A high speed photometer in the optical region for lunar occultation studies

High speed photometry during the lunar occultation of a stellar system provides an effective means of achieving high angular resolution in one dimension at the sub arc second level which is well suited for resolving close binary projected separations in the range of 10–100 milliarc seconds. An optical fast photometer designed for such a purpose is described and some results from the initial observations taken with the system including the resolution of a projected separation of 55 milli arcsecond in one binary system are detailed.     

Cretaceous Environments of Afghanistan:A Synthesis Based on Selected Sections

The Cretaceous of Afghanistan is marked by great facies diversity. The evolution of Cretaceous basins is part of a complex accretionary history involving three distinct tectonic units namely the Asian (Russian) Block separated from the Indian plate by a rather well defined transcurrent fault (Chaman-Nuski). The southwestern component is representedby the Iran-Afghanistan plate. The Lower Cretaceous of the Asian Block is represented by the Red-Grit Series which isconformable to the underlying Upper Jurassic sequences. The transition is marked by evaporitic facies dominated by salt,gypsum and marl deposits. In south Afghanistan volcanic rocks occur at Farah, with the emplacement of plutonics inwest-central Afghanistan. The Upper Cretaceous of north Afghanistan is marked by richly fossiliferous, lime stone-dominated sequences. The Upper Cretaceous of southern Afghanistan is marked by strong ophiolitic magrmatism.     

Pore water pressure in natural slopes

Estimating subsurface pore water pressures in natural slopes along the periphery of rivers and reservoirs for future conditions, created by the operational requiremets to meet increases in energy demand from the observed data of the past and present, operations, is possible with the use of a mathematical model. An effective algorithm for calculating pore water pressure at any location in a slope stability section is to use a complete polynomial and to assure geometric invariance of the calculated results.     

XX Cam—The Inactive R CrB star

Infrared observations obtained six years apart of the R CrB type star XX Cam do not show any infrared excess, unlike all the other members of the class. The observed colours match a 7000 K black body energy distribution quite well. From the year 1898 till todate, apparently XX Cam has undergone only one visual light minimum in 1940. The lack of infrared excess, the abundance peculiarities and further lack of small amplitude light variations with periods of few tens of days, which are characteristic of R CrB type stars, are discussed in terms of theoretical pulsation models of helium stars.     

Stable isotope dynamics of groundwater interactions with Ganges river

Groundwater depletion has been an emerging crisis in recent years, especially in highly urbanized areas as a result of unregulated exploitation, thus leaving behind an insufficient volume of usable freshwater. Presently Ganges river basin, the sixth largest prolific fluvial system and sustaining a huge population in South Asia, is witnessed to face (i) aquifer vulnerability through surface waterborne pollutant and (ii) groundwater stress due to summer drying of river as a result of indiscriminate groundwater abstraction. The present study focuses on a detailed sub-hourly to seasonally varying interaction study and flux quantification between river Ganges and groundwater in the Indian subcontinent which is one of the first documentations done on a drying perennial river system that feeds an enormous population. Contributing parameters to the total discharge of a river at its middle course on both temporal and spatial scale is estimated through three-component hydrograph separation and end-member mixing analysis using high-resolution water isotope (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) and electrical conductivity data. Results from this model report groundwater discharge in river to be the highest in pre-monsoon, that is, 30%, whereas, during post-monsoon the contribution lowers to 25%; on the contrary, during peak monsoon, the flow direction reverses thus recharging the groundwater which is also justified using annual piezometric hydrographs of both river water and groundwater. River water-groundwater interaction also shows quantitative variability depending on river morphometry. The current study also provides insight on aquifer vulnerability as a result of pollutant mixing through interaction and plausible attempts towards groundwater management. The present study is one of the first in South Asian countries that provides temporally and spatially variable detailed quantification of baseflow and estimates contributing parameters to the river for a drying mega fluvial system.     

Assessing future changes in seasonal climatic extremes in the Ganges river basin using an ensemble of regional climate models

Using an ensemble of four high resolution (~25 km) regional climate models, this study analyses the future (2021–2050) spatial distribution of seasonal temperature and precipitation extremes in the Ganges river basin based on the SRES A1B emissions scenario. The model validation results (1989–2008) show that the models simulate seasonality and spatial distribution of extreme temperature events better than precipitation. The models are able to capture fine topographical detail in the spatial distribution of indices based on their ability to resolve processes at a higher regional resolution. Future simulations of extreme temperature indices generally agree with expected warming in the Ganges basin, with considerable seasonal and spatial variation. Significantly warmer summers in the central part of the basin along with basin-wide increase in night temperature are expected during the summer and monsoon months. An increase in heavy precipitation indices during monsoon, coupled with extended periods without precipitation during the winter months; indicates an increase in the incidence of extreme events.     

