Wetting Induced Deformation of Soils Triggering Landslides in Pakistan

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - Shallow and deep seated landslides in natural slopes are often induced by rainfall. The cause of the failure is usually considered to be due to the...     

Prediction criteria for groundwater potential zones in Kemuning District,Indonesia using the integration of geoelectrical and physical parameters

The presence of groundwater is strongly related to its geological and geohydrological conditions.It is,however,important to study the groundwater potential in an area before it is utilized to provide clean water.Werner-Schlumberger’s method was used to analyze the groundwater potential while hydraulic properties such as soil porosity and hydraulic conductivity were used to determine the quality and ability of the soil to allow water’s movement in the aquifer.The results show that the aquifer in the Sekara and Kemuning Muda is at a depth of more than 6 meters below the ground level with moderate groundwater potential.It is also found that the aquifer at depths of over 60 m have high groundwater potential.Moreover,soil porosity in Kemuning is found to be average while the ability to conduct water was moderate.This makes it possible for some surface water to seep into the soil while the remaining flows to the rivers and ditches.     

Intraspecific morphometric diversity of barramundi (Lates calcariferBloch, 1790) in the waters of southern Bangladesh

A total of 160 barramundi's (Lates calcarifer Bloch, 1790) sampled from four rivers (Tentulia, Balaswar, Bakkhali, and Andarmanik) along the southern coastal region of Bangladesh were investigated in terms of morphometric characters to reveal the intraspecific variation. Twenty-five morphometric measurements were extracted using the conventional method and subjected to multivariate analyses (i.e., principal component analysis (PCA), discriminate function analysis (DFA), cluster analysis (CA)) to distinguish individuals from different rivers. The result demonstrated that twenty-two out of 25 measurements was statistically significant (Univariate ANOVA) among all four populations. PCA analysis of morphometric characters resulted in two principal components, PC I and PCⅡ which accounted for 79.25% and 4.28% of the total data variance. PC I-PC Ⅱ plot explained 83.53% of total variance differentiated the population of L. calcarifer into two groups. Discriminate analysis correctly classified about 88.1% of the examined fish into the four areas. The UPGMA dendrogram showed that Bakkhali populations were the most morphologically different populations in comparison to other populations, while Andarmanik and Balaswar populations were very close to each other. The strong morphometric variation between Bakkhali and Tentulia, Andarmanik and Balaswar was observed in the present study, suggested the evidence of the separate stock population of barramundi in these locations, which might require distinct stock management strategies for resource sustainability in the waters of southern Bangladesh. However, if these findings are supported by further molecular markers and geometric morphometry, this would be a strong indication of different stocks of this population in the four rivers of southern Bangladesh.     

Socio-political and ecological stresses on traditional pastoral systems: A review

Journal of Geographical Sciences - Pastoralism is a viable socio-economic system-shaped by landless and agro-pastoral communities in many pastoral regions of the world. This system is mainly based...     

A Holistic Approach to Upwelling and Downwelling along the South-West Coast of India

An attempt has been made to develop a holistic understanding of upwelling and downwelling along the south-west coast of India. The main objective was to elucidate the roles of different forcings involved in the vertical motion along this coast. The south-west coast of India was characterized by upwelling during the south-west monsoon (May to September) and by downwelling during the north-east monsoon and winter (November to February). The average vertical velocity calculated along the south-west coast from the vertical shift of the 26?°C isotherm is 0.57?m/day during upwelling and 0.698?m/day during downwelling. It was concluded that upwelling along the south-west coast of India is driven by offshore Ekman transport due to the alongshore wind, Ekman pumping, horizontal divergence of currents and by the propagation of coastally trapped waves. Whereas downwelling along the coast is driven only by convergence of currents and the propagation of coastally trapped Kelvin waves. Along the west coast of India, the downwelling-favorable Kelvin waves come from the equator and upwelling-favorable waves come from the Gulf of Mannar region.     

Detrital apatite fission track constraints on Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China: Evidence from Cenozoic strata in Lulehe section,Northern Qaidam Basin

The Northern Qaidam Basin is located at the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. It contains very thick Cenozoic terrestrial clastic sediments, which records the formation of the northern Qaidam Basin due to compressional deformation during the Indo-Asian collision. In this paper, we used detrital apatite fission-track thermochronology, including 4 sandstones and 2 conglomerates samples from the Lulehe section, to reveal the Cenozoic evolution of the northern Qaidam Basin. Fission-track dating indicated the source region of the Lulehe section has experienced important cooling and uplifting in the Late Cretaceous (at ~85.1 Ma and ~65 Ma) and the Eocene (~52 Ma), respectively. The AFT age distribution on the section suggested that the provenance of Lulehe section sediments were mainly derived from the south Qilian Shan (Qilian Mountains) and Altun Shan (Altun Mountains), and two significantly provenance changes may occur at 43.4-46.1 Ma and ~37.8 Ma, respectively. The results may have strong constrains on the Cenozoic deformation and tectonic evolution of the northern Qaidam Basin and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.     

