Implication of drainage basin parameters of Chhoti Gandak River,Ganga Plain,India

The drainage basin parameters of the groundwater-fed Chhoti Gandak River originating in the terai area of the Ganga Plain were analyzed using topographical sheets, satellite data, and field documentation with emphasis to its implication for flood mitigation and recharging of groundwater. The analyses indicate dominance of first order streams, gentle slope gradient, low surface run-off, low sediment production, high infiltration rate, and low value of basin relief. The low water storage capacity, spreading of water and concentration of peak discharge in the distal part of the river basin explain that whenever precipitation is high in the catchment area there is flood in the distal part of the basin. The bifurcation ratio value (4.34) of this basin describes that the drainage is carved naturally by slope and local relief and not influenced by geological structures like lineaments and faults.     

Recent insights into the dissolved and particulate fluxes from the Himalayan tributaries to the Ganga River

The Ganga River plays a major role in the transfer of materials from the Indian sub-continent to the Bay of Bengal, both in dissolved and particulate forms. To understand the present elemental dynamics of the Ganga River system, it is important to assess the hydrogeochemical contribution of its tributaries. In this paper, we present an updated database on dissolved and particulate fluxes and denudation rates of the Himalayan tributaries of the Ganga River (Ramganga, Ghaghara, Gandak and Kosi). Dissolved trace element concentrations, their fluxes and suspended sediment-associated elemental fluxes of the Himalayan tributaries have been reported for the first time. Total dissolved flux of the Ramganga, Ghaghara, Gandak and Kosi was estimated as 4, 19.1, 10.3 and 8.8 million tons year^?1 accounting for ~?5.7, ~?27.3, ~?14.7 and ~?12.6%, respectively, of the total annual dissolved load carried by the Ganga River. The total particulate flux of the Ramganga, Ghaghara, Gandak and Kosi was computed as 8.2, 81.6, 30.9 and 19.5 million tons year^?1, respectively. Compared to earlier studies, we have found a significant increase in the total dissolved flux and chemical denudation rate of the studied tributaries. The estimated particulate fluxes were found to be low in comparison to the previous studies. We suggest that a significant increase in the dissolved fluxes and a decrease in the particulate fluxes are an indication of the increasing anthropogenic disturbances in the catchment of these tributaries.     

Holocene soil chronoassociation in part of the Middle Gangetic Plain: morphological and micromorphological characteristics

Systematic variations in soil characteristics related to degree of soil profile development in part of the Middle Gangetic Plain suggest a soil chronoassociation similar to the soil chronosequences observed on some river terrace formed by tectonic uplift. This chronoassociation has five members QG1 to QG5, the youngest being QG1 (< 500 yr BP). Variations in degree of horizon differentiation, profile thickness, clay accumulation, plasma separation, argillan thickness, weathering stage and day mineralogy have been used to determine the degree of soil development.
Pedogenic processes active in these soils are decalcification, translocation of clay, sesquioxide and organic matter, plasma separation and weathering of minerals. The amount and variability of clay minerals are significantly related to the type and duration of pedogenesis in different parts of the area. The oldest soils with pedogenic calcite (10 000 yr BP) developed during a dry period. Since 8000 yr BP climatic conditions of higher rainfall and better drainage have prevailed in the area.
Neotectonic movements have tilted the Gandak megafan block and have caused shifting of the Gandak river to the east about 105 km from its original course, leaving behind numerous channels, ponds, lakes and other features of impeded drainage.     

Arsenic in groundwater,Quaternary sediments,and suspended river sediments from the Middle Gangetic Plain,India: distribution,field relations,and geomorphological setting

A groundwater arsenic (As) survey in Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur, Ballia, Buxar, Ara, Patna, and Vaishali districts of UP and Bihar shows that people from these districts are drinking As-contaminated groundwater (max. 1,300 μg/l). About 66 % of tubewells from Buxar to Mirzapur areas and 89 % of tubewells from Patna to Ballia areas have As?>?10 μg/l (WHO guideline). Moreover, 36 % of tubewells from Buxar to Mirzapur areas and 50 % of tubewells from Patna to Ballia areas have As above 50 μg/l. Most of the As-affected villages are located close to abandoned or present meander channels of the Ganga River. In contrast, tubewells located in Mirzapur, Chunar, Varanasi, Saidpur, Ghazipur, Muhammadabad, Ballia, Buxar, Ara, Chhapra, Patna, and Hazipur towns are As-safe in groundwater because of their positions on the Pleistocene Older Alluvium upland surfaces. The iron (Fe) content in tubewell water samples varies from 0.1 to 12.93 mg/l. About 77 % As-contaminated tubewells are located within the depth of 21 to 40 m in the Holocene Newer Alluvium aquifers. The potential source of As in sediments carried through the rivers from the Himalayas. Maximum As concentrations in the Older and Newer Alluvium sediments are 13.73 and 30.91 mg/kg, respectively. The Himalayas rivers, i.e. Yamuna, Ganga, Gomati, Ghaghara, Gondak, Buri Gandak, and Kosi rivers carrying suspended sediments have high content of As (max. 10.59 mg/kg).     

