Geomorphology and development mechanism of sinkholes in arid regions with emphasis on West Texas, Qatar Peninsula, and dead sea area

Sinkholes are a common geologic hazard in many parts of the world. It is considered as an obvious geomorphologic feature of karst terrains and results from the subsidence or collapse of surficial material or subsurface cavities. Its distinctive landscape topography is largely formed through the dissolving of carbonate and/or sulfate bedrocks such as limestone and gypsum by groundwater, and may differ in shape and size from less than a meter to several hundred meters both in diameter and depth. It varies in form from soil-lined bowls to bedrock-edged chasms. The development process in arid regions is profoundly inŠuenced by natural hydrogeological systems. However, human impacts can cause sinkholes to occur in many ways, especially where they might not naturally have happened. Human impacts might cause sinkholes to form catastrophically than under natural conditions. There are many human-related activities that are believed to cause or be linked to sinkholes formation, e.g., decline of groundwater level due to pumping, leaking water especially from sewer pipes, injection of water, and others.