Seasonal variation in the deformation rate in NW Himalayan region

We report GPS measurements of continuous observations from the multi-parametric geophysical observatory (MPGO) at Ghuttu, Garhwal Lesser Himalaya. Other than the evidence of secular motion depicting strain accumulation due to locking of the underneath seismically active detachment, measurements at Ghuttu show annual variation of ±4 mm on horizontal component. Such variations are more prominent in the north coordinate and do not directly correlate with the meteorological parameters such as variations in rainfall, water table, and atmospheric pressure measured at the MPGO observatory. These variations are also not the artefact of data processing and network. They correlate with the water load storage in the Ganga plains, with minimum in displacement coinciding with the maximum storage of water in Ganga plains immediately after the monsoon and vice versa. Such variations also appear to cause annual variation in the low-magnitude earthquake frequency in the Himalayan region, being relatively more in the winter period.     

Integrating intensity–duration-based rainfall threshold and antecedent rainfall-based probability estimate towards generating early warning for rainfall-induced landslides in parts of the Garhwal Himalaya,India

In order to generate early warning for landslides, it is necessary to address the spatial and temporal aspects of slope failure. The present study deals with the temporal dimension of slope failures taking into account the most widespread and frequent triggering factor, i.e. rainfall, along the National Highway-58 from Rishikesh to Mana in the Garhwal Himalaya, India. Using the post-processed three-hourly rainfall intensity and duration values from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission-based Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis and the time-tagged landslide records along this route, an intensity–duration (I–D)-based threshold has been derived as I?=?58.7D ^?1.12 for the rainfall-triggered landslides. The validation of the I–D threshold has shown 81.6 % accuracy for landslides which occurred in 2005 and 2006. From this result, it can be inferred that landslides in the study area can be initiated by continuous rainfall of over 12 h with about 4-mm/h intensity. Using the mean annual precipitation, a normalized intensity–duration relation of NI?=?0.0612D ^?1.17 has also been derived. In order to account for the influence of the antecedent rainfall in slope failure initiation, the daily, 3-day cumulative, and 15- and 30-day antecedent rainfall values associated with landslides had been subjected to binary logistic regression using landslide as the dichotomous dependent variable. The logistic regression retained the daily, 3-day cumulative and 30-day antecedent rainfall values as significant predictors influencing slope failure. This model has been validated through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis using a set of samples which had not been used in the model building; an accuracy of 95.1 % has been obtained. Cross-validation of I–D-based thresholding and antecedent rainfall-based probability estimation with slope failure initiation shows 81.9 % conformity between the two in correctly predicting slope stability. Using the I–D-based threshold and the antecedent rainfall-based regression model, early warning can be generated for moderate to high landslide-susceptible areas (which can be delineated using spatial integration of preconditioning factors). Temporal predictions where both the methods converge indicate higher chances of slope failures for areas predisposed to instability due to unfavourable geo-environmental and topographic parameters and qualify for enhanced slope failure warning. This method can be verified for further rainfall seasons and can also be refined progressively with finer resolutions (spatial and temporal) of rainfall intensity and multiple rain gauge stations covering a larger spatial extent.     

Heavy metals concentration in soils under rainfed agro-ecosystems and their relationship with soil properties and management practices

Heavy metals are governed by parent material of soils and influenced by the soil physicochemical properties and soil and crop management practices. This paper evaluates total heavy metal concentrations in rainfed soils under diverse management practices of tropical India. Vertisols (clayey soils with high shrink/swell capacity) had the highest concentrations of heavy metals. However, chromium (Cr) content was above the threshold value in Aridisol [calcium carbonate (CaCO₃)]-containing soils of the arid environments with subsurface horizon development. Concentration increased at lower depths (>30 cm). Basaltic soils showed higher concentrations of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn). Cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), Cu and Mn concentrations were higher in soils cultivated to cotton, whereas Cr concentration was above the threshold level of 110 mg kg^?1 in food crop cultivated soils. As the specific soil surface is closely related to clay content and clay type, soil’s ability to retain heavy metals is more closely tied to the specific surface than to the soil cation exchange capacity. Higher positive correlations were found between heavy metal concentrations and clay content [Cd(r = 0.85; p ≤ 0.01); Co (r = 0.88; p ≤ 0.05); Ni (r = 0.87; p ≤ 0.01); Co (r = 0.81; p ≤ 0.05); Zn (r = 0.49; p ≤ 0.01); Cr (r = 0.80; p ≤ 0.05); Mn (r = 0.79; p ≤ 0.01)]. The amounts of nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium applied showed a positive correlation with Co and Ni (r = 0.62; p ≤ 0.05). As several soils used for growing food crops are high in Ni, Cr and Mn, the flow of these metals in soil–plant–livestock/human chain needs further attention.     

