Prof. Ran Gerson

(1939-1989)

Abstract

Ran Gerson was born in Petach-Tikva in 1939. He was awarded a PhD degree from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1973 and joined the Faculty. In 1986 he was promoted to the rank of an Associate Professor. Gerson’s significant accomplishments were within the area of climatic and structural geomorphology, where he used diverse methods to study processes and forms of early period surfaces, particularly in the Negev. He participated in a research delegation to Antarctica financed by the U.S National Science fund, and conducted studies in Central Africa and the North American deserts. At the time of his death in April 1989, Gerson was beginning the summation of his pioneering tectonics and climatic geomorphology research of the Negev and Arava regions. Ran Gerson’s broad education in Geomorphology, Geology and Archeology led him to adopt an inter-disciplinary approach which he applied to the study of the “Quarter Period”. He incorporated knowledge of geomorphology, biology, tectonics, climate and archeology to this research. His research into climatic change for instance, led to a fine, detailed acknowledgement of its effect during the Quarter period. With his tectonics and geomorphology works, Gerson contributed greatly to the detailed knowledge of tectonic phases in Israel. He proved the number of tectonic phases along the Jordanian Valley to be greater and younger than was already hypothesized. His projects within the realm of morpho-neotectonics were appreciated greatly in Israel and abroad. Gerson’s publications appeared in a wide-range of inter-disciplinary journals, reflecting his broad education and realms of interests.