Daily rainfall statistics of TRMM and CMORPH: A case for trans-boundary Gandak River basin

Satellite precipitation products offer an opportunity to evaluate extreme events (flood and drought) for areas where rainfall data are not available or rain gauge stations are sparse. In this study, daily precipitation amount and frequency of TRMM 3B42V.7 and CMORPH products have been validated against daily rain gauge precipitation for the monsoon months (June–September or JJAS) from 2005–2010 in the trans-boundary Gandak River basin. The analysis shows that the both TRMM and CMORPH can detect rain and no-rain events, but they fail to capture the intensity of rainfall.     

Failure and flow development of a collapse induced complex landslide: the 2005 Kuzulu (Koyulhisar, Turkey) landslide hazard

Koyulhisar located in a slope of hilly region and constructed in the side of a mountain along the North Anatolian Fault Zone is frequently subject to landslides. A catastrophic landslide occurred on the morning of 17 March 2005 in the North of the Kuzulu district of Koyulhisar (Sivas, Turkey). This landslide caused widespread loss of life, and damage to buildings, and lifelines. Fifteen people were dead and five were injured, 21 houses and a minaret were covered and damaged severely. The case study presented in this paper describes and analyses the results of the detailed surveys of an interesting landslide in Kuzulu district of Koyulhisar (Sivas, Turkey), based on field and laboratory measurements and monitoring of the slide area. Landslide initiated as a collapse, and developed into debris avalanches in the valley. This phenomenon caused a disaster in the Kuzulu district. The importance of this landslide in particular has been recognized both in terms of its consequence for the people and structures and in terms of its role in allowing an understanding of process and properties of landslide triggered by a collapse in limestone karst. In view of the potential for such events to occur again in this area and environs, understanding of the failure mechanism is very crucial.     

Desertification,famine, and the 1988 rainfall —

The 1988 good rainy season in the Sudan raised the hopes that desertification/land degradation and shortage of food so markedly observed in Western Sudan have been elevated. This was particularly so as large quantities of grains were produced in the mechanized rain-fed agricultural schemes in the clay plains of Eastern Sudan. But the field work carried by the author in the Umm Ruwaba district of Kordofan region in July/August 1989 shows that, although there has been some improvement in the crop production situation, desertification/land degradation and shortage of food produced locally are still prevailing in the district. The people are still living below the poverty line, but they are able to cope because of remittances from members of the families working abroad and because of donations of food by some world organizations.     

Error in digital network and basin area delineation using d8 method: A case study in a sub-basin of the Ganga

Digital elevation model (DEM) is one of the input data derived from different satellite sensors for hydrologic and hydraulic modelings. Two prime questions could be answered before using these DEMs. First, the acceptability of datasets for our use and second appropriate resolution of the dataset. Three widely used DEMs SRTM 30m, ASTER 30m and SRTM 90m are analyzed to evaluate their suitability to delineate river network and basin boundary area. The hydrology tool of spatial analyst extension inbuilt in ArcGIS 10.2 (which uses the D8 method for calculation of flow direction) has been used for the delineation of both river networks and basin boundary. The assessment of river network alignment and boundary delineation is carried out in the seven sub-catchments of Gandak river basin having different morphological characteristics. The automatically delineated boundary area for all the three DEMs reflects a significant difference when compared with the digitized basin area from the Ganga flood control commission (GFCC) map. The maximum boundary area delineation error is 39137.20 km₂ forASTER 30m, and minimum delineation error of 13239.28 km₂ for SRTM 90m. In the stream network, delineation accuracy is good for SRTM 90m while, except Gandak trunk, ASTER 30m DEM shows better delineation accuracy indicated by mean absolute error (MAE) and standard deviation (SD).     

