Formate and acetate levels compared in monsoon and winter rainwater at Dayalbagh, Agra (India)

A total of 59 rainwater samples were collected during the winter and monsoon (1991–92) at Dayalbagh, Agra. This site is relatively free from the influence of anthropogenic emissions and the volume-weighted average concentrations (VWA) of formate in the winter and monsoon were 22.5±6, 16.1±3 while acetate VWAs were 17.1±5 and 13.8±3 mol l^-1, respectively. Although the VWAs varied between seasons, it was not statistically different. Total deposition (in mmol m^-2) varied between season (winter formate, 1.4; acetate, 1.1; monsoon formate, 7.4; acetate, 6.4). A difference in VWA values may have occurred as a result of the dilution factor; the total rain depth from collected samples in the monsoon was 46 cm while that in winter was 6.3 cm. Sources at this site may be anthropogenic and natural; scavenging from the vapour phase, washout of soil particles and emissions from vegetative sources are probably important sources for formate and acetate.     

Optical properties of some terrestrial rocks and glasses

The optical constants of five naturally occurring rocks have been determined in the spectral range between 0.2 and .50 μm. Between 0.2 and 5 μm, the real and imaginary parts of the index of refraction were found from a combination of reflectivity and transmission measurements by using Beer's law and the Fresnel reflectivity equation. At wavelenths beyond 5 μm only reflectivity measurements could be made and both constants were found from an application of classical dispersion theory. These optical constants will be valuable for studies of the interaction of light with rock surfaces, atmospheric dust and interplanetary and interstellar dust grains.     

On the temperature dependence of possible S8 infrared bands in planetary atmospheres

Measurements of the temperature dependence between 77 and 333°K of the infrared spectrum of cyclic octatomic sulfur suggest that the 23 μm Jovian feature very tentatively identified by Houck et al. [Science 189, 720–722 (1975)] is not due to S₈; and that the temperature dependence of the frequency of the 835 cm^? band of S₈ may be a useful temperature marker in planetary studies.     

Multivariate statistical analysis approach for prediction of blast-induced ground vibration

Excavation of coal, overburden, and mineral deposits by blasting is dominant over the globe to date, although there are certain undesirable effects of blasting which need to be controlled. Blast-induced vibration is one of the major concerns for blast designers as it may lead to structural damage. The empirical method for prediction of blast-induced vibration has been adopted by many researchers in the form of predictor equations. Predictor equations are site specific and indirectly related to physicomechanical and geological properties of rock mass as blast-induced ground vibration is a function of various controllable and uncontrollable parameters. Rock parameters for blasting face and propagation media for blast vibration waves are uncontrollable parameters, whereas blast design parameters like hole diameter, hole depth, column length of explosive charge, total number of blast holes, burden, spacing, explosive charge per delay, total explosive charge in a blasting round, and initiation system are controllable parameters. Optimization of blast design parameters is based on site condition and availability of equipment. Most of the smaller mines have predesigned blasting parameters except explosive charge per delay, total explosive charge, and distance of blast face from surface structures. However, larger opencast mines have variations in blast design parameters for different benches based on strata condition: Multivariate predictor equation is necessary in such case. This paper deals with a case study to establish multivariate predictor equation for Moher and Moher Amlohri Extension opencast mine of India. The multivariate statistical regression approach to establish linear and logarithmic scale relation between variables to predict peak particle velocity (PPV) has been used for this purpose. Blast design has been proposed based on established multivariate regression equation to optimize blast design parameters keeping PPV within legislative limits.     

Major and trace element geochemistry of olivine from an ENE-trending picrite dyke,genetically linked to the ca. 1.89–1.88 Ga Hampi swarm,western Dharwar craton: Implications for plume induced melting of a mixed peridotite-pyroxenite source

The presence of recycled crust in the lithospheric mantle of the Dharwar craton has been investigated using trace element geochemistry of olivine grains from an ENE-trending Paleoproterozoic picrite dyke (associated with the ca. 1.89–1.88 Ga Hampi dyke swarm) emplaced in the western Dharwar craton. Olivine grains are purely magmatic, formed as early phenocrysts in a fractionated basaltic melt. They exhibit enrichment in NiO contents (0.32–0.43 wt%) and depletion in Ca (1366–2105 ppm), Mn (1578–2663 ppm) and 100 1 Mn/Fe (1.28–1.48). Further, the compiled whole-rock geochemical data of the picrite dyke and associated dyke swarm illustrates relatively low CaO/MgO (0.55–1.78), intermediate FeO/MnO (47–54), negative to positive PX# (?0.34 to +1.86), and high values of FC3MS (0.24–0.90) and FCKANTMS (0.19–1.11). These chemical markers are not consistent with the derivation of the primary melt from a pure peridotite or a pyroxenite source; therefore, contribution from a mixed type of source having both peridotite and pyroxenite end members (pyroxene rich and olivine poor lithology) is suggested. The amount of pyroxenite and recycled crust varies from 46% to 86% and 14% to 44%, respectively. The Al-in-olivine based thermometer estimates the maximum crystallization temperature as 1407 °C, which is 137 °C higher than the average temperature of MORB and accordant with several well-established plume-induced large igneous provinces (LIPs) worldwide. Therefore, it is suggested that the studied picrite dyke is derived from a primary melt generated by plume-induced melting of a peridotite-pyroxenite mixed source. The ca. 1.89–1.88 Ga Hampi dyke swarm, being genetically linked with the studied dyke, could also be derived from this same source. Further, the recycled crust in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle of the western Dharwar craton may have generated the pyroxene rich mafic source during the Neoarchean convergence between eastern and western Dharwar craton.     

