Many important archaeological sites in Iraq still need to be preserved. Some of these sites were subjected to destruction and negligence. So, exploring these sites represents a priority for its protection. A 2D Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) as a non-invasive geophysical survey method was implemented at a part of the Borsippa archaeological site near Babylon to search for the subsurface archaeological artefacts/structures. Electrical resistivity measurements were carried out using a Dipole-Dipole array. Steps were taken to process and filter using Horizontal profiles, forward modelling, and 2D inverse models to analyze the resistivity measurements. The ERI inversion results show that the superficial conductive zone produced variations in ERI inverse models. The low resistivity caused by the relatively high conductivity was observed due to rainwater leaking into the topsoil zone. The ERI sections revealed a coherent depth of approximately 7 meters and the anomalies geometry and semi-layering soil. These changes can be attributed to the high resistivity contrast between the relatively high-resistivity anomalies and the surrounding intact soil. The soil types include dry silty and clayey soils and crushed refractory materials such as broken bricks and ruins mixed with rock pulp. These materials have resulted in the collapse of walls due to weathering and erosion. Based on the identified patterns, shallow-depth high-resistive anomalies are present and extend throughout some parts of the study area. These anomalies are represented in a SW-NE trend of the mound area. At the bottom of this zone is another zone with low resistance values and variable thickness, which varies from place to place within the study area. The results proved the efficiency of the ERI technique in detecting archaeological wall-like artefacts, which represents a data bank for any future archaeological prospection.
The Bouguer gravity and magnetic RTP data were used to detect the depth of basement rocks in middle and south Diyala Province, east Iraq. The depth of the basement rocks was calculated by using the Source Parameter Imaging (SPI) method. New attempt is achieved to applied the SPI technique to the gravity values to estimate the depth of basement rocks. The depths of basement map derived from gravity data range 8-14 km, the depth of basement map derived from magnetic data range 9-13.5 km and the basement depth prepared by C.G.G, 1974 range 9-11 km. The derived maps from SPI method and that prepared by C.G.G, 1974 show good matching in the distribution of the depths of the study area. This study showed that basement’s depth range from
... Show MoreBrick factories distributed within the study area use fuel oil to complete the burning of the bricks, were high amounts of gases and suspended particles with different concentrations of heavy elements are produced and cause air and soil pollution. It is noted that the workers suffer from respiratory diseases and other health problems. This study is an attempt to detect the sources and concentrations of pollutants and to propose modalities for their treatment and reduction. Air and soil samples were collected from different sites in Abu Smeache brick factory in Al-Kifl area to the south of Babel city, Iraq, during two seasons (summer and winter). The process also included collecting and modelling of dust and soil
... Show MoreMapping groundwater quality Index for irrigation is of great importance for agricultural issues. As groundwater is a vital source of water for domestic and agricultural activities in Iraqi Western Desert area, where the study area (Dibdibba aquifer) represents the extreme eastern part of it, evaluation of groundwater quality and its suitability for irrigation is important. This study aims to develop decision support tools for identifying the optimal locations of groundwater regarding its quality to meet the future demands of the study area. Samples were collected during the wet season (April-May 2017 (and analyzed for determining the physicochemical properties. The indices used in the quality assessment were the sodium adsorption r
... Show MoreThe study deals with palaeoecology and paleoclimates of Holocene sediments of historical Babylon area on palynological evidence which located at Euphrates river, (100) Km south of Baghdad. Links between environmental and socio- cultural changes are explored in archaeological and palaeoenvironmental data. The increased social and cultural developments as a response of enhanced aridity, driven by population accumulation in environments characterized by the presence of surface water resource. Three palaeoecological zones PZ1, PZ2, and PZ3 are deduced from the pollen diagram which reflect the climatic and ecologic changes throughout parts of the Holocene (5500-7500; 5500- 4000 and 4000-Present yr BP).
Cereal grasses appear at the beginnin
The influences of the Cu substitution at Hg site in the HgOd layer, upon the
microstructure, Tc and oxygen content of Hg-1223 have been investigated. High
temperature superconductor with a nominal composition Hg1-xCuxBa2Ca2Cu3O8 + δ for
Cu ( 0 £ x £ 0.5) have been prepared by the two-steps solid state reaction method
under optimum conditions. XRD showed a tetragonal structure with a high ratio of
Hg-1223 superconductor phase. Tc enhancement has been determined with the Cu
concentration was is found to be Tc = 153 K for x = 0.3, while the oxygen content
observed variously with Cu concentration. Hg1-xCuxBa2Ca2Cu3O8+δ structure, oxygen
content and Tc behavior have been discussed.
We report a new theranostic device based on lead sulfide quantum dots (PbS QDs) with optical emission in the near infrared wavelength range decorated with affibodies (small 6.5 kDa protein-based antibody replacements) specific to the cancer biomarker human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and zinc(II) protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP) to combine imaging, targeting and therapy within one nanostructure. Colloidal PbS QDs were synthesized in aqueous solution with a nanocrystal diameter of ∼5 nm and photoluminescence emission in the near infrared wavelength range. The ZHER2:432 affibody, mutated through the introduction of two cysteine residues at the C-terminus (
Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is one of the geophysical methods that utilize electromagnetic waves in the detection of subjects below the surface to record relative position and shape of archaeological features in 2D and 3D. GPR method was applied in detecting buried archaeological structure in study area in a location within the University of Baghdad. GPR with 3D interpretation managed to locate buried objects at the depth of (1m) . GPR Survey has been carried (12) vertical lines and (5) horizontal lines using frequency antenna (500) MHZ .
The gamma dose rates and specific activity of 137Cs, 60Co and 40K in
samples of soil taken from places near the landfill radiation at Al-
Tuwaitha site were measured using a portable NaI(Tl) detector. The
results of gamma dose rates in samples were ranged from 52.6
nGy.h-1 to 131nGy.h-1. Then the specific activity of 137Cs, 60Co and
40K in soil were determined using high pure germanium (HPGe)
detector. The specific activities were varied from 1.9 to 115500 Bq.
kg-1 for 137Cs, from 6.37 to 616.5 Bq. kg-1 for 60Co, and from 3 to
839.5 Bq. kg-1 for 40K. The corresponding health risk for the annual
effective dose equivalent varied from 1.85×10-14 to 15.7mSv/y. The
results were compared with various internationa