Uranium disequilibrium as a hydrological aid in studying the salinization processes in the Southeastern Coastal Plain of Israel

Saline waters, of unknown origin, have been encountered in the basal portions of the phreatic Coastal Plain aquifer of Israel. 234U/238U disequilibrium was used to trace their origin to the evaporate layers within the Saqiye aquiclude, the most saline, and the warmest (up to 42 °C) waters are also those that have the highest uranium concentrations combined with low 234U/238U activity ratios, derived as the ascending brines traverse underlying uranium-rich Senonian phosphorites, in secular equilibrium along fault conduits.