Late Quaternary drainage reorganization assisted by surface faulting: The example of the Katrol Hill Fault zone,Kachchh, western India

Drainage reorganization on restricted temporal and spatial scales is poorly-documented. We attempt to decode the relatively complicated mechanism of drainage realignment involving two small rivers that show structurally controlled, highly anomalous channel networks. We provide geomorphic and shallow subsurface evidence using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for the presence of a buried paleo-valley flowing northward through the wind gap and surface faulting along the range bounding Katrol Hill Fault (KHF) which correlates with the previously known three surface faulting events in last ~30 ka bp . Most of the present river channels and the KHF zone are occupied by aeolian miliolite (local name) which is stratigraphic and lithologic equivalent of the Late Quaternary carbonate rich aeolianite deposits occurring in several parts of the globe. The history of drainage evolution in the study area comprises pre-miliolite, syn-miliolite and post-miliolite phases. Geomorphic evidences show that the paleo-Gangeshwar River flowed north through the wind gap and paleo-valley, while the short paleo-Gunawari occupied the saddle zone to the east of Ler dome prior to and during the phase of miliolite deposition which ended by ~40 ka bp . Southward tilting of the Katrol Hill Range (KHR) due to surface faulting cut off the catchment of the paleo-Gangeshwar River. The abandoned catchment stream extended its channel eastward along the strike through top-down process while the paleo-Gunawari River extended its course westward by headward erosion (bottom-up process). As the channels advanced towards each other they joined to produce the “S”-shaped bend which formed the capture point. We conclude that multiple surface faulting events along the KHF in the last ~30 ka bp , resulted in uplift and tilting of the KHR which caused drainage realignment by river diversion, beheading and river capture. Our study shows that the complexity of drainage reorganization processes is more explicit on shorter rather than longer timescales.     

Interrelationship of rainfall,temperature and reference evapotranspiration trends and their net response to the climate change in Central India

The monthly rainfall data from 1901 to 2011 and maximum and minimum temperature data from 1901 to 2005 are used along with the reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) to analyze the climate trend of 45 stations of Madhya Pradesh. ET₀ is calculated by the Hargreaves method from 1901 to 2005 and the computed data is then used for trend analysis. The temporal variation and the spatial distribution of trend are studied for seasonal and annual series with the Mann-Kendall (MK) test and Sen’s estimator of slope. The percentage of change is used to find the rate of change in 111 years (rainfall) and 105 years (temperatures and ET₀). Interrelationships among these variables are analyzed to see the dependency of one variable on the other. The results indicate a decreasing rainfall and increasing temperatures and ET₀ trend. A similar pattern is noticeable in all seasons except for monsoon season in temperature and ET₀ trend analysis. The highest increase of temperature is noticed during post-monsoon and winter. Rainfall shows a notable decrease in the monsoon season. The entire state of Madhya Pradesh is considered as a single unit, and the calculation of overall net change in the amount of the rainfall, temperatures (maximum and minimum) and ET₀ is done to estimate the total loss or gain in monthly, seasonal and annual series. The results show net loss or deficit in the amount of rainfall and the net gain or excess in the temperature and ET₀ amount.     

The study of indoor radon in the urban dwellings using plastic track detectors

Radon and its progeny have been recognized as one of the major contributors to the natural radiation and health hazards in the human dwellings. Even lung cancer is expected if it is present in enhanced levels beyond maximum permissible limit. This paper reports the measurements of indoor radon and its progeny in the urban dwellings of the Etah district of Uttar Pradesh province in Northern India using the cellulose nitrate (LR-115 type-II) plastic track detectors. It is found that the values of radon concentration vary from 3.52 to 248.64 Bq m⁻³ with a standard deviation of 69.19. The values of radon progeny concentration vary from 0.38 to 26.88 mWL with a standard deviation of 7.48. The effective dose has been calculated and found to vary from 0.05 to 3.76 mSv year⁻¹ with a standard deviation of 1.05. The lifetime fatality risk is found to vary from 0.04 × 10⁻⁴ to 2.90 × 10⁻⁴. The results have been compared with the results reported in the rural areas of the same district.     

Characterization of an island aquifer from tidal response

Growing demand for potable water for various needs has lead to indiscriminate exploitation of groundwater resources, particularly, in the terrain where surface water resources are negligible. One such area is an island where groundwater is the only source of fresh water. Groundwater is the prime source of fresh water on most of the atolls in the world. Groundwater on these islands is in the form of thin fragile floating lens and is often vulnerable to overexploitation, draught, tidal waves, tsunami and cyclone resulting in seawater ingress. Sustainable development of this meager source of fresh groundwater for a longer time becomes a more difficult task on small atolls with a large population depending on this vital resource. To develop a sustainable management scheme and identify the vulnerable part of aquifer, characterization of the aquifer system on islands is imperative. Groundwater on an atoll is extremely vulnerable to seawater mixing through natural as well as human activities. One such natural process is the tides of the ocean. The response of sea tide to the water table on the island offers valuable data as well as cost-effective means to characterize an aquifer system. Such characterization is vital for the management of groundwater resources on an atoll. The obtained results have compared well with the parameters obtained through a conventional pumping test. Therefore, the use of tidal response to the water table, which can easily be recorded, provides a rapid and cost-effective means to characterization of the aquifer system on the island.     

