Delineation of groundwater potential zones and electrical resistivity studies for groundwater exploration

The electrical resistivity method is widely used in groundwater exploration studies. The method is particularly well suited to carry out groundwater studies in hard-rock terrains. The popular Schlumberger method of electrode configuration was applied in the study area. In all, 112 vertical electrical soundings (VESs) were carried out at different locations in the study area. VES interpretations were used to generate a top-layer contour map and a depth-to-basement map. Finally, a groundwater quality/potential map for the study area was generated using the depth-to-bedrock map, a water-level fluctuation map, and the second-layer thickness. Furthermore, this groundwater potential map was classified into three sectors, i.e. poor, moderate and good zones with respect to the prospects of finding groundwater in the study area. This map has a practical value, as it provides guidance to farmers in selecting favourable well sites, thereby avoiding unnecessary financial losses.     

Wealth and poverty in rural India

The main objectives of this paper are to identify and account for the regional variations in the rural household incomes and inequalities in income distribution between and within regions in India. Clearly, higher average incomes are concentrated in the W and NW regions, and very low incomes in the densely populated E and S. These differences have been analysed through the use of correlation and regression model, based on 15 variables. The results indicate that agricultural development (reflected in mechanization and irrigation), size of holdings, and family size have a positive influence on incomes, and landlessness negative. Further, a significant negative correlation between low caste population density and household incomes suggests that, at least, some of the impoverishment in the villages may be attributed to an unfair social structure that has developed and has been maintained over a long time in India. This conclusion is further reinforced by comparing income data from regions dominated by tribal social system and community ownership of land with those where Hindu caste system and private ownership of land are dominant.     

Neotectonic Landform Development and Associated Mass Movements along Eastern Ramganga Valley in the Kumaun Himalaya,India

Geotectonics - The present study focuses on the neotectonics activity and related mass movement along the Eastern Ramganga River Basin (ERRB), Kumaun Himalaya, India. To understand the...     

Modelling of 2016 Kumamoto earthquake by integrating site effect in semi-empirical technique

Natural Hazards - The 2016 Kumamoto earthquake (MJMA7.3) struck central area of Kyushu Island, Japan. The presence of near surface low velocity layer greatly amplified the ground motions and caused...     

Geospatial modelling for identification of potential ecological corridors in Orissa

Development of forest connectivity and corridors are critical for biodiversity conservation and also ensures energy and genetic exchange across greater spatial extent. A model has been developed to geospatially identify the potential ecological corridors based on the vegetation type and land cover data in association with spatial disturbance profile. The model formulates the route of least impedance due to (1) disturbance (a function of fragmentation, juxtaposition, Interspersion & proximity to roads/settlements) and (2) vegetation type and land cover. This is because the movement of genetic information and materials follow the path of least resistance across a landscape. The paper explores the utility of the approach to spatially generate ecological corridors connecting 14 protected areas of Orissa. The model has been able to identify the potential route connecting the different protected regions with 85–87% of the corridor in the natural areas. Of the 14 protected areas, only 12 could be connected by the model as they confirm to the criteria for the corridor establishment.     

Fabrication of Nanoparticle-Doped Polyvinyl Alcohol-Cellulose Acetate Membrane and Characterization of the Surface Enhancement

In the present study, nanocomposite polymeric membranes are fabricated using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cellulose acetate (CA) as polymers, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the solvent. To enhance the performance of the membrane, nanoparticles like TiO₂, CaO, CdO, and ZrO are added to the polymeric solution and the doped polymeric solution is cast on a glass plate. Nine combinations of membranes are fabricated with two different concentrations (0.1% and 0.2%) of nanoparticles. The basic properties of the membranes such as density, porosity, viscosity, permeability, pure water flux, and water content are studied for the samples. Membrane pore structure and surface properties are identified and it is found that doping nanoparticles on the surface of membranes improve mechanical strength, stability, pore size, etc., allowing the membranes to perform better in extreme industrial-level effluent treatment applications. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows the homogeneous dispersion of ZrO, TiO₂, CaO, and CdO nanoparticles on the surface of the PVA-CA membrane. The doping of nanoparticles on the PVA-CA membrane results in improved mechanical strength and good chemical oxidation stability. In comparison, the PCD-TiO₂ sample shows high thermal stability and oxidation stability at high temperatures until 200°C, which has a high potential for treating industrial effluents.     

