Evidence for a new variability in hard X-ray emission of Cyg X-1

From a systematic analysis of the available balloon data for searching variabilities in the time-scales of days for Cyg X-1, the first evidence for the existence of a distinct phase dependence of intensity at 30 keV, corresponding to a period of 5.6 days, is presented. Additionally, the existence of a two-state X-ray emission at these energies is also indicated. Implications of these variabilities on the existing models of Cyg X-1 are discussed.     

Use of hydrochemical parameters for the identification of fresh groundwater resources,Potharlanka Island,India

A hydrochemical study has been carried out on the fresh groundwater resources of Potharlanka, Krishna Delta, India. Groundwater samples were collected at 58 sites and analyzed in June and December 2001. The groundwater is mildly alkaline with a pH of 7.2–8.2, electrical conductivity (EC) varies from 645–4,700 µS/cm in June 2001 (pre-monsoon) and from 605–5,770 µS/cm in December 2001 (post-monsoon). More than 75% of the samples have >1000 mg/l TDS which is higher than the maximum permissible limit for potable water. Na and Cl are the dominating cations and these are directly proportional to TDS. Extremely low HCO ₃/Cl and variable high Mg/Ca (molar ratios) indicated the transformation of the fresh groundwater aquifer systems to saline. Groundwater of this island is classified as Na–Cl, Na–Ca–Cl–HCO ₃, Na–Mg–Cl–SO ₄ and mixed types. A high percentage of mixed water types indicates the possibility of simultaneous fresh groundwater dilution activity along with a seawater ingression/intrusion process. Low rainfall and excessive withdrawal of groundwater has caused the increase of saline water intrusion.     

Detection of opposite polarities in a sunspot light bridge: evidence of low-altitude magnetic reconnection

A multiwavelength photometric analysis was performed in order to study the sub-structure of a sunspot light bridge in the photosphere and the chromosphere. Active region NOAA 8350 was observed on 1998 October 8. The data consist of a 100 min time series of 2D spectral scans of the lines Fe  i 5576 Å, Hα 6563 Å, Fe  i 6302.5 Å, and continuum images at 5571 Å. We recorded line-of-sight magnetograms in 6302.5 Å. The observations were taken at the Dunn Solar Telescope at US National Solar Observatory, Sacramento Peak. We find evidence for plasma ejection from a light bridge followed by Ellerman bombs. Magnetograms of the same region reveal opposite polarity in light bridge with respect to the umbra. These facts support the notion that low-altitude magnetic reconnection can result in the magnetic cancellation as observed in the photosphere.     

Characteristics of Eurasian snow depth with respect to Indian summer monsoon rainfall

Earlier studies show a strong negative relationship between Eurasian snow cover/depth and Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR). In such studies, both the parameters snow and rainfall are seasonally averaged over large areas. Indian summer monsoon has its own characteristics of evolution such as onset, active, break and withdrawal phases which have been studied extensively. However, the evolution of Eurasian snow is yet to be examined. Further, it is interesting to explore the characteristics of evolution of snow over the different regions of Eurasia and their relationship with the evolution characteristics of summer monsoon. In this paper, a detailed examination has been done on the starting and the ending dates of snowfall over different regions of Eurasia and attempts have been made to explore any relationship with onset of ISMR. It is observed that the regions where snowfall started early, it also ended late. Further, in those regions maximum snow depth also occurred late. In some years, more snowfall in East Eurasia is followed by less snowfall in West Eurasia. Also snow depths particularly in the northernmost and southwest regions of East Eurasia are opposite in phase. The results of this study indicate a weak relationship between snow starting dates in Eurasia and summer monsoon onset dates in the Kerala coast. However, the relationship between the northernmost Eurasian snow depth and the summer monsoon precipitation in the Peninsular India is significant.     

