Relevance of Pentane- and Hexane-Utilizing Bacterial Indicators for Finding Hydrocarbon Microseepage: A Study from Jamnagar Sub-basin, Saurashtra, Gujarat, India

Mesozoic sediments are source rocks for nearly half the world’s hydrocarbon reserves. Hence, there is great interest in the oil industry to know the trap and sub-trappean sediment thickness and their extent in the trap covered regions of Jamnagar study area. The microbial prospecting method is applied in the Jamnagar sub-basin, Gujarat for evaluating the prospects for hydrocarbon exploration by investigating the anomalous abundance of n-pentane- and n-hexane-oxidizing bacteria of this area. A total of 150 near-surface soil samples were collected in Jamnagar sub-basin, Gujarat for the evaluation of hydrocarbon resource potential of the basin. In this study, bacterial counts for n-pentane-utilizing bacteria range between 1.09 × 10² and 9.89 × 10⁵ cfu/g and n-hexane-utilizing bacteria range between 1.09 × 10² and 9.29 × 10⁵ cfu/g. The adsorbed hydrocarbon gases consisting of ethane plus hydrocarbons (ΣC₂₊) of 1–977 ppb and n-pentane (nC₅) of 1–23 ppb. The integrated geomicrobial and adsorbed soil gas studies showed the anomalous hydrocarbon zones nearby Khandera, Haripur, and Laloi areas which could probably aid to assess the true potential of the basin. Integrated geophysical studies have shown that Jamnagar sub-basin of Saurashtra has significant sediment thickness below the Deccan Traps and can be considered for future hydrocarbon exploration.     

Characteristics of Type-II Radio Bursts Associated with Flares and CMEs

We present a statistical study of the characteristics of type-II radio bursts observed in the metric (m) and deca-hectometer (DH) wavelength range during 1997–2008. The collected events are divided into two groups: Group I contains the events of m-type-II bursts with starting frequency ≥ 100 MHz, and group II contains the events with starting frequency of m-type-II radio bursts < 100 MHz. We have analyzed both samples considering three different aspects: i) statistical properties of type-II bursts, ii) statistical properties of flares and CMEs associated with type-II bursts, and iii) time delays between type-II bursts, flares, and CMEs. We find significant differences in the properties of m-type-II bursts in duration, bandwidth, drift rate, shock speed and delay between m- and DH-type-II bursts. From the timing analysis we found that the majority of m-type-II bursts in both groups occur during the flare impulsive phase. On the other hand, the DH-type-II bursts in both groups occur during the decaying phase of the associated flares. Almost all m-DH-type-II bursts are found to be associated with CMEs. Our results indicate that there are two kinds of shock in which group I (high frequency) m-type-II bursts seem to be ignited by flares whereas group II (low frequency) m-type-II bursts are CME-driven.     

Seismic bearing capacity of foundations on sloping ground using power-type yield criteria

Acta Geotechnica - Experimental studies indicate that the yield parameters for soils remain generally stress dependent, in which case, the internal friction angle reduces continuously with an...     

Fractal Analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Situ</Emphasis> Host Rock Nepheline Syenite Xenoliths in a Micro-Shonkinite Dyke (The Elchuru Alkaline Complex,SE India)

Formation of the fragments of the wall-rock during dyking is one of the important manifestations of instantaneous magmatic events. This process is well documented at shallower depths of Earth’s crust but not at deeper levels. In this paper the in situ xenoliths of host rock nepheline syenite within a micro-shonkinite dyke emplaced at mid-crustal depths is described and the fractal theory applied to evaluate origin of the xenoliths. The nepheline syenite xenoliths are angular to oval shaped and sub-millimetre to ~50 cm long. The xenoliths are matrix supported with clasts and matrix being in equal proportions. Partly detached wall-rock fragments indicate incipient xenolith formation, which suggested that the model fragmentation processes is solely due to dyke emplacement. Fractal analytical techniques including clast size distribution, boundary roughness fractal dimension and clast circularity was carried out. The fractal data suggests that hydraulic (tensile) fracturing is the main process of host rock brecciation. However, the clast size and shape are further affected by postfragmentation processes including shear and thermal fracturing, and chemical erosion. The study demonstrates that dyking in an isotropic medium produces fractal size distributions of host rock xenoliths; however, post-fragmentation processes modify original fractal size distributions.     

