Observational Procedure for the Prediction of Ultimate Swell

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - Montmorillonitic soils pose problems in the field as they are capable of exhibiting appreciable swelling when come in contact with water. In this context,...     

A Leaky Aquifer Model For Hard Rock Aquifers

A comparison is made between the unsteady parallel fracture model using the double porosity approach and the anisotropic aquifer-water table aquitard system. The presence of a moving water table in the weathered zone (unconfined block), influenced by recharge from rainfall or other sources and leakage to the fracture zone, is discussed. The effect of fracture skin on the block-fracture interface is studied for both double-porosity and aquifer-water table aquitard systems. Typical type curves are presented. It is found that the effect of both fracture skin and water table is to lead to a flat drawdown behaviour for a large time. The applicability of the present model for parameters estimation is illustrated on a field pumping test of 7 days duration.

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Résumé: Une comparaison a étéétablie entre le modèle de fractures non constamment parallèles utilisant l'approche de la double porosité et une système composé d'un aquifère anisotrope et un bloc de faible perméabilité avec une surface libre. La présence d'une surface libre variable dans la zone d'altération (bloc non captif), inflluencée par la recharge (pluie ou autre) et par l'écoulement vers la zone fracturée, est discutée. L'effet d'une conche superficielle à l'interface bloc-fracture est étudié pour les deux systèmes, celui à double porosité et celui composé d'un aquifère et d'un bloc de faible perméabilité. Des combes typiques sont montrées. Les résultats montrent que les effets d'une conche superficielle et de la surface de la nappe conduisent à une evolution constante en rabattement pour un temps long. L'application du modèle pour l'estimation des paramètres est justifiée par les résultats d'un pompage d'essai de 7 jours.

     

Stress induced time dependent behavior of clayey soils

It is shown that time compression curve obtained from one-dimensional consolidation curve in the laboratory may include six phases. These are initial compression, first primary compression, transition from first primary compression to second primary compression, second primary compression, and transition from second primary compression to creep and lastly creep. This paper attempts to identify the quantitative beginnings and characteristics of these phases. A mathematical characteristic of all the soils that follow primary consolidation as per Terzaghi’s one dimensional consolidation theory is derived. It is known as the constant of primary consolidation. It is used to study the beginning of secondary consolidation and its effects on primary consolidation. Another characteristic of soils for creep and total absence of primary compression is derived. Methods are suggested for the determination of coefficients of Primary and Secondary consolidations and the compression index.     

First results from ground-based daytime optical investigation of the development of the equatorial ionization anomaly

A meridional scanning OI 630.0-nm dayglow photometer was operated from Ahmedabad (17.2^°N dip lat.) scanning a region towards the south in the upper atmosphere extending over \sim5^° in latitude from 10.2^°N to 15.2^°N dip latitude. From the spatial and temporal variabilities of the dayglow intensity in the scanning region we show for the first time, evidence for the passage of the crest of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) in the daytime by means of a ground-based optical technique. The relationship between the daytime eastward electric field over the dip equator in the same longitude zone as inferred from the equatorial electrojet strength and the evolutionary pattern of EIA is clearly demonstrated. The latter as inferred from the dayglow measurements is shown to be consistent with our present understanding of the electrodynamical processes in the equatorial region. The present results reveal the potential of this ground-based optical technique for the investigation of ionospheric/thermospheric phenomena with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution.     

Estimation of Fried's Parameter From Specklegrams of Solar Features

A few methods of estimating Fried's parameter (r ₀) from specklegrams of solar features are described. Some of these methods were used to estimate r ₀ for the speckle data obtained from Kodaikanal Observatory (KO), Uttar Pradesh State Observatory (UPSO) and Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO). The average value of r ₀ was found to be 3 cm at USO and UPSO during our observations. At KO, values of r ₀ ranging from 6 to 10 cm were estimated.     

Ground-based optical measurements of daytime auroral emissions: A new means of investigating space-weather related processes

The first optical signatures of plasmapause associated processes were gleaned from the daytime auroral emissions monitored from Maitri, the Indian station in Antarctica, using the newly built, ground-based, Multiwavelength Daytime Photometer (MWDPM). The plasmapause boundary inferred from these measurements conforms well with the known empirical relationship with the geomagnetic indexKp. The measurements made at 391.4, 486.1, 557.7 and 630.0 nm emissions revealed significant day-to-day variations in their spatial and temporal extents. These preliminary results are presented and discussed.     

Observational evidence of deep convection over Indonesian sector in relation with major stratospheric warming events of 2003–04 and 2005–06

The major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events of 2003–04 and 2005–06 are considered to investigate changes in equatorial convection due to circulation changes associated with the SSW events. It is observed that the SSW events are accompanied by a considerable decrease in Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR), a proxy for tropical convection, over equatorial latitudes (15°N–15°S) in the Indonesian sector (90°E–150°E). However, unlike noted by earlier observations, the zonal mean OLR does not show any notable relationship with the SSW events. It can be explained from the latitude–longitude map of potential vorticity (PV) at 100 hPa, which shows a tongue of high PV emanating from high latitudes towards equator and converges in the longitude band of 90°E–150°E on the day of peak warming at 1 hPa in the case of 2003–04 and 10 hPa in the case of 2005–06. The latitude-height map of Eliassen–Palm (EP) vector and its divergence show convergence of EP flux in the upper troposphere at latitudes even lower than 20°N on these days. Further, vertical winds computed from the convergence of momentum flux are upward indicating convective activity at low-latitudes and downward at mid-latitudes.     

Permeability of Layered Soils: An Extended Study

The coefficient of permeability of stratified soil deposits, when the flow is normal to the orientation of the bedding planes, has been observed to deviate from the value calculated theoretically. This deviation has been successfully explained in the past for a two-layer soil system by considering the coefficient of permeability of the exit layer as the controlling factor. The present technical note deals with the results from the study of permeability behavior of three-layer soil system. This study reinforces the point that the coefficient of permeability of a layered soil system, when the flow is normal to the orientation of the bedding planes, depends upon the relative positioning of the layers with different values of coefficient of permeability in the system.     

Observations of peculiar sporadic sodium structures and their relation with wind variations

Resonance lidar observations of sodium density in the upper mesosphere region over Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E) rarely show complex structures with rapid enhancements of sodium density, completely different from normal sporadic sodium structures. The hourly averaged meteor radar zonal winds over Trivandrum (8.5°N, 76.5°E) show an eastward shear with altitude during the nights, when these events are formed. As suggested by Kane et al. [2001. Joint observations of sodium enhancements and field-aligned ionospheric irregularities. Geophysical Research Letters 28, 1375–1378], our observations show that the complex structures may be formed due to Kelvin–Helmholtz instability, which can occur in the region of strong wind shear.