Hydrochemistry of groundwater in a coastal region and its repercussion on quality,a case study—Thoothukudi district,Tamil Nadu,India

A hydrogeochemical study was conducted in Thoothukudi district situated in the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu, India to identify the influence of saltwater intrusion and suitability of groundwater for domestic and agricultural purposes. Scattered studies of this coastal region have reported signs of seawater intrusion, salt pan and industrial activity together with natural weathering process. To have a holistic picture of geochemical processes in the entire district, a total of 135 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for major cations and anions. The geochemical parameters were compared with world and Indian standards and it was found that most samples are unsuitable for drinking purpose. The geochemical facies of the groundwater showed Na–Cl as the dominant water type indicating the saline nature of the groundwater. Chadda’s plots show that most of the samples fall in the Na–Cl type of water due to seawater intrusion. The samples were classified with parameters like sodium absorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, total hardness, chloride, index to base exchange, electrical conductivity and facies to determine their suitability for irrigation purpose. It was inferred that the samples falling along the coast are not suitable for the irrigation purpose. The seawater-mixing percentage indicates that strong mixing was observed in the near shore and at the proximity of the salt pan. The permanent hardness was predominant in all the samples compared to the carbonate hardness reducing its domestic usability.     

Identification of major sources controlling groundwater chemistry from a hard rock terrain — A case study from Mettur taluk,Salem district,Tamil Nadu,India

The study area Mettur forms an important industrial town situated NW of Salem district. The geology of the area is mainly composed of Archean crystalline metamorphic complexes. To identify the major process activated for controlling the groundwater chemistry an attempt has been made by collecting a total of 46 groundwater samples for two different seasons, viz., pre-monsoon and post-monsoon. The groundwater chemistry is dominated by silicate weathering and (Na + Mg) and (Cl + SO₄) accounts of about 90% of cations and anions. The contribution of (Ca + Mg) and (Na + K) to total cations and HCO₃ indicates the domination of silicate weathering as major sources for cations. The plot for Na to Cl indicates higher Cl in both seasons, derived from Anthropogenic (human) sources from fertilizer, road salt, human and animal waste, and industrial applications, minor representations of Na also indicates source from weathering of silicate-bearing minerals. The plot for Na/Cl to EC indicates Na released from silicate weathering process which is also supported by higher HCO₃ values in both the seasons. Ion exchange process is also activated in the study area which is indicated by shifting to right in plot for Ca + Mg to SO₄ + HCO₃. The plot of Na-Cl to Ca + Mg-HCO₃-SO₄ confirms that Ca, Mg and Na concentrations in groundwater are derived from aquifer materials. Thermodynamic plot indicates that groundwater is in equilibrium with kaolinite, muscovite and chlorite minerals. Saturation index of silicate and carbonate minerals indicate oversaturation during pre-monsoon and undersaturation during post-monsoon, conforming dissolution and dilution process. In general, water chemistry is guided by complex weathering process, ion exchange along with influence of Cl ions from anthropogenic impact.     

Interpretation of aero-magnetic data and satellite imagery to delineate structure — a case study for uranium exploration from Gwalior Basin,India

