Time-dependent diffusive interactions between dark matter and dark energy in the context of k-essence cosmology

We investigated the scenario of time-dependent diffusive interaction between dark matter and dark energy and showed that such a model can be accommodated within the observations of luminosity distanceredshift data in Supernova la(SN la)observations.We obtain constraints on different relevant parameters of this model from the observational data.We consider a homogeneous scalar field(t)driven by a k-essence Lagrangian of the form L=V(φ)F(X)with constant potential V(φ)=V,to describe the dynamics of dark energy in this model.Using the temporal behaviour of the FRW scale factor,the equation of state and total energy density of the dark fluid,extracted from the analysis of SN la(JLA)data,we have obtained the time-dependence of the k-essence scalar field and also reconstructed the form of the function F(X)in the k-essence Lagrangian.     

Potential CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Emission Due to Loss of Above Ground Biomass from the Indian Sundarban Mangroves During the Last Four Decades

Sundarban, the largest single patch of mangrove forest of the world is shared by Bangladesh (~ 60 %) and India (~ 40 %). Loss of mangrove biomass and subsequent potential emission of carbon dioxide is reported from different parts of the world. We estimated the loss of above ground mangrove biomass and subsequent potential emission of carbon dioxide in the Indian part of the Sundarban during the last four decades. The loss of mangrove area has been estimated with the help of remotely sensed data and potential emission of carbon dioxide has been evaluated with the help of published above ground biomass data of Indian Sundarban. Total loss of mangrove area was found to be 107 km² between the year 1975 and 2013. Amongst the total loss ~60 % was washed away in the water by erosion, ~ 23 % was converted into barren lands and the rest were anthropogenically transformed into other landforms. The potential carbon dioxide emission due to the degradation of above ground biomass was estimated to be 1567.98 ± 551.69 Gg during this period, which may account to 64.29 million $ in terms of the social cost of carbon. About three-forth of the total mangrove loss was found in the peripheral islands which are much more prone to erosion. Climate induced changes and anthropogenic land use change could be the major driving force behind this loss of ‘blue carbon’.     

SIFT-FANN: An efficient framework for spatio-spectral fusion of satellite images

Image fusion techniques are widely used for remote sensing data. A special application is for using low resolution multi-spectral image with high resolution panchromatic image to obtain an image having both spectral and spatial information. Alignment of images to be fused is a step prior to image fusion. This is achieved by registering the images. This paper proposes the methods involving Fast Approximate Nearest Neighbor (FANN) for automatic registration of satellite image (reference image) prior to fusion of low spatial resolution multi-spectral QuickBird satellite image (sensed image) with high spatial resolution panchromatic QuickBird satellite image. In the registration steps, Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) is used to extract key points from both images. The keypoints are then matched using the automatic tuning algorithm, namely, FANN. This algorithm automatically selects the most appropriate indexing algorithm for the dataset. The indexed features are then matched using approximate nearest neighbor. Further, Random Sample Consensus (RanSAC) is used for further filtering to obtain only the inliers and co-register the images. The images are then fused using Intensity Hue Saturation (IHS) transform based technique to obtain a high spatial resolution multi-spectral image. The results show that the quality of fused images obtained using this algorithm is computationally efficient.     

Hydrological modelling of the Kangsabati river under changed climate scenario: case study in India

India is a large developing country with nearly two‐thirds of the population depending directly on the climate‐sensitive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries and forests. A very well‐calibrated Soil and Water Assessment Tool (R² = 0·9968, NSE = 0·91) was exercised over the Kangsabati river watershed in Bankura district of West Bengal, India, for a year including monsoon and non‐monsoon period in order to evaluate projected parameters for agricultural activities. Evapotranspiration, transmission losses, potential evapotranspiration and lateral flow to reach are evaluated from the years 2041–2050 in order to generate a picture for sustainable development of the river basin and its inhabitants. The projected climate change under various scenarios is likely to have implications on food production, water supply, biodiversity and livelihoods. India has a significant stake in scientific advancement as well as an international understanding to promote mitigation and adaptation. This requires improved scientific understanding, capacity building, networking and broad consultation processes. This paper is a commitment towards the planning, management and development of the water resources of the Kangsabati river by presenting detailed future scenarios of the Kangsabati river basin over the mentioned time period. The major findings of this paper were that of all the chosen projected parameters, transmission losses, soil water content, potential evapotranspiration, evapotranspiration and lateral flow to reach, display an increasing trend over the time period of years 2041–2050. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On some characteristics of severe rainstorms of India

Summary Detailed examination of daily rainfall data for India (and other relevant publications regarding severe rainstorms) show that during the last 110 years, the Indian region recorded 231 severe rainstorms. Of these, 27 were of 2-day duration and the rest (204) were of 3-day duration. Within a rainstorm, maximum rain fell on the 2nd day on 63% of occasions. It was also observed that the average raindepths obtained from slow moving rainstorms were greater in magnitude than those of fast moving rainstorms. All these rainstorms, during their movement through the country, had their rain centres at about 308 locations. This study has shown that only 19 locations recorded severe rainstorm centres on five or more occasions. Maximum number of rain centres recorded for one location was 13.With 2 Figures     

Comparison of tropical and midlatitude thunderstorm characteristics anchored in thermodynamic and dynamic aspects

