α2 CVn: A comparison between spot and oblate spheroid models

A comparison is made between a hot-spot model and a recently proposed oblate spheroid model (Böhm-Vitense & Van Dyk 1987) to explain the spectroscopic and photometric variations of α² CVn. It is found that the spot model gives a better fit to the spectroscopic and photometric variations. The spot model requires five high temperature circular patches over the surface of the star. The positions of these patches agree well with those derived spectroscopically by Pyper (1969).     

尼泊尔Andhi Khola河研究参照点的识别及确认（英文）

参照条件是开展河流生态学研究的基础,这些条件不受或很少受到人为干扰。为研究尼泊尔Andhi Khola河上一处河坝的生态影响,采用野外快速生物筛分(RFB)法预先划分出2个研究参照点或最少干扰参照点,于2013年1月和2月采集了生物学样品(大型脊椎动物)和物理-化学样品。对大型无脊椎动物区系使用多栖息地采样(MHS)法。通过一些指标对预选的研究点进行了确认,这些指标是:尼泊尔生物评价法(NEPBIOS)、生物监测评价法(BMWP)、兴都库什喜马拉雅生物评价法(HKHBIOS)、Hilsenhoff法(HILSENHOFF),以及国家卫生基金会水质指标法(NSFWQI)。NEPBIOS、HKHBIOS、HILSENHOFF、RFB以及NSFWQI指标预测2个参照点的河水水质都比较好,达到II级水准。只有BMWP/ASPT水质指标预测2个参照点的河水水质都很好,达到I级水准。如此,预选的这2个水质较好的点(II级)被确认为研究参照点。本研究表明,多度量法适用于即将修建水利工程的河流的监测与评价。     

Impact of Climate Change on Runoff of the Major River Basins of India Using Global Circulation Model (HadCM3) Projected Data

The effects of climate change on hydrological regimes have become a priority area for water and catchment management strategies. The terrestrial hydrology driven by monsoon rainfall plays a crucial role in shaping the agriculture, surface and ground water scenario in India. Thus, it is imperative to assess the impact of the changing climatic scenario projected under various climate change scenario towards the hydrological aspects for India. Runoff is one of the key parameters used as an indicator of hydrological process. A study was taken up to analyse the climate change impact on the runoff of river basins of India. The global circulation model output of Hadley centre (HADCM3) projected climate change data was used. Scenario for 2080 (A2 scenario indicating more industrial growth) was selected. The runoff was modeled using the curve number method in spatial domain using satellite derived current landuse/cover map. The derived runoff was compared with the runoff using normal climatic data (1951–1980). The results showed that there is a decline in the future climatic runoff in most of the river basins of India compared to normal climatic runoff. However, significant reduction was observed for the river basins in the eastern region viz: lower part of Ganga, Bahamani-Baitrani, Subarnrekha and upper parts of the Mahanadi. The mean projected runoff reduction during monsoon season (June–September) were 18 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM), 3.2 BCM, 3.5 BCM and 5.9 BCM for Brahmaputra-Barak Subarnrekha, Subarnarekha and Brahmini-Baitrani basin, respectively in comparison to normal climatic runoff. Overall reduction in seasonal runoff was high for Subarnrekha basin (54.1%). Rainfall to runoff conversion was high for Brahmaputra-Barak basin (72%), whereas coefficient of variation for runoff was more for Mahanadi basin (1.88) considering the monsoon season. Study indicates that eastern India agriculture may be affected due to shortage of surface water availability.     

Long-term ultraviolet variability of Seyfert galaxies

Flux variability is one of the defining characteristics of Seyfert galaxies, a class of active galactic nuclei (AGN). Although these variations are observed over a wide range of wavelengths, results on their flux variability characteristics in the ultraviolet (UV) band are very limited. We present here the long-term UV flux variability characteristics of a sample of fourteen Seyfert galaxies using data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer acquired between 1978 and 1995. We found that all the sources showed flux variations with no statistically significant differences in the amplitude of UV flux variation between shorter and longer wavelengths. Also, the flux variations between different near-UV (NUV, \(1850{-}3300\) Å) and far-UV (FUV, \(1150{-}2000\) Å) passbands in the rest frames of the objects are correlated with no time lag. The data show indications of (i) a mild negative correlation of UV variability with bolometric luminosity and (ii) weak positive correlation between UV variability and black hole mass. At FUV, about 50% of the sources show a strong correlation between spectral indices and flux variations with a hardening when brightening behaviour, while for the remaining sources the correlation is moderate. In NUV, the sources do show a harder spectrum when brighter, but the correlation is either weak or moderate.     