Numerical Study of Mine Site Specific Multiseam Mining and Its Impact on Surface Subsidence and Chain Pillar Stress

This paper investigates various multiseam mining related parameters using mine site specific data and numerical simulations. Two important mining effects—subsidence and stress—are analysed for different possible mining layouts. A geological mine dataset has been used to generate a numerical model. The predicted surface subsidence magnitude and surface profile have been compared under different scenarios to assess potential options in multiseam mining strategies. The effects that seam separation distances, mining offset, panel layout and panel orientation each have on surface subsidence and chain pillar stress magnitude have been investigated. The numerical simulation shows that ascending or descending mining directions have little impact on controlling the surface subsidence in multiseam mining and predicted an almost identical maximum stress development at the chain pillars. Numerical simulations infer that the orientation of the top panels control the subsidence profile.     

Optical constants of Titan tholins at mid-infrared wavelengths (2.5–25 μm) and the possible chemical nature of Titan’s haze particles

Complex organic materials may exist as haze layers in the atmosphere of Titan and as dark coloring agents on icy satellite surfaces. Laboratory measurements of optical constants of plausible complex organic materials are necessary for quantitative evaluation from remote sensing observations, and to document the existence of complex organic materials in the extraterrestrial environments. The recent Cassini VIMS and CIRS observations provide new constraints on Titan’s haze properties in the mid-infrared wavelength region. Here, we present the optical constants (2.5–25 μm) of Titan tholins generated with cold plasma irradiation of a N₂/CH₄ (90/10) gas mixture at pressures of 0.26 mbar, 1.6 mbar, and 23 mbar. Our new optical constants of three types of Titan tholins suggest that no single Titan tholin in this study fulfills all the observational constraints of the Titan haze material. The discrepancy remains a challenge for future modeling and laboratory efforts that aim toward a better understanding of Titan’s haze material.     

Impact of long term uplift on stream networks in tectonically active Northern Hill Range,Kachchh palaeo-rift basin,western India

The study deals with stream response to sustained tectonic during the Cenozoic and development of two parallel scarps in the western Kachchh. The study encompasses fluvial networks developed over the Jara and Jumara domes, which are a part of the laterally extensive belt of flexures bounded by the Kachchh Mainland Fault(KMF) to their north and called as Northern Hill Range(NHR). Parameters such as longitudinal profile, Hack profile, stream length gradient index(SL), hypsometric curve, hypsometric integral(HI), valley floor width to height ratio(Vf), elongation ratio(Re) and escarpment sinuosity(ES) were analysed. Hack profiles of the major rivers draining through the area show similar convex up nature suggesting primary influence of the tectonics in controlling and shaping the landscape of the region. Elongation ratio 6 and undergone higher degree of fluvial erosion indicated by the low values of hypsometric integral suggest the tendency of river systems to increase the basin area longitudinally rather than laterally. The study suggests that higher net uplift in the eastern half(Jumara dome) caused the rivers to overcome the structural control and to carve out generally straight north oriented channels. The rivers of western part(Jara dome) show more prominent structural control of cuesta girdles formed in compact lithologies and attributed to the domal structure. The ～10 km long Jaramara scarp believed to the remnant of older KMF scarp, is a product of headward erosion of the fluvial channels through different hard and soft litho-units of the area. The similar orientation of Jaramara scarp and morphology of the Ukra intrusive body suggests that the Ukra intrusive played a significant role in controlling the formation and morphology of the Jaramara scarp.     

The chemical compositions of 10 new sub-DLAs and strong Lyman-limit systems at z≲ 1.5

We present chemical abundance measurements from medium-resolution observations of eight subdamped Lyα (sub-DLA) absorber and two strong Lyman-limit systems at   z ≲ 1.5  observed with the Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle (MIKE) spectrograph on the 6.5-m Magellan II Clay telescope. These observations were taken as part of an ongoing project to determine abundances in   z _abs≲ 1.5  quasar absorption line systems focusing on sub-DLA systems. These observations increase the sample of Zn measurements in   z _abs≲ 1.5  sub-DLAs by ∼50 per cent. Lines of Mg  i , Mg  ii , Al  ii , Al  iii , Ca  ii , Mn  ii , Fe  ii and Zn  ii were detected and column densities were determined. Zn  ii , a relatively undepleted element and tracer of the gas-phase metallicity is detected in two of these systems, with  [Zn/H]=−0.05 ± 0.12  and  [Zn/H] > +0.86  . The latter one is however a weak system with   N _{H  I} < 18.8  , and therefore may need significant ionization corrections to the abundances. Fe  ii lines were detected in all systems, with an average Fe abundance of  〈[Fe/H]〉=−0.68  , higher than typical Fe abundances for DLA systems at these redshifts. This high mean [Fe/H] could be due to less depletion of Fe on to dust grains, or to higher abundances in these systems. We also discuss the relative abundances in these absorbers. The systems with high metallicity show high ratios of [Mn/Fe] and [Zn/Fe], as seen previously in another sub-DLA. These higher values of [Mn/Fe] could be a result of heavy depletion of Fe on to grains, unmixed gas, or an intrinsically non-solar abundance pattern. Based on cloudy modelling, we do not expect ionization effects to cause this phenomenon.     

Monitoring and modelling of urban sprawl using remote sensing and GIS techniques

The concentration of people in densely populated urban areas, especially in developing countries, calls for the use of monitoring systems like remote sensing. Such systems along with spatial analysis techniques like digital image processing and geographical information system (GIS) can be used for the monitoring and planning purposes as these enable the reporting of overall sprawl at a detailed level.