FEG-EPMA mapping and Fe-Ti oxide mineral chemistry of Brahmaputra River sediments in Bangladesh: provenance and petrogenetic implications

The present research deals with the FEG-EPMA mapping and Fe-Ti oxide mineral chemistry of Brahmaputra River sediments in Bangladesh. Major heavy minerals in the sediments consist of garnet (8.5–21.3%), kyanite (5.35–11.9%), monazite (2.3–5.3%), sillimanite (1.8–4.7%), zircon (3.6–9.1%), and a considerable amount of opaques mainly Fe-Ti oxide minerals (23.1–35.4%). The detrital Fe-Ti oxide minerals carry significant clues to the parent rocks or sources. In these contexts, detrital opaques (Fe-Ti oxides) have been analyzed with an electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA). These opaques (Fe-Ti oxide) display six types of textural patterns, dominantly seriate with granular, emulsion, and acicular sandwich structures and trellis type of textural patterns. These textural patterns belong to five intergrowths of Fe-Ti oxide minerals such as (1) ilmenite-hematite, (2) magnetite-ilmenite, (3) hematite-rutile, (4) ilmenite-hematite-rutile, and (5) ilmenite-rutile, where ilmenite-hematite intergrowth is common. Alteration is seen in both exsolved and unexsolved ilmenites. Textural patterns and mineral chemistry of the studied ilmenite minerals provide lines of evidence of low-temperature magmatic inheritance, later modified by diffusional processes. The estimated temperature and oxygen fugacity from the magnetite-ilmenite exsolution range from 547.6 to 558.2 °C and from 10^?21.4 to 10^?21.7, respectively. The data are also consistent with hematite-ilmenite temperature (between 537 and 540 °C) and oxygen fugacity (10^?21.7 to 10^?21.9) measurements in Cox’s Bazar beach placers. These temperatures and oxygen fugacities specify Fe-Ti oxide assemblages equilibrated in a T-fO₂ field very near to the FMQ buffer curve suggesting a crustal source (magmatic and/or metamorphic), which is modified significantly by metamorphic processes.     

The old alluvium of Singapore and the extinct drainage system to the South China Sea

In both sand quarry faces and boreholes the Old Alluvium of Singapore is a matrix supported pebbly sand with minor beds of better sorted sands and clays. The beds can be grouped into four textural classes (pebbles, coarse sand with fine pebbles, medium to coarse sand, clay, and silt), each with characteristic sedimentary structures. The deposit appears to be the proximal facies of an ancient braided river alluvium of possible Pleistocene age. This widespread but scattered alluvium is found both on land and offshore on the Sunda Shelf in Southeast Asia. It is believed to have been deposited during low sea levels. In Singapore, the mineralogy of the grains forming the Old Alluvium suggests a mixed provenance of granitic and low-grade metamorphic origin. The volume and freshness of the deposited material indicate an environment of considerable relief, seasonal rainfall, and extremely active erosional processes, conditions considerably different from the current ones. The Old Alluvium was probably deposited by seasonal rivers which experienced periodic large floods. Such regional conditions could have prevailed over much of Southeast Asia at the time of deposition of the Old Alluvium.     

Distribution of tritium and stable isotopes in precipitation in Syria

Abstract

The paper discusses aspects of the isotopic composition (tritium and stable isotopes) of precipitation, which was monitored from 2000 to 2003 at 12 stations in Syria. The seasonal variations in δ¹⁸O are smaller at the western stations than at the eastern ones due to low seasonal temperature variations. A good correlation between δ²H and δ¹⁸O was obtained for each station, and the slopes of the local meteoric water lines are significantly lower than the Global Meteoric Water Line. Values of d-excess decrease from 19‰ at the western stations to 13‰ at the eastern ones, indicating the influence of precipitation generated by air masses coming from the Mediterranean Sea. A reliable altitude effect represented by depletion of heavy stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δ²H), of about??0.21‰ and??1.47‰ per 100 m elevation, respectively, was observed. Monthly tritium contents in precipitation, and seasonal variations, are less at the western stations than at the eastern ones. The weighted mean tritium values are between 3 and 9 TU, and increase with distance from the Syrian coast by 1 TU/100 km.

Citation Al Charideh, A. R. & Abou Zakhem, B. (2010) Distribution of tritium and stable isotopes in precipitation in Syria. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(5), 832–843.     