Estimation of Sediment Yield and Selection of Suitable Sites for Soil Conservation Measures in Ahar River Basin of Udaipur,Rajasthan using RS and GIS Techniques

The present study aimed at quantification of sediment yield for Ahar River basin of Udaipur district in Rajasthan, India by a regional empirical model using RS and GIS techniques. The land use/land cover (LULC) map of the study area was prepared by supervised classification using satellite imagery of IRS-P6 LISS III. Overall accuracy of the prepared LULC map was 90.78%. The major portion of the study area (49%) is covered with rangeland. Slope map for the study area was developed using digital elevation model. The slope in most of the study area (40% of the total area) ranges from 1% to 4%. In addition, drainage density map of the study area was generated on micro-watershed basis. The study area is covered by a dendritic pattern of drainage which shows that rocks in the area are homogeneous and uniformly resistant to water flow. The drainage density in the study area is 1.11 km km⁻². Annual sediment yield of the study area was quantified by Garde model. The mean annual runoff and sediment yield for the area was 37.58 million m³ and 8,760 m³/year, respectively. Finally, appropriate sites for construction of soil conservation measures are suggested using Boolean logic analysis method on combined slope and drainage maps.     

Observations of trace gases and aerosols over the Indian Ocean during the monsoon transition period

Characteristics of trace gases (O₃, CO, CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O) and aerosols (particle size of 2.5 micron) were studied over the Arabian Sea, equatorial Indian Ocean and southwest part of the Bay of Bengal during the monsoon transition period (October–November, 2004). Flow of pollutants is expected from south and southeast Asia during the monsoonal transition period due to the patterns of wind flow which are different from the monsoon period. This is the first detailed report on aerosols and trace gases during the sampled period as the earlier Bay of Bengal Experiment (BOBMEX), Arabian Sea Monsoon Experiment (ARMEX) and Indian Ocean Experiments (INDOEX) were during monsoon seasons. The significant observations during the transition period include: (i) low ozone concentration of the order of 5 ppbv around the equator, (ii) high concentrations of CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O and (iii) variations in PM2.5 of 5–20μg/m³.     

Linear Classifiers for Prediction of Squeezing Conditions in Tunnels

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - Empirical approaches play a significant part in the prediction of squeezing conditions in tunnels or caverns. On analysis of collected squeezing data from...     

Cooling age record of domal uplift in the core of the Higher Himalayan Crystallines (HHC), southwest Zanskar, India

The cooling and tectonic history of the Higher Himalayan Crystallines (HHC) in southwest Zanskar (along the Kishtwar-Padam traverse) is constrained by K-Ar biotite and fission-track (FT) apatite and zircon ages. A total of nine biotite samples yields ages in the range of 14–24 Ma, indicating the post-metamorphic cooling of these rocks through ∼ 300°C in the Miocene. Overall, the ages become younger away from the Zanskar Shear Zone (ZSZ), which marks the basement-cover detachment fault between the HHC and the Tethyan sedimentary zone, towards the core of the HHC. The same pattern is also observed for the FT apatite ages, which record the cooling of the rocks through ∼ 120°C. The apatite ages range from 11 Ma in the vicinity of the ZSZ to 4 Ma at the granitic core of the HHC. This pattern of discordant cooling ages across the HHC in southwest Zanskar reveals an inversion of isotherms due to fast uplift-denudation (hence cooling) of the HHC core, which is, in turn, related to domal uplift within the HHC. The Chisoti granite gneiss is the exposed domal structure along the studied traverse. Cooling history of two granite gneisses at the core of the HHC is also quantified with the help of the biotite, zircon and apatite ages; the time-temperatures thus obtained indicate a rapid pulse of cooling at ∼ 6 Ma, related to accelerated uplift-denudation of the HHC core at this time. Long-term denudation rates of 0.5–0.7 mm/yr are estimated for the high-grade rocks of the Higher Himalaya in southwest Zanskar over the past 4.0–5.5 m.yr.     

Helioseismic ring analysis of CME source regions

We apply the ring diagram technique to source regions of halo coronal mass ejections (CMEs) to study changes in acoustic mode parameters before, during, and after the onset of CMEs. We find that CME regions associated with a low value of magnetic flux have line widths smaller than the quiet regions, implying a longer life-time for the oscillation modes. We suggest that this criterion may be used to forecast the active regions which may trigger CMEs.