Recently, the High Atlas, a typical intracontinental belt in Morocco, has been the site of intense seismic activity-the "Al-Haouz earthquake"-reflecting the continuation of seismotectonic activity to the present day in this belt. Based on the analysis of the published focal mechanism solutions and referring to previous work on the geodynamic and seismotectonic evolution of the Western High Atlas (WHA), a geodynamic model is proposed linking the source of the earthquake to major reverse faults of the Tizi n'Test fault zone (TTFZ) in response to a submeridian Atlasic shortening. At depth, we propose that this fault zone is probably linked to the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary plane north of the mantle dome, well known for its seismotectonic activity and thermal anomaly. The seismotectonic activity of the TTFZ makes it one of the major faults in Morocco, accommodating the convergence of the Nubian and Eurasian lithospheric plates. Currently, this movement follows the north-northwest trend in a transpressive system at the contact zone between the two plates. In the WHA, Atlasic compression can be separated into (1) an early phase of northnortheast-south-southwest compression that started at the end of the Cretaceous, (2) a phase of northwest-southeast compression of Mio-Pliocene age, and (3) a phase of northnorthwest-south-southeast compression since the Quaternary.

The worldwide variations such as climate crisis and global warming are influencing considerably living species and earth due to their implication in the severity and rate of extreme weather. Thus, the seasonal precipitation prediction is of great importance due to the geographical, geomorphological, and seasonal characteristics of Atlantic and Mediterranean positions showing significant events impacting rainfall. In this research, we present a precipitation forecasting model based on multivariate time series where several factors affect the accuracy performance to mitigate extreme events induced by climate change. The purpose is to study the relationship between several climate variables, including surface pressure, wind speed, relative humidity, corrected precipitation, and temperature range, influencing precipitation and the design of an effective multivariate forecasting model showing the temporal evolution of different climate factors. Additionally, the prediction model was designed using a vector autoregression model and tested on monthly data collected from the NASA portal between 1981 and 2021. The introduced model extracts the variations of the time series characteristics and the interactive relationship of several related variables. We performed the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADFuller) test for stationarity and the cointegration causality test. The accuracy of the rainfall forecast model was evaluated using regression metrics, including mean absolute error, mean squared error, and root mean squared error, which showed effectiveness in predicting the monthly rainfall of Morocco. Our results showed a decrease in rainfall and a variation in the aridity index in Morocco between 1981 and 2021, reaching a peak in 1996 with a drought index value of 24.25 (semi-humid climate) and a minimum value in 2017 with an aridity index of 5.57 (arid climate). We conclude that during the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first centuries (1981–2021), Morocco experienced a change in climate levels from semi-humid to semi-arid and currently knows arid climate. Our model can capture real-world behavior, providing better forecasting performance, while the choice of the best lag value and the split interval of the time series is a challenging task.

Morocco possesses a valuable thermal heritage, particularly in the eastern region where numerous springs could constitute appreciable wealth due to the therapeutic properties of their waters. While some thermal springs attract interest, the majority remain largely underexploited. It is in this context that our study specifically focuses on the characteristics of two thermal springs, Ain Hamra and Ain El Haouamed. This selection is driven by the lack of scientific research on the Ain Hamra source and the absence of previous studies on the Ain El Haouamed source, making our research a pioneering initiative in this region. Water samples were collected seasonally during the years 2021 and 2022. The results indicate that the waters from both sources are hypothermal, with an acidic potential of Hydrogen ion (pH). These waters are rich in minerals, characterized by high concentrations of iron, reaching 5.10 mg/L in Ain El Haouamed and 1.75 mg/L in Ain Hamra. Additionally, they exhibit a high carbon dioxide content, measured at 935.83 mg/L in Ain El Haouamed and 803.28 mg/L in Ain Hamra. These special waters are beneficial for health. However, the high presence of certain elements can make them unsuitable for uncontrolled human consumption. Therefore, rigorous monitoring of the quality of these waters is of crucial importance. In this article, we have presented the characteristics of the waters from two sources, which are part of the valuable water resources that Morocco enjoys.

In order to deepen our understanding of the ecosystems around thermal springs and contribute to their preservation and enhancement, our study focused on the physico-chemical analysis of soils located in the immediate vicinity of two thermal springs Ain El Haouamed (S1) and Ain Hamra (S2) in the eastern region of Morocco.At the same time, we identified the plants that thrive in these areas and have developed specific adaptations to particular environmental conditions.The results of physico-chemical soil analyses revealed distinct characteristics.Around the first thermal spring (S1), the soil has a sandy loam texture, while around the second spring (S2), a clayey loam texture.The pH of both soils is slightly basic.In terms of organic matter, significant variations were observed between soil samples taken in these areas.Electrical conductivity and other physico-chemical parameters showed variable values.A study of the vegetation near the thermal springs shows the presence of (Matricaria chamomilla, Juncus acutus, Carex sylvatica) at site 1 and (Tamarix gallica, Inula viscosa, Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia) at site 2.This information will certainly contribute to a better understanding of these specific thermal ecosystems.The present study has led to the identification of several plant species of great interest, representing an important advance in our knowledge of the biodiversity of these areas.These results can also be used to develop strategies for the preservation and sustainable management of these particular ecosystems.