The Paleo-Meso Proterozoic Gwalior basin (E - W), lying to NW fringe of Bundelkhand massif is represented by litho-package of lower arenaceous Par Formation and upper chemogenic Morar Formation. It is bounded by Indo-Gangetic alluvium in north and east, Kaimur sediments in west and Bundelkhand granitoids in south. Gwalior Basin has been the exploration target for uranium mineralization right from early 60’s. Surface radioactivity anomalies due to uranium has been reported in both Par and Morar Formations of Gwalior Group and Vindhyan sediments. Besides presence of syngenetic uranium in the system, presence of post-depositional faults and fractures are the favorable factors. Aeromagnetic survey was carried out by AMD in 2002 with N-S lines of 500 m interval covering 9406 line km. The data with sampling interval of 0.1 sec was corrected for spikes, diurnal variation, IGRF, heading and lag. Final processed images are prepared after suitable leveling and gridding. First vertical derivative of TMI-RTP and tilt-angle derivative images are used to map the litho-contacts, lineaments and structural features. Numerous NE-SW trending low amplitude and NW-SE trending high amplitude magnetic linears corroborate with quartz reefs and basic dykes respectively. Besides, E-W to WNW-ESE and ENE-WSW trending fractures are also evident from the processed image maps. Further, the Euler’s depth solution of gridded aeromagnetic data calculated for structural indices of 0 and 1 are very consistent in locating the position of the causative sources. Based on the amplitude and textural character of processed aeromagnetic data, alteration zone is delineated well within the Morar Formation. Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) image with 30m resolution was merged with IRS PAN 1D (5.8 m resolution) for better spatial/radiometric resolution to extract litho-contacts and lineament patterns. Merged PAN band-4 after linear contrast and edge enhancement techniques deciphered detailed lineament pattern, which corroborate the magnetic data. Merged ETM+ (RGB 751) and PC (PC1-PC2-PC5) images depict litho-logical contrast. Integration of aeromagnetic and satellite imagery data helped in understanding the structural fabric of the Gwalior Basin and to identify favorable loci of uranium mineralization.     

Influence of Shannon’s entropy on landslide-causing parameters for vulnerability study and zonation—a case study in Sikkim, India

Landslide is a common hazard in the hilly regions, which causes heavy losses to life and properties every year. Since 1980, various researches and analyses have been carried out in the geographic information systems (GIS) environment to identify factors responsible for causing landslides. The important conditioning factors identified by the researchers are slope, geological, geomorphologic structures, and land use coupled with triggering factors like rainfall and a few of the anthropogenic activities. Almost all landslides vulnerability studies carried out so far used parameters of landslide events of the past as essential inputs and advanced methods like information value, regression analysis, fuzzy logic, etc. The present research is an attempt to investigate the landslide vulnerabilities in different slope areas with simple and realistic method of assignments of weights to the parameters based on experts?? opinion and generic logic, without using the parameters of past landslide events as inputs. The identified factors were assigned appropriate weights based on experts?? opinion and these weights were further balanced with respect to the Shannon??s entropy of their occurrences within the study area. The study area was finally classified into three zones namely least vulnerable zone, moderately vulnerable zone, and most vulnerable zone. When compared with the actual landslide history of the past, it was found that Shannon??s entropy applied zonation model matched to real landslide events with higher value of landslide density as compared to the model developed without Shannon??s entropy.     

Palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic study of charnockites from Tamil Nadu,India, and the ‘Ur’ protocontinent in Early Palaeoproterozoic times

Palaeomagnetic and magnetomineralogical results are reported from charnockites in basement terrane at the eastern sector of the WSW–ENE granulite belt of South India. Magnetite is the dominant ferromagnet identified by rock magnetic and optical study; it is present in several phases including large homogeneous titanomagnetites and disseminated magnetite in microfractures linked to growth stages ranging from primary charnockite formation to uplift decompression and exhumation within the interval ～2500–2100 Ma. Several components of magnetization are resolved by thermal demagnetization and summarized by four pole positions; in the northern (Pallavaram) sector these are P1 (33°N, 99°E, dp/dm = 8/9°) and P2 (79°N, 170°E, dp/dm = 3/6°), and in the southern (Vandallur) sector they are V1 (23°N, 116°E, dp/dm = 8/9°) and V2 (26°S, 136°E, dp/dm = 5/10°). These magnetizations are linked to uplift cooling of the basement and unblocking temperature spectra suggest acquisition sequences P1 → P2 and V1 → V2 in each case implying movement of the shield from higher to lower palaeolatitudes sometime between 2500 and 2100 Ma. Palaeomagnetic poles from the cratonic nuclei of Africa, Australia and India all identify motion from higher to lower palaeolatitudes in Early Palaeoproterozoic times, and this is dated ～2400 and ～2200 Ma in the former two shields. The corresponding apparent polar wander (APW) segments match the magnetization record within the charnockite basement terranes of southern India to yield a preliminary reconstruction of the ‘Ur’ protocontinent, the oldest surviving continental protolith with origins prior to 3000 Ma. Although subject to later relative movements these nuclei seem to have remained in proximity until the Mesozoic break-up of Gondwana.     