Thunderstorms prevailing over tropics and midlatitudes depict dissimilar features relating to the thermodynamic and dynamic aspects. The identification of the physical characteristics of the tropical and midlatitude thunderstorms is the main objective of the present study. The stations Kolkata (22.6°N, 88.4°E) and Denver (39.47°N, 104.32°W) are selected from the tropics and midlatitudes for the comparative analyses. The study reveals that the average storm relative helicity (SRH) and the lapse rate between 700 and 500 hPa level is much higher over Denver compared to Kolkata during thunderstorm days. The study further reveals that the surface to mid troposphere (upto 500 hPa) become drier (～2 times) over Denver than Kolkata prior to the occurrence of thunderstorms while the upper tropospheric (300–100 hPa) humidity remains comparable for both the locations.     

Geochemical and hydrogeological contrasts between shallow and deeper aquifers in two villages of Araihazar, Bangladesh: Implications for deeper aquifers as drinking water sources

Sediment and groundwater profiles were compared in two villages of Bangladesh to understand the geochemical and hydrogeological factors that regulate dissolved As concentrations in groundwater. In both villages, fine-grained sediment layers separate shallow aquifers (< 28 m) high in As from deeper aquifers (40-90 m) containing < 10 μg/L As. In one village (Dari), radiocarbon dating indicates deposition of the deeper aquifer sediments > 50 ka ago and a groundwater age of thousands of years. In the other village (Bay), the sediment is < 20 ka old down to 90 m and the deeper aquifer groundwater is younger, on the order of hundreds of years. The shallow aquifers in both villages that are high in As contain bomb-³H and bomb-¹⁴C, indicating recent recharge. The major and minor ion compositions of the shallow and deeper aquifers also differ significantly. Deeper aquifer water is of the Na⁺-HCO₃^- type, with relatively little dissolved NH₄⁺ (76 ± 192 μmol/L), Fe (27 ± 43 μmol/L) and Mn (3 ± 2 μmol/L). In contrast, shallow aquifer water is of the Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-HCO₃^- type, with elevated concentrations of dissolved NH₄⁺ (306 ± 355 μmol/L), Fe (191 ± 73 μmol/L), and Mn (27 ± 43 μmol/L). In both villages, the quantity of As extractable from deeper aquifer sands with a 1 mol/L phosphate solution (0.2 ± 0.3 mg/kg, n = 12; 0.1 ± 0.1 mg/kg, n = 5) is 1 order of magnitude lower than P-extractable As from shallow deposits (1.7 ± 1.2 mg/kg, n = 9; 1.4 ± 2.0 mg/kg, n = 11). The differences suggest that the concentration of P-extractable As in the sediment is a factor controlling the concentration of As in groundwater. Low P-extractable As levels are observed in both deeper aquifers that are low in As, even though there is a large difference in the time of deposition of these aquifers in the two villages. The geochemical data and hydrographs presented in this study suggest that both Holocene and Pleistocene deeper aquifers that are low in As should be a viable source of drinking water as long as withdrawals do not exceed recharge rates of ∼1 cm/yr.     

Greatest observed one-day point and areal rainfall of India

The greatest one-day rain amounts recorded at individual stations in the country during the last 41-year period from 1940 onwards were examined for all observatories as well as State rain-gauge stations in an attempt to bring out up-to-date information on the greatest recorded point rainfall for the duration of one day. Outstanding one-day point rainfall amounts recorded prior to 1940 were also examined and have been included in this note along with their date and year of occurrence by way of comparison. A generalized chart has been prepared based on the percentage ratios of the greatest one-day rainfall to the mean annual rainfall of about 300 observatory stations distributed uniformly over the entire country. On the basis of Depth-Area-Duration (DAD) analyses of the most severe rainstorms which occurred over different plain areas of the country, it has been found that the 2 July, 1941, rainstorm gave the highest areal rain depths in the country for different areas. Comparison with similar areal rain depths of the tropical USA has shown that rain depths of the July, 1941, rainstorm were higher for all areas excepting the areas of 500 sq. miles (1295 sq. km) and 1000 sq. miles (2590 sq. km).     

Morphological classification pertaining to validate the climatology and category of thunderstorms over Kolkata,India

As the world's highest and largest plateau, the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau has experienced a greater warming than the Northern Hemisphere and global averages. This warming has been reported to exhibit an elevation-dependent pattern. However, the finding involved plenty of uncertainties caused by the spatially limited datasets and complex topography. Here, we explored an approach integrating satellite-derived LST data and ground records to generate a spatially continuous air temperature dataset for the plateau grasslands from 2003 to 2012, and then examined influences of elevation/topography on temperature change trends. The derived temperature dataset was validated to be closely correlated with field-station records. Based on the derived spatially continuous temperature datasets, we found an opposite change trend of annually average temperature between Qinghai and Xizang Province. The contrasted trend was obvious in daytime and more so in summer season. By analyzing the temperature trend in relation to elevation, we found an enhanced temperature change trend in higher elevation than in lower elevation for autumn nights and winter temperatures, while the temperature change trends for other seasons were more evident in lower elevation areas. The varying temperature change trends as regulated by elevation implies that temperate grasslands have experienced a more rapid temperature change than alpine grasslands during the past decade.