Neural network estimation of duration of strong ground motion using Japanese earthquake records

The duration of strong motion has a significant influence on the severity of ground shaking. In this work, a combination of average values of four geophysical properties of site (Standard Penetration Test (SPT) blow count, primary wave velocity, shear wave velocity, and density of soil) including hypocentral distance of less than 50 km and magnitudes more than 5.0 from Japanese ground motion records were used for development of neural network model, to estimate duration of strong ground motion. Since majority of strong motion databases provide only average shear wave velocity for site characterization, an attempt has also been made to train the neural network with magnitude, hypocentral distance and average shear wave velocity as three input variables. Results obtained from this study show that the duration of strong motion is mostly dependent on average shear wave velocity rather than other geophysical properties of site.     

Hydrouranium anomalies as an effective tool in exploration of concealed unconformity related U-deposit in Srisailam sub-basin,Andhra Pradesh — Case study from Chitrial area

Relationship of hydro-uranium anomalies (2-649 ppb) vis-à-vis underlying uranium ore body has been attempted based on seventy nine water samples collected from the exploratory boreholes on the northern periphery of Srisailam sub basin, Nalgonda district, A.P. Water table is hosted in the granitoid aquifer which underlies the cover rocks of Srisailam Formation. TDS (total dissolved salt) range from 123 to 1088 ppm (x^? = 329 ppm) and analyzed >500 ppm in eight samples. Water samples show a strong positive correlation of TDS with Cl^? (r=0.90), Na⁺ (r=0.82), Mg (r=0.80) and a moderate positive correlation with Sr (r=0.48) and Ca (r=0.70). Low value (<0.4) of Normalised Magnesium (NMg) indicates that host rock aquifer has not undergone chloritisation. Accumulate contour plan of uranium ore body shows NW-SE trend and coincides with the hydro-uranium contour. Correlation sections of ore body display true as well as false hydro-uranium anomalies in N-S and E-W profiles. Hydro-uranium anomalies owe their origin to uranium cations, dissolved from the mineralized horizon in to groundwater. Hydro-geochemical orientation survey carried out at Chitrial plateau may be applied regionally in the Srisailam sub basin as an effective tool to explore the concealed unconformity type uranium mineralization below Srisailam Formation.     

Combining climatological and participatory approaches for assessing changes in extreme climatic indices at regional scale

This paper combines the climatological and societal perspectives for assessing future climatic extremes over Kangasabati River basin in India using an ensemble of four high resolution (25 km) regional climate model (RCM) simulations from 1970 to 2050. The relevant extreme indices and their thresholds are defined in consultation with stakeholders and are then compared using RCM simulations. To evaluate the performance of RCM in realistically representing atmospheric processes in the basin, model simulations driven with ERAInterim global re-analysis data from 1989 to 2008 are compared with observations. The models perform well in simulating seasonality, interannual variability and climatic extremes. Future climatic extremes are evaluated based on RCM simulations driven by GCMs, for present (1970–1999) and for the SRES A1B scenario for future (2021–2050) period. The analysis shows an intensification of majority of extremes as projected by future ensemble mean. The study suggests that there is a marked consistency in stakeholder observed changes in climate extremes and future predicted trends.     

Characterizing atmospheric surface layer turbulence using chaotic return map analysis

Nonlinear time series analysis methods are used to investigate the dynamics of mechanical and convective turbulences in the atmospheric surface layer flow. Using dynamical invariant analysis (e.g. correlation dimension, Lyapunov exponent and mutual information) along with recurrence quantification analysis (e.g. recurrent rate, determinism, average diagonal length of recurrence plot, etc.) of the vertical wind component data, it is confirmed that a convective turbulence is a lower order manifold in its phase space exhibiting higher degree of organization than a mechanical turbulence. Applying a quasi-one-dimensional chaotic return map technique, the topological differences between the mechanical and convective turbulences are explored. These quasi-one-dimensional return maps are produced using the local maxima of the first principal component of the reconstructed turbulence data. A comparison of the probability distribution of the local maxima of a forced Lorenz model with the turbulence data indicates the possible existence of a stable fixed point for both type of turbulences. Furthermore, dynamically the mechanical turbulence is found to resemble an unforced Lorenz model whereas the convective turbulence resembles a forced Lorenz model.