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.     

Kinematical distances to open star clusters

Kinematical distances are estimated for six open star clusters. They agree fairly well with the photometric distances. The kinematical distances cannot, at present, be estimated better than the photometric distances. When more accurate proper motion measurements become available the kinematical distances will improve considerably and may then be used to calibrate the cosmic distance scale.     

Application of GPR in the study of shallow subsurface sedimentary architecture of Modwa spit,Gulf of Kachchh

The coastline constitutes a very sensitive geomorphic domain constantly subjected to dynamic coastal processes. The study of its ever-changing physiography and stratigraphy provides a wealth of information on its history and evolution, in many cases at decadal and annual scales. The present study was carried out on the Modwa beach complex between Rawal Pir and Modwa, about 10 km east of Mandvi on the northern coast of the Gulf of Kachchh. The Modwa spit is a 7-km long WNW-ESE trending prograding amalgamated beach ridge complex that is about 0.5 km wide at its western end and 1.5 km wide at its eastern end. This Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey delineated a variety of the radar surfaces and radar facies which reflects not only large scale sedimentary architecture, but depositional facies of the beach ridge complex. These are bounding surfaces separating the radar facies outline beach ridge (br), washover (wo), coastal dune (cd) and swale (sw) depositional environments. The internal sedimentary structures like tangential, parallel, concave and convex upward stratifications could also be visualized from the GPR profiles. The architecture suggests the formation of this complex due to a combined process of eastward littoral drift of locally derived sediments and its onshore deposition by storms and eolian activities.     

The Neogene/Quaternary boundary in India: A review

The Neogene/Quaternary boundary has been variously defined in different continents. A global review of the problem shows that only the Olduvai event on the palaeomagnetic timescale may provide an universally acceptable isochronous datum for delineating this boundary. The N/Q boundary in the Siwaliks, Kashmir and the Andamans in India is defined in the light of recent research.     

Rapeseed-mustard acreage estimation using IRS LISS-II data

The present paper describes the remote sensing-based acreage estimation of rapeseed-mustard crop in Mehsana and Banaskantha districts of Gujarat, using four-band data and Maximum Likelihood classification. IRS LISS-II data of November 25, 1989 has been used to estimate the acreage of rapeseed-mustard. It is found that the data of November 25 is useful in discriminating rapeseedmustard from other rabi crops. Talukawise acreage estimation has also been done for three talukas of Mehsana and two talukas of Banaskantha district.     

CaMg ratio classification of main limestones (Mississippian) in South Wales,U.K.

The highly dolomitized Main Limestones of approximately Mississippian age, which crop out in South Wales, are classified according to their $\text{Ca}\text{Mg}$ ratio values. The results based upon the $\text{Ca}\text{Mg}$ ratio determination of these rocks permitted their classification into six major categories, namely: (1) limestone; (2) slightly dolomitized limestone; (3) dolomitic limestone; (4) calcitic dolostone; (5) dolostone proper; and (6) magnesian dolostone.It is concluded that dolostone proper and calcitic dolostone tend to dominate in the Main Limestone rocks of South Wales.     

Ichnology of the Callovian-Oxfordian rocks of the Katrol hill range,Kachchh, western India

On the basis of distinct lithologic features such as composition, grain size, bedding characteristics and sedimentary structures, six facies were identified in Callovian to Oxfordian rocks exposed southwest of Bhuj, Kachchh. They are interbedded calcareous shale-siltstone (ICSSF), limestone (LF), ferruginous sandstone (FerSF), felspathic sandstone (FelSF), grey shale (GSF) and oolitic limestone (OLF) facies. The rich and highly diversified trace fossils reveal a wide range of animal behaviours represented by dwelling, feeding, crawling and resting structures. Horizontal feeding structures are found abundantly in all lithofacies indicating low wave and current energy and deposition of poorly sorted muddy to sandy sediments. A few coarse layers containing Arenicolites, Ophiomorpha and Skolithos indicate the presence of opportunistic animals (due to their first appearance under harsh conditions) under -intermittently moderate wave and current energy or storm wave conditions (due to coarse grain size and dominance/presence of only vertical trace fossils) in the shoreface zone. Taenidium occurs mainly in the lower shoreface to transitional zone suggesting low to moderate energy conditions. Thalassinoides occurs in middle to lower shoreface settings under relatively low-energy conditions. Zoophycos represents offshore environment, where it occupies the deepest bioturbation levels.The characteristic lithofacies and assemblages of trace fossils in the rocks of the Chari/Jumara Formation indicate a depositional environment fluctuating from the upper shoreface to offshore zone.     

