Power spectrum analysis of atmospheric ozone content over north India

Summary Atmospheric total ozone contents over three stations in north India have been studied. A power spectrum analysis has been made of daily values recoreded at these stations during the winter season. Three types of periodicities have been observed in the available records, namely, oscillations with a period of (a) 2.5–3.5 days, (b) 4.0–5.3 days and (c) 8.0–9.6 days. The first and third type of oscillations were also observed when the data were extended to cover an entire year, instead of the winter season alone. A possible mechanism for the occurrence of these periodicities is discussed.     

Clusters of Galaxies and the Cosmic Web with Square Kilometre Array

The intra-cluster and inter-galactic media that pervade the large scale structure of the Universe are known to be magnetized at sub-micro Gauss to micro Gauss levels and to contain cosmic rays. The acceleration of cosmic rays and their evolution along with that of magnetic fields in these media is still not well understood. Diffuse radio sources of synchrotron origin associated with the Intra-Cluster Medium (ICM) such as radio halos, relics and mini-halos are direct probes of the underlying mechanisms of cosmic ray acceleration. Observations with radio telescopes such as the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, the Very Large Array and the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope have led to the discoveries of about 80 such sources and allowed detailed studies in the frequency range 0.15–1.4 GHz of a few. These studies have revealed scaling relations between the thermal and non-thermal properties of clusters and favour the role of shocks in the formation of radio relics and of turbulent re-acceleration in the formation of radio halos and mini-halos. The radio halos are known to occur in merging clusters and mini-halos are detected in about half of the cool-core clusters. Due to the limitations of current radio telescopes, low mass galaxy clusters and galaxy groups remain unexplored as they are expected to contain much weaker radio sources. Distinguishing between the primary and the secondary models of cosmic ray acceleration mechanisms requires spectral measurements over a wide range of radio frequencies and with high sensitivity. Simulations have also predicted weak diffuse radio sources associated with filaments connecting galaxy clusters. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is a next generation radio telescope that will operate in the frequency range of 0.05–20 GHz with unprecedented sensitivities and resolutions. The expected detection limits of SKA will reveal a few hundred to thousand new radio halos, relics and mini-halos providing the first large and comprehensive samples for their study. The wide frequency coverage along with sensitivity to extended structures will be able to constrain the cosmic ray acceleration mechanisms. The higher frequency (>5 GHz) observations will be able to use the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect to probe the ICM pressure in addition to tracers such as lobes of head–tail radio sources. The SKA also opens prospects to detect the ‘off-state’ or the lowest level of radio emission from the ICM predicted by the hadronic models and the turbulent re-acceleration models.     

Development of a hard x-ray focal plane compton polarimeter: a compact polarimetric configuration with scintillators and Si photomultipliers

X-ray polarization measurement of cosmic sources provides two unique parameters namely degree and angle of polarization which can probe the emission mechanism and geometry at close vicinity of the compact objects. Specifically, the hard X-ray polarimetry is more rewarding because the sources are expected to be intrinsically highly polarized at higher energies. With the successful implementation of Hard X-ray optics in NuSTAR, it is now feasible to conceive Compton polarimeters as focal plane detectors. Such a configuration is likely to provide sensitive polarization measurements in hard X-rays with a broad energy band. We are developing a focal plane hard X-ray Compton polarimeter consisting of a plastic scintillator as active scatterer surrounded by a cylindrical array of CsI(Tl) scintillators. The scatterer is 5 mm diameter and 100 mm long plastic scintillator (BC404) viewed by normal PMT. The photons scattered by the plastic scatterer are collected by a cylindrical array of 16 CsI(Tl) scintillators (5 mm × 5 mm × 150 mm) which are read by Si Photomultiplier (SiPM). Use of the new generation SiPMs ensures the compactness of the instrument which is essential for the design of focal plane detectors. The expected sensitivity of such polarimetric configuration and complete characterization of the plastic scatterer, specially at lower energies have been discussed in [11, 13]. In this paper, we characterize the CsI(Tl) absorbers coupled to SiPM. We also present the experimental results from the fully assembled configuration of the Compton polarimeter.     

The initiation and linkage of surface fractures above a buried strike-slip fault: An experimental approach

Surface fractures in the overburdened sedimentary rocks, formed above a deep-seated basement fault, often provide important information about the kinematics of the underlying master fault. It has already been established that these surface fractures dynamically evolve and link one another with progressive displacement on the master fault below. In the present study, two different series of riedel-type experiments were carried out with clay analogue models under different boundary conditions viz., (i) heterogeneous simple shear of the cover rocks above a buried strike slip fault (wrench system) and (ii) heterogeneous simple shear with a component of shear-normal compression of the overburden package above a basement fault (transpressional system), to observe the initiation and linkage of surface fractures with varying T′ (where T′ = thickness of the overburden normalized with respect to the width of the master fault). In the wrench system, Riedel (R) shears were linked by principal displacement (Y) shears at early stages (shear strain of 0.8 to 1) in thin (2 < T′ < 18) models and finally (at a minimum shear strain of 1.4) gave rise to a through-going fault parallel to the basement fault without development of any other fracture. Conjugate Riedel (R′) shears develop only within the thicker (T′ > 18) clay models at a minimum shear strain of 0.7. With increasing deformation (at a minimum shear strain of 1.2) two R′ shears were joined by an R shear and finally opened up to make a sigmoidal vein with an asymmetry antithetic to the major fault-movement sense. Under transpression, the results were similar to that of heterogeneous simple shear for layers 2 < T′ < 15. In layers of intermediate thickness (15 < T′ < 25) early formed high angle R shears were cross cut by low angle R shears (at a minimum shear strain of 0.5 and shortening of 0.028) and “Riedel-within-Riedel” shears were formed within thick (T′ > 25) models (at minimum shear strain of 0.7 and shortening of 0.1), with marked angularity of secondary fault zone with the master fault at depth.     

