Israel Water Authority

Smart textiles are an evolving field, but challenges in durability, washing, interfacing, and sustainability persist. Widespread adoption requires robust, lightweight, fully integrated fiber-based conductors. This paper proposes using ultralong carbon nanotube (UCNT) yarns with a width-to-length ratio of several orders of magnitude larger than typical carbon nanotube fibers. These yarns enable the manufacturing of stable, workable structures, composed of a network of twisted fibers (tows), which are suitable for fabric integration. Our research includes the creation of textile prototype demonstrators integrated with coated and non-coated UCNT yarns, tested under military-grade standards for both mechanical durability and electric functionality. The demonstrators were evaluated for their electrical and mechanical properties under washability, abrasion, and weathering. Notably, polymer-coated UCNT yarns demonstrated improved mechanical durability and electrical performance, showing promising results. However, washing tests revealed the presence of UCNT nanofibers in the residue, raising concerns due to their classification as hazards by the World Health Organization. This paper examines the sources of fiber release and discusses necessary improvements to coating formulations and testing protocols to mitigate fiber loss and enhance their practical viability. These findings underscore both the potential and limitations of UCNT yarns in military textile applications.

This study focuses on the role of karst aquifers in the Mediterranean Basin as a buffered storage of freshwater, especially considering the anticipated increase in drought periods due to climate change. Climate change underscores the need for innovative groundwater management approaches to maximize the storage capacity of these aquifers. This study emphasizes the importance of enhancing aquifer recharge during normal or high rainfall to mitigate the impacts of droughts. Notably, many karst aquifers in this region, which developed extensively during the lower base levels of the Messinian Salinity Crisis, exhibit a dual-domain flow pattern. This pattern consists of a slower flow through the rock matrix and a faster flow through conduits. Despite the rapid drainage of these mature karst systems, some, particularly those in the Mediterranean, are limited in their outflow to the sea by marine clay deposits, as highlighted by Bakalowicz (2015, Environmental Earth Sciences). These systems have shown a significant capacity for storage over several years.In our study, we applied dual-permeability flow modeling to evaluate the storage potential of the Western Mountain Aquifer in Israel and the West Bank. The model utilizes the volume-averaged Richards' equation and integrates a term to account for the characteristic preferential infiltration in karst aquifers, even under nearly dry conditions. The model includes phreatic and vadose zone flows to comprehensively assess the storage capacities of the aquifer comprehensively. The results indicate that despite its advanced karst development, the Western Mountain Aquifer possesses a notable long-term storage capability. This is attributed to its extensive vadose zone and the restricted outflow, which is constrained by surrounding and overlying low-permeability formations (such as the Talme-Yafe, Negba, Daliya, and Menuha Formations, composed mainly of chalk and marl). The study explores various infiltration sites for managed aquifer recharge and considers current and future climatic conditions based on the RCP4.5 climate change scenario.

The geochemical and isotopic composition of deep groundwater in sedimentary aquitards reveals a complex paleo-hydrological system affected by intensive tectonic activity. Water samples collected from deep research boreholes in the Golan Heights (Middle East) exhibit a unique combination of high salinity (>2,000 mg/L Cl) with low Na/Cl (<0.7) and Mg/Ca (<0.3) equivalent ratios, calcium chloride water type [Ca > (HCO3 + SO4)], relatively low δ18OVSMOW and δ2HVSMOW values (–7 and –42‰, respectively), and enriched 87Sr/86Sr ratios compared to the host rocks. The salinity source is related to ancient lagoonary hypersaline brines (10–5 Ma) that existed along the Dead Sea Rift (DSR). These brines intruded into the rocks surrounding the DSR and, based on the current study, also extended away from the rift. Following their subsurface intrusion, the brines have been gradually diluted by 18O- and 2H-depleted freshwater recharged at high elevations, nowadays leaving only traces of the brines that originally intruded. It is also shown that variable hydraulic conductivities in different formations control the dilution rates and subsequently the preservation of the entrapped brines. A paleo-hydrological reconstruction is provided to demonstrate intrusion and backflow dynamics and also the relationship to freshwater dilution, which was triggered by a tectonically active basin of the nearby continental DSR. Brines that initially migrated from the rift have since been gradually flushed back to the rift through the current natural outlets. As the system discharges, it mixes and converges with a separate hydrogeological system, while still preserving some of the geochemical signals of the ancient brines.