Analysis of urban growth using Landsat TM/ETM data and GIS—a case study of Hyderabad, India

Hyderabad is one of the fastest growing mega cities in India and it is facing many economic, social and environmental problems due to rapid urban growth. For the better planning of resources and to provide basic amenities to its residents, it is necessary to have sufficient knowledge about its urban growth activities. Also, it is necessary to monitor the changes in land use over time and to detect growth activities in different parts of the city. To accomplish these tasks with greater accuracy and easiest way, remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) tools proved to be very advantageous. This study makes an attempt towards the mapping of land use classes for different time periods and analysis of apparent changes in land use using the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) data for the urban agglomeration of Hyderabad, India. In this study, three different time periods viz. 1989–2000, 2000–2005 and 2005–2011 are chosen for the analysis. The results have shown that high-density urban area had grown during 1989–2011 by encroaching into other land use classes. The urban growth has also affected water resources both, qualitatively and quantitatively in the region. The transformation of other land use types into urban area dynamically continued in the North-East and Southern parts of the city. In the North-East direction, the urban growth was mostly due to growth in industrial and residential area and in Southern part, mostly due to residential growth.     

Multi-geohazards susceptibility mapping based on machine learning—a case study in Jiuzhaigou,China

Jiuzhaigou, located in the transitional area between the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and the Sichuan Basin, is highly prone to geological hazards (e.g., rock fall, landslide, and debris flow). High-performance-based hazard prediction models, therefore, are urgently required to prevent related hazards and manage potential emergencies. Current researches mainly focus on susceptibility of single hazard but ignore that different types of geological hazards might occur simultaneously under a complex environment. Here, we firstly built a multi-geohazard inventory from 2000 to 2015 based on a geographical information system and used satellite data in Google earth and then chose twelve conditioning factors and three machine learning methods—random forest, support vector machine, and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost)—to generate rock fall, landslide, and debris flow susceptibility maps. The results show that debris flow models presented the best prediction capabilities [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC 0.95)], followed by rock fall (AUC 0.94) and landslide (AUC 0.85). Additionally, XGBoost outperformed the other two methods with the highest AUC of 0.93. All three methods with AUC values larger than 0.84 suggest that these models have fairly good performance to assess geological hazards susceptibility. Finally, evolution index was constructed based on a joint probability of these three hazard models to predict the evolution tendency of 35 unstable slopes in Jiuzhaigou. The results show that these unstable slopes are likely to evolve into debris flows with a probability of 46%, followed by landslides (43%) and rock falls (29%). Higher susceptibility areas for geohazards were mainly located in the southeast and middle of Jiuzhaigou, implying geohazards prevention and mitigation measures should be taken there in near future.

     

Engineering geological data in support of municipal land use planning—a case study in Analandia, southeast Brazil

This paper presents a method for transforming the information of an engineering geological map into useful information for non-specialists involved in land-use planning. The method consists of classifying the engineering geological units in terms of land use capability and identifying the legal and the geologic restrictions that apply in the study area. Both informations are then superimposed over the land use and a conflict areas map is created. The analysis of these data leads to the identification of existing and forthcoming land use conflicts and enables the proposal of planning measures on a regional and local scale. The map for the regional planning was compiled at a 1:50,000 scale and encompasses the whole municipal land area where uses are mainly rural. The map for the local planning was compiled at a 1:10,000 scale and encompasses the urban area. Most of the classification and operations on maps used spatial analyst tools available in the Geographical Information System. The regional studies showed that the greater part of Analandia’s territory presents appropriate land uses. The local-scale studies indicate that the majority of the densely occupied urban areas are in suitable land. Although the situation is in general positive, municipal policies should address the identified and expected land use conflicts, so that it can be further improved.     