REFLECTION AND TRANSMISSION OF SHEAR WAVES IN MONOCLINIC MEDIA

This paper deals with the propagation, reflection and transmission of shear waves in monoclinic media. The dispersion equation for a monoclinic layer overlying a monoclinic half-space has been obtained and curves are plotted. The amplitude ratios for both the reflected and transmitted waves due to reflection of shear waves at the interface of two monoclinic half-spaces have also been computed and the numerical results are presented graphically. The results are compared with the isotropic case. It has been observed that, in monoclinic media, the amplitude ratios for reflected and transmitted wave increases approximately by 25 and 50 per cent respectively, in comparison to the isotropic case. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the various aspects of interacting Ricci dark energy and?tachyonic field

In this letter we considered an interaction between Ricci dark energy and tachyonic field. We investigated the equation of state parameters in presence of the interaction and revealed a quintessence like behavior. Also, we investigated the validity of the generalized second law of thermodynamics in presence of this interaction and observed that it is broken down under this interaction.     

Compton polarimeter as a focal plane detector for hard X-ray telescope: sensitivity estimation with Geant4 simulations

X-ray polarimetry can be an important tool for investigating various physical processes as well as their geometries at the celestial X-ray sources. However, X-ray polarimetry has not progressed much compared to the spectroscopy, timing and imaging mainly due to the extremely photon-hungry nature of X-ray polarimetry leading to severely limited sensitivity of X-ray polarimeters. The great improvement in sensitivity in spectroscopy and imaging was possible due to focusing X-ray optics which is effective only at the soft X-ray energy range. Similar improvement in sensitivity of polarisation measurement at soft X-ray range is expected in near future with the advent of GEM based photoelectric polarimeters. However, at energies >10 keV, even spectroscopic and imaging sensitivities of X-ray detector are limited due to lack of focusing optics. Thus hard X-ray polarimetry so far has been largely unexplored area. On the other hand, typically the polarisation degree is expected to increase at higher energies as the radiation from non-thermal processes is dominant fraction. So polarisation measurement in hard X-ray can yield significant insights into such processes. With the recent availability of hard X-ray optics (e.g. with upcoming NuSTAR, Astro-H missions) which can focus X-rays from 5 KeV to 80 KeV, sensitivity of X-ray detectors in hard X-ray range is expected to improve significantly. In this context we explore feasibility of a focal plane hard X-ray polarimeter based on Compton scattering having a thin plastic scatterer surrounded by cylindrical array scintillator detectors. We have carried out detailed Geant4 simulation to estimate the modulation factor for 100 % polarized beam as well as polarimetric efficiency of this configuration. We have also validated these results with a semi-analytical approach. Here we present the initial results of polarisation sensitivities of such focal plane Compton polarimeter coupled with the reflection efficiency of present era hard X-ray optics.     

Performance of general circulation models and their ensembles for the prediction of drought indices over India during summer monsoon

The drought during the months of June to September (JJAS) results in significant deficiency in the annual rainfall and affects the hydrological planning, disaster management, and the agriculture sector of India. Advance information on drought characteristics over the space may help in risk assessment over the country. This issue motivated the present study which deals with the prediction of drought during JJAS through standardized precipitation index (SPI) using nine general circulation models (GCM) product. Among these GCMs, three are the atmospheric and six are atmosphere–ocean coupled models. The performance of these GCM’s predicted SPI is examined against the observed SPI for the time period of 1982–2010. After a rigorous analysis, it can be concluded that the skill of prediction by GCM is not satisfactory, whereas the ability of the coupled models is better than the atmospheric models. An attempt has been made to improve the accuracy of predicted SPI using two different multi-model ensemble (MME) schemes, viz., arithmetic mean and weighted mean using singular value decomposition-based multiple linear regressions (SVD-MLR) of GCMs. It is found that among these MME techniques, SVD-MLR-based MME has more skill as compared to simple MME as well as individual GCMs.     

Investigation of scale dependence and geomorphic stages of evolution through hypsometric analysis: a case study of Sirsa basin,western Himalaya,India

Hypsometric analysis is an important tool to identify and justify the erosional status, erosional processes, geologic and tectonic influences, and stage of landscape development of a basin. In this study, scale dependence of hypsometric integral (Ea) and hypsometric curve parameters were derived and analysed for various order sub-basins of Sirsa river. Here, Ea of higher order sub-basins are quite scale dependent and controlled by lithology; albeit Ea of all order sub-basins is independent of tectonic uplift. Based on Ea, all fourth and fifth order sub-basins were categorised in three classes. The analysis of hypsometric curve parameters showed that sub-basins of first category (Ea < 0.35) is characterised by upward-concave curve, fluvial process dominated and early old stage landscape. Sub-basins of second category (0.35 < Ea < 0.45) reflects concave-convex curve, dominance of fluvial process and mature landscape; whereas third category sub-basins (Ea > 0.45) are diffusive process dominated and belong to late youth to early mature stage.