Hydrogeologic characteristics of groundwater aquifers in Kathmandu Valley,Nepal

This paper reviews, compiles and comprehensively analyzes spatial variations in hydrogeologic characteristics of shallow and deep groundwater aquifers in Kathmandu Valley. To estimate transmissivity (T) (and then hydraulic conductivity) as a function of specific capacity (SC), an empirical relationship between T and SC is developed for shallow and deep aquifer. The results show that T and SC are log linearly related by an equation T = 0.8857(SC)^1.1624 [R ² = 0.79] in shallow and T = 1.1402(SC)^1.0068 [R ² = 0.85] in deep aquifer. The estimated T ranges from 163 to 1,056 m²/day in shallow aquifer and 22.5 to 737 m²/day in deep aquifer. Finally, mapping of spatial distribution in hydrogeologic characteristics (thickness, T, hydraulic conductivity and storage coefficient) in shallow and deep aquifers are accomplished using ArcGIS9.2 and such maps would be useful in delineating potential areas for groundwater development and simulating groundwater flow in the aquifer system.     

Global scale evaluation of coastal fresh groundwater resources

This paper presents a simplified approach to assess the effects of global warming on global coastal groundwater resources over the next century based on the smallest but necessary number of elements such as rainfall, temperature, hydraulic conductivity of the aquifers, and population changes regarding the consumption of groundwater. The positive aspect in this approach is that there is availability of the above elements in the majority of the planet. Methodology includes a sharp interface concept model and simplified estimation of groundwater recharge using limited climate data. The evaluation shows that the future climate changes would decrease fresh groundwater resources in Central American, South American, South African and Australian regions whereas most of the areas in Asia, except South-East Asia. Combinations of fresh groundwater loss and global population are considered to state the vulnerability of future fresh groundwater supply. Vulnerability assessment shows that South Asia, Central America, North Africa and the Sahara, South Africa and the Middle East countries are highly vulnerable whereas, Northern Europe, Western part of South America, New Zealand and Japan are less vulnerable with respect to future fresh groundwater supply. Further, this paper highlights the necessity Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) practices in these vulnerable coastal regions to ensure the sustainable development in coastal regions.     

Mineralogical and Geochemical Characteristics of the Utanobori Gold Deposit in Northern Hokkaido,Japan

The Utanobori gold deposit is a low‐sulfidation, epithermal vein‐type deposit located in northern Hokkaido, Japan. The deposit is hosted by conglomerate, sandstone, and tuff of the Middle to Late Miocene Esashi Formation. These rocks were hydrothermally altered. Silica sinters and quartz‐adularia veins are common in the deposit. The quartz‐adularia veins either contain a ginguro band, which corresponds to the main gold‐bearing vein (Type 1 Veins), or do not contain a ginguro band but contain minor adularia (Type 2 Veins). Type 1 Veins are divided into three stages with 12–14 substages. Ore minerals identified include electrum, naumannite, chlorargyrite, bromargyrite, an unidentified Fe‐Sb mineral, and an Fe‐(Sb)‐As mineral. These ore minerals formed in the main mineralization stages I (bands I‐b and I‐d) and II (band II‐a). Scanning electron microscopy with cathodoluminescence images show that cathodoluminescence‐dark microcrystalline quartz exhibiting colloform (ghost‐sphere) texture is closely associated with ore minerals in the Type 1 Vein and Type 2 Vein, and the Al and K contents of such quartz are commonly >1000 ppm. This indicates that the ore minerals were crystallized from alkaline, silica‐saturated fluids at temperatures <200°C, which initially deposited amorphous silica that was recrystallized to microcrystalline quartz. The average Au content of electrum is 52.5 at% Au (n = 10), 65.7 at% Au (n = 20), and 55.5 at% Au (n = 5) in bands I‐b, I‐d, and II‐a, respectively, of Type 1 Veins. The δ³⁴S_CDT values of two fine‐grained disseminated pyrites in the altered conglomerate and bedded tuff in the argillic altered zone are ?4.3 and ?4.2‰. Ar‐Ar dating on adularia yielded 13.6 ± 0.06 Ma, 13.6 ± 0.07 Ma, and 13.6 ± 0.06 Ma for the stages I, II, and III of the Type 1 Vein, respectively. K‐Ar ages determined on adularia in the silica sinter and on whole‐rock of glassy rhyolite of the Esashi Formation are 15.0 ± 0.4 Ma and 14.6 ± 0.4 Ma, respectively. These radiometric ages indicate that silica sinter associated with the rhyolitic volcanic rocks formed prior to the main gold mineralization.     