Hydrogeomorphological differentiation between floodplains and terraces

Floodplains and terraces in river valleys play important roles in the transport dynamics of water and sediment. While flat areas in river valleys can be identified from LiDAR data, directly characterizing them as either floodplain or terraces is not yet possible. To address this challenge, we hypothesize that, since geomorphic features are strongly coupled to hydrological and hydraulic dynamics and their associated variability, there exists a return frequency, or possibly a narrow band of return frequencies, of flow that is associated with floodplain formation; and this association can provide a distinctive signature for distinguishing them from terraces. Based on this hypothesis we develop a novel approach for distinguishing between floodplains and terraces that involves transforming the transverse cross‐sectional geometry of a river valley into a curve, named a river valley hypsometric (RVH) curve, and linking hydraulic inundation frequency with the features of this curve. Our approach establishes that the demarcation between floodplains and terraces can be established from the structure of steps and risers in the RVH curves which can be obtained from the DEM data. Further, it shows that these transitions may themselves be shaped by floods with 10‐ to 100‐year recurrence. We additionally show that, when floodplain width and height (above channel bottom) are normalized by bankfull width and depth, the ratio lies in a narrow range independent of the scale of the river valley. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrodynamic modelling and vulnerability analysis to assess flood risk in a dense Indian city using geospatial techniques

Natural Hazards - Urban flooding and waterlogging are causing menace in many cities around the world from the perspective of day-to-day functioning, health and hygiene, communication, and the...     

Geochemistry of the late phanerozoic mafic dykes from the Moyar shear zone, South India, and its implications on the spatial extent of Deccan Large Igneous Province

The late Phanerozoic dykes of the Moyar shear zone mark a prominent intrusive structure in the Precambrian crystalline rocks of northern Kerala. The dykes, having variable strike length and width, show a predominant NW-SE trend and basaltic composition with SiO₂ ranging from 48.59 % to 49.53 % and normative quartz/olivine. The chondrite normalized REE patterns are fractionated, parallel to sub-parallel, and are generally uniform but with negative Eu-anomalies. Chemical characteristics are typical of MORB or within-plate basalts and suggest derivation of melt from a fertile or plume-related mantle source with a considerable correlation to Deccan basalts. This is consistent with the regional geological setting including the volcanism, associated with a Proterozoic crustal scale shear zone, occurring long before the onset of seafloor spreading in the Indian Ocean. The possibility of redefining the southern limit of the Deccan Large Igneous Province is examined using the characteristic features of the dykes.     

GIS based spatial distribution mapping and suitability evaluation of groundwater quality for domestic and agricultural purpose in Kaithal district, Haryana state, India

Groundwater is a major resource for meeting huge domestic and agricultural requirements of Kaithal district in Haryana. Therefore, evaluation of its quality in terms of suitability for domestic and agricultural sectors is necessary for sustainable management of the resource. The present study has analyzed pre- and post-monsoon physico-chemical data of groundwater samples from bore wells spread over the entire district. Spatial distribution maps were generated for hydrogen ion concentration, total dissolved solids, total hardness, electrical conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate and percent sodium using the geographic information system. Furthermore, the study area was demarcated into different groundwater quality zones for domestic and agricultural use by applying various national and international standards. It was observed from the study that the groundwater was predominantly hard, alkaline and saline in nature. However, it was within safe limits for domestic use. Further, it was also experienced from the analysis that in about two-third parts of the district, groundwater was in desirable-to-permissible quality class for agricultural use but hazardous for soil as well as for crops in the remaining part. Also, a moderation in water quality was observed after the monsoon season, which can be attributed to a possible dilution due to groundwater recharge.     

Indicator minerals as guides to base metal sulphide mineralisation in Betul Belt, central India

Zn-bearing minerals that act as indicator minerals for base metal sulphide mineralization from the Proterozoic Betul Belt, central India with special emphasis on their genetic significance have been discussed. Sulphide mineralisation is hosted by the felsic volcanic rocks and has similarities with volcanic-hosted massive sulphide deposits in other parts of the world. Synvolcanic hydrothermal alteration is crudely zoned with an inner high Mg-Ca core and an outer wider envelop of Al-Fe rich mineral assemblage. Most of the prospects have strata bound, moderately to steeply dipping, multiple, sub-parallel sheet like ore bodies composed of disseminated and semi-massive to massive ores. Zn-bearing spinel, staurolite, biotite and ilmenite typically occur within the foot-wall alteration zones in close proximity to the sulphide mineralization. Zincian spinel is ubiquitous irrespective of the nature of alteration zone. Zincian staurolite is nearly absent in Mg-Ca alteration zones but commonly present in Al-Fe alteration zone along with zincian ilmenite. Zn-bearing biotite in intimate association with zincian spinel is generally found in Mg-Ca alteration zone and in the transition to Al-Fe alteration zone. Most of these indicator minerals can be considered as products of desulphidation of sphalerite during metamorphism. Mechanisms other than desulphidation like formation of gahnite by overstepping of the zinc saturation limit of biotite during retrogression to chlorite and formation of zincian staurolite at the expense of gahnite is also recorded. Field presence of these minerals has immense significance in exploration in Betul Belt as they occur in close spatial relationship with the sulphide rich zones and therefore act as direct vectors to ore.