Vertical Variation of Madden-Jullian Oscillations in the Normal Monsoon Season as Revealed Through MST Radar Wind Data

Summary  Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere (MST) Radar wind data for the period June through September 1996 have been examined to study vertical variation of Madden-Jullian Oscillations in wind and eddy kinetic energy (eke) in the normal monsoon season. The domain of analysis in the vertical is from 6 to 20 km with a height resolution of 150 m. Fast-Fourier-Transformation (FFT) has been applied to zonal (u), meridional(v) components of wind to extract the Madden-Jullian oscillations and eke. There are three dominant modes viz., 50–70, 30–40 and 10–20 day periodicity, which contain considerable fraction of energy and show high degree of vertical variability. The peak amplitude of 50–70 day mode in u, 30–40 mode in v and eke were observed at 16–17 km just below the tropopause level. The peak amplitudes of 30–40 day mode in u and 50–70 day mode in v were found in the height region of 13–16 km. To understand the origin and propagation of these waves, wave energy is calculated. The wave energy is higher at tropospheric heights than at lower stratospheric heights indicating that the origin of these waves is in the troposphere, and a part of the energy leaks into the stratosphere. Received September 17, 1998/Revised September 26, 1999     

Optimization of Minimal Salt Medium for Efficient Phenanthrene Biodegradation by Mycoplana sp. MVMB2 Isolated from Petroleum Contaminated Soil Using Factorial Design Experiments

This study presents the degradation of phenanthrene by Mycoplana sp. MVMB2 isolated from petroleum contaminated soil and the media optimization by factorial design experiments. The Plackett–Burman design was used to evaluate the effects of eight variables (potassium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, magnesium sulfate, calcium chloride, ferrous sulfate, glucose, inoculum concentration, and phenanthrene concentration) on phenanthrene degradation. Based on the results, the critical medium components having significant influence on the degradation were found to be disodium hydrogen phosphate, magnesium sulfate, ferrous sulfate, and phenanthrene. Furthermore, these four variables were used as central composite design parameters. The optimum minimal salt medium composition obtained by conventional and factorial design experiments for the degradation of phenanthrene by Mycoplana sp. MVMB2 at pH 6.5 and 30°C were found to be, potassium 2.5 g/L dihydrogen phosphate, 0.3505 g/L disodium hydrogen phosphate, 0.5501 g/L magnesium sulfate, 0.02 g/L calcium chloride, 0.0261 g/L ferrous sulfate, 0.6756 g/L phenanthrene, 0.5 g/L glucose, 0.5 g/L ammonium sulfate, and inoculum 5% v/v. The phenanthrene degradation was confirmed by analyzing the metabolites formed.     

Geochemistry of the mafic dykes in the Prakasam Alkaline Province of Eastern Ghats Belt, India: Implications for the genesis of continental rift-zone magmatism

Mesoproterozoic rift-zone magmatism in the Prakasam Alkaline Province of Eastern Ghats Belt, India is represented by three geochemically distinct primary mafic magmas and their plutonic differentiates. The three mafic magmas correspond to the alkali basaltic dykes, gabbroic dykes and lamprophyric dykes. The dyke activity is synchronous with the host plutons and belongs to the 1350–1250 Ma period Mesoproterozoic magmatism. Geochemical signatures suggest that the alkali basaltic dykes have a source in the thermal boundary layer, which has a history of prior melt extraction followed by enrichment. Both the gabbroic and lamprophyric dykes are derived from lithospheric sources and their geochemical variation can be explained by “vein-plus-wall-rock melting model”. Vein/wall-rock ratio is low for the sources of gabbroic dykes, whereas it is high for the lamprophyric dykes. Geochemistry of the gabbro dykes further indicates preservation of previous arc-signals by the lithosphere beneath the Prakasam Alkaline Province during the Mesoproterozoic. Geochemical signatures of lamproite, which could be a cratonic expression of the rift-triggered magmatism in the Prakasam Province, suggest a general increase in the metasomatic imprint with increasing lithosphere thickness from cratonic margin towards interior. It is found that geochemistry of continental rift-zone magmatism of the Prakasam rift is remarkably similar to that of the Gardar rift of South Greenland. It appears that the geodynamic conditions under which melting occurred in the Prakasam Alkaline Province are similar to that of a propagating rift with variable contributions from the convective mantle and subcontinental lithosphere mantle to the rift-zone magmas. The present study illustrates how fertility and chemical heterogeneity of the lithosphere play significant roles in the creation of enormous geochemical diversity characteristic of continental rift-zone magmatism.