The northwest-southeast convergence of the Eurasian and Nubian (African) plates in the western Mediterranean region propagates inside the Nubian plate and affects the Moroccan Meseta and the neighboring Atlasic belt. Five continuous Global Positioning System (cGPS) stations were installed in this area in 2009 and provide significant new data, despite a certain degree of errors (between 0.5 and 1.2 mm year−1, 95% confidence) due to slow rates. The cGPS network reveals 1 mm year−1 North/South shortening accommodated within the High Atlas Mountains, and unexpected 2 mm year−1 north-northwest/south-southeast extensional-to-transtensional tectonics within the Meseta and the Middle Atlas, which have been quantified for the first time. Moreover, the Alpine Rif Cordillera drifts towards the south-southeast against its Prerifian foreland basins and the Meseta. In this context, the geological extension foreseen in the Moroccan Meseta and Middle Atlas agrees with a crustal thinning due to the combined effect of the anomalous mantle beneath both the Meseta and Middle-High Atlasic system, from which Quaternary basalts were sourced, and the roll-back tectonics in the Rif Cordillera. Overall, the new cGPS data provide reliable support for understanding the geodynamic mechanism that built the prominent Atlasic Cordillera, and reveal the heterogeneous present-day behavior of the Eurasia-Nubia collisional boundary.

Springs water is underground water, considered purer than surface water. Its nature depends on the rocks and soils through which it flows. They can be highly charged with specific minerals, which explains why these waters do not meet drinking water standards, but they are widely used for therapeutic properties. In this current work, we investigated the physico-chemical and bacteriological analysis of a water source known for its therapeutic effects, particularly in dermatology. We also examined the geological characteristics to understand the origin of the mineralization of these waters, with the aim of making better use of them on both a medical and economical levels. Ain Mkbrta source, 60 km from Fez city. It belongs to the Rif external domains (Rif Chain), and given its chemical composition, this spring is similar to the Moulay Yacoub hydrothermal spring, with a very pronounced odor due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide. The outcome of physico-chemical analysis of Ain Mkbrta spring showed a very high conductivity, a high hydrogen sulfide content and a wide variety of minerals in significant quantities, such as calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, sulfate, sulfide, and chloride. Furthermore, Bacteriological analysis is moderately satisfactory, with low concentrations of fecal coliforms and revivable germs.

Aerial parts of Ajuga iva subsp. Pseudoiva were screened for phytochemical composition using plant powder, and aqueous and organic extracts and their antioxidant activities were evaluated by hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activity (H2O2), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, 2,2ʹ-azinobis-3 ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and reducing power (RP) assay. The macerated methanol extract was rich in polyphenols (25.26 ± 0.95 µg gallic acid equivalent per milligram of extract), the ethyl acetate extract was rich in flavonoids (821.43 ± 1.65 µg quercetin per milligram of extract), and chloroform extract was rich in catechin tannins (95.58 ± 1.69 µg catechin equivalent per milligram of extract). Methanol macerate had a free radical scavenging activity of 22.17 ± 0.30% by H2O2 assay; methanol extract was found to be the most active by DPPH (IC50 = 78.40 ± 5.24 µg mL−1), RP (21.55 ± 0.18 µg Ascorbic Acid Equivalent (AAE) mg−1 E), and FRAP [22.70 ± 0.19 µg Trolox equivalent per milligram of extract (TE mg−1 E)] assays and chloroform extract was found to be the most active by ABTS (27.33 ± 1.08 µg TE mg−1E) assay. A positive correlation was established by the Pearson correlation test between polyphenol contents and antioxidant capacity by ABTS test. There is also a good correlation between the tests used to evaluate antioxidant activity, with the exception of the two tests DPPH and ABTS, which do not correlate with each other.

Workshop Alboran domain and Gibraltar Arc: geological research and natural hazards, Granada (Spain), 16th-18th october, 2019

La determinacion de la actividad tectonica reciente y actual en la Cordillera del Rif tiene gran interes, ya que esta asociada a la actividad de las fallas que determinan la peligrosidad sismica de la region. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir las caracteristicas de la actividad tectonica sismogenetica en la region de Alhucemas situada en el interior de la Cordillera del Rif, para discutir algunos factores geologicos que no suelen tenerse en cuenta habitualmente en los estudios de peligrosidad sismica, desarrollados con tecnicas aplicables a zonas frontales de cordilleras

