shows higher occurrence percentage than the later. The significant biases are noted in warm cloud occurrence along the mountainous regions from both the satellites. The fractional occurrence of rain is also estimated for different seasons based cloud liquid water path that provides key information to the seedable convective clouds. Therefore, the present study finds significant implications to the rain enhancement over arid and semi-arid regions in the Arabian Peninsula. • First report on cloud properties over the arid regions using Meteosat-8 (41.5°E) • Assessment of uncertainties in Meteosat-10 and Meteosat-8 • Evaluation of seedable clouds over the UAE and adjoining regions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) have been extensively studied around the globe due to their importance to atmospheric chemistry and their utility in emission source and chemical sink identification. This study reports on shipborne NMHC measurements made around the Arabian Peninsula during the AQABA (Air Quality and climate change in the Arabian BAsin) ship campaign. The ship traversed the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, the northern Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Gulf, before returning by the same route. The Middle East is one of the largest producers of oil and gas (O&G), yet it is among the least studied. Atmospheric mixing ratios of C2 – C8 hydrocarbons ranged from a few ppt in unpolluted regions (Arabian Sea) to several ppb over the Suez Canal and Arabian Gulf (also known as the Persian Gulf), where a maximum of 166.5 ppb of alkanes was detected. The ratio between i -pentane and n -pentane was found to be 0.93±0.03 ppb ppb -1 over the Arabian Gulf, which is indicative of widespread O&G activities, while it was 1.71±0.06 ppb ppb -1 in the Suez Canal, which is a characteristic signature of ship emissions. We provide evidence that international shipping contributes to ambient C3 – C8 hydrocarbon concentrations but not to ethane, which was not detected in marine traffic exhausts. NMHC relationships with propane differentiated between alkane-rich associated gas and methane-rich non-associated gas through a characteristic enrichment of ethane over propane atmospheric mixing ratios. Utilizing the variability–lifetime relationship, we show that atmospheric chemistry governs the variability of the alkanes only weakly in the source-dominated areas of the Arabian Gulf (bAG=0.16) and along the northern part of the Red Sea (bRSN=0.22), but stronger dependencies are found in unpolluted regions such as the Gulf of Aden (bGA=0.58) and the Mediterranean Sea (bMS=0.48). NMHC oxidative pair analysis indicated that OH chemistry dominates the oxidation of hydrocarbons in the region, but along the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf the NMHC ratios occasionally provided evidence of chlorine radical chemistry. These results demonstrate the utility of NMHCs as source/sink identification tracers and provide an overview of NMHCs around the Arabian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Two opposing views are held about the effects of desalination plants on coastal environments. One view is that brine discharged from desalination plants has minimal impact on the coastal environment. The other opinion claims that discharges from desalination plants pose a potential environmental hazard to coastal environments and particularly to those of the Arabian Gulf. The present study was carried out to determine whether negative environmental impacts could be detected in coastal waters of the Gulf and Red Sea near discharges from desalination plants in Saudi Arabia. Phytoplankton abundance, concentrations of chlorophyll a , nutrients, total suspended solids, trace metals, chlorination by-products, bacterial growth, and toxicity of effluents were assessed. Results indicate the brine discharges were not toxic to fish or brine shrimp. Mitigation of impacts from elevated temperature, salinity and chemicals in dual purpose plants is partly achieved by pre-dilution of brine reject stream with cooling water. Alternative pretreatment methods, chlorination and waste treatment are considered. There is accumulation of corrosion metals in sediments at the discharge site of a plant on the Gulf coast. However, their concentrations were within regulatory limits. Highlights • There are opposing views about the effect of desalination discharges on coastal environments. • Coastal water quality parameters in the vicinity of desalination plants on the Red Sea and Gulf clearly show that discharged brine has minimal impact on the marine coastal environment. • Given the need for potable water in extremely arid lands of the Arabian Peninsula, the few small effects noted with the discharge zone seem acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This interview with Gareth Doherty of Harvard University Graduate School of Design, focuses on his Paradoxes of Green: Landscapes of a City-State (University of California Press, 2017). With Paradoxes of Green (2017) and via the interview, Doherty recounts some of the findings of his ethnographic fieldwork in the Kingdom of Bahrain and describes tensions arising from differing conceptions of what 'green' means or signifies within this growing and predominantly arid region. An argument that Doherty makes in Paradoxes of Green (2017) is that color and form are interlinked, and that color deserves deeper consideration by policymakers and other formal shapers of cities. The interview draws from Paradoxes of Green (2017) to discuss some of Doherty's findings as well as his latest work on the intersections between landscape architecture and anthropology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exception is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which "has paid far more attention to and has been far more successful in reforming its armed forces than other GCC states." Consequently, most of the Gulf states have not developed armed forces capable of combating external threats. As a result, he does not provide a comprehensive assessment of Saudi or Emirati military effectiveness in the only conflict in which Gulf armed forces have played a leading role. [Extracted from the article]

The present study investigates the interannual variability of the advective pathways and transit times of the Red Sea Overflow Water (RSOW) in the western Arabian Sea using virtual particles as a proxy indicator for the poorly understood RSOW spreading. The Lagrangian simulations are based on the GLORYS12 eddy-rich reanalysis (1/12°), which assimilates most satellite and in situ observations from 1993 to 2018. Statistical analysis of particle positions reveals the Gulf's mouth is always the main RSOW export route out of the Gulf of Aden. Moreover, there is substantial interannual variability in the three RSOW pathways in the western Arabian Sea, which are consistent with in-situ salinity variability at the RSOW layer. The faster Socotra pathway is strongest for particles released in 1998–1999 and 2012 and almost non-existent for the ones released in 2006–2007. The strongest state of the Socotra pathway co-occurs with some of the most powerful El-Nino/Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole events in history. A decadal seesaw stands out between the Northwest pathway, which advects RSOW northward offshore the Arabian Peninsula, and the Southwest pathway, which advects RSOW southward to the Somali Basin along the eastern side of Socotra. While the Northwest pathway strengthened from 1996 to 2011, the Southwest weakened. These changes are associated with interannual variability in the western boundary undercurrents and subsurface eddy kinetic energy. Interestingly, the Northwest pathway trajectories are eddy-dominated, in striking contrast with the Socotra and Southwest pathways, in which western boundary undercurrents are major players. This fact suggests that eddy-induced transport is likely to have a significant role in spreading the RSOW northward. No considerable interannual variability in transit times is detected for any pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]