Mixed boundary value problem in an elastic quarter-space

Summary The stress and displacement throughout a homogeneous, isotropic, elastic quarterspace have been evaluated when the stress is prescribed on one of the plane boundaries and the displacement on the other. The variations of the displacement and stress on the boundaries with time and distance from the origin have been shown graphically.     

Studies on flow characteristics of coal–oil–water slurry system

Experiments were carried out to investigate the rheological properties of coal–oil–water suspension containing solids of different sizes. Two different coal samples with mean particle sizes of 120 mesh, 175 mesh and 220 mesh were used. The coal concentration was varied from 5% to 25% by weight. Sodium silicate has been used as an additive to study the behavior of the variation of average viscosity of the suspension. A generalized correlation has been developed to predict the average viscosity of suspension in terms of particle diameter of the coal, concentration of coal, viscosity of the suspending medium and the concentration of water. Experimental investigations revealed that coal–oil–water suspensions show an increase in the viscosity with decrease in coal size but with the addition of an additive, the average viscosity tends to decrease initially up to a certain optimum dosages and thereafter it increases with further addition of additives. Two empirical correlations are proposed for average viscosity of the coal–oil–water suspension, μ_sL in terms of physical properties of the solid and viscosity of the suspending medium with and without additives.     

Where did rotational shortening occur in the Himalayas? - Inferences from palaeomagnetic remagnetisations

In metacarbonates of the Lesser (LH) and Tethyan (TH) Himalayas of Kumaon/Garhwal (N-India) characteristic remanent magnetisations carried by pyrrhotite (unblocking temperatures: 250-330°C) and magnetite (demagnetising spectra: 15-50 mT) have been identified. Negative fold tests indicate remanence acquisition after the main folding phase, which is of short-wavelength character and occurs during the early orogenese of the Himalayas. A thermal or thermochemical origin of magnetisation is likely and the age of remanence acquisition is indicated to be about 40 Ma by ⁴⁰K/³⁹Ar cooling and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar crystallisation ages. In the Kumaon LH a long-wavelength tilting is indicated by a distribution of the remanence directions along a small-circle in N-S direction. Steepening of the remanence directions in the TH related to ramping on the Main Central Thrust (MCT) was not observed, in contrast to other related studies. In the Alaknanda valley of LH a 38±8 Ma age of remanence acquisition is supported by comparison of observed inclinations to the apparent polar wander path of India. Clockwise rotation of 20.3±11.7° (LH/Alaknanda valley) and 11.3±8.5° (TH) with respect to the Indian plate is observed, indicating that there is no significant evidence for rotational shortening along the MCT since about 40 Ma. Our results suggest that most of rotational underthrusting and oroclinal bending has not been accommodated by the MCT, but by the main thrusts south of it. The latest Miocene/Pliocene age of the Main Boundary Thrust indicates that oroclinal bending is a late-orogenic process.     

Observed daily large-scale rainfall patterns during BOBMEX-1999

A daily rainfall dataset and the corresponding rainfall maps have been produced by objective analysis of rainfall data. The satellite estimate of rainfall and the raingauge values are merged to form the final analysis. Associated with epochs of monsoon these rainfall maps are able to show the rainfall activities over India and the Bay of Bengal region during the BOBMEX period. The intra-seasonal variations of rainfall during BOBMEX are also seen using these data. This dataset over the oceanic region compares well with other available popular datasets like GPCP and CMAP. Over land this dataset brings out the features of monsoon in more detail due to the availability of more local raingauge stations.     

Multicomponent magnetization in western Dolpo (Tethyan Himalaya, Nepal): tectonic implications

A palaeomagnetic study has been carried out in the Tethyan Himalaya (TH; the northern margin of Greater India). Twenty-six palaeomagnetic sites have been sampled in Triassic low-grade metasediments of western Dolpo. Two remanent components have been identified. A pyrrhotite component, characterized by unblocking temperatures of 270–335 °C, yields an in situ mean direction of D=191.7°, I=−30.9° (k=29.5, α₉₅=5.7°, N=23 sites). The component fails the fold test at the 99% confidence level (k_{in situ}/k_bed=6.9) and is therefore of postfolding origin. For reason of the low metamorphic grade, this pyrrhotite magnetization is believed to be of thermo-chemical origin. Geochronological data and inclination matching indicate an acquisition age around 35 Ma. The second remanence component has higher unblocking temperatures (>400 °C and up to 500–580 °C range) and resides in magnetite. A positive fold test and comparison with expected Triassic palaeomagnetic directions suggest a primary origin.The postfolding character of the pyrrhotite component, and its interpreted age of remanence acquisition, implies that the main Himalayan folding is older than 35 Ma in the western Dolpo area. This study also suggests that the second metamorphic event (Neo-Himalayan) was more significant in the Dolpo area than the first (Eo-Himalayan) one.A clockwise rotation of 10–15° is inferred from the pyrrhotite component, which is compatible with oroclinal bending and/or rotational underthrusting models. This rotation is also supported by the magnetite component, indicating that no rotation of the Tethyan Himalaya relative to India took place before 35 Ma.     

