Resource constraint mapping and management in arid tract of Punjab

The arid tract of Punjab experiences various problems like thick sand cover (sand dunes) in large area, poor retention of water and nutrients in coarse textured soils, soil salinity and/or alkalinity, water logging and poor ground water quality. In the present study multidate remotely sensed data both in the form of aerial photographs and satellite imagery on 1:50,000 scale were interpreted visually to map physiography and soils. The ground water samples from tubewells distributed all over the area were collected and analysed to prepare ground water quality map. The soil and ground water quality maps were integrated to produce a resource constraint map of the area showing physical, chemical and hydrological constraints. The study revealed that alluvial plain suffers from hydrological constraints due to marginal to.poor ground water in 86% of the total area. The sand dunes show both physical and hydrological constraints due to coarse textured (sandy) soils and brackish ground water. The basins having soil salinity and brackish ground water cover 0.10% of the area. Keeping in view the type of constraint, locale specific measures like levelling and stabilisation of sand dunes, reclamation of salt affected and water logged areas followed by plantation of tree species which act as biopumps are suggested. The conjuctive use of surface (canal) and ground water is essential to prevent secondary salinization and sodification. The study demonstrates the potential usefulness of remote sensing technology in mapping natural resources and assess the nature, magnitude and spatial distribution of resource constraints.     

Rapid visual screening of different housing typologies in Himachal Pradesh,India

Natural Hazards - Methods capable of assessing the vulnerability of houses for future earthquakes are of fundamental importance for the safety and development of an area. As the detailed assessment...     

Magneto-radiative supersonic flow with variable specific heat

Summary Formulae for stagnation conditions and for the one dimensional flow through shock waves considering variable specific heat have been derived in the presence of magnetic field and radiation effects. These formulae have been compared with those for constant specific heat to obtain correction factors in order to make them valid for reasonably high Mach numbers.     

Dynamic soil properties and seismic ground response analysis for North Indian seismic belt subjected to the great Himalayan earthquakes

The paper highlights the importance of using site-specific shear modulus reduction (G/G_max versus shear strain, γ) curves and damping ratio (D versus shear strain, γ) curves for ground response analysis. In order to develop comprehensive G/G_max–γ and D–γ curves (i.e. over a wide range of strain level), two types of apparatus, viz. resonant column and cyclic simple shear, have been used. The case study considered the geological deposits from the river beds of Yamuna River originating from the Himalayan seismic zone of North India. The tests results have been analysed to develop G/G_max–γ and D–γ curves and compared with standard curves. It has been observed that upper and lower boundaries for the standard curves are remarkably different for the geological deposit under consideration. In order to assess the impact of using standard curves rather than site-specific curves, ground response analysis has been carried out at five sites along the Yamuna River using two types of curves (standard and site-specific developed in this study). The study showed that the amplification of shear waves at these sites based on the experimentally derived curves is much higher as compared to the standard curves. The proposed curves better represent dynamic behaviour of the soil deposits of the region and will provide a realistic response as far as practically possible, for the structures constructed in the states of Haryana and Delhi and nearby areas. It is anticipated that the data presented in this paper will have wide application and usage.

     

Soft computing and GIS for landslide susceptibility assessment in Tawaghat area, Kumaon Himalaya, India

This paper mainly presents a case study of landslide vulnerability zonation along Tawaghat-Mangti route corridor in Kumaon Himalaya, India. An attempt is made to predict landslide susceptibility using back-propagation neural network (BPNN) and propose a suitable model for that zone, which can be successfully implemented for the prevention of slides. Various landslide affecting parameters such as lithology, slope, aspect, structure, geotechnical properties, land use, landslide inventory, and distance from recorded epicenter are used to model the landslide susceptibility. The database on the above parameters derived from satellite imageries, topographic maps, and field work are integrated in the GIS to generate an information layer. Database of this information layer is used to train, test, and validate the BPNN model. A three-layered BPNN with an input layer, two hidden layers, and one output layer is found to be optimal. The developed model demonstrates a promising result, and the prediction accuracy has been found to be 80?% in the field.     

Environmental aerosols and their effect on the Earth’s local fair-weather electric field

Summary The Earths local fair-weather electric field is significantly affected by small ions present in the atmosphere. These ions are typically smaller than 0.001µm and occur in concentrations from 500 to 600cm^–3 in air. Attachment to larger aerosol particles may severely decrease the mobility of these atmospheric ions resulting in an increased local electric field. The number concentration of environmental aerosol particles in the size range 0.1 to 5.0µm was measured with two automatic laser scattering particle counters. The Earths electric field was monitored with an electric fieldmeter. Measurements were made in clean air and in an environment highly polluted by wood smoke. The electric field was found to be positively correlated to the aerosol number concentration. During one 24-hour period of measurement, the electric field increased from 180 to about 280Vm^–1 as the number concentration of aerosols larger than 0.1µm increased from about 2000 to 9000cm^–3. The number concentrations of aerosols larger than 0.1 and 0.3µm were both found to be positively correlated with the Earths electric field with correlation coefficients of 70% and 61%, respectively.Present address: School of Physical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4001, Australia.     

Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for Kakrapar atomic power station, Gujarat, India

Seismic ground motion caused by earthquakes mainly affects the constructions and structures around its area of influence. In this context, the probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) is a scientific step towards the safety analysis of any major construction such as nuclear power plant. Thus, the present study focused to estimate seismic hazard level at different probabilities for Kakrapar nuclear power plant located in the Western India. The hazard curves for the study area are developed following the procedure of PSHA suggested by Cornell–McGuire. Three source zones, Narmada-Tapti zone (NTZ), Rann of Kuchchh (ROK), and west passive margin (WPM), are classified on the basis of seismicity and tectonic setting of the study area. The estimated maximum magnitude (m _max) for NTZ, ROK, and WPM are 6.9 ± 0.57, 6.5 ± 0.64, and 6.1 ± 0.64, respectively. Logic tree approach has been used for the development of hazard curves to account the epistemic uncertainties associated with the analysis. For maximum credible earthquake [MCE, i.e., the probability of exceedance of 2 % in 50 years (return period of ~2,500 years)], the peak spectral acceleration (i.e., PSA at 0.2 s) expected around 5 km of the Kakrapar nuclear power plant (site) is 0.23 g from all source zones; however, at exact site location, it is 0.18 g. The PSA values due to NTZ, ROK, and WPM based on MCE are 0.22, 0.065, and 0.052 g, respectively. In case of design-based earthquake (DBE, i.e., 50 % probability in 50 years (return period of ~110 years)), the calculated maximum spectral acceleration (SA) from all source zones is about 0.045 g. The PSA distribution for the DBE from the NTZ has reached a maximum value of 0.042 g; however, PSA for ROK and WPM is considerably low with a maximum value of 0.022 and 0.021 g, respectively. Considering the MCE and DBE, the estimated PSA at 0.2 s has a highest value of ~0.23 g from all source zones. Spectral accelerations (SAs) correspond to different periods are presented, and SA plots for NTZ zone can be considered as response spectra for the KAPS site. Deaggregation of PSHA in the present study is also discussed. PGA values reported in seismic zonation map and global seismic hazard analysis program around the present study area range from 0.05 to 0.2 g which is slightly lower than the peak acceleration obtained in this study. The results of this study would facilitate in the performance of the site-specific seismic probabilistic safety analysis.     

Sr and Nd isotopic evidence for petrogenesis of mid-tertiary felsic volcanism in the mineral district of Zacatecas,Zac. (Sierra Madre Occidental), Mexico

Twelve samples of mid-Tertiary felsic volcanic rocks from Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí (both belonging to the Sierra Madre Occidental) and one sample of Lower Tertiary porphyritic andesite from Zacatecas are analyzed for ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$, K, Rb, and Sr. Eight selected samples are also analyzed for ${}^{143}\text{Nd}{}^{144}\text{Nd}$. A linear regression of the present-day ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}\text{and}{}^{87}\text{Rb}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ of the felsic volcanic rocks in Zacatecas gives an approximate date of 30 ± 8 Ma. The initial ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ ratios are high and widely distributed (from 0.705 to 0.712 or higher) whereas the initial ${}^{143}\text{Nd}{}^{144}\text{Nd}$ ratios are somewhat low and show a narrow range (0.5125–0.5127). The available isotopic and trace-element data are best explained in terms of a binary mixing model in which the magmas derived from a slightly depleted-mantle fractionate and mix with varying proportions of the overlying middle/upper continental crust and undergo further shallow-level fractional crystallization before eruption. This model is also compatible with the trace-element and Sr isotopic data published from other areas of the Sierra Madre Occidental for which a purely mantle origin has been proposed.     

Terrestrial heat flow in various parts of India

Results of heat flow studies made in different parts of India including Kolar Gold Field, Cuddapah basin, Singhbhum thrust zone, Aravalli mountain system of Precambrian age, Godavary valley of Mesozoic age and Cambay basin of Cenozoic age are discussed. Heat flow has been found to be low in the southern part of the Preambrian shield. Relatively higher values have been obtained along the northeastern (Singhbhum) and the northwestern parts of the shield (Aravallies). High heat flow has been found along the southeastern part of the Godavary valley and the Cambay basin. The correlation of heat flow with geology and tectonic history in the respective areas is discussed.