Fairweather atmospheric electricity at Antarctica during local summer as observed from Indian station,Maitri

Surface measurements of the atmospheric electrical parameters like Maxwell current, electric field and conductivity studied at the Indian station, Maitri (70.75° S, 11.75° E, 117 m above mean sea level), Antarctica, during austral summer have been analyzed for the years 2001 to 2004. A total of 69 days were selected which satisfied the ‘fairweather’ conditions, i.e., days with absence of high winds, drifting or falling snow, clouds, and fog effects. The diurnal variation curve of electric field and vertical current averaged for 69 fairweather days is a single periodic with a minimum at 03:00 UT and a maximum near 19:00 UT, which is very similar to the Carnegie curve. The correlation coefficient between these measured parameters has a high value (more than 0.9) for all the days. During fairweather days the measured current and field variations are similar and hence it is clear that the conductivity is more or less stable. During magnetically disturbed days, the dawn-dusk potential drop has clear influences on the diurnal variation and it modifies the conductivity. Apart from the day-to-day variation in low latitude thunderstorm activity, there are diurnal, seasonal, inter-annual variations in the electric potential and the currents, as well as solar influences on the measured parameters. This study will help us to examine the impact of solar and geophysical phenomena like solar flares, geomagnetic storms and substorms on the global electric circuit.     

Anthropogenic effects on sediment quality offshore southwestern Taiwan: Assessing the sediment core geochemical record

Slag material was dumped in two sites off southwestern Taiwan by the China Steel Corporation during 1984–1995. By geochemically analyzing four sediment cores, we investigated the impact of slag on the sediment chemistry. Elemental profiles from the dumping sites show a strong depletion in detrital elements and enrichment in alkaline and redox-sensitive elements, especially for the top ～20 cm of sediments. The relative enrichment factor (EF_rel) exhibits wider range for Ca (0.73–13.33), Fe (0.88–3.03), Mg (0.94–9.58) and Mn (1.22–33.30) due to contamination of sediments by slag. Sediment weathering indicators also show a distinct change with lower values in sediments influenced by dumping due to Ca and Sr addition. Higher EF_rel for As, Cd and Pb in the top sections of the cores indicate an additional modern/industrial input of these elements since ～1950. Our study suggests that slag dumping may have a localized effect on biogeochemical processes by inducing the diagenetic remobilization of certain elements.     

Carbon Geochemistry of Gas Hydrate‐associated Sediments in the Southwestern Taiwan Basin

Marine gas hydrates, one of the largest methane reservoirs on Earth, may greatly affect the deep sea sedimentary environment and biogeochemistry; however, the carbon geochemistry in gas hydrate-bearing sediments is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the carbon variables in sediment core 973-3 from the southwestern Taiwan Basin in the South China Sea to understand the effect of environmental factors and archaeal communities on carbon geochemistry. The carbon profiles suggest the methanogenesis with the incerase of dissolved inorganic carbon(DIC) and high total organic carbon(TOC)(mean = 0.46%) originated from terrigenous organic matter(mean δ~(13)C_(TOC) value of-23.6‰) driven by the abundant methanogen ‘Methanosaeta and Methanomicrobiales'. The active anaerobic oxidation of methane is characterized by the increase of DIC and inorganic carbon(IC), and the depleted δ~(13)C_(IC), coupled with the increase of TOC and the decrease of δ~(13)C_(TOC) values owing to the methanotroph ‘Methanosarcinales/ANME' in 430–840 cm. Environmental factors and archaeal communities in core 973-3 are significantly correlated to carbon variables owing to methane production and oxidation. Our results indicate that the carbon geochemical characteristics are obviously responding to the formation and decomposition of gas hydrates. Furthermore, pH, Eh and grain size, and Methanosaeta greatly affect the carbon geochemistry in gas hydrate-associated sediments.     