Storm Time Ionospheric-Tropospheric Dynamics: a Study Through Ionospheric and Lower Atmospheric Variability Features of High/Mid and Low Latitudes

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - Geomagnetic storm is one of the major disturbances in Earth’s magnetosphere and its effect on ionosphere is a well studied area, yet there are a few aspects still...     

A study on zinc speciation of Tungabhadra River sediments,Kurnool, south India: A tool in metal pollution monitoring

The Tungabhadra River is one of the sacred rivers in south India. Industrial and mining operations on its banks generate enormous amounts of effluent that have led to substantial metal and nutrient contamination of the aquatic system. In the present investigation an attempt has been made to assess variation in the physico-chemical characteristics and speciation of zinc in the water and sediment of the Tungabhadra River. Most of the metal ions in the collected samples were in high concentrations compared to the applicable standards. The Individual Contamination Factor (ICF) of Zn was found to be more at Site-B compared to sites A and C. Zinc-bearing particles were characterized by the different morphologies measuring from large colloidal to small particles which were associated with biological structures or may be present in amorphous nature which were observed by Transition electron microscopy (TEM) with X-EDS (Energy dispersive spectrometry). In conclusion, the level of Zn contamination in the Tungabhadra River is increasing at an alarming rate due to industrial activities.     

Causal viscous universe coupled with zero-mass scalar field in higher derivative theory

Cosmological solutions in the presence of an imperfect fluid and zero-mass scalar field are obtained in higher derivative theory. We investigate both power law and exponential expansion of the universe described by full causal theories proposed by Israel and Stewart. It is observed that energy density, co-efficient of bulk viscosity decrease with time in the presence of massless scalar field and temperature increase with expansion of universe.     

Geo-microbial prospecting studies of surface sediments from petroliferous region of the Mehsana Block,North Cambay Basin

Surface adsorbed gas surveys and geo-microbiological surveys are well known techniques of petroleum exploration and aim towards risk reduction in exploration by way of identifying the areas warm with hydrocarbons and to establish inter-se exploration priorities amongst the identified warm areas. The thermogenic surface adsorbed gaseous hydrocarbons distribution patterns in petroliferous areas are considered to be a credible evidence for the upward migration of hydrocarbons. The present investigation aims to explore correlation between the adsorbed gas distribution pattern and microbial oxidizers in identifying the upward migration of hydrocarbons especially in the tropical black soil terrain of known petroliferous Mehsana Block of North Cambay Basin, India. A set of 135 sub-soil samples collected, were analyzed for indicator hydrocarbon oxidizing bacteria, adsorbed light gaseous hydrocarbons and carbon isotope ratios (¹³C_methane and δ¹³C_ethane). The microbial prospecting studies showed the presence of high bacterial population for methane (5.4 × 10⁶ cfu/gm), ethane (5.5 × 10⁶ cfu/gm), propane (4.6 × 10⁶ cfu/gm) and butane oxidizing bacteria (4.6 × 10⁶ cfu/gm) in soil samples. The light gaseous hydrocarbon analysis showed that the concentration ranges of C₁, C₂, C₃, iC₄ and nC₄ are 402 ppb, 135 ppb, 70 ppb, 9 ppb and 18 ppb, respectively, and the value of carbon isotope ranges of methane ?29.5 to ?43.0‰ (V-PDB) and ethane ?19.1 to ?20.9‰ (V-PDB). The existence of un-altered petroliferous microseep (δ¹³C, ?43‰) of catagenetic origin is observed in the study area. Geo-microbial prospecting method and adsorbed soil gas and carbon isotope studies have shown good correlation with existing oil/gas fields of Mehsana. Microbial surveys can independently precede other geochemical and geophysical surveys to delineate area warm with hydrocarbons, and mapped microbiological anomalies may provide focus for locales of hydrocarbon accumulation in the Mehsana Block of Cambay Basin.