• Gerson, R. (1970) The geomorphology of Biq'at Kadesh and Nahal Kadesh (Eastern Upper Galilee). Jerusalem Studies in Geography 1 , 129-151.
• Gerson, R. (1974) Karst processes of the Eastern Upper Galilee (Northern Israel), Journal of Hydrology 21,131-152.
• Gerson, R. (1974) Geomorphic processes of Mt. Sdom Zeitschrift f. Geomorphologie Supplementband 21, 7-11.
• Gerson, R. and Inbar, M. (1974) Reviews and summaries of Israeli research projects - The Field Study Program of the International Symposium on Present-day Geomorphic Processes in Arid Environment Zeilschrift f. Geomorphologie Supplementband, 21, 1-40.
• Yair, A. and Gerson, R. (1974) Mode and rate of escarpment retreat in an extremely arid environment (Sharm el Sheikh, Southern Sinai). Zeilschrift f Geomorphologie Supplementband 21 , 202-215.
• Brosh, A. and Gerson, R. (1975) Hill-top depressions on folded metasediments under a subhumid equatorial climate. Geografiska Annaler, Ser. A, 57 , 135-142.
• Gerson, R. and Yair, A. (1975) Geomorphic evolution of some desert watersheds and certain paleoclimatic implications (Santa Katherina area, Southern Sinai). Zeitschrift f. Geomorphologie19 , 66-82.
• Gerson, R. (1976) Karst and fluvial denudation of carbonate terrains under subhumid Mediterrane'an and arid climates. In: Gams, I. (ed.) 1976, Karst proce,ues and relevant landforms, International Speleological Union: 71-80.
• Reichman, S. and Gerson, R. (1976) Uniqueness and generality in Israeli Geography. In: Amiran, D.H.K. and Ben Arieh, Y. (cds.) 1976, Geography in Israel, 24-35.
• Gerson, .R.(197'7) Sediment transport for desert watersheds in erodible materials. Earth Surface Processes 2 , 343-361.
• Brosh, A. and Gerson, R. (1977) Properties of some tropical soils on a sequence of landsurfaces in Uganda. Geografiska Annaler, Ser. A, 60 , 129-141.
• Wolman, M.G. and Gerson, R. (1978) Relative scales of time and effectiveness in geomorphic processes. Earth Surface Processes 3 , 189-208.
• Dan, J., Gerson, R., Koyumdjisky, H. and Yaalon, D. (1981) Aridic soils of Israel - properties, genesis and management. International Conference on Aridic Soils, Israel, 1981,35:1 pp,
• Gerson, R. (1981) Geomorphic aspects of the Elat Mountains. In: Dan, T., Gerson, R. Koyumdjisky, H. and Yaalon, D., Aridic soils of Israel, International Conference Oil Aridic Soils,1981: 279-296.
• Gerson, R. (1981) Preliminary report on the environment - Central Negev Highlands Project. Bulletin, American School of Oriental Research 243 , 73.
• Gerson, R. (1982) Talus relicts in deserts - a key to major climatic fluctuations. Israel Journal of Earth Sciences 31 , 123-132.
• Gerson, R., 1982) The Middle East: landforms of a planetary desert through environmental changes. Striae 17,52-78.
• Danin, A., Gerson, R., Garti, Y. and Marton, K. (1982) Patterns of limestone and dolomite weathering by lichen and blue-green algae and their paleoclimatic significance. Palaeogeography, Palaeoecology, Palaeoclimatology 37 , 221-233.
• Danin, A., Gerson, R. and Garti, Y. (1983) Weathering patterns of hard limestone and dolomite by endolithic lichen as an indicator of the eolian origin of Terra Rossa. Soil Science 136 , 213-217.
• Gerson, R., Grossman, S. and Bowman, D. (1984) Stages in the creation of a large rift - geomorphic evolution along the southern Dead Sea Rift. In: Hack, J.T. and Morisawa, M. (eds.), 1984. Tectonic Geomorphology. Allen & Unwin, London, 53-73.
• Gerson, R., Amit, R. and Grossman, S. (1984) Dust in soils, with special reference to desert terrains. In: Proc., Dust Environment Workshop, I, US Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 117-134.
• Mayer, L., Gerson, R. and Bull, W.B. (1984) Alluvial gravel production and deposition: a useful indicator of Quaternary climatic changes in deserts. Catena Supplement 5 137-151.
• Gerson, R. (1985) Terrain evaluation of U.S. Army Proving Ground as a model for Mid-Eastern deserts. Report for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 47 pp.
• Gerson, R. and Grossman, S. (1985) Paleomorphology and'morphotectonics along the southern Arava Valley. Israel Geological Society, 1985 Annual Meeting, 131-147.
• Gerson, R., Amit, R. and Grossman, S. (1985) Dust availability in desert ten'ains. The Hebrew University. Report of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 220 pp.
• Gerson, R. Grossman, S. and Amit, R. (1985) A procedure for evaluation of dust potential and variability in desert terrains. Proc., Dust Environment Workrhop, II, US Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 84 pp.
• Amit, R. and Gerson, R. (1986) The evolution of Holocene Reg soils in deserts - an example from the Dead Sea Region. Catena 13 , 59-79.
• Bowman, D. and Gerson, R. (1986) Morphology of the latest Quaternary surface-faulting in the _ulf of Elat region, Eastern Sinai. Tectonophysics 128 , 97-119.
• Even, H., Carmi, I., Magaritz, M. and Gerson, R. (1986) Timing the transport of water through the" upper vadose zone in a karstic system above a cave in the Cenomanian aquifer of the Judean Hills, Israel. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms II , 181-191. .
• Gerson, R. and Amit, R. (1987) Rates and modes of dust accretion and deposition in an arid region - the Negev, Israel. In: Frostick, L.K. and Reid, I. (cds.), Desert Sediments: Ancient and Modern. The Geological Society of London, Special Publication no. 35 , 157-169.
• Gerson, R. and Grossman, S. (1987) Geomorphic activity on escarpments and associated fluvial systems in hot deserts as an indicator of environmental regimes and eyclic climatic changes. In: Rarnpino, M.R., Sanders, J.E., Newman, W.S. and Koningsson, L.K. (cds.), Climate: History, Periodicity, Predictability. Van Nostrand Reinhold, Stroudsburg, PA, 301-322.
• Grossman, S. and Gerson, R. (1987) Fluviatile deposits and morphology of alluvial surfaces as indicators of Quaternary environmental changes in the Southern Negev, Israel. In: Frostick, L.K. and Reid, I. (eds.), Desert Sediments: Ancient and Modern. The Geological Society of London, Special Publication no. 35 , 17-29.