Chrome-diopside Megacryst-bearing Lamprophyre from the Late Cretaceous Mundwara Alkaline Complex,NW India: Petrological and Geodynamic Implications

The occurrence of a rare mantle-derived chrome-diopside megacryst (～8 mm), containing inclusions of olivine, in a lamprophyre dyke from the late Cretaceous polychronous (～100 – 68 Ma) Mundwara alkaline complex of NW India is reported. The olivine inclusions are forsteritic (Fo: 85.23) in composition, and their NiO (0.09 wt%) and CaO (0.13 wt%) contents imply derivation from a peridotitic mantle source. The composition of the chrome diopside (Cr₂O₃: 0.93 wt ) (Wo_45.27 En_48.47 Fs_5.07 and Ac_1.18) megacryst is comparable to that occurring in the garnet peridotite xenoliths found in diamondiferous kimberlites from Archaean cratons. Single pyroxene thermobarometry revealed that this chrome diopside megacryst was derived from a depth range of ～100 km, which is relatively much deeper than that of the chrome-diopside megacrysts (～40–50 km) reported in spinellherzolite xenoliths from the alkali basalts of Deccan age (ca. 66–67 Ma) from the Kutch, NW India. This study highlights that pre- Deccan lithosphere, below the Mundwara alkaline complex, was at least ～100 km thick and, likely, similar in composition to that of the cratonic lithosphere.     

Morphometric and rheological study of lunar domes of Marius Hills volcanic complex region using Chandrayaan-1 and recent datasets

Marius Hills volcanic complex is one of the most important regions on the lunar surface having an abundant number of volcanic features like domes and cones. Systematic mapping of 106 domes/cones in the Marius Hills region was carried out in this study using high-resolution orthoimage and digital elevation models of Chandrayaan-1 and Kaguya missions. Various morphometric parameters like diameter, height, volume, flank slope, circularity index and form factor are derived for all the mapped domes. The rheological parameters, such as viscosity and eruption rate are estimated for isolated domes and cones superimposed over low domes. The morphometric and rheological properties of these domes are comparable to those located in the area near to Hortensius crater and other mare regions. Surface ages derived for a selected region in NW portion of the Marius Hills volcanic complex using crater size-frequency distribution technique yields ages of 2.98 and 1.91 Ga. It suggests that the domes in this region formed at about 2.98 Ga ago, and then, the younger mare basalts likely embayed this region about 1.98 Ga ago. Stratigraphic sequence of rilles, wrinkle ridge and domes shows that wrinkle ridges are the oldest, while the rilles are younger than the domes.     

A Novel Intelligent ELM-BBO Technique for Predicting Distance of Mine Blasting-Induced Flyrock

Natural Resources Research - Blasting is an economical technique for rock breaking in hard rock excavation. One of its complex undesired environmental effects is flyrock, which may result in human...     

Mooring forces in horizontal interlaced moored floating pipe breakwater with three layers

The paper presents the results from model scale experiments on the study of forces in the moorings of horizontally interlaced, multi-layered, moored floating pipe breakwaters. The studies are conducted with breakwater models having three layers subjected to waves of steepness H_i/L (H_i is the incident wave height and L the wavelength) varying from 0.0066 to 0.0464, relative width W/L (W is the width of breakwater) varying from 0.4 to 2.65, and relative spacing S/D (S is the spacing of pipes and D the diameter of pipe) of 2 and 4. The variation of measured normalized mooring forces on the seaward side and leeward side are analyzed by plotting non-dimensional graphs depicting f/γW² (f is the force in the mooring per unit length of the breakwater, γ the weight density of sea water) as a function W/L for various values of H_i/d (d is the depth of water). It is found that the force in the seaward side mooring increases with an increase in H_i/L for d/W values ranging between 0.081 and 0.276. The experimental results also reveal that the forces in the seaward side mooring decrease as W/L increases, up to a value of W/L=1.3, and then increases with an increase in W/L. It is also observed that the wave attenuation characteristics of breakwater model with relative spacing of 4 is better than that of the model with relative spacing of 2. The maximum force in the seaward side mooring for model with S/D=4 is lower compared to that for the breakwater model with S/D=2. A multivariate non-linear regression analysis has been carried out for the data on mooring forces for the seaside and leeside.