September, 2012 landslide events in Okhimath, India—an assessment of landslide consequences using very high resolution satellite data

The Okhimath area in the Uttarakhand state of India witnessed a large-scale occurrence of landslides on 14 September 2012 due to intense rainfall. As per news reports, this event resulted in the death of 51 people and a significant loss of property. In this study, the damage assessment results of the Okhimath landslides derived from the analysis of very high resolution (VHR) images received from Cartosat-2, Resourcesat-2, Kompsat-2 and GeoEye-1 satellites are presented. These datasets were acquired through a coordinated effort of the Indian Space Research Organisation and International Charter Space and Major Disasters. A total of 126 buildings, 34.5 ha of agricultural land and 7.78 km of road were identified as damaged through the VHR satellite data analysis. Using a semi-automatic landslide detection technique, 473 landslides covering a 2.25-km² area were also identified. Villages such as Mangali, Chunni, Brahman Kholi, Semla, Paldwadi, Saari and Giriyagaon are found to be most affected due to this event. The damage is mainly attributed to rock slides which originated in the escarpment zone which later converted to debris flows by scouring the material along the run-out zone.     

Numerical analysis of hydrogeochemical data: a case study (Alto Guadalentı́n,southeast Spain)

This study examines the spatial variability of the factors obtained from the application of correspondence analysis to a hydrogeochemical data set. The goal was to synthesize the hydrogeochemical information using this multivariate statistical technique, by setting a series of factors which clarified the main properties of one aquifer. Then, a geostatistical framework to obtain a probabilistic assessment of groundwater quality was established. Experimental and theoretical semivariograms of the selected factors, considered as regionalized variables, were computed. These variographic information and factor values in the experimental sites were used in the ordinary kriging, which provides unbiased and linear estimates of the regionalized variables. These estimates were used to compile maps of the chosen factors, which explain their spatial distribution.The selected case study was the alluvial aquifer of Alto Guadalentı́n which is situated in southeast Spain, in the Internal Zones of Betic Cordilleras. These waters are chiefly SO₄ and Cl types, but HCO₃ facies are common in the central sector of the basin. High temperature, acid pH, problems of overexploitation and pollution by CO₂-gas characterise these waters. Available groundwater quality monitoring data were used to calibrate the numerical model. The present study focused on setting the main physical and chemical attributes and establishing the spatial pattern of groundwater quality and the temporal changes in this pattern.     

Vulnerability assessment through index modeling: a case study in Muriganga–Saptamukhi estuarine interfluve,Sundarban, India

The coastal regions, deltas, and estuaries are severely affected by the sea level rise and cyclonic activities and climate changes. Sundarban delta is one of the most mysterious landscapes in the world, which has successively evolved due to sediment accumulation by the great Ganga and Brahmaputra river system. The area is characterized by low-lying islands and a flat topography coupled with macro-tidal activities, powerful surges, and seasonal cyclonic events. All these conditions put together this landscape defenseless to frequent flood and erosion. Since the last hundred years, the face of Sundarban has been changed remarkably from wildest to human-occupied territory by protecting this low-lying flat plain from tidal inundation through artificial embankment. In this background, the current study attempts to highlight the spatial extent and magnitudes of internal risk factors of the region using the composite vulnerability index. Coastal vulnerability defines a system’s openness to flood and erosion risk due to hydrogeomorphic exposures and socio-economic susceptibility in conjunction with its capacity/incapacity to be resilient and to cope, recover, or adapt to an extent. Coastal vulnerability assesses the potential risk from erosion and flooding of any low-lying coastal region due to its physiographical and hydrological exposures, socio-economic and political susceptibility, and resilience capacity. A natural system affects the socio-economic scenario of any region. Hence, multidimensional databases can be more effective to understand the extent of exposure, susceptibility, and resilience of any system. To throw some light on the situation of vulnerability of western estuarine Sundarban, between Muriganga and Saptamukhi interfluve, the composite vulnerability index has been carried out to delineate the magnitude and spatial extent of vulnerability with the help of quantitative techniques and geospatial tools. The estuarine tracts and coastal parts of the Ganga delta are two of the most densely populated areas in the world. The study highlights the critical situation of the population under different potential risk classes residing in the study area with the intention of suggesting some proper course of action of planning and management to conserve coastal communities in their original habitat.     

