Tracer-based estimation of temporal variation of water sources: an insight from supra- and subglacial environments

ABSTRACT

The temporal variations in electrical conductivity and the stable isotopes of water, δD and δ¹⁸O, were examined at Chhota Shigri Glacier, India, to understand water sources and flow paths to discharge. Discharge is highly influenced by supraglacially derived meltwater during peak ablation, and subglacial meltwaters are more prominent at the end of the melt season. The slope of the best fit linear regression line for δD versus δ¹⁸O, for both supraglacial and runoff water, is lower than that for precipitation (snow and rain) and surface ice, indicating strong isotopic fractionation associated with the melting processes. The slope of the local meteoric water line (LMWL) is close to that of the global meteoric water line (GMWL), reflecting that the moisture source is predominantly oceanic. The d-excess variation in rainwater confirms that the southwest monsoon is the main contributor during summer while the remainder including winter is mostly influenced by westerlies.     

Distinct ruby suite at Sardapur, Orissa: A spectroscopic investigation

Orissa is an important area for gem variety of corundum deposits in India. Spectroscopic studies, such as ESR, OAS on samples from Sardapur, Orissa, were carried out to ascertain the colour cause of corundum. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopic study was carried out on the samples to detect the presence of paramagnetic ions i.e. Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Ti⁴⁺, Cr³⁺ and V³⁺ etc. The variable temperature experiment carried out to observe the effect of heating on peak valence state change in paramagnetic ions. Samples were cut and polished to obtain the optical absorption spectrum (OAS) to detect the colour causing transition ions/defect centres. The samples of gem variety were step heated up to 300°C for colour enhancement studies. EPMA analysis has revealed the low chromium concentration in the rubies. The varying hues of red in the corundum are due to the presence of bivalent and trivalent iron and charge transfer process along with Cr³⁺ absorption in the 550 nm region.     

Ablated tektite from the central Indian Ocean

Abstract A well-preserved ablated (button-shaped) tektite recovered from the surface sediments of the central Indian Ocean lacks flow ridges and has apparently undergone ablation of 6.9 to 7.9 mm. The lack of flow ridges and amount of ablation indicate that, if it originated in Southeast Asia, it must have had a very shallow trajectory (only a few degrees) and a velocity on the order of 7 km/s as it re-entered the atmosphere. The central Indian Ocean tektite is compositionally similar to high-magnesium (HMg) australites found at Serpentine Lakes and Lake Wilson, Australia, and to some HMg microtektites found in deep-sea sediments from the central Indian Ocean. This discovery supports a previous conclusion that the Australasian tektite strewn field covers most of the Indian Ocean.     

NWF: Propagation of Tsunami and its Interaction with Continental Shelf and Vertical Wall

This paper describes the use of a transportable photographic zenith camera in a tidal flat area to obtain astrogeodetic deflections of the vertical, and the subsequent calculation of a fine structured geoid. It shows that the newly developed camera system is suited for astronomical observations in areas of this type, and that a control point distance of 20 km is sufficient for the determination of a decimeter‐geoid.     

Rocket measurements of ozone concentrations in the stratosphere and mesosphere over Thumba

A rocket-borne solar middle ultraviolet photometer has been developed at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad for the measurement of ozone concentrations at stratospheric and mesospheric heights. The instrument has now been flown successfully several times from thumba and ozone concentrations determined over an altitude range of 15 to 80 km. This paper describes the instrumentation, data analysis technique as well as the laboratory calibration procedures. Also presented are the results from four successful rocket experiments conducted during equinoctial months under an Indo-USSR collaborative programme for strato-mesospheric studies. The results show that at Thumba peak ozone concentrations vary between 2·2 and 3·1×10¹² molecules per cc and the peak altitude varies from 25 to 29 km from flight to flight. In the altitude region above about 40 km the ozone concentrations over Thumba are lower than the standard mid-latitude model values, by a factor lying between 1·5 and 2·5.     

Measurement of nitric oxide and related parameters in the equatorial mesosphere and lower thermosphere

A sounding rocket was launched in March 1982 from Thumba, India, shortly after sunrise. The measurements included the concentration of nitric oxide and ozone, the total ion density and the Lyman-α flux. Hence most parameters important for the formation of the D-region during daytime are available with the exception of solar radiation other than Lyman-α which only becomes important above 95 km. The mutual agreement is satisfactory which adds weight to the measurements.     

Fine-grained volatile components ubiquitous in solar nebula: Corroboration from scoriaceous cosmic spherules

The scoriaceous cosmic spherules (CSs) that make up to a few percent (for sizes >150 μm size) of total micrometeorite flux are ubiquitous and have remained enigmatic. The present work provides in-depth study of 81 scoriaceous CSs, from observed ~4000 CSs, collected from Antarctica (South Pole water well) and deep-sea sediments (Indian Ocean) that will allow us to analyze the nature of these particles. The fine-grained texture and the chemical composition of scoriaceous particles suggest that they are formed from matrix materials that are enriched in volatiles. The volatile components such as water, sulfide, Na, K, etc. have vanished due to partial evaporation and degassing during Earth's atmospheric entry leaving behind the vesicular features, yet largely preserving the elemental composition. The elemental ratios (Ca/Si, Mg/Si, Al/Si, Fe/Si, and Ni/Si) of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) are compatible with the scoriaceous CSs, which in turn are indistinguishable from the matrices of CI and CM chondrites signifying similarities in the nature of the sources. Furthermore, the texture of cometary particles bears resemblance to the texture of the scoriaceous particles. The compilation of petrographic texture, chemical, and trace element composition of scoriaceous CSs presents a strong case for matrix components from hydrated and volatile-rich bodies, such as CI and CM chondrites, rather than chondrules. We conclude that the fine-grained scoriaceous CSs, the matrix materials of hydrated chondrites, IDPs, and cometary particles that overlap compositionally were widespread, indicating a dominant component in the early solar nebula.     

Oxygen isotopic and chemical composition of chromites in micrometeorites: Evidence of ordinary chondrite precursors

We identified 66 chromite grains from 42 of ~5000 micrometeorites collected from Indian Ocean deep‐sea sediments and the South Pole water well. To determine the chromite grains precursors and their contribution to the micrometeorite flux, we combined quantitative electron microprobe analyses and oxygen isotopic analyses by high‐resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry. Micrometeorite chromite grains show variable O isotopic compositions with δ¹⁸O values ranging from ?0.8 to 6.0‰, δ¹⁷O values from 0.3 to 3.6‰, and Δ¹⁷O values from ?0.9 to 1.6‰, most of them being similar to those of chromites from ordinary chondrites. The oxygen isotopic compositions of olivine, considered as a proxy of chromite in chromite‐bearing micrometeorites where chromite is too small to be measured in ion microprobe have Δ¹⁷O values suggesting a principal relationship to ordinary chondrites with some having carbonaceous chondrite precursors. Furthermore, the chemical compositions of chromites in micrometeorites are close to those reported for ordinary chondrite chromites, but some contribution from carbonaceous chondrites cannot be ruled out. Consequently, carbonaceous chondrites cannot be a major contributor of chromite‐bearing micrometeorites. Based on their oxygen isotopic and elemental compositions, we thus conclude with no ambiguity that chromite‐bearing micrometeorites are largely related to fragments of ordinary chondrites with a small fraction from carbonaceous chondrites, unlike other micrometeorites deriving largely from carbonaceous chondrites.