Global electric circuit parameters and their variability observed over Maitri,Antarctica

The global component of fairweather electricity is subject to special attention to watch the solar-terrestrial effects and secular changes in climate. It is generally considered that the diurnal variation of atmospheric electricity parameters, if they are not following the Carnegie pattern, are not representative of the global thunderstorm activity. Some of the results obtained from Maitri (70°45′54″S, 11°44′03″), are discussed here in context with global thunderstorm activity and space weather influences. The diurnal pattern of the Potential Gradient and current density strongly deviate from the Carnegie curve. We have showed that this deviation is not due to the local electrical influence but due to the global thunderstorm activity. During fairweather condition the parameters are representing the global thunderstorm activity and to some extent they respond to the upper atmospheric electro dynamic phenomenon. The mean value of the potential gradient (77.7 V/m) and current density (2.13 pA/m²) well below the expected global mean but close to the value reported from the same location and season in the past years. The mean conductivity, 3.34 × 10⁻¹⁴ mhom⁻¹, is slightly at higher side and they exhibit a different diurnal trend comparing to the past measurements at this location.     

Significance of biofilm proteins in modulating cyprid metamorphosis of Balanus amphitrite (Cirripedia: Thoracica)

The role of biofilm proteins in modulating cyprid metamorphosis is not well understood. In the present investigation this possibility was explored by disrupting biofilm proteins using commercially available protease. The influence of natural biofilm and artificial biofilms of Aeromonas salmonicida salmonicida and Bacillus brevis and their culture supernatants and exopolysaccharides obtained under different nutritional conditions was evaluated. Natural biofilm facilitated cyprid metamorphosis in Balanus amphitrite, whereas monospecies biofilms did not. The treatment of biofilms with protease resulted in a decline in metamorphosis, except in B. brevis, where although metamorphosis was negated initially, it increased with the protease concentration and observation days. As the response of cyprids to exopolysaccharides produced by A. salmonicida salmonicida was dependent on protein concentration, protease treatment resulted in a decrease in metamorphosis, whereas in case of B. brevis biofilms, protease hydrolysis products could be important in providing settlement cues. Thus, biofilm bacterial components play an important role in the cyprid metamorphosis of Balanus amphitrite.     

Groundwater Potential Zoning in Thirumanimuttar Sub-Basin Tamilnadu, India—A GIS and Remote Sensing Approach

The main objective of the study is to identify groundwater potential zones in Thirumanimuttar basin with an integrated approach using Remote Sensing and geographical information system(GIS).FCC Image of Landsat TM 30 m resolution data and topographic maps has been used to generate thematic maps like geology,geomorphology,lineament and lineament density,drain-age,drainage density,and slope map of the study area.A number of geomorphic units such as Denudational hills,structural hills,Bajadas,Colluvial plain,Pediplain,Deep Pediment and Alluvial plains have been observed.A composite groundwater potential map has been generated as very high,high,medium,low and very low based on the groundwater availability area.The upper,mid-dle and downstream of the basins have been identified as potential zones for groundwater exploration.The regions of lineaments and intersecting lineaments proved for groundwater potential zones.The data generated was validated with field checks and ob-served to be in conformity with the same.     

Lacustrine sedimentological and geochemical records for the last 170 years of climate and environmental changes in southeastern China

