Hydrogeochemical processes and quality assessment of groundwater in Dumka and Jamtara districts, Jharkhand, India

The hydrogeochemical study of groundwater in Dumka and Jamtara districts has been carried out to assess the major ion chemistry, hydrogeochemical processes and groundwater quality for domestic and irrigation uses. Thirty groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness, anions (F^?, Cl^?, NO₃ ^?, HCO₃ ^?, SO₄ ^2?) and cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺). The analytical results show the faintly alkaline nature of water and dominance of Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ in cationic and HCO₃ ^? and Cl^? in anionic abundance. The concentrations of alkaline earth metals (Ca²⁺?+?Mg²⁺) exceed the alkali metals (Na⁺?+?K⁺) and HCO₃ ^? dominates over SO₄ ^2??+?Cl^? concentrations in the majority of the groundwater samples. Ca?CMg?CHCO₃ is the dominant hydrogeochemical facies in 60?% of the groundwater samples, while 33?% samples occur as a mixed chemical character of Ca?CMg?CCl hydrogeochemical facies. The water chemistry is largely controlled by rock weathering and ion exchange processes with secondary contribution from anthropogenic sources. The inter-elemental correlations and factor and cluster analysis of hydro-geochemical database suggest combined influence of carbonate and silicate weathering on solute acquisition processes. For quality assessment, analyzed parameter values were compared with Indian and WHO water quality standards. In majority of the samples, the analyzed parameters are well within the desirable limits and water is potable for drinking purposes. Total hardness and concentrations of TDS, Cl^?, NO₃ ^? _, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ exceed the desirable limits at a few sites, however, except NO₃ ^? all these values were below the highest permissible limits. The calculated parameters such as sodium adsorption ratio, percent sodium (%Na) and residual sodium carbonate revealed excellent to good quality of groundwater for agricultural purposes, except at few sites where salinity and magnesium hazard (MH) values exceeds the prescribed limits and demands special management.     

Sudden ionospheric disturbances and flare activity in the course of the solar cycle no 20

a¶rt;a ma nu an u u (SID) u nu n a (a n¶rt; au) mu 1965–1975 . u u SID na¶rt;am nau, mum u nm R.     

Shape analysis of Pacific seamounts

Shape statistics have been compiled from 85 profiles of well-surveyed Pacific seamounts in the height range 140–3800 m. A flat-topped cone was fit to each seamount's cross-sectional profile maintaining the slopes of the sides as closely as possible. On each profile a basal widthd_b, a summit widthd_t, and a maximum heighth, were measured. The height-to-basal-radius ratio isξ_h is estimated by the ratio2hd_b and flatnessf by the ratiod_td_b. Slope angleφ = arctan(ε) is estimated fromε =2h(d_b − d_t). Summit height and basal radius are found to be highly correlated (r = 0.93). The 85-point sample mean of the height-to-basal-radius ratio isξ_h = 0.21 ± 0.08 implying that a seamount's summit height is typically one fifth its basal radius. Despite the high correlation, individual points show some scatter, and there may be groupings into different morphological types. For example, all but one of the seamounts with summit heights above 1000 m have values ofξ_h that are larger than the sample mean. The 85-point sample mean of flatness isf = 0.31 ± 0.18. Data points show a large scatter with values off varying between 0 (a pointy cone) and 0.69 (a flat-topped cone). A histogram representation of flatness, however, indicates that certain values off may be more common than others: the histogram shows a bimodal distribution with maxima occurring at values off in the ranges 0.10–0.20 and 0.35–0.50. Moreover, there is some evidence that the mean flatness decreases with summit height so that the preferred shape of a large-sized seamount may be a pointy cone. Slope angle has an 85-point sample mean ofφ = 18 ± 6°; individual values ofφ vary between 5° and 36°. In addition to having a lower than average mean flatness seamounts with heights above 2600 m also have a lower than average mean slope angle (15°). To determine which variables account for most of the observed variation in the seamount shapes, a multivariate principal component analysis was performed on the data using five shape variables (summit height, basal radius, summit radius, flatness, and slope). The analysis indicates that most of the variation is described by two variables: flatness and summit height.     