河北省海兴县小山区域的国土资源及开发前景

小山区域有距今1万余年前的掩埋火山口,小山的岩性为多期喷发的凝灰岩组成。本区一度曾沦为海湾,后随地壳运动形成断崖、台地、砂丘等多种地貌景观,并蕴藏着矿泉水、地热、砂等矿产资源。所以,除地质研究外,本文还就该区的土地资源、矿产资源及旅游资源的开发利用提出了一些建议。     

Role of panchayat (Local self-government) in managing disaster in terms of reconstruction,crop protection,livestock management and health and sanitation measures

The Panchayati Raj Institution is a statutory body elected by the local people through a well defined democratic process with specific responsibilities and duties. It is the most appropriate institution from village to the district level. The role of Panchayats (local self governing institutions) is important in view of their proximity to the local community, universal coverage and enlisting people’s participation on an institutionalized basis. Panchayat and municipalities are local governing institutions in countries like India, have a constitutional mandate under the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments Act. Apart from the proper implementation of different ongoing developmental programmes, the panchayat system has to play pivotal roles in respect of natural as well as man-made disaster management. In India, Particularly in West Bengal the village level Disaster Management Committee is headed by ward members of gram panchayat. The Panchayati Raj Institutions provide adequate space to the weaker section of the communities at its three levels, i.e. village, block and district. Good governance can be an instrumental feature in poverty reduction. This study was undertaken in cyclone affected areas in West Bengal to assess the role of panchayat in disaster management. The empirical study revealed that main role performed by the panchayat in respect of disaster was reconstruction of damaged houses, crop protection measures, livestock management, health and sanitation measures. Besides these broad aspects, the panchayats officials also organized health camp, involved in rescue operation, arranging temporary shelters and so on as disaster management operation. Total 60 gram panchayat officials and 150 villagers were selected randomly as respondents for the present investigation. The data were analysed into mean score, rank position and spearman correlation coefficient to achieve the objectives. The findings of the study indicated that significant differences were observed on the opinion of the villagers and officials on reconstruction of houses and health and sanitation measures. The roles performed by the local self-government in disaster management were very poor. There was absolutely lack of involvement of people’s representative. Therefore, adequate supports are suggested on these aspects from the representatives in association with higher authorities.     

Crustal movements in the tohoku district, Japan, during the period 1900–1975, and their tectonic implications

Vertical crustal movements in the Tohoku district in the past 75 years are discussed with reference to their tectonic implications.

For this purpose, the author first compiled a map of accumulated vertical movement in the past 75 years, by making proper correction for closure. In addition, a new presentation technique utilizing a time-space domain representation of elevation changes is applied to the data. These contour maps provide an informative summary of the vertical crustal movement history in this district. From them, we see that the northeastern part of the district has subsided continuously and aseismically, with an area of significant subsidence inland at a distance about 300 km or more from the trench axis.

In order to explain the mechanism of the remarkable extension of the subsiding area, the finite element method is applied to model the elastic strain field in the district. It is shown that a simple model of uniform dragging at the interface of a sinking slab does not provide a good interpretation of the inland distribution of subsidence. A modification of the conventional model is proposed which hypothesizes vertical movement of the subducting lithospheric slab under the Tohoku district.     

Population growth and its spatial distribution as factors in the deforestation of Nang Rong, Thailand

Frontiers constitute a major source of global land cover change hot spots, with forests and grasslands being converted into agricultural uses. As such, frontiers provide an opportunity to see how people manipulate the land and their lives in the context of social, cultural and environmental constraints. This paper examines frontier settlement and land cover change in Nang Rong district, Northeast Thailand for the last half century. It uses a Cellular Automata (CA) model to explore the land cover consequences of alternative patterns of settlement in a setting where people establish dwelling units in nucleated villages and work agricultural plots that surround villages. Forested land around the center of a village is converted into agricultural uses in an inverse relationship to the distance from the village center, but frequently modified by biophysical conditions. Land at the center of the village may be reforested after the village is established as a source of shade as well as fruit and other products. Model variation in land cover change is more sensitive to the spatial reach of village households than their temporal reach, suggesting the important role that technology plays in how villagers travel to their fields (walking versus motorized transit).     