Holocene stratigraphy-of the Lower Ganges-Brahmaputra River delta in Bangladesh

Major part of the Holocene Ganges-Brahmaputra delta occupies the southern and southwestern part of Bangladesh with a smaller part extending beyond the international boundary in the west. Five facies assemblages are documented in the lower deltaic plain in five different depositional environments: levee or levee complex, bil or depression, abandoned meander belt, interdistributary plain and estuarine plain. The thickness of the Holocene sediments ranges from 30 m to 70 m in the deltaic plain, usually floored by the Pleistocene stiff clays, with the exception of the abandoned meander belt deposit where Holocene channel sand deposited directly on the Pleistocene sand. Radiocarbon dates indicate that low-rate sedimentation has occurred in the northern part, where 4-6 m thick sediments were deposited since the mid-Holocene, whereas 10-30 mthick sediments were deposited in the southern part during the same span of time. In addition, significant coastal subsidence (3 mm/a on average), added by sea-level rise (1.5 mm/a, conservative rate) occurs in the study area, which serves as a negative factor in degrading the coastal plain of Bangladesh in the future, while taking into consideration the weaker sedimentation in the area.     

Socio‐economic and ecological challenges of small‐scale fishing and strategies for its sustainable management: A case study of the Old Brahmaputra River,Bangladesh

Socio‐economic and ecological challenges faced by the small‐scale fishers dependent on the Old Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh are assessed using a combination of questionnaire survey, co‐monitoring of fish catch, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Results reveal that the fishers are involved in professional, seasonal or subsistence fishing. Fish catches from the river have declined significantly because of overfishing, destructive use of fishing gear, water pollution, siltation, rapid urbanization and human encroachment, thereby threatening the health of the river ecosystem as well as the future of small‐scale fishing. We evaluate various social, economic and ecological challenges faced by the fisher communities. We propose a conceptual framework that recognizes linkages among social, economic and ecological aspects in devising a sustainable river fisheries management system. We recommend effective legal enforcement of policies and regulations, strong institutional collaboration and active fisher community participation in management to ensure sustainable use of the resource base.     

Rain induced attenuation studies for V-band satellite communication in tropical region

Satellite communications operating at 10 GHz and above in the tropics suffer severe signal degradation due to rain. Attenuation due to rain at 38 GHz had been measured for a period of 20 months in Malaysia. Analyses carried out include seasonal variations, diurnal effects and the annual cumulative distributions. Obtained results were compared with several established prediction models including the ITU-R. The rain fade characteristics were also investigated in determining the levels of signal loss and fading. In addition, the studies highlight several potential fade mitigation techniques that can be embarked. These fundamental aprehensions are very critical for future earth space communication link design and can be exploited as preliminary groundwork plan for the researchers as well as engineers.     

Geochemistry of subsurface Late Quaternary ironstones in Rajshahi and Bogra Districts,Bangladesh: implications for genetic and depositional conditions

The present study deals with the geochemistry of Late Quaternary ironstones in the subsurface in Rajshahi and Bogra districts, Bangladesh with the lithological study of the boreholes sediments. Major lithofacies of the studied boreholes are clay, silty clay, sandy clay, fine to coarse grained sand, gravels and sands with (fragmentary) ironstones. The ironstones contain major oxides, Fe₂O₃* (* total Fe) (avg. 66.6 wt%), SiO₂ (avg. 15.3 wt%), Al₂O₃ (avg. 4.0 wt%), MnO (avg. 7.7 wt%), and CaO (avg. 3.4 wt%). These geochemical data imply that the higher percentage of Fe₂O₃* along with Al₂O₃ and MnO indicate the ironstone as goethite and siderite, which is also validated by XRD data. A comparatively higher percentage of SiO₂ indicates the presence of relative amounts of clastic quartz and manganese-rich silicate or clay in these rocks. These ironstones also have significant amounts of MnO (avg. 7.7 wt%) suggesting their depositional environments under oxygenated condition. Chemical data of these ironstones suggest that the source rock suffered deep chemical weathering and iron was mostly carried in association with the clay fraction and organic matter. Iron concretion was mostly formed by bacterial build up in swamps and marshes, and was subsequently embedded in clayey mud. Within the coastal environments, the water table fluctuates and goethite and siderite with mud and quartz became dry and compacted to form ironstone.

     

Drought analysis and its implication in sustainable water resource management in Barind area,Bangladesh

The study analyzes drought using Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Mann-Kendall (MK) Trend Test in the context of the impacts of drought on groundwater table (GWT) during the period 1971-2011 in the Barind area, Bangladesh. The area experienced twelve moderate to extreme agricultural droughts in the years 1972, 1975, 1979, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1992, 1994, 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2010. Some of them coincide with El Niño events. Hydrological drought also occurred almost in the same years. However, relationship between all drought events and El Niño is not clear. Southern and central parts of the area frequently suffer from hydrological drought, northern part is affected by agricultural drought. Trends in SPI values indicate that the area has an insignificant trend towards drought, and numbers of mild and moderate drought are increasing. GWT depth shows strong correlation with rainy season SPI values such that GWT regaining corresponds with rising SPI values and vice versa. However, 2000 onwards, GWT depth is continuously increasing even with positive SPI values. This is due to over-exploitation of groundwater and changes in cropping patterns. Agricultural practice in Barind area based on groundwater irrigation is vulnerable to drought. Hence, adaptation measures to minimize effects of drought on groundwater ought to be taken.