Long-term changes in the cosmic-ray diurnal anisotropy

A detailed study has been conducted on the long-term changes in diurnal anisotropy of cosmic rays for the two solar cycles (20 and 21) during the period 1965–1990; this shows that the amplitude of the anisotropy is related to the characteristics of high and low amplitude days. The occurrence of high amplitude days are found to be positively correlated with the sunspot cycle while the low amplitude days are correlated negatively with the sunspot cycle. Further, the variability of the time of maximum of the aniotropy indicates that it essentially is composed of two components; one in the 1800 hours (corotation) direction and the other, an additional component in the 1500 hours direction (45° east of the S-N line) apparently caused by the reversal of the solar polar magnetic field. Our observations also suggest that the direction of the anisotropy of high- and low-amplitude days contribute significantly to the long-term behaviour of the diurnal anisotropy as it produces an additional component of cosmic rays in the radial (1200 hours) direction.     

Implications of new $$^{40}\hbox {Ar}/^{39}\hbox {Ar}$$ age of Mallapur Intrusives on the chronology and evolution of the Kaladgi Basin,Dharwar Craton,India

The Kaladgi Basin on the northern edge of the Dharwar craton has characters diverse from the other epicratonic Purana basins of Peninsular India. Sedimentological studies in the basin have established the presence of three cycles of flooding separated by an event of intra-basinal deformation accompanied by low grade incipient metamorphism. The overall structural configuration of the basin indicates its development by supracrustal extension accompanied by shearing in a trans-tensional regime during the Mesoproterozoic. This was followed by sagging that yielded Neoproterozoic sedimentation in a successor nested basin. \(^{40}\)Ar/\(^{39}\)Ar dating of an intrusive mafic dyke along the axial plane of a fold has yielded a plateau age of \(1154{\pm }4\,\hbox {Ma}\). This helps constraint the age of the various events during the evolution of this basin.     

Local Hadley circulation over the Asian monsoon region associated with the Tropospheric Biennial Oscillation

Summary The Tropospheric Biennial Oscillation (TBO), a major interannual variation phenomenon in the Indo-Pacific region, is the result of strong ocean-atmosphere coupling over the Asian-Australian monsoon area. Along with other meteorological and oceanographic parameters, the tropical circulation also exhibits interannual oscillations. Even though the TBO is the result of strong air–sea interaction, the circulation cells during TBO years are, as yet, not well understood. In the present study, an attempt has been made to understand the interannual variability of the mean meridional circulation and local monsoon circulation over south Asia in connection with the TBO. The stream function computed from the zonal mean meridional wind component of NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data for the years 1950–2003 is used to represent the mean meridional circulation. Mean meridional mass transport in the topics reverses from a weak monsoon to a strong monsoon in the presence of ENSO, but in normal TBO years mean transport remains weak across the Northern Hemisphere. The meridional temperature gradient, which drives the mean meridional circulation, also shows no reversal during the normal TBO cycle. The local Hadley circulation over the monsoon area follows the TBO cycle with anomalous ascent (descent) in strong (weak) monsoon years. During normal TBO years, the Equatorial region and Indian monsoon areas exhibit opposite local Hadley circulation anomalies. Authors’ addresses: Prasanth A. Pillai, Research Scholar, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Lakeside Campus, Cochin 682016, India; K. Mohan Kumar, Professor & Dean, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Lakeside Campus, Cochin 682016, India.     

Remediation of a major acid mine drainage point source discharge restores headwater connectivity for a diadromous native fish

Rivers receiving acid mine drainage (AMD) are frequently depauperate in fish and impacts may extend long distances downstream. AMD inputs may form chemical barriers for migratory species and isolate fish in unimpacted headwaters. We investigated the response of a diadromous fish, kōaro (Galaxias brevipinnis), to remediation of an AMD tributary in a 5th order river in New Zealand. A 2005 survey indicated limited recruitment of kōaro in the river likely due to the chemical barrier of AMD. By 2010, water treatment in the contaminated tributary had raised pH from a median value of 4.3 to 6 and reduced metals in the lower river, notably aluminium from a median of 2.48 to 0.41?mg/L. In 2012, kōaro density had increased by an order of magnitude relative to 2005. Furthermore, a greater proportion of juvenile fish were present. These results indicate that large-scale remediation of discharges can reverse the impacts of AMD on fish migration.     

