Mechanism of high rainfall over the Indian west coast region during the monsoon season

The mechanism responsible for high rainfall over the Indian west coast region has been investigated by studying dynamical, thermodynamical and microphysical processes over the region for the monsoon season of 2009. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts wind and NCEP flux data have been used to study the large scale dynamical parameters. The moist adiabatic and multi-level inversion stratifications are found to exist during the high and low rainfall spells, respectively. In the moist adiabatic stratification regime, shallow and deep convective clouds are found coexisting. The Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement EXperiment aircraft data showed cloud updraft spectrum ranging from 1 to 10 m s^?1 having modal speed 1–2.5 m s^?1. The low updrafts rates provide sufficient time required for warm rain processes to produce rainfall from shallow clouds. The low cloud liquid water is observed above the freezing level indicating efficient warm rain process. The updrafts at the high spectrum end go above freezing level to generate ice particles produced due to mixed-phase rainfall process from deep convective clouds. With aging, deep convection gets transformed into stratiform type, which has been inferred through the vertical distribution of the large scale omega and heating fields. The stratiform heating, high latent heat flux, strong wind shear in the lower and middle tropospheric levels and low level convergence support the sustenance of convection for longer time to produce high rainfall spell. The advection of warm dry air in the middle tropospheric regions inhibits the convection and produce low rainfall spell. The mechanisms producing these spells have been summarized with the block diagram.     

Estimation of probable maximum precipitation for catchments in eastern India by a generalized method

Summary A generalized method to estimate the probable maximum precipitation (PMP) has been developed for catchments in eastern India (80° E, 18° N) by pooling together all the major rainstorms that have occurred in this area. The areal raindepths of these storms are normalized for factors such as storm dew point temperature, distance of the storm from the coast, topographic effects and any intervening mountain barriers between the storm area and the moisture source. The normalized values are then applied, with appropriate adjustment factors in estimating PMP raindepths, to the Subarnarekha river catchment (upto the Chandil dam site) with an area of 5663 km². The PMP rainfall for 1, 2 and 3 days were found to be roughly 53 cm, 78 cm and 98 cm, respectively. It is expected that the application of the generalized method proposed here will give more reliable estimates of PMP for different duration rainfall events.With 5 Figures     

Lidar observation of aerosol stratification in the lower troposphere over Pune during pre-monsoon season of 2006

Lidar observations of aerosol vertical distributions in the lower troposphere along with observations of horizontal and vertical winds from collocated UHF radar (Wind Profiler) over a tropical Indian station, Pune during the pre-monsoon season (March–May) of 2006 as part of an ISRO-GBP national campaign (ICARB) have been examined. Lidar vertical profiles showed high aerosol concentrations in the surface layers and a subsequent gradual decrease with height. Results showed the presence of an elevated stratified aerosol layer around 2000–3500m height which persisted throughout the months of March and April. Observed strong vertical gradients in both horizontal and vertical winds in the lower troposphere seem to be a possible cause for the formation of elevated aerosol layers. Further, high daytime temperatures accompanied by dry conditions at the surface help to enhance the aerosol loading in the lower layers over this location.     

Intertidal foraminifera from the Savitri estuary,west coast,Maharashtra and their implications on the depositional environment

The benthic foraminifera from the Savitri estuary are being reported for the first time. The faunal analyses reveal the occurrence of mixed assemblage. It is observed that Trochammina inflata is the most dominant species and appears to be the indigenous to mangrove environment.     

Spectral Overlap Correction Using Weighted Deconvolution for Improved Dark Object Technique for Correction of EO1-Hyperion Data

We present a critical modification to improved dark object technique for correcting hyperspectral data (EO1-Hyperion). The modification is required in improved dark object technique as the original method does not take into account overlap of spectral response functions of two adjacent bands of hyperspectral sensor. We used weighted deconvolution for correcting the original overlap affected path radiance correction propagation factors. Further, we compared the reduction in correction factors—in different conditions—because of the overlap. We calculated the path radiance for April 22 Hyperion image and compared it with other methods such as 6SV. We found noticeable difference in corrected and uncorrected path radiance propagation factors with “clear” to “very clear” atmospheric models. For the other models (“moderate”, “hazy”, “very hazy”), the difference is negligible and can be ignored and improved dark object technique can be applied without any overlap correction.     