The southern mountain front of the Rif Cordillera (Morocco) provides impressive geological evidence of the most recent deformations related to the activity of the Eurasian-African plate boundary in the Western Mediterranean. In this region, striated and pitted pebbles are analysed from Pliocene-Quaternary rocks located in the southern front of the Prerif Ridges, which have been deformed by south-vergent folds of decametre to hectometre sizes. Striated and pitted pebbles represent a tectonic deformation structure which, although very scarce in nature, is revealed as one of the most complete for determining palaeostresses. In Jbel Trhat and Jbel Zerhoun of the Rif mountain front, north-south to NNW-SSE prolate compression stress ellipsoids are related to an initial stage of south-vergent fold development during the progressive tilting of conglomerate layers. Finally, oblate stress ellipsoids indicate extension parallel to the fold axes. The north-south trend of the determined compression is compatible with a tectonic setting where the NW-SE convergence of the Eurasian and African plates is modified by the westward motion of large crustal blocks such as the Alboran Domain or the southwestward motion of blocks in the Rif Cordillera.

The Rif Cordillera is a part of the Alpine orogenic arc in the Western Mediterranean, which was developed by the interaction of the westward motion of the Alboran Domain between the converging Eurasian and African plates. The Prerif Ridges, located along the southwestern front of the Rif, are south-vergent folds that are in places associated with faults affecting Jurassic to Quaternary sedimentary rocks and slope breccias that evidence the deformations that were active over the Neogene-Quaternary period. The different southward or southwestward displacement of each Prerif Ridge is related to the development of frontal and lateral ramps, which may or may not reach the surface. Oblique shortening may be explained by southwestward escape of large tectonic wedges, bounded by large strike-slip faults: the North-Middle Atlas fault which extends northward into the Alboran Sea, the Fez-Tissa-Taineste fault, the Bou Draa-Sidi Fili fault, the Jebha fault and the Fatties fault. The relative displacement of these tectonic wedges toward the SW may explain the NNE-SSW to ENE-WSW compression observed in the Rif front and in the northern part of its Meseta-Atlas foreland.

10 paginas, 5 figuras, 1 tabla.-- Trabajo presentado en: The Atlantic Neogene in the XXIth Century: State of The Art.

4 paginas.-- Trabajo presentado en el VI Congreso Geologico de Espana, Zaragoza, 12-15 julio, 2004.

Prerif Ridges are located at the frontal part of the Rif Cordillera, which develops at the Eurasian-African plate boundary. The ridges are formed by recent tectonic structures that also deform foreland basins (Saïss and Gharb basins) and the foreland (Moroccan Meseta). The position of the ridges is the consequence of inversion tectonics undergone in the area. The ENE-WSW trend of the northern edge of the Neogene Saïss basin is determined by the location of Mesozoic basins. Although Prerif ridges probably started to develop since the Early Miocene, the most active deformation phase affecting Pliocene rocks consisted of N-S to NW-SE oriented compression. Striated pebbles show that this compression has prolate stress ellipsoids. The deformation produces southwards vergent folds and NNW-SSE striae on reverse faults at the base of the ridges. The flexure of the Paleozoic basement by the emplacement of the Ridges produced extensional deformation and the development of the Saïss foreland basin. The extension in this basin is oblate and features a well determined NNE-SSW trend near the Ridges, whereas it becomes prolate and pluridirectional near the foreland edge represented by the Rabat region. This part of the Moroccan Meseta, commonly considered to be stable, is deformed by sets of orthogonal joints and faults with short slip that affect up to Quaternary sediments. Southwestward, the Meseta rocks are also deformed by transcurrent faults, which indicate NW-SE and N-S trends of compression. The NW-SE approximation of Eurasia and Africa determines a regional stress field with the same trend of compression. Regional stresses are notably disturbed by the development of the active structures in the Rif, which exhibit alternating trends of compression and extension. The clearest evidence of the relationship between the local deformation and the general plate motion is found at the deformation front of the Cordillera, that is, the Prerif Ridges.

A new three-dimensional wire-junction node for modeling a junction with six wires of the same radius in a coarse mesh has been developed rising the transmission-line matrix (TLM) method. The scattering matrix of the proposed node is provided, together with numerical results which are validated by comparison with another technique. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The Prerif ridges form pari of the foreland of the Rif Mountains. They are formed by superposed slices, with folds and faults, originated during the late Miocene WSWwards displacement of the Prerif units. At present, they thrust over the Plio-Quaternary formations of the Sa/'s and Charb basins. The analysis of the deformations in the Prerif ridges and the Plio-Quaternary lacustrine formations of the Sai'ss basin, as well as the thrust structures, indicates a recent tectonics with a N-S to NW-SE compression, subparallel to the trend of the present Iberian-Africa convergence

Transmission-line modeling (TLM) has been applied extensively to simulate microwave circuits and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) problems. The introduction of special nodes has allowed us to model complex wire structures. However, so far, all of the problems have dealt with the use of models of nodes with wb es considered straight wires oriented along one of the principal directions of the x-, y-, and z-axes. The particular structure of the node with the interface wire model permits Irs to model inclined wires and other more complex wire structures. In this paper, we present novel applications of this model, allowing its generalization to model wires with arbitrary orientations. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.