招掖地区上庄金矿床地质特征及矿体分布规律

上庄金矿床是胶东招掖地区焦新矿田中一处大型金矿床,受焦家断裂的分支断裂－－上计－望儿山断裂控制,产在郭家岭型花岗岩上庄岩体与玲珑花岗岩的接触带上。本文介绍了矿床的主要地质特征,分析了控矿断裂的性质及控矿规律,论述了上庄岩体的特征及其形成年代,最后阐明了地质特征,对指导找矿有一定的参考意义。     

河南省陕县支建矿区铝土矿沉积特征研究

支建铝土矿位于三门峡—新安铝土矿成矿带。通过对支建铝土矿的结构要素及成因、构造特征、沉积层序、主要组分变化与埋深、沉积环境、迁移和沉积方式的研究,初步建立了该区铝土矿的沉积模式,指出进一步的找矿方向,即在古陆周围深部煤系地层之下,仍能形成具工业意义的铝土矿体,这对河南省铝土矿找矿工作和煤矿的资源转型有一定的借鉴意义。     

粉喷桩在汕头商住楼工程中的试验与应用

通过对汕霜大型建筑采用粉喷桩处理地基的工程试验研究,论证了在巨厚层软土地区采用长短桩间排布设方式是解决下卧层强度问题的有效途径之怀,为深欠土地区的地基处理及基础选型提供了宝贵的实践经验。     

江西九江地区丁家山矿区深部和外围地球化学找矿与成矿预测

通过对丁家山矿区外围土壤剖面、土壤汞气和岩石剖面的测量,结合重新编制的丁家山矿区的地质地球化学找矿模型,对丁家山矿区深部和外围进行成矿预测。结果表明,丁家山矿区外围土壤中Hg、Ag、Au等元素异常和土壤壤中汞气、热释汞异常明显。异常与下伏侵入的燕山期岩脉密切相关,花岗闪长斑岩、石英闪长玢岩侵入及其成矿（矿化）作用是元素成晕的主导机制。将丁家山矿区与城门山矿区对比,认为丁家山矿区及其外围具有较好的成矿前景,应注意在丁家山矿区外围志留系砂岩中寻找银金矿化,在其深部（-500～-1000m）寻找以钼（铜）矿化为主的矿体。     

江西九江地区丁家山矿区深部和外围地球化学找矿 与成矿预测

通过对丁家山矿区外围土壤剖面、土壤汞气和岩石剖面的测量,结合重新编制的丁家山矿区的地质地球化学找矿模型,对丁家山矿区深部和外围进行成矿预测。结果表明,丁家山矿区外围土壤中Hg、Ag、Au等元素异常和土壤壤中汞气、热释汞异常明显。异常与下伏侵入的燕山期岩脉密切相关,花岗闪长斑岩、石英闪长玢岩侵入及其成矿(矿化)作用是元素成晕的主导机制。将丁家山矿区与城门山矿区对比,认为丁家山矿区及其外围具有较好的成矿前景,应注意在丁家山矿区外围志留系砂岩中寻找银金矿化,在其深部(-500～-1000m)寻找以钼(铜)矿化为主的矿体。     

赣东林地专家分类方法初探

遥感技术在解决森林调查方面有其独到的优势。通过对赣东地区林地和农作物分布地区的光谱特征的分析研究，建立了适合于该地区的林地专家知识分类,模型自动提取和统计了各类林地的面积与森林覆盖率。与人工调查相比，该方法精度高且省时省力。其精度可达70％以上。     

四川省会理县拉拉地区铜矿山开发生态环境影响评价

本文对四川省拉拉铜矿矿区噪声、水质、土壤、大气等各方面的检测数据进行了分析,阐述了矿区的主要环境地质问题：矿区家属区噪声污染较严重,选矿厂附近大气污染集中在,水质污染主要源于尾矿库渗透;并提出了矿区环境保护建议。     

New lead isotope determination from five Proterozoic sulfide deposits,Skellefte district,Sweden

Lead isotope analyses of 25 sulfide samples (galenas, iron sulfides, and sulfosalts) from five different mines of the Skellefte district, northern Sweden, demonstrate that the Pb-isotopic composition of galenas and other sulfides rich in lead varies between individual deposits within the district. This contrasts with many other base-metal districts, where ore lead is isotopically homogeneous on a regional basis. Although all of the Skellefte leads are depleted in ²⁰⁷Pb relative to average global lead evolution models, thus suggesting a large mantle-derived component in their sources, the Nasliden deposit lying at the contact of the host volcanic rocks and the overlying metasediments contains a significant component of crustal lead. It is concluded that while the Pb-isotope data are consistent with a volcanic exhalative origin of the ores of the Skellefte district, they also demonstrate that older crustal lead was incorporated into the sulfides during their emplacement and the subsequent period of magmatic and metamorphic activity which followed their deposition.