Algal Dynamics in Relation to Physico-Chemical Factors in a High Altitude Pond of Shillong,India

A one year phycological study of a high altitude pond has been made with a view to studying the algal dynamics as affected by physico-chemical characteristics of the water. This has revealed the presence of 34 genera of algae belonging to Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, Cyanophyta, and Euglenophyta. Chlorophytes were the most dominant and diatoms the most frequent representatives of algae. The community diversity along with water chemistry are indicative of the oligotrophic nature of this pond.     

A study of the subarctic boundary region in the Western North Pacific

During autumn 1968 an oceanographic investigation was conducted in the region of the Subarctic boundary between 155°E and 180°. The geostrophic flow of the upper 500 m was remarkably similar in direction; hence the salinity-minimum, Intermediate water must have the same path of flow as water at the surface. A water mass analysis revealed a decrease in the percentage of Subarctic water to the south and east, plus an increase in the homogeneity of water to the east, which supports Reid's conclusions that the salinity minimum results mainly from lateral mixing in the pycnocline in this region. Salinity at the minimum increases toward the south and east, and the density at this level also increases slightly from the western to the central Pacific, perhaps as a result of unequal vertical mixing above and below the minimum.     

Radium and lead-210 in marine barite

Measurements of ²²⁶Ra and ²¹⁰Pb in barite samples separated from different depths of a piston core from the eastern equatorial Pacific are reported. ²²⁶Ra is enriched in the barite as would be expected from the chemistries of Ra and Ba; the ${}^{226}\text{Ra}\text{Ba}$ ratio centers around 1.5 · 10¹⁴ atoms/mole. The results suggest that barite is concentrating Ra at a rate comparable to its decay rate, viz. 5.78 · 10^?3 yr^?1. The gross ²¹⁰Pb depletion with respect to ²²⁶Ra is indicative of ²²²Rn loss due to the smallness of the barite crystals.     

Forecasting of cyclone Viyaru and Phailin by NWP-based cyclone prediction system (CPS) of IMD – an evaluation

An objective NWP-based cyclone prediction system (CPS) was implemented for the operational cyclone forecasting work over the Indian seas. The method comprises of five forecast components, namely (a) Cyclone Genesis Potential Parameter (GPP), (b) Multi-Model Ensemble (MME) technique for cyclone track prediction, (c) cyclone intensity prediction, (d) rapid intensification, and (e) predicting decaying intensity after the landfall. GPP is derived based on dynamical and thermodynamical parameters from the model output of IMD operational Global Forecast System. The MME technique for the cyclone track prediction is based on multiple linear regression technique. The predictor selected for the MME are forecast latitude and longitude positions of cyclone at 12-hr intervals up to 120 hours forecasts from five NWP models namely, IMD-GFS, IMD-WRF, NCEP-GFS, UKMO, and JMA. A statistical cyclone intensity prediction (SCIP) model for predicting 12 hourly cyclone intensity (up to 72 hours) is developed applying multiple linear regression technique. Various dynamical and thermodynamical parameters as predictors are derived from the model outputs of IMD operational Global Forecast System and these parameters are also used for the prediction of rapid intensification. For forecast of inland wind after the landfall of a cyclone, an empirical technique is developed. This paper briefly describes the forecast system CPS and evaluates the performance skill for two recent cyclones Viyaru (non-intensifying) and Phailin (rapid intensifying), converse in nature in terms of track and intensity formed over Bay of Bengal in 2013. The evaluation of performance shows that the GPP analysis at early stages of development of a low pressure system indicated the potential of the system for further intensification. The 12-hourly track forecast by MME, intensity forecast by SCIP model and rapid intensification forecasts are found to be consistent and very useful to the operational forecasters. The error statistics of the decay model shows that the model was able to predict the decaying intensity after landfall with reasonable accuracy. The performance statistics demonstrates the potential of the system for improving operational cyclone forecast service over the Indian seas.     

Sicilian serpentinite xenolihs conaining abioic organics wih nanodiamond clusers ans key model for prebioic processes

Rock fragments from the deepest parts of a buried hydrothermal system belonging to the Mesozoic Tethys Oceanentered as xenoliths in a Miocenic diatreme. hence b...     