The H i opacity of the intergalactic medium at redshifts 1.6 < z < 3.2

We use high-quality echelle spectra of 24 quasi-stellar objects to provide a calibrated measurement of the total amount of Lyα forest absorption (DA) over the redshift range  2.2 < z < 3.2  . Our measurement of DA excludes absorption from metal lines or the Lyα lines of Lyman-limit systems and damped Lyα systems. We use artificial spectra with realistic flux calibration errors to show that we are able to place continuum levels that are accurate to better than 1 per cent. When we combine our results with our previous results between  1.6 < z < 2.2  , we find that the redshift evolution of DA is well described over  1.6 < z < 3.2  as   A (1 + z )^γ  , where   A = 0.0062  and  γ= 2.75  . We detect no significant deviations from a smooth power-law evolution over the redshift range studied. We find less H  i absorption than expected at   z = 3  , implying that the ultraviolet background is  ∼40  per cent higher than expected. Our data appears to be consistent with an H  i ionization rate of  Γ∼ 1.4 × 10⁻¹² s⁻¹  .     

Physiological and biochemical responses of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prorocentrum minimum</Emphasis> to high light stress

Prorocentrum minimum is a common bloomforming photosynthetic dinoflagellate found along the southern coast of Korea. To investigate the adaptive responses of P. minimum to high light stress, we measured growth rate, and generation of reactive oxidative species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in cultures exposed to normal (NL) and high light levels (HL). The results showed that HL (800 μmol m^?2 s^?1) inhibited growth of P. minimum, with maximal inhibition after 7–9 days. HL also increased the amount of ROS and MDA, suggesting that HL stress leads to oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation in this species. Under HL, we first detected superoxide on day 4 and H₂O₂ on day 5. We also detected SOD activity on day 5 and CAT activity on day 6. The level of lipid peroxidation, an indicator of cell death, was high on day 8. Addition of diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), an NAD(P)H inhibitor, decreased the levels of superoxide generation and lipid peroxidation. Our results indicate that the production of ROS which results from HL stress in P. minimum also induces antioxidative enzymes that counteract oxidative damage and allow P. minimum to survive.     

Application of arsenopyrite geothermometry and sphalerite geobarometry to the Taebaek Pb-Zn(-Ag) deposit at Yeonhwa I mine,Republic of Korea

The Taebaek Pb-Zn(-Ag) deposit of the Yeonhwa I mine, Republic of Korea, occurs in a broadly folded and reverse-faulted terrain of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks: the Taebaeksan basin. The orebodies consist of several thin tabular orebodies of hydrothermal replacement type where they are hosted by carbonate rocks. The Pb-Zn(-Ag) mineralization can be divided into four distinct stages based upon the mode of occurrence of ore minerals, ore textural relationships and their composition. Based on temperatures inferred from arsenopyrite compositions by means of electron microprobe and fluid inclusions, the estimated temperatures for the stages I, II, III and IV reach 330 to 350 °C, 270 to 340 °C, 230 to 250 °C, and <220 °C, respectively. The sulphur activity (atm) of ore formation at the Taebaek deposit was estimated for each stage as 10^–11 to 10^–11.5, 10^–9.5 to 10^–13, 10^–13.5 to 10^–15, and <10^–15, respectively. Even though application of sphalerite geobarometry is problematic because of the absence of good mineral assemblages, sphalerite coexisting with pyrite but not with pyrrhotite was used to estimate the minimum mineralization pressure (about 1 kbar).     

