Morphotectonic analysis in Anandpur Sahib area,Punjab (India) using remote sensing and gis approach

Anandpur Sahib area of Rupnagar district (Punjab) was investigated using an integrated multi-disciplinary approach of geomorphological, structural, drainage and morphotectonic analysis through satellite data and GIS. Most commonly used geomorphic indices viz., channel sinuosity, drainage basin asymmetry, basin elongation ratio, mountain front sinuosity and valley floor to valley width ratio index have been used to identify the geomorphic indicators of active tectonics in the area. Existence of fluvial anomalies viz., abrupt changes in flow direction, flow against gradient, beheaded streams and river terraces reflect the strong structural control on the fluvial features. Asymmetric nature of drainage basin, elongated nature of the sub-watersheds, straight to curvilinear mountain fronts and narrow incised valley floors further substantiate the role of active tectonics in the region.     

Coastal boulders as evidences of high-energy marine events from Diu Island,west coast of India: storm or palaeotsunami?

Natural Hazards - The coastal segment of Diu Island from west coast of India has been studied for its boulder deposits. The dimensions, morphology and characteristics of these boulders were studied...     

Assessment of reproductive potential of different populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Angelica glauca</Emphasis> Edgew., a critically endangered Himalayan Medicinal Herb

Angelica glauca is one of the important medicinal plants and it is widely used by indigenous communities for different purposes. The present study analyzes variability in reproductive characters of A. glauca. The reproductive parts were found having significant positive correlation with altitude （e.g.,number of umbellets /umber r= 0.857,p〈0.05; umbel diameter r=0.735,p〈0.05）.     

HAND (height above nearest drainage) tool and satellite-based geospatial analysis of Hyderabad (India) urban floods,September 2016

Urban flooding needs to be understood holistically and addressed geospatially by all stakeholders. In the present study, an attempt is made to understand the problem of urban flooding in part of Hyderabad city (Zone-12) geospatially considering the satellite-based changes in land use/land cover between 1989 and 2016, identifying low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding using HAND (height above nearest drainage) model in conjunction with the analysis of high-resolution satellite images and ground based validation of affected locations during rains of September 2016. The study shows that Zone-12 has undergone significant increase in impervious cover by 42% between 1989 and 2016. The impact of urbanization has obliterated the footprints of stream network, significantly changing the hydrological landscape due to burial of channels and concretization of lake beds. The interconnected channel network and lake system acting as sinks to absorb high runoff during monsoons have been encroached upon aggravating the urban flooding problem. The study shows that HAND model can be an effective tool under data scarce environments, limited cloud-free high-resolution satellite data availability during floods to have first cut baseline information on flood vulnerable areas.     

Trace fossil assemblages in mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments of the Kaladongar Formation (Middle Jurassic), Patcham Island,Kachchh, Western India

The Middle Jurassic rocks of the Kaladongar Formation well exposed in the Kaladongar Hill range of the Patcham Island and Kuar Bet of the Northern Kachchh comprises of ∼450 m thick sequence of mixed siliciclasticcarbonate sediments intercalated with shales. These Mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments show wide variation in textural and mineralogical composition and represent genetically related six rock types: micritic sandstone, allochemic sandstone, sandy allochemic limestone, micrtic mudrock, sandy micrite and muddy micrite; which are highly bioturbated and show behaviourally diverse groups of trace fossils. Total 34 ichnogenera are identified, which includes, Arenicolites, Asterosoma, Beaconites, Bergaueria, Chondrites, Cochlichnus, Dactylophycus, Daedalus, Didymaulichnus, Diplocraterion, Gordia, Gyrochorte, Gyrolithes, Ichnocumulus, Laevicyclus, Lockeia, Margaritichnus, Monocraterion, Nereites, Ophiomorpha, Palaeophycus, Phoebichnus, Phycodes, Pilichnus, Planolites, Plug Shaped Form, Protovirgularia, Rhizocorallium, Scolicia, Skolithos, Taenidium, Teichichnus, Thalassinoides and Walcottia. These trace fossils are classified into six morphological groups namely, circular and elliptical structures; simple structures; branched structures; rosette structures; spreiten structures; and winding and meandering structures. These trace fossils are further group into eight assemblages which occurred together into mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments, include, Asterosoma assemblage, Gyrochorte assemblage, Rhizocorallium assemblage, Thalassinoides assemblage, Planolites-Palaeophycus assemblage, Phycodes assemblage, Ophiomorpha assemblage and Skolithos assemblage. The recurring pattern of these assemblages through the sequence displays the development of Skolithos and Cruziana ichnofacies and at places the mixed Skolithos-Cruziana ichnofacies which suggest a low wave and current energy conditions with intervening period of high wave and current energy conditions and an intermediate period of stressful environments, respectively. Sedimentological and ichnological data suggest that the deposition of the mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments of the Kaladongar Formation took place in the foreshore to offshore environment under fluctuating wave and current energy condition.     