Evaporites,brines and base metals: Low‐temperature ore emplacement controlled by evaporite diagenesis

Salt beds and salt allochthons are transient features in most sedimentary basins, which through their dissolution can carry, focus and fix base metals. The mineralisation can be subsalt, intrasalt or suprasalt, and the salt body or its breccia can be bedded or halokinetic. In all these evaporite‐associated low‐temperature diagenetic ore deposits there are four common factors that can be used to recognise suitably prepared ground for mineralisation: (i) a dissolving evaporite bed acts either as a supplier of chloride‐rich basinal brines capable of leaching metals, or as a supplier of sulfur and organics that can fix metals; (ii) where the dissolving bed is acting as a supplier of chloride‐rich brines, there is a suitable nearby source of metals that can be leached by these basinal brines (redbeds, thick shales, volcaniclastics, basalts); (iii) there is a stable redox interface where these metalliferous chloride‐rich waters mix with anoxic waters within a pore‐fluid environment that is rich in organics and sulfate/sulfide/H₂S; and (iv) there is a salt‐induced focusing mechanism that allows for a stable, long‐term maintenance of the redox front, e.g. the underbelly of the salt bed or allochthon (subsalt deposits), dissolution or halokinetically maintained fault activity in the overburden (suprasalt deposits), or a stratabound intrabed evaporite dissolution front (intrasalt deposits). The diagenetic evaporite ‐ base‐metal association includes world‐class Cu deposits, such as the Kupferschiefer‐style Lubin deposits of Poland and the large accumulations in the Dzhezkazgan region of Kazakhstan. The Lubin deposits are subsalt and occur where long‐term dissolution of salt, in conjunction with upwelling metalliferous basin brines, created a stable redox front, now indicated by the facies of the Rote Faule. The Dzhezkazgan deposits (as well as smaller scale Lisbon Valley style deposits) are suprasalt halokinetic features and formed where a dissolving halite‐dominated salt dome maintained a structural focus to a regional redox interface. Halokinesis and dissolution of the salt bed also drove the subsalt circulation system whereby metalliferous saline brines convectively leached underlying sediments. In both scenarios, the resulting redox‐precipitated sulfides are zoned and arranged in the order Cu, Pb, Zn as one moves away from the zone of salt‐solution supplied brines. This redox zonation can be used as a regional pointer to both mineralisation and, more academically, to the position of a former salt bed. In the fault‐fed suprasalt accumulations the feeder faults were typically created and maintained by the jiggling of brittle overburden blocks atop a moving and dissolving salt unit. A similar mechanism localises many of the caprock replacement haloes seen in the diapiric provinces of the Gulf of Mexico and Northern Africa. Evaporite‐associated Pb–Zn deposits, like Cu deposits, are focused by brine flows associated with both bedded and halokinetic salt units or their residues. Stratabound deposits, such as Gays River and Cadjebut, have formed immediately adjacent to or within the bedded salt body, with the bedded sulfate acting as a sulfur source. In allochthon/diapir deposits the Pb–Zn mineralisation can occur both within a caprock or adjacent to the salt structure as replacements of peridiapiric organic‐rich pyritic sediments. In the latter case the conditions of bottom anoxia that allowed the preservation of pyrite were created by the presence of brine springs and seeps fed from the dissolution of nearby salt sheets and diapirs. The deposits in the peridiapiric group tend to be widespread, but individual deposits tend to be relatively small and many are subeconomic. However, their occurrence indicates an active metal‐cycling mechanism in the basin. Given the right association of salt allochthon, tectonics, source substrate and brine ponding, the system can form much less common but world‐class deposits where base‐metal sulfides replaced pyritic laminites at burial depths ranging from centimetres to kilometres. This set of diagenetic brine‐focusing mechanisms are active today beneath the floor of the Atlantis II Deep and are thought to have their ancient counterparts in some Proterozoic sedex deposits. The position of the allochthon, its lateral continuity, and the type of sediment it overlies controls the size of the accumulation and whether it is Cu or Pb–Zn dominated.