Dead Sea, deeper and deeper

2002/01/23 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Geologia

The Dead Sea, besides possessing the most salty water in the world, has the honor of having the greatest depression. More, XX. According to the measurements made in the twentieth century, it is increasingly deeper: In 1930 it stood 390 m below the Mediterranean level and in 1999 geologists saw it descend to 414 m below.

Through the observations made by the ESA ERS-1 and ERS-2 satellites in the period 1992-1999, it has been possible to better analyze this phenomenon and deepening is increasing. Thus, if the measurements made so far caused the lands of the Dead Sea region to sink normally two centimeters a year, the data collected by the satellites show that some places have sunk up to 6 cm a year. As for the Dead Sea itself, during this period the level fell 6 meters.

Itsaso Hila is located at the mouth of the Jordan River and is limited by two ascending saws: The Moab to the west and the Edom to the east. It also receives other lower freshwater flows east, but produces extreme heat from the evaporating environment.

In addition, according to Israeli and American geologists, the Dead Sea water is disappearing, so porous stones from the bottom of the region are drying up. Consequently, it seems that they will not be able to bear for a long time the weight of the rocks that surround them and that there is danger of sinking.