Political ecology of groundwater: the contrasting case of water-abundant West Bengal and water-scarce Gujarat, India

Three apparently disparate themes (groundwater, farmers and politics) interweave in this account of how groundwater-related policies in India have very little to do with the scarcity, depletion or quality of groundwater, and more to do with rural politics manifested, among other things, in terms of the presence or absence of farmer lobbies. Examples from two states of India, the water-abundant state of West Bengal and water-scarce state of Gujarat, were investigated using readily available data, analysis of the literature, interviews and fieldwork. In the case of West Bengal, although there is no pressing groundwater crisis, the government of West Bengal (GOWB) was able to successfully implement strict groundwater regulations along with a drastic increase in electricity tariff. More importantly, GOWB was able to implement these without any form of visible farmer protest, though these measures negatively affected farmer incomes. On the other hand, in Gujarat, where there is a real and grave groundwater crisis, the government of Gujarat has neither been able to implement strict groundwater regulations, nor has it been able to increase electricity tariff substantially. Thus, through the lens of ‘political ecology’ the contrasting case of these two Indian states is explained.

Rotational Modulation of Microwave Solar Flux

Time series data of 10.7 cm solar flux for one solar cycle (1985–1995 years) was processed through autocorrelation. Rotation modulation with varying persistence and period was quite evident. The persistence of modulation seems to have no relation with sunspot numbers. The persistence of modulation is more noticeable during 1985–1986, 1989–1990, and 1990–1991. In other years the modulation is seen, but its persistence is less. The sidereal rotation period varies from 24.07 days to 26.44 days with no systematic relation with sunspot numbers. The results indicate that the solar corona rotates slightly faster than photospheric features. The solar flux was split into two parts, i.e., background emission which remains unaffected by solar rotation and the localized emission which produces the observed rotational modulation. Both these parts show a direct relation with the sunspot numbers. The magnitude of localized emission almost diminishes during the period of low sunspot number, whereas background emission remains at a 33% level even when almost no sunspots may be present. The localized regions appear to shift on the solar surface in heliolongitudes.     

The topology and polarization of sub-beams associated with the 'drifting' sub-pulse emission of pulsar B0943+10 – II. Analysis of Gauribidanur 35-MHz observations

In the previous paper of this series, Deshpande & Rankin reported results regarding the sub-pulse drift phenomenon in pulsar B0943+10 at 430 and 111 MHz. This study has led to the identification of a stable system of sub-beams circulating around the magnetic axis of this star. Here, we present a single-pulse analysis of our observations of this pulsar at 35 MHz. The fluctuation properties seen at this low frequency, as well as our independent estimates of the number of sub-beams required and their circulation time, agree remarkably well with the reported behaviour at higher frequencies. We use the 'cartographic' transform mapping technique developed by Deshpande & Rankin in Paper I to study the emission pattern in the polar region of this pulsar. The significance of our results in the context of radio emission mechanisms is also discussed.     

Dissolved helium and TDS in groundwater from Bhavnagar in Gujarat: Unrelated to seismic events between August 2000 and January 2001

Temporal variations have been observed in both dissolved helium and TDS in the form of increase in basaltic and decrease in alluvial aquifers. The increase in basaltic aquifers has been explained by enhanced pumping of old groundwater with relatively higher concentration of dissolved helium and salt, whereas the decrease in alluvial aquifers has been explained by dilution from the post monsoon groundwater recharge. Therefore, the observed temporal variations cannot be ascribed to the contemporary enhanced seismic activity in this region since August–September 2000.