Tsumoite (BiTe) and associated Ni-PGE mineralization from Gondpipri mafic-ultramafic complex,Bastar Craton,Central India: mineralogy and genetic significance

This paper reports the occurrence of Tsumoite (a bismuth telluride) in the Heti Cu-Ni-PGM prospect, Gondpipri mafic-ultramafic complex, Central India. The Gondpipri complex consists of several tectonically dismembered gabbronorite-gabbro-anorthositic gabbro — olivine gabbro -websterite disposed in ～10 km long tonalite-trondhjemitegranodiorite (TTG) and charnockite-enderbite suite of rocks. The mineralization occurs in the sulphide zone hosted by gabbro variants. The host rocks have been deformed and metamorphosed to granulite grade and subjected to various degrees of hydrothermal alteration. The mineralization comprises chalcopyrite, pentlandite, pyrrhotite, cubanite, millerite, and pyrite. In addition to these, occur (1) tsumoite (2) PGM in the form of moncheite, merenskyite, Pd-mellonite, and Pt-Pd-Te-Bi-Fe-S alloy. The present study indicates that the mineralization occurs in two stages related to: (i) magmatic and (ii) hydrothermal remobilization and transport of Cu-rich sulphides, tsumoite and PGM, and their re-deposition in hydrosilicate alteration zones. It is possible that the mineralization at Heti formed at different stages of bismuth activity under variable fS₂, T, and fTe₂ conditions due to change in total concentration of Te and S and /or cooling. Since the role of S is limited, Te and cooling are important factor influencing mineralogy and composition of tsumoite and associated mineralization. Mineralization occurs in two different modes of occurrences. The early mineralisation occur as blebs, specks and dissemination of sulphides, viz. pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite and minor pyrite ± PGM, whereas later mineralisation occur as stringers, minor veins of sulphides viz. pyrite, millerite, cubanite, sijenite, tsumoite and ± PGM. Mineral assemblages and textural relationships at Heti has indicated precipitation of tsumoite and associated PGM along fractures and secondary silicates, which confirms their hydrothermal origin.     

Multiple-loop structure of a solar flare from Microwave,EUV and X-ray Imaging Data

We present the results of an analysis of a flare event of importance M2.8 that occurred at 00:56 UT 28 August 1999. The analysis is based upon observations made with the Nobeyama radioheliograph (NoRH) and polarimeters (NoRP), TRACE, SOHO/MDI, EIT, and Yohkoh/SXT. The images show a very complex flaring region. Pre-flare TRACE and EIT images at 00:24 UT show a small brightening in the region before the flare occurred. The active region in which the flare occurred had evolving magnetic fields, and new magnetic flux seems to have emerged. The X-ray and radio time profiles for this event show a double-peaked structure. The polarimeter data showed that the maximum radio emission (1200 s.f.u.) occurred at 9.4 GHz. At 17 GHz the NoRH images appear to show four different radio sources including the main spot and the main flare loop. Most of the microwave emission seems to originate from the main flare loop. Comparison of BATSE and microwave time profiles at 17 and 34 GHz from the main sunspot source shows that these profiles have similar structures and they coincide with the hard X-ray peaks. The maximum of the flare loop emission was delayed by 10 s relative to the second maximum of the sunspot associated flare emission. Analysis of SXT images during the post-flare phase shows a complex morphology – several intersecting loops and changes in the shape of the main flare loop.     