Seismic microzonation of a nuclear power plant site with detailed geotechnical,geophysical and site effect studies

This paper highlights the seismic microzonation carried out for a nuclear power plant site. Nuclear power plants are considered to be one of the most important and critical structures designed to withstand all natural disasters. Seismic microzonation is a process of demarcating a region into individual areas having different levels of various seismic hazards. This will help in identifying regions having high seismic hazard which is vital for engineering design and land-use planning. The main objective of this paper is to carry out the seismic microzonation of a nuclear power plant site situated in the east coast of South India, based on the spatial distribution of the hazard index value. The hazard index represents the consolidated effect of all major earthquake hazards and hazard influencing parameters. The present work will provide new directions for assessing the seismic hazards of new power plant sites in the country. Major seismic hazards considered for the evaluation of the hazard index are (1) intensity of ground shaking at bedrock, (2) site amplification, (3) liquefaction potential and (4) the predominant frequency of the earthquake motion at the surface. The intensity of ground shaking in terms of peak horizontal acceleration (PHA) was estimated for the study area using both deterministic and probabilistic approaches with logic tree methodology. The site characterization of the study area has been carried out using the multichannel analysis of surface waves test and available borehole data. One-dimensional ground response analysis was carried out at major locations within the study area for evaluating PHA and spectral accelerations at the ground surface. Based on the standard penetration test data, deterministic as well as probabilistic liquefaction hazard analysis has been carried out for the entire study area. Finally, all the major earthquake hazards estimated above, and other significant parameters representing local geology were integrated using the analytic hierarchy process and hazard index map for the study area was prepared. Maps showing the spatial variation of seismic hazards (intensity of ground shaking, liquefaction potential and predominant frequency) and hazard index are presented in this work.     

Foundation Floor Geological Mapping of a Nuclear Reactor

Foundation floor mapping is essential for very important structures to provide permanent data set for geological interpretations. Prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) is being constructing at Kalpakkam, India. Nuclear Island Connected Building (NICB) is the main nuclear safety related structure of (PFBR), and is resting on a raft of 101.5 m × 93 m size at about 20 m below the existing ground level. Geological floor mapping was prepared after the excavation. 2 m × 2 m grids were used for sampling study and mapping of the walls and floor. The floor region of this raft foundation was seen to contain certain weathered zone with fractures of thickness of in the order of 2 m. No evidences of faulting/shearing were observed on the surface of the floor area. The entire floor area was made up of compact and sound rock mass. However, there were some isolated patches of soft weathered/altered rock and small fractures in the rock. The structural features observed during the mapping exercise indicated the need for consolidation grouting so that the entire floor area function as single rock mass. This foundation geological map will assist in making better interpretation of post-construction foundation instrumentation data.     

Significance of the turbulent sheath following the interplanetary shocks in producing forbush decreases

The physical processes responsible for transient cosmic-ray decreases have been investigated for two types of interplanetary shock events associated with helium enhancement (He-shocks) and those not associated with helium enhancement (non-He-shocks). The Calgary cosmic-ray neutron monitor data and the interplanetary field data have been subjected to a superposed-epoch Chree analysis. The difference in the profiles of the cosmic-ray intensity have been compared with the interplanetary field data and its variance. It is suggested that the turbulence sheath following the shock front is very effective and of major importance for producing cosmic-ray decreases. A simple model has been proposed to explain the observations which show that a Forbush decrease modulating region consists of a shock front associated with a plasma sheath in which the magnetic field is turbulent and the sheath, in turn, is followed by an ejected plasma cloud having ordered structure and high magnetic field strength.     

An assessment of the merits of remote sensing techniques for environmental mapping: A case study from Kerala

For a proper analysis of any ecosystem and the assessment of environment impact on it, the bearing of data on distribution properties and characteristics of land-form, water, vegetation, soil and rock and even of the typology of cultural pattern are to be evaluated on the basis of the everchanging anthropogenic involvement. The extent to which the techniques of Remote Sensing alone could attain this is yet to be ascertained. The direct method for this would be to conduct the resource surveys of specific regions exclusively and separately by remote sensing as well as by field-studies and then compare the results. An extract of a major study pursued in this line in the Coastal Zone of Kerala, India has indicated an authenticity of about seventy percent through remote sensing. Weighing on the comparative time factor involved, the procedure of mapping through remore sensing alone may be advocated.