Statistically downscaled probabilistic multi‐model ensemble projections of precipitation change in a watershed

This paper presents the development of a probabilistic multi‐model ensemble of statistically downscaled future projections of precipitation of a watershed in New Zealand. Climate change research based on the point estimates of a single model is considered less reliable for decision making, and multiple realizations of a single model or outputs from multiple models are often preferred for such purposes. Similarly, a probabilistic approach is preferable over deterministic point estimates. In the area of statistical downscaling, no single technique is considered a universal solution. This is due to the fact that each of these techniques has some weaknesses, owing to its basic working principles. Moreover, watershed scale precipitation downscaling is quite challenging and is more prone to uncertainty issues than downscaling of other climatological variables. So, multi‐model statistical downscaling studies based on a probabilistic approach are required. In the current paper, results from the three well‐reputed statistical downscaling methods are used to develop a Bayesian weighted multi‐model ensemble. The three members of the downscaling ensemble of this study belong to the following three broad categories of statistical downscaling methods: (1) multiple linear regression, (2) multiple non‐linear regression, and (3) stochastic weather generator. The results obtained in this study show that the new strategy adopted here is promising because of many advantages it offers, e.g. it combines the outputs of multiple statistical downscaling methods, provides probabilistic downscaled climate change projections and enables the quantification of uncertainty in these projections. This will encourage any future attempts for combining the results of multiple statistical downscaling methods. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Socio-Economic Factors Affecting Agricultural Development in Al-Hassa Oasis,Saudi Arabia

The developmental schemes implemented by the Government in the Al-Hassa Oasis have influenced the social and economic behavior of Al-Hassa farming community. The impact of these socio-economic changes on agricultural practices and water use have been evaluated in this study.A detailed questionnaire was prepared considering social attitude, standard of living, family structure, and occupation, and was distributed among the farmers of the Al-Omran area. Data thus collected were statistically evaluated. The study showed that literacy and social exposure were the major factors for the acceptability of modern agricultural practices in the oasis.     

Geotechnical properties of a chemically stabilized soil from Malaysia with rice husk ash as an additive

Summary The stabilization of Malaysian soil by mixing with rice husk ash, a locally available waste material, to improve its engineering properties is described. Stabilizing agents, i.e. cement and lime, were added to produce the reaction products which are responsible for the enhancement of the engineering properties. Based on the strength development, it seems that lime is the more effective stabilizing agent. However, the cheap waste material can be used as partial replacement for the more expensive cement in the cement-treatment of the soil. A durability study was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of this stabilization method.     

Palaeocurrents in Mesopotamian geosyncline

Terrigenous sandstone formations of Mesopotamian geosyncline were investigated in order to reconstruct the palaeocurrents in the basin and to compare ancient and recent drainage systems. Direct and indirect methods were used; direct ones, as investigation of the dipping of cross bedding revealing directly the axis or direction of the currents, and indirect ones, as heavy mineral analyses, revealing the possible source areas.All the formations distributed in the southwestern flank of the geosyncline exhibit the palaeocurrents flowing from the southwest towards the northeast, i. e. towards the axis of the geosyncline. By contrast, all the formations distributed in the opposite flank of the geosyncline, exhibit also opposite current directions, i. e. from the northeast towards the southwest. This ancient current system resembles the recent situation; transversal basin filling from both sides towards the geosynclinal axis. In recent times oblong basin filling, executed by Twin rivers, Euphrates and Tigris, also takes place. They transport the material along the geosynclinal axis towards the remaining marine parts of the Mesopotamian geosyncline, represented by Persian Gulf.

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Zusammenfassung Terrigene sandige Ablagerungen der mesopotamischen Geosynklinale wurden untersucht, um die Paläoströmungen in den Sedimentationsbecken zu rekonstruieren. Es wurden direkte (Untersuchung der Strömungsschichtung) und indirekte Methoden (Schwermineral- und Geröllanalysen) angewendet.Alle Formationen, welche am südwestlichen Rand der Geosynklinale liegen, zeigen Paläoströmungsrichtungen von Südwesten nach Nordosten. Dagegen zeigen die nordöstlichen Formationen umgekehrte Richtungen von Nordosten nach Südwesten, senkrecht zur Geosynklinalachse. Beide Paläoströmungen sind sehr ähnlich dem heutigen Bild. So können wir auch heute eine Querfüllung des Geosynklinalbeckens beobachten. Außerdem tritt heute auch eine Längsfüllung der Geosynklinale durch Euphrat und Tigris auf. Diese Flüsse transportieren das Material entlang der Geosynklinalachse zur rezenten marinen Restgeosynklinale, die heute den Persischen Golf bildet.

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Résumé Les formations détritiques du géosynclinal Mésopotamique ont été étudiées en vue d'une réconstruction des paléocourants et d'une comparaison de la situation présente et ancienne. Des méthodes directes (études de la stratification croisée) et indirectes (études de minéraux lourds) ont été employées.Toutes les formations situées au bord sud-ouest du géosynclinal montrent des paléocourants dirigés du sud-ouest au nord-est. Au contraire, les formations du bord nord-est présentent la direction inverse. Les paléocourants ont toujours été dirigés perpendiculairement à l'axe du géosynclinal. Le système des paléocourants anciens ressemble au système contemporain. Le remplissage du bassin a toujours été transversal. Mais aujourd'hui le remplissage longitudinal existe aussi. Ce remplissage est effectué par les fleuves Euphrate et Tigre, qui transportent des matériaux détritiques dans le reste marin du géosynclinal Mésopotamique.

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