Occurrence of thorite and radioactive zircon in syenite pegmatite,North of Ashwaraopet,Khammam district,Andhra Pradesh,India

This paper reports the occurrence of thorite and confirms the earlier find of radioactive zircon by Subbarao, Murali and others from syenite pegmatite in the Vinayakapuram-Kunavaram alkaline belt in the Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Thorite has also been found as residual concentrations in soil overlying the pegmatite.     

A simplified computational approach for prediction of transient climatic conditions in underground mine airways

Summary A simplified approach for prediction of transient climatic conditions in an underground airway os presented. The dry surface temperature of the airway is calculated using a finite difference scheme, whereas the wet surface temperature is determined following the concept of pseudo-base-temperature of air and using the value of thermal gradient at the dry surface as obtained from the finite difference solution of the temperature profile in the dry rock. The air-current temperatures are regularly evaluated after a suitable time span so as to simulate a real-case situation, and the re-evaluated air-current temperatures are used for further calculations. For increasing age of the airway the wet surface temperature obtained by the finite difference scheme, with an appropriate value of thermal diffusivity, is compared with its value determined by the pseudo-base-temperature approach.     

Characterisation of ecological parameters in tropical forest community—A remote sensing approach

Satellite Remote Sensing data has been used for vegetation mapping, initial stratification, distribution of sample plots and for calculating the area under different vegetation types. Primary and secondary analyses of vegetation has been done using phytosociological ground data collected from sample piots to assess the ecological importance of different species. Interrelationships among different communities have been evaluated through various available indices. The spatial distribution and vegetation analysis indicate that commercial extraction of natural forests of Andaman has set in retrogression. The evergreen forests subjected to shorter rotation of commercial exploitation are being invaded with seral deciduous species. The study highlights the status of forests (spatial and community) and stresses the need to conserve germplasm present in the natural evergreen forests.     

Factors Affecting Efficient Aquifer Restoration at In Situ Uranium Mine Sites

In situ mining of uranium typically requires the injection of a reactive leaching solution (lixiviant) such as sodium carbonate/bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate/bicarbonate, or sulfuric acid, and an oxidant such as hydrogen peroxide or oxygen into an ore-bearing, confined aquifer. It also requires the environmental restoration of the source aquifer. The stratigraphy of sandstone uranium deposits typically consists of interbedded layers of poorly consolidated sands and clays and gravels deposited in fluvial or coastal environments. The parameters that influence the migration of lixiviant during mining and restoration in these environments include induced hydraulic gradients, hydrodynamic dispersion, heterogeneity, anisotropy, physicochemical reactions, leakage into and/or through confining layers, and convergence of flow lines due to partial well penetration.
The effectiveness of the various methods of aquifer restoration is sit -specific and is dependent upon the site hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry, and the chemistry of the lixiviant. Each method of aquifer restoration has advantages and disadvantages. Selection of the most effective and economically feasible method requires detailed knowledge of the site-specific hydrogeologic conditions.     

Surface sensible heat flux over a deep moist convective region and its interplay with synoptic and mesoscale features

The surface parameters are being evaluated using a methodology which considers the vertical temperature structure of MONTBLEX ’90. For this 30 metre micrometeorological tower data are utilised. In this process, a concept of isolated layers has been introduced. The parameters have been evaluated following two successive iterative processes to give a consistent value both in the flux-profile relation and the related similarity relation. The heat flux obtained using the present methodology, is then utilised to examine its interplay with the synoptic as well as mesoscale features. The existence of such an interplay is observed.     

西藏“一江两河”中部流域地区土地沙漠化防治目标,对策与治沙工程布局

西藏“一江两河”中部流域地区是我国沙漠化强烈发展的地区之一。根据“一江两河”综合开发部署和沙漠化的实际状况，制定了本区沙漠化防治的目标、对策和治沙工程布局。“八·五”、“九·五”期间治理沙漠化土地８．４６万ｈａ。治沙工程实施后，综合效益指数将比１９９０年提高３３．７％，系统功能状况与效益水平在整体上提高１／３。     

Volcano hazards program in the United States

Volcano monitoring and volcanic-hazards studies have received greatly increased attention in the United States in the past few years. Before 1980, the Volcanic Hazards Program was primarily focused on the active volcanoes of Kilauea and Mauna Loa, Hawaii, which have been monitored continuously since 1912 by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. After the reawakening and catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, the program was substantially expanded as the government and general public became aware of the potential for eruptions and associated hazards within the conterminous United States. Integrated components of the expanded program include: volcanic-hazards assessment; volcano monitoring; fundamental research; and, in concert with federal, state, and local authorities, emergency-response planning.In 1980 the David A. Johnston Cascades Volcano Observatory was established in Vancouver, Washington, to systematically monitor the continuing activity of Mount St. Helens, and to acquire baseline data for monitoring the other, presently quiescent, but potentially dangerous Cascade volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest. Since June 1980, all of the eruptions of Mount St. Helens have been predicted successfully on the basis of seismic and geodetic monitoring.The largest volcanic eruptions, but the least probable statistically, that pose a threat to western conterminous United States are those from the large Pleistocene-Holocene volcanic systems, such as Long Valley caldera (California) and Yellowstone caldera (Wyoming), which are underlain by large magma chambers still potentially capable of producing catastrophic caldera-forming eruptions. In order to become better prepared for possible future hazards associated with such historically unpecedented events, detailed studies of these, and similar, large volcanic systems should be intensified to gain better insight into caldera-forming processes and to recognize, if possible, the precursors of caldera-forming eruptions.     

Review of coking phenomena in relation to an occurrence of prismatically fractured natural coke from the Castle Mountain mine, Matanuska coal field, Alaska

Brief consideration is given to the formation and characteristics of natural coke and its similarities to industrial coke. Observations relating to an occurrence of prismatically fractured natural coke at the Castle Mountain coal mine of the central Matanuska Valley, Alaska are discussed. The temperature gradient across the naturally coked seam here is estimated to have ranged from 350°C at the top to 550°C at the bottom of the seam directly adjacent to the sill. The importance of studying coal-intrusive relationships and natural coking phenomena stems from the effects that intruding dikes and sills have on coal continuity, quality, and potential minability.     

Wind energy estimates by use of a diagnostic model

A diagnostic model is a relatively simple and practical tool for modeling the wind flow of the boundary layer in complex terrain. The model begins with a wind analysis based on available surface wind reports and geostrophic winds (computed from pressure data). The height of the boundary layer top (upper surface of the computational domain) is prescribed to fit local conditions. Using the continuity equation in terrain-following coordinates, the winds at mesh points are adjusted to produce nondivergence while maintaining the original vertical component of vorticity. The method of computing the nondivergent winds uses direct alterations. This method may be useful for other modeling purposes and will be described. Data for a long period (usually a year) are analyzed to obtain eigenvectors and the associated time series of their coefficients at each observation time. The model is run only for the five or six eigenvectors that explain most of the variance. The wind field at any particular time is reconstructed from the eigenvector solutions and their appropriate coefficients. Comparisons of model results with measured winds at sites representing different types of terrain will be shown. The accuracy and economy of the model make it a useful tool for estimating wind energy and also for giving wind fields for low-level diffusion models.