Impact of mechanochemical treatment of organophilic Indian bentonites: implications for their rheology

To study and determine the dependency of rheological properties and flow behaviour of organobentonites on mechanochemical modification viz. grinding and preparation temperature of organobentonite, stearyldimethylbenzylammonium-bentonites (SDMBA-bentonites) were prepared by interacting stearyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride with Indian bentonite at different reaction temperature of 40, 60, 80, 90 and 100 °C and the products were ground and passed through sieve (micronization) of 100 mesh BSS (< 150 µm) and also the product obtained at 40 °C was further processed for micronization using 150 (< 105 µm), 240 (< 63 µm) and 350 (< 45 µm) mesh BSS sieves. As there was increase in the micronization and the reaction temperature, the bulk density and particle size decreased with simultaneous increase in the surface area of SDMBA-bentonites. The enhancement of the viscosity, rheological parameters and gel index of the toluene dispersions of these SDMBA-bentonites was also observed. The decrease in particle size and bulk density with simultaneous increase in specific surface area and swelling in nitrobenzene SDMBA-bentonites leads to the formation of larger hydrogen bond network to generate improved rheological properties by increased magnitude of chemical interaction between SDMBA cations and toluene. The rheological behaviour study revealed that all the toluene–SDMBA-bentonite dispersions exhibit the shear-thinning flow behaviour and the micronization and reaction temperature influence the degree of shear-thinning, stability of the gel structures and yield stress of the dispersions. The incorporation of a mixture of 5 vol% of H₂O in methanol as polar activator studied in the range of 33–100 wt% of SDMBA-bentonite reinforced the rheological properties, viscosity and gel volume, degree of shear-thinning, stability of the gel structures and yield stress of the toluene–SDMBA-bentonite dispersions. The SDMBA-bentonites with polar activator having concentration of 65 wt% exhibited the optimum rheological reinforcement. The rheological properties were found to be more enhanced by the ultrasonication relative to conventional stirring/shearing. Power law and Casson equations have been used to describe the rheological properties of the toluene–SDMBA-bentonite dispersions.     

Image quality characterization of fine resolution RISAT-1 data using impulse response function

This study presents the results obtained from image quality assessment of Radar Imaging SATellite (RISAT-1). Image quality parameters such as spatial resolution, peak to sidelobe ratio (PSLR) and integrated sidelobe ratio (ISLR) are calculated by the analysis of impulse response function (IRF) of the point target. The study is carried out to assess temporal stability and consistency of image quality parameters obtained from analysis of IRF of 44 point targets. The results obtained from this study show that the mean values of the range and azimuth resolution are 2.048 ± 0.081 m and 3.383 ± 0.097 m for RH and 1.981 ± 0.081 m and 3.348 ± 0.076 m for RV, respectively. PSLR/ISLR values for RH channel are obtained as ?26.492 dB/?26.823 dB for azimuth and ?19.209 dB/?19.921 dB for the range. For RV channel, PSLR/ISLR values are ?26.300 dB/?27.572 dB for azimuth and ?19.146 dB/?19.827 dB for range.     

Magnetic fields in cometary globules – II. CG 30–31 complex

Optical linear polarization measurements of stars in the region of the cometary globules CG 30–31 in Vela–Puppis are presented. A polarization map representing the geometry of the magnetic field in the cometary globule complex is produced. The magnetic field is found to be nearly perpendicular to the cometary tails. This is unlike the case of the cometary globule CG 22 in which the field had earlier been found to be aligned with the tail. The observed field direction is more or less parallel to the bipolar molecular outflow from the young stellar object IRS 4 embedded in the head of CG 30.