This new e-book presents the main geological processes and examines their role in the geological history of Israel and the Levant. Written in Hebrew, it is intended as the main textbook for a course at The Open University of Israel, but is also aimed at a broader audience with an interest in the geology of Israel. Thanks to the voluntary work of all the authors and editors and the cooperation of The Open University, it will be freely available to the public.
The book adopts an approach different from that of Stages in the Geology of Israel, edited by Nechama Shafran and Emanuel Mazor and published by The Open University in 1987. Rather than following the stratigraphic succession of rock units, it focuses on the geological processes that shaped the geology of Israel and the Levant. Each chapter begins with an introduction to a specific process, followed by a detailed discussion of its expression in Israel. While process-oriented, the chapters broadly follow the geological evolution of the region.
The opening chapter addresses the recording of geological time in rocks. Subsequent chapters describe the formation of the crystalline basement, its erosion, and its burial beneath clastic and carbonate sediments. The book then examines the development of basins (such as the Mediterranean) and swells (Arabia), deformation along major tectonic boundaries (the Dead Sea Transform), and the evolution of landscapes in general, and in Israel in particular. Magmatism and volcanism are discussed next, with emphasis on Neogene volcanism in Israel and vicinity. The final two chapters focus on the rock record of past climates and on the formation of ore deposits, highlighting the natural resources of Israel.
We hope that this new e-book will serve future students, the general public, and the geological community alike.