Optimum cross section index (OCI): a new approach for identification of an optimum channel—a case study of the Ichamati River,India

The Ichamati River drains the east and south side of the North 24 Parganas district which belongs to the Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta (GBD), covered by deep Quaternary sediments produced under tropical monsoon climate in India. The district is densely populated. The river has huge impact on its population. In this paper, particular attention has been paid to a new method, named optimum cross section index (OCI), which is a numerical representation of a river cross section with respect to its optimum condition. To establish the validity and reliability of OCI, as circumstantial evidences, we have measured and analyzed the geometric parameters, such as width, depth, hydraulic radius, wetted perimeter, and bank profile at 22 points, and applied the areal difference asymmetric index (ADAI). The paper considers that the changing characters of the geometric form of the cross sections and ADAI stand for the OCI. All the techniques reveal that (1) the area of channel decreases abruptly upstream downward, (2) the upstream channel is more symmetrical than the lower reach, and (3) the area of optimum channel gradually increases upstream downward. Results of the study show that the river is going to be deteriorating from upstream downward. OCI has been constructed based on width and depth, which are relatively easily available data. So, this model may be well assessable to identify the optimum channel for a river management.     

Missing basics: a study on sanitation and women’s health in urban slums in Lucknow,India

GeoJournal - Sanitation is a multidimensional concept alluding primarily to provision of services for safe disposal of human excreta, provision of clean potable water as well as maintenance of...     

Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) studies of Campanian–Maastrichtian sediments of Ariyalur Group,Cauvery Basin,Tamil Nadu,India: An appraisal to Paleocurrent directions

Oriented samples of sediments from Ariyalur Group, Cauvery Basin, south India, were studied for low field anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) measurements to unravel the magnetic fabrics and paleocurrent directions. The results of AMS parameters of the sediments indicate primary depositional fabrics for Sillakkudi, Ottakovil and Kallamedu sandstone formations and secondary fabric for Kallankurichchi limestone formation. The obtained low degree of anisotropy (P _j ), oblate shape AMS ellipsoid and distribution of maximum (K ₁) and minimum (K ₃) susceptibility axes on equal area projection confirm the primary sedimentary fabric for Sillakkudi, Ottakovil and Kallamedu Formations. In the case of ferruginous, lower arenaceous, Gryphaea limestone and upper arenaceous limestone beds of Kallankurichchi Formation have recorded more than one fabric. The observed AMS parameters like shape factor (T) (prolate to oblate), q value and random distribution of minimum (K ₃) and maximum (K ₁) susceptibility axes are supported for secondary fabrics in Kallankurichchi Formation as a result of post-depositional processes. Based on petrographic studies, it can be established that K ₁ AMS axis of biotite mineral could represent the flow direction. The established paleocurrent direction for Sillakkudi is NW–SE direction while Ottakovil and Kallamedu Formations recorded NE–SW direction. Overall the paleoflow directions observed for Ariyalur Group is NE–SW to NW–SE.     

Genesis of wollastonite- and grandite-rich skarns in a suite of marble-calc-silicate rocks from Sittampundi, Tamil Nadu: constraints on the P–T–fluid regime in parts of the Pan-African mobile belt of South India