Radio Observations of Gyroresonance Emission from Coronal Magnetic Fields

We review the basic characteristics of thermal gyroresonance (also known as cyclotron) emission from solar active regions, and show how radio observations combined with our understanding of the basic mechanism can reveal much of the magnetic and thermal structure of the corona over active regions.     

Fine structure of a solar flare region at 3.7 and 11.1 cm wavelengths

On June 9, 1973, a flare associated burst was observed with the NRAO 3-element interferometer at 3.7 and 11.1 cm wavelength. The burst was of gradual rise and fall type. Comparing the fringe amplitudes at 3.7 cm to the visibility computed for model flare regions we found that the precursor data are best fitted by a region of 3 in size while at the time of the peak, the flare appears to have a size of 2. During the post-maximum phase a size of 5 is the best estimate. Similar computations have been done for 11.1 cm data. The peak brightness temperatures are 1.2 × 10⁹ K and 1.65 × 10⁸ K at 3.7 and 11.1 cm respectively. Such high temperatures would imply that a significant fraction of the burst radiation has a non-thermal origin.     

Solar active regions at millimeter wavelengths

Some properties of solar active regions at 9, 3.5 and 1.2 mm wavelengths are discussed. The regions have excess brightness temperatures of up to 1000, 700 and 150 K at 9, 3.5 and 1.2 mm wavelengths. The background radiation at 3.5 mm is often seen to be absorbed in regions closely coincident with H dark filaments on the disk. Interpretation of this absorption as due to the large optical thickness of the overlying filamentary material leads to an estimate of electron density in the filaments. The 9 and 3.5 mm- regions show almost one-to-one correspondence with the Ca-plage regions as well as with the regions on magnetograms. The latter relationship suggests the possibility of measuring chromospheric magnetic fields from the measurement of polarization at millimeter wavelengths.     

Polarization of solar active regions at 9.5 mm wavelength

A study of the circular polarization structure of solar active regions has been made from data obtained at 9.5 mm wavelength, using the 85 ft reflector and polarimeter at the Naval Research Laboratory Maryland Point Observatory. The angular resolution of the telescope at this wavelength is 1.6. All important active regions observed at 9.5 mm are bipolar in nature, the degree of polarization is about the same for both right and left circular components and it ranges up to about 4%. These oppositely polarized components correspond with the Mt. Wilson magnetic regions of opposite polarity; the line of zero polarization delineates clearly the neutral line between the regions of opposite polarity on magnetograms. Unipolar regions in magnetograms also show up as unipolar regions at 9.5 mm. Magnetic fields as low as 5–10 G on magnetograms manifest as distinctly polarized regions on 9.5 mm maps. A line of zero polarization seems to delineate the extent of absorption features observed at 9.5 mm in coincidence with H dark filaments.     

Transient sonar signal classification using hidden Markov modelsand neural nets

In ocean surveillance, a number of different types of transient signals are observed. These sonar signals are waveforms in one dimension (1-D). The hidden Markov model (HMM) is well suited to classification of 1-D signals such as speech. In HMM methodology, the signal is divided into a sequence of frames, and each frame is represented by a feature vector. This sequence of feature vectors is then modeled by one HMM. Thus, the HMM methodology is highly suitable for classifying the patterns that are made of concatenated sequences of micro patterns. The sonar transient signals often display an evolutionary pattern over the time scale. Following this intuition, the application of HMM's to sonar transient classification is proposed and discussed in this paper. Toward this goal, three different feature vectors based on an autoregressive (AR) model, Fourier power spectra, and wavelet transforms are considered in our work. In our implementation, one HMM is developed for each class of signals. During testing, the signal to be recognized is matched against all models. The best matched model identifies the signal class. The neural net (NN) classifier has been successfully used previously for sonar transient classification. The same set of features as mentioned above is then used with a multilayer perceptron NN classifier. Some experimental results using “DARPA standard data set I” with HMM and MLP-NN classification schemes are presented. A combined NN/HMM classifier is proposed, and its performance is evaluated with respect to individual classifiers