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The freshwater Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and the hypersaline Dead Sea are remnant lakes, evolved from ancient water bodies that filled the tectonic depressions along the Dead Sea Transform (DST) during the Neogene–Quartenary periods. We reconstructed the limnological history (level and composition) of Lake Kinneret during the past ∼40,000 years and compared it with the history of the contemporaneous Lake Lisan from the aspect of the regional and global climate history. The lake level reconstruction was achieved through a chronological and sedimentological investigation of exposed sedimentary sections in the Kinnarot basin trenches and cores drilled at the Ohalo II archeological site. Shoreline chronology was established by radiocarbon dating of organic remains and of Melanopsis shells.The major changes in Lake Kinneret level were synchronous with those of the southern Lake Lisan. Both lakes dropped significantly ∼42,000, ∼30,000, 23,800, and 13,000 yr ago and rose ∼39,000, 26,000, 5000, and 1600 yr ago. Between 26,000 and 24,000 yr ago, the lakes merged into a unified water body and lake level achieved its maximum stand of ∼170 m below mean sea level (m bsl). Nevertheless, the fresh and saline water properties of Lake Kinneret and Lake Lisan, respectively, have been preserved throughout the 40,000 years studied. Calcium carbonate was always deposited as calcite in Lake Kinneret and as aragonite in Lake Lisan–Dead Sea, indicating that the Dead Sea brine (which supports aragonite production) never reached or affected Lake Kinneret, even during the period of lake high stand and convergence. The synchronous level fluctuation of lakes Kinneret, Lisan, and the Holocene Dead Sea is consistent with the dominance of the Atlantic–Mediterranean rain system on the catchment of the basin and the regional hydrology. The major drops in Lake Kinneret–Lisan levels coincide with the timing of cold spells in the North Atlantic that caused a shut down of rains in the East Mediterranean and the lakes drainage area.

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Laminated lake sediments from the Dead Sea basin provide high-resolution records of climatic variability in the eastern Mediterranean region, which is especially sensitive to changing climatic conditions. In this study, we aim on detailed reconstruction of climatic fluctuations and related changes in the frequency of flood and dust deposition events at ca. 3300 and especially at 2800 cal. yr BP from high-resolution sediment records of the Dead Sea basin. A ca. 4-m-thick, mostly varved sediment section from the western margin of the Dead Sea (DSEn – Ein Gedi profile) was analysed and correlated to the new International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) Dead Sea Deep Drilling Project core 5017-1 from the deep basin. To detect even single event layers, we applied a multi-proxy approach of high-resolution microscopic thin section analyses, micro-X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) element scanning and magnetic susceptibility measurements, supported by grain size data and palynological analyses. Based on radiocarbon and varve dating, two pronounced dry periods were detected at ~3500–3300 and ~3000–2400 cal. yr BP which are differently expressed in the sediment records. In the shallow-water core (DSEn), the older dry period is characterised by a thick sand deposit, whereas the sedimentological change at 2800 cal. yr BP is less pronounced and characterised mainly by an enhanced frequency of coarse detrital layers interpreted as erosion events. In the 5017-1 deep-basin core, both dry periods are depicted by halite deposits. The onset of the younger dry period coincides with the Homeric Grand Solar Minimum at ca. 2800 cal. yr BP. Our results suggest that during this period, the Dead Sea region experienced an overall dry climate, superimposed by an increased occurrence of flash floods caused by a change in synoptic weather patterns.

S U M M A R YA rock magnetic investigation of three sedimentary cores of Lisan formation of late Pleistocene age from Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) northern Israel demonstrates that the magnetization of these sediments is controlled by various degrees of a secondary chemical remanent magnetization (CRM) carried by greigite (Fe 3 S 4 ). This CRM is superimposed on a primary detrital remanent magnetization (DRM) that resides in Ti-magnetite. This finding is independently confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements performed on magnetic extracts of the sediments. The domain state of the greigite is largely single domain behaviour (SD), thus dominating the magnetization. Therefore, the magnetic record retrieve from of these sediments is not reflecting geomagnetic variations but rather chemical rock magnetic properties, resulting from diagenetic processes.The results of our study suggest that paleomagnetic record of greigite bearing sediments should be interpreted with caution because of the following reasons:1. Geomagnetic secular variations can be biased, due to large coercivity overlap between magnetite and greigite.2. Alternating field (AF) demagnetization can produce erroneous directions due to vector distortion by acquisition of a gyro-remnant magnetization (GRM).3. Estimation of relative paleointensity can be hampered by large-scale variations in natural remnant magnetization (NRM) intensity, caused by the acquisition of a secondary CRM of unknown age and unknown extent superimposed on the DRM.The precipitation of greigite requires reducing conditions at the sediment-water interface and/or interstitial water, associated with the presence of sulphur and iron oxides. Reducing conditions are typical of stratified lakes and other stratified water bodies, such as the Dead Sea, paleo-Lake Lisan, temporarily the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea and many other marine basins. According to our findings, paleomagnetic records from such environments carried dominantly by greigite therefore should be treated with care.

Purpose The OxCAP-MH capabilities questionnaire was developed and validated in the UK for outcome measurement in mental health clinical studies. Its broader wellbeing construct or validity in routine mental health services so far has not been assessed. The objectives were to investigate the extent the OxCAP-MH measures broader wellbeing compared to the EQ-5D-5L and to test psychometric properties of the German language OxCAP-MH in routine mental health services in Austria. Methods Study sample consisted of patients in socio-psychiatric services (n = 159) assessed at baseline and 6-month followup. Underlying factors associated with quality-of-life/wellbeing concepts measured by the OxCAP-MH and EQ-5D-5L were identified in exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Responsiveness was assessed using anchor questionnaires and standardised response mean (SRM). For discriminant validity, subgroups of respondents were compared using t test and one-way ANOVA. Test-retest analysis was assessed for a period of maximum 30 days from the baseline assessment with intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results EFA identified a two-factor structure. All EQ-5D-5L items and seven OxCAP-MH items loaded on one factor and nine remaining OxCAP-MH items loaded on a separate factor. Responsiveness was found for patients who improved in anchor questionnaire scores with large or moderate SRM statistics. OxCAP-MH discriminated between various groups in univariable and multivariable analyses. Reliability of the German language OxCAP-MH was confirmed by ICC of 0.80. Conclusions Besides providing evidence that the OxCAP-MH measures broader wellbeing constructs beyond traditional health-related quality of life, the study also confirms the validity of the instrument for implementation in routine evaluation of mental health services.