Homogeneous reprocessing of GPS,GLONASS and SLR observations

The International GNSS Service (IGS) provides operational products for the GPS and GLONASS constellation. Homogeneously processed time series of parameters from the IGS are only available for GPS. Reprocessed GLONASS series are provided only by individual Analysis Centers (i. e. CODE and ESA), making it difficult to fully include the GLONASS system into a rigorous GNSS analysis. In view of the increasing number of active GLONASS satellites and a steadily growing number of GPS+GLONASS-tracking stations available over the past few years, Technische Universität Dresden, Technische Universität München, Universität Bern and Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich performed a combined reprocessing of GPS and GLONASS observations. Also, SLR observations to GPS and GLONASS are included in this reprocessing effort. Here, we show only SLR results from a GNSS orbit validation. In total, 18 years of data (1994–2011) have been processed from altogether 340 GNSS and 70 SLR stations. The use of GLONASS observations in addition to GPS has no impact on the estimated linear terrestrial reference frame parameters. However, daily station positions show an RMS reduction of 0.3 mm on average for the height component when additional GLONASS observations can be used for the time series determination. Analyzing satellite orbit overlaps, the rigorous combination of GPS and GLONASS neither improves nor degrades the GPS orbit precision. For GLONASS, however, the quality of the microwave-derived GLONASS orbits improves due to the combination. These findings are confirmed using independent SLR observations for a GNSS orbit validation. In comparison to previous studies, mean SLR biases for satellites GPS-35 and GPS-36 could be reduced in magnitude from \(-35\) and \(-38\)  mm to \(-12\) and \(-13\)  mm, respectively. Our results show that remaining SLR biases depend on the satellite type and the use of coated or uncoated retro-reflectors. For Earth rotation parameters, the increasing number of GLONASS satellites and tracking stations over the past few years leads to differences between GPS-only and GPS+GLONASS combined solutions which are most pronounced in the pole rate estimates with maximum 0.2 mas/day in magnitude. At the same time, the difference between GLONASS-only and combined solutions decreases. Derived GNSS orbits are used to estimate combined GPS+GLONASS satellite clocks, with first results presented in this paper. Phase observation residuals from a precise point positioning are at the level of 2 mm and particularly reveal poorly modeled yaw maneuver periods.     

Low energy neutral atom imaging on the Moon with the SARA instrument aboard Chandrayaan-1 mission

This paper reports on the Sub-keV Atom Reflecting Analyzer (SARA) experiment that will be flown on the first Indian lunar mission Chandrayaan-1. The SARA is a low energy neutral atom (LENA) imaging mass spectrometer, which will perform remote sensing of the lunar surface via detection of neutral atoms in the energy range from 10 eV to 3 keV from a 100km polar orbit. In this report we present the basic design of the SARA experiment and discuss various scientific issues that will be addressed. The SARA instrument consists of three major subsystems: a LENA sensor (CENA), a solar wind monitor (SWIM), and a digital processing unit (DPU). SARA will be used to image the solar wind-surface interaction to study primarily the surface composition and surface magnetic anomalies and associated mini-magnetospheres. Studies of lunar exosphere sources and space weathering on the Moon will also be attempted. SARA is the first LENA imaging mass spectrometer of its kind to be flown on a space mission. A replica of SARA is planned to fly to Mercury onboard the BepiColombo mission.     

Expanding shells in low and high density environments

The gravitational instability of expanding shells evolving in a homogeneous and static medium is discussed. In the low density environment (n = 1 cm^-3), the fragmentation starts in shells with diameters of a few 100 pc and fragment masses are in the range of 5 × 10³ - 10⁶ M _⊙. In the high density environment (n = 10⁵ - 10⁷ cm^-3), shells fragment at diameters of pc producing clumps of stellar masses. The mass spectrum in both environments is approximated by a power law dN/dm ∼ m ^-2.3. This is close to the slope of the stellar IMF. To reproduce the observed mass spectrum of clouds (the spectral index close to ∼ -2.0) we have to assume, that the cloud formation time is independent of the cloud size, similarly to the Jeans unstable medium. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.