Abstract Let A A be an arbitrary matrix in which the number of rows, m m , is considerably larger than the number of columns, n n . Let the submatrix A i , i = 1 , … , m {A}_{i},\hspace{0.33em}i=1,\ldots ,m , be composed from the first i i rows of A A , and let β i {\beta }_{i} denote the smallest singular value of A i {A}_{i} . Recently, we observed that the first part of this sequence, β 1 , … , β n {\beta }_{1},\ldots ,{\beta }_{n} , is descending, while the second part, β n , … , β m {\beta }_{n},\ldots ,{\beta }_{m} , is ascending. This property is called “the smallest singular value anomaly.” In this article, we expose another interesting feature of this sequence. It is shown that certain types of matrices possess the sharp anomaly phenomenon: First, when i i is considerably smaller than n n , the value of β i {\beta }_{i} decreases rather slowly. Then, as i i approaches n n from below, there is fast reduction in the value of β i {\beta }_{i} , making β n {\beta }_{n} much smaller than β 1 {\beta }_{1} . Yet, once i i passes n n , the situation is reversed and β i {\beta }_{i} increases rapidly. Finally, when i i moves away from n n , the rate of increase slows down. The article illustrates this behavior and explores its reasons. It is shown that the sharp anomaly phenomenon occurs in matrices with “scattering rows.”

Identifying the link between climatic properties and topography helps to elucidate key controlling processes affecting Earth's landscape evolution. In drylands, however, it is harder to associate topography with average climate as surface processes are significantly affected by spatially disconnected, discrete and short-duration rainstorms. In this study, we investigate whether variations in rainstorm properties can account for topographic differences along a 40-km-long hyperarid escarpment. Results indicate that in the drier parts of the escarpment, cliffs are steeper, and slopes are covered by finer sediment. Rainstorm statistical analysis indicates that the drier part of the escarpment is associated with extreme rainstorms characterized by higher rainfall intensities. We demonstrate that these storms mobilize sediment more frequently in the drier part of the escarpment, which can explain the pronounced topographic differences along the escarpment. This study presents a rarely-recognized link between small-scale variations in arid rainstorm properties and topography and highlights the susceptibility of arid landscapes to extreme rainstorms.

In many regions, the frequency and extent of wildfires has increased in recent years, a trend which is expected to continue. Hence, there is a need for effective fire management strategies. Such strategies need to be based on accurate and complete data on vegetation condition and post-fire effects, collected in the field as well as by remote sensing approaches. Unfortunately, wildfire databases are often incomplete in terms of their spatial and temporal coverage, as well as the documentation of fire outcomes. The aim of this study was to devise a methodology to construct a comprehensive national wildfire database. We developed and tested this methodology for Israel, as a case study. The methodology combines data on wildfires in Israel from two sources: remote sensing and field data collected by governmental agencies, representing the period between 2015 and 2022. The resulting database contains 2276 wildfires larger than 10 ha with information (where and when available) on their occurrence date, fire duration, ignition cause, and more. The methodology presented here provides a blueprint for developing large-scale and comprehensive fire databases elsewhere, and facilitates future studies on wildfire risk by providing a robust, unified database of the fire history of Israel from 2015 onwards.

Regional Climates is one chapter from the State of the Climate in 2021 annual report. Compiled&#13;\nby NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate in 2021 is&#13;\nbased on contributions from scientists from around the world. It provides a detailed update on&#13;\nglobal climate indicators, notable weather events, and other data collected by environmental&#13;\nmonitoring stations and instruments located on land, water, ice, and in space.