A Laboratory and Theoretical Study on the Uptake of SO2 Gas by Large and Small Water Drops Containing Heavy Metal Ions

Laboratory experiments have been carried out to investigate the uptake of sulfur dioxide by water drops containing heavy metal ions where the metal ions serve as catalysts to oxidise the taken up S(IV) into S(VI). During the gas uptake the drops were freely suspended at their terminal velocity in the airstream of the Mainz vertical wind tunnel. Two series of experiments were carried out, one with large millimeter size water drops containing manganese or iron ions, and the other with small water drops containing manganese ions and having radii in hundreds of micron size range. The experimental results were compared against model computations using the Kronig–Brink model and the fully mixed model, modified for the case that heavy metal ions present in the liquid phase act as catalysts for the oxidising process. The results of the model calculations show that there are only small differences between the predicted gas uptake according to the two models. In addition it was found that the experimental obtained results from the uptake of SO₂ by water drops containing heavy metal ions for both, large and small water drops did agree with the model results.     

P–T–fO2 controls on a partly inverse chromite-bearing ultramafic intrusive: an evaluation from the Sukinda Massif, India

The chromites from the alpine type ultramafic intrusive of Sukinda, India, display a typical partly inverse spinel form and occur in two distinct zones: Brown Ore Zone (BOZ) and Grey Ore Zone (GOZ). The host ultramafites are mostly altered and are represented by the serpentinite, tremolite-talc(chlorite) schist, talc-serpentine schist and chlorite rock. The less altered variants are dunite, harzburgite and websterite. A dyke of orthopyroxenite runs through the main ultramafic body.The composition of olivine (Fo₉₂), orthopyroxene (En_92–89) and Al₂O₃ contents of the parental liquid (10.40–11.45%) determined from chromites, suggest that the parent melt is of boninitic affinity. The chemical plot of TiO₂ content against cr# of chromites corroborates a boninitic parental melt. The Fe–Mg partitioning in olivine and chromite depicts the temperature for chromitites as 1200 °C. A compositional plot of mg# and cr# suggests crystallization at high pressure conditions, corresponding to the kimberlite xenolith field. From the P–T diagram of pyrolite melting and mineral assemblage, the pressure of crystallization is stipulated to be ≥1.2 GPa. The f_O2 values estimated from Fe³⁺/Cr+Al+Fe³⁺ ratios range from 10^−8.3 to 10^−9.3 for the GOZ and 10^−7.1 to 10^−7.3 for the BOZ. The f_O2 values together with the pressure range suggest crystallization at upper mantle conditions. The heterogeneity in chemical composition and f_O2 conditions for the GOZ and BOZ could be linked to heterogeneity in the upper mantle.     

The impact of northern Indian Ocean rivers on the Bay of Bengal using NEMO global ocean model

The effect of river runoff over the northern Indian Ocean(NIO) especially over the Bay of Bengal(Bo B) has been studied using global Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean(NEMO). Two sensitivity experiments, with and without river runoff are conducted and the influence of river runoff on the Indian Ocean hydrography,stratification and circulation features are studied. It is found that due to river runoff surface salinity over the northern Bo B decreases by more than 5 and the East India Coastal Current strengthens by 2 cm/s during post monsoon season. The fresh river water reaches up to 15°N in the Bo B and is the main cause for low salinity there.Sea surface temperature in the northwestern Bo B increases by more than 0.2℃ due to the river runoff in summer monsoon while surface cooling upto 0.2℃ is seen in north-west part of Bo B in winter season. The seasonal mixed layer depth in the region is found to be dependent on river runoff. The effect of vertical shear and Brunt Vaisala frequency on stratification is also examined. The ocean water becomes highly stratified up to 3 035 m due to the river runoff. It is found that the energy required for mixing is high in the northern and coastal Bo B.     

Shallow lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary beneath Cambay Rift Zone of India: Inferred presence of carbonated partial melt

A vast area between Phalodi in Jodhpur and Pokaran in Jaisalmer district of western Rajasthan, is occupied distinctly by rocky, shallow gravelly surfaces and occasional hills. These surfaces exhibit quartz and quartzite pebbles, angular, sub-angular and few rounded sandstone gravels, have slightly convex outline and can be best described as desert pavements. Such land features assume significance because of their extent and variability under a dominantly dry aeolian environment. Morphology and distributional pattern of such formations indicate that sediments are either of in situ origin or may have been transported to a short distance. The present study is based on field level assessment of such surfaces in the above two desert districts. Over much of the area, the profile shows a surficial concentration of gravels followed by thick sand and silt mixed with gravels and then the parent material. There are also occasional rock outcrops of very low relief exhibiting vertical, horizontal and conchoidal pattern of fractures over these surfaces near Pokaran and north of Jaisalmer which indicate disintegration of rocks under extreme diurnal fluctuation of temperature. Such manifestations in the morphology indicate impact of both thermal as well as aeolian processes. In the east of Jaisalmer town near Basanpir and Bhojka, the pavement surfaces are found covered with abundant sub-rounded to rounded pebbles and cobbles. This type of condition would indicate a profound action by fluvial activities followed by wind sorting. Our study found significant spatial variability in the distribution of pavement surfaces, which carried imprints of climatic fluctuations and environment of deposition during Holocene.