Reconstruction of modern climate and environmental changes in east Asia using inland natural climate archives can provide valuable insights on decadal–multidecadal climate and environmental patterns that are probably related to both natural and anthropogenic forcing. Here we investigated an 89‐cm‐long sediment core (TH1) from Tian Lake, southeastern China, for sedimentological, physical and geochemical parameters in order to understand climate and environmental changes for the latest two centuries. ¹³⁷Cs‐ and ²¹⁰Pb‐based age models show that the fine sand–coarse silt‐dominated core contains ~170 years (c. AD 1842–2011) of continuous sedimentation. Sediments with fine sands, low MS values, high water content, high TOC content and a high C:N ratio from c. AD 1842 to 1897 suggest intense hydrological conditions and strong runoff in the catchment, probably because of a humid climate. From AD 1897 to 1990, sediments with very fine sand and coarse silt, high MS values, low water content and unchanged TOC and C:N ratios indicate normal hydrological conditions and in‐lake algae‐derived organic matter. During this interval, the chemical weathering indicators show stronger weathering conditions compared with sediments deposited during AD 1842–1897, supporting the dominance of weathered surface soil input in the earlier interval and physical erosion dominance in the later period, respectively. Since AD 1990, the continuous decrease of geochemical proxies suggests human‐interacted Earth surface processes in the catchment of Tian Lake. A PCA revealed four dominant geochemical controlling factors – detrital input, trophic status, grain size and early diagenesis –, accounting for 26, 20, 18 and 16% of total variance, respectively. This study for the first time provides lacustrine geochemical evidence for the most recent two centuries of climate and environmental changes in coastal southeastern China, a region that is currently undergoing an inversion of critical zone, i.e. an overturning of its soil profile, owing to swift modernization.     

Chemical weathering over the last 1200 years recorded in the sediments of Gonghai Lake,Lvliang Mountains,North China: a high‐resolution proxy of past climate

Increasing interest in global climate change has led to attempts to understand and quantify the relationship between chemical weathering processes and environmental conditions, especially climate. This interest necessitates the identification of new climate proxies for the reconstruction of two important Earth surface processes: physical erosion and chemical weathering. In this study, an AMS ¹⁴C‐dated 2.8‐m‐long sediment core, GH09B1, from Lake Gonghai in north‐central China was subjected to detailed geochemical analyses to evaluate the intensity of chemical weathering conditions in the catchment. Multivariate statistical analysis of major and trace elemental data of 139 subsamples revealed that the first principal component axis PCA1 explained ～53% of the variance in the assemblage of elements/oxides with significant positive correlations between PCA1 scores and the separation of mobile and soluble elements/oxides from the immobile and resistant elements/oxides, which is thus able to indicate the chemical weathering in the catchment. These results are supported by the down‐core trends of other major and trace elemental ratios of chemical weathering intensity as well as by pollen data from the same core. Variations in PCA1, chemical index of alteration (CIA), Rb/Sr ratio and other oxides ratios indicate stronger chemical weathering due to a wet climate during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP). However, the MWP was interrupted by an interval of relatively weaker chemical weathering conditions from AD 940–1070. Weak chemical weathering under a dry climate occurred during the Little Ice Age (LIA), and increased chemical weathering intensity during the Current Warm Period (CWP). Our proxy records of chemical weathering over the last millennium correlate well with the available proxy records of precipitation from Gonghai Lake as well as with the speleothem oxygen isotope record from Wanxiang Cave, but do not show a significant correlation with the temperature record in N China, suggesting that the chemical weathering intensity in the study area was mainly controlled by the amount of rainfall rather than by temperature. We conclude that high resolution lacustrine sediment geochemical parameters can be used as reliable proxies for climate variations at centennial‐decadal time scales.     

Performance Enhancement of Solar Latent Heat Thermal Storage System with Particle Dispersion — an Exergy Approach

Phase change material (PCM) employed latent heat thermal storage (LHTS) system has been showing good potential over the years for energy management, particularly in solar energy systems. However, enhancement in thermal conductivity of PCMs is emphasized as PCMs are known for their poor thermal conductivity. In this work, the thermal performance of a shell and tube LHTS module containing PCM‐metal particles composite is investigated while charging and is compared with that of pure PCM system. The effect of particle dispersion on latent heat capacity of pure PCM is also analyzed. Enthalpy based governing equations are solved numerically adopting FLUENT code. Exergy based performance evaluation is taken as a main aspect. The numerical results are presented for various operating conditions of heat transfer fluid (HTF) and indicate considerable performance improvement of the system when particles are dispersed.