X-ray Observations of Eight Young Open Star Clusters: I. Membership and X-ray Luminosity

We present a detailed investigation of X-ray source contents of eight young open clusters with ages between 4 to 46 Myr using archival X-ray data from XMM-Newton. The probable cluster memberships of the X-ray sources have been established on the basis of multi-wavelength archival data, and samples of 152 pre-main sequence (PMS) low mass (<2M _⊙), 36 intermediate mass (2–10M _⊙) and 16 massive (>10M _⊙) stars have been generated. X-ray spectral analyses of high mass stars reveal the presence of high temperature plasma with temperature <2 keV, and mean L _X/L _bol of 10^???6.9. In the case of PMS low mass stars, the plasma temperatures have been found to be in the range of 0.2 keV to 3 keV with a median value of ~1.3 keV, with no significant difference in plasma temperatures during their evolution from 4 to 46 Myr. The X-ray luminosity distributions of the PMS low mass stars have been found to be similar in the young star clusters under study. This may suggest a nearly uniform X-ray activity in the PMS low mass stars of ages ~4–14 Myr. These observed values of L _X/L _bol are found to have a mean value of 10^??3.6±0.4, which is below the X-ray saturation level. The L _X/L _bol values for the PMS low mass stars are well correlated with their bolometric luminosities, that implies its dependence on the internal structure of the low mass stars. The difference between the X-ray luminosity distributions of the intermediate mass stars and the PMS low mass stars has not been found to be statistically significant. Their L _X/L _bol values, however have been found to be significantly different from each other with a confidence level greater than 99.999% and the strength of X-ray activity in the intermediate mass stars is found to be lower compared to the low mass stars. However, the possibility of X-ray emission from the intermediate mass stars due to a low mass star in close proximity of the intermediate mass star can not be ruled out.     

Morphometric analysis to determine floods in the Upper Krishna basin using Cartosat DEM

The evaluation of basin characteristics from the morphometric parameters helps in understanding the physical behaviour of the catchments with respect to floods. The advanced technologies, such as Remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS), were used for extraction of drainage networks using Cartosat Digital Elevation Model (DEM) for the Upper Krishna basin, to evaluate the morphometric analysis. Basin morphometric parameters were applied to assess the major influencing catchments which cause flooding in the main Krishna River. The morphometric analysis for the ten major potential flood prone river catchments of the basin reveals that, the river catchments such as Krishna, Koyna, Yerla having the greater tendency to peak discharge in a short period of time to the main Krishna River because of high relief ratio (Rh), high ruggedness number and less time of concentration (Tc). The Don catchment having the highest drainage density (Dd), stream frequency, mean bifurcation ratio and infiltration number causes greater runoff influence on the main Krishna River. The Dudhganga and Panchaganga catchments having highest form factor, medium Dd, texture ratio, Rh and time of concentration causes moderate runoff influence towards main Krishna River. The study indicates that systematic analysis of morphometric parameters derived from Cartosat DEM using GIS provide useful information about catchment characteristics with respect to floods management.     

X-ray emission from O-type stars: DH Cep and HD 97434

We present X-ray emission characteristics of the massive O-type stars DH Cep and HD 97434 using archival XMM-Newton observations. There is no convincing evidence for short-term variability in the X-ray intensity during the observations. However, the analysis of their spectra reveals X-ray structure being consistent with two-temperature plasma model. The hydrogen column densities derived from X-ray spectra of DH Cep and HD 97434 are in agreement with the reddening measurements for their corresponding host clusters NGC 7380 and Trumpler 18, indicating that the absorption by stellar wind is negligible. The X-ray emission from these hot stars is interpreted in terms of the standard instability-driven wind-shock model.