This is the only department in Israel that brings together the fields
of solid earth geophysics, atmospheric sciences and the study of the planetary
bodies in the solar system. The geophysics group is involved in the
study of plate tectonics, seismology, GPS geodesy, hydrology, geochemistry
and geology. The atmospheric group deals with global climate change, weather
forecasting, cloud physics, weather modification, atmospheric chemistry,
remote sensing, lightning, thunderstorms and sprites. The planetary group
studies planetary atmospheres, comet formation, planetary accretion and evolution,
aeronomy, solar wind, and stellar evolution.
Members of the department are involved in many international projects
with scientists from around the world. Department scientists are
involved in the Cassini and Rosetta missions of NASA and ESA, and the
Space Shuttle experiment involving the first Israeli astronaut (MEIDEX).
The department has extensive research collaborations with the
Palestinian Authority, as well as scientist from Jordan, related to water
resources, hydrology and measurements of tectonic plate motion across
the Dead Sea plate boundary. The department is home to the Minerva
Center for Dead Sea Research, and the NASA Earth Observing
System - Middle East Interactive Data Archive operated by the Israel Space
Agency (ISA-MEIDA).