The Pan-African tectonothermal activities in areas near Sittampundi, south India, are characterized by metamorphic changes in an interlayered sequence of migmatitic metapelites, marble and calc-silicate rocks. This rock sequence underwent multiple episodes of folding, and was intruded by granite batholiths during and subsequent to these folding events. The marble and the calc-silicate rocks develop a variety of skarns, which on the basis of mineralogy; can be divided into the following types: Type I: wollastonite?+?clinopyroxene (mg#?=?71–73)?+?grandite (16–21 mol% Adr)?+?quartz?±?calcite, Type II: grandite (25–29 mol% Adr )?+?clinopyroxene (mg#?=?70)?+?calcite?+?quartz, and Type III: grandite (36–38 mol% Adr)?+?clinopyroxene (mg#?=?55–65)?+?epidote?+?scapolite?+?calcite?+?quartz. Type I skarn is 2–10 cm thick, and is dominated by wollastonite (>70 vol%) and commonly occurs as boudinaged layers parallel to the regional foliation Sn₁ related to the Fn₁ folds. Locally, thin discontinuous lenses and stringers of this skarn develop along the axial planes of Fn₂ folds. The Type II skarn, on the other hand, is devoid of wollastonite, rich in grandite garnet (40–70 vol%) and developed preferentially at the interface of clinopyroxene-rich calc-silicates layers and host marble during the later folding event. Reaction textures and the phase compositional data suggest the following reactions in the skarns: 1. calcite?+?SiO₂?→?wollastonite?+?V, 2. calcite?+?clinopyroxene?+?O₂?→?grandite?+?SiO₂?+?V, 3. scapolite?+?calcite?+?quartz?+?clinopyroxene?+?O₂?→?grandite?+?V and 4. epidote?+?calcite?+?quartz?+?clinopyroxene?+?O₂?→?grandite?+?V Textural relations and composition of phases demonstrate that (a) silica metasomatism of the host marble by infiltration of aqueous fluids (X_CO2?<?0.15) led to production of large volumes of wollastonite in the wollastonite-rich skarn whereas mobility of FeO, SiO₂ and CaO across the interface of marble and calc-silicate and infiltration of aqueous fluids (X_CO2?<?0.35) were instrumental for the formation of grandite skarns. Composition of minerals in type II skarn indicates that Al₂O₃ was introduced in the host marble by the infiltrating fluid. Interpretation of mineral assemblages observed in the interlayered metapelites and the calcareous rocks in pseudosections, isothermal P-X_CO2 and isobaric T-X_CO2 diagrams tightly bracket the “peak” metamorphic conditions at c.9?±?1 kbar and 750°?±?30°C. Subsequent to ‘peak’ metamorphic conditions, the rocks were exhumed on a steeply decompressive P–T path. The estimated ‘peak’ P–T estimates are inconsistent with the “extreme” metamorphic conditions (>11 kbar and >950°C) inferred for the Pan-African tectonothermal events from the neighboring areas. Field and petrological attributes of these skarn rocks are consistent with the infiltration of aqueous fluid predominantly during the Fn₁ folding event at or close to the ‘peak’ metamorphic conditions. Petrological features indicate that the buffering capacity of the rocks was lost during the formation of type I and II skarns. However, the host rock could buffer the composition of the permeated fluids during the formation of type III skarn. Aqueous fluids derived from prograde metamorphism of the metapelites seem to be the likely source for the metasomatic fluids that led to the formation of the skarn rocks.     

Fluid influence on mineral reactions in ultrahigh-pressure granulites: a case study in the Śnieżnik Mts. (West Sudetes, Poland)

Small tectonic slices of undeformed eclogites and ultrahigh-pressure granulites occur in three tectonic units of the Śnieżnik Mts. (SW Poland). Ultrahigh-pressure granulite/eclogite transitions with peak metamorphic conditions between 21 and 28 kbar at 800 to 1000 °C occur only in the Złote unit. Conventional U-Pb multigrain analyses of zircons from a mafic granulite provided ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages between 360 to 369 Ma which are interpreted to approximate timing of original crystallisation from a melt. Diffusion kinetics and the restricted availability of a fluid phase mainly controlled the conversion from granulite to eclogite, although some bulk-chemical differences were also recognised. The ultrahigh-pressure granulites from the Złote unit exclusively contain H₂O-rich inclusions with variable salinities which distinguishes them from high-temperature (HT)-granulites world-wide. This is also in contrast to the fluid regime (H₂O-N₂-CO₂) recognised in the lower-temperature eclogites (600–800 °C) from the closely associated Międzygórze and Śnieżnik units. The variation in fluid composition between the lower-temperature eclogites and ultrahigh-pressure granulites on the one hand and ultrahigh-pressure granulites and HT-granulites on the other hand probably indicates contrasting P-T-t paths as a result of different tectonic environments. Received: 15 June 1998 / Accepted: 2 March 1999