Diatom community dynamics in a tropical,monsoon-influenced environment: West coast of India

Diatom communities are influenced by environmental perturbations, such as the monsoon system that impact the niche opportunities of species. To discern the influence of the monsoon system on diatom community structure, we sampled during two consecutive post-monsoons (2001 and 2002) and the intervening pre-monsoon at Mumbai and Jawaharlal Nehru ports along the central west coast of India. Characteristic temporal shifts in diatom community structure were observed across the sampling periods; these were mainly driven by temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen saturation. The nutrient-poor pre-monsoon period supported low abundance yet high species richness and diversity of diatoms. Coscinodiscus, Cyclotella, Thalassiosira, Triceratium, Pleurosigma, Skeletonema and Surirella were the most dominant genera. Both the post-monsoon periods, following dissimilar monsoon events, were dominated by Skeletonema costatum, but differed in some of the residual species. Thalassiosira and Thalassionema spp. dominated mostly during post-monsoon I whereas Triceratium and Pleurosigma spp. dominated during post-monsoon II. To understand the underlying ecological mechanisms involved in such dynamics, we focus on the dominant diatom species in post-monsoon periods, S. costatum, that contributes up to 60% to total diatom cell numbers. This research is relevant in light of the fluctuating monsoon regimes over the Asian continent, the confounding effects of anthropogenic eutrophication and the resulting cascading effects on trophic web dynamics.     

Predicting agricultural drought in eastern Rajasthan of India using NDVI and standardized precipitation index

In the present study, prediction of agricultural drought has been addressed through prediction of agricultural yield using a model based on NDVI-SPI. It has been observed that the meteorological drought index SPI with different timescale is correlated with NDVI at different lag. Also NDVI of current fortnight is correlated with NDVI of previous lags. Based on the correlation coefficients, the Multiple Regression Model was developed to predict NDVI. The NDVI of current fortnight was found highly correlated with SPI of previous fortnight in semi-arid and transitional zones. The correlation between NDVI and crop yield was observed highest in first fortnight of August. The RMSE of predicted yield in drought year was found to be about 17.07 kg/ha which was about 6.02 per cent of average yield. In normal year, it was 24 kg/Ha denoting about 2.1 per cent of average yield.     

Comparative assessment of the relationship of satellite data with the above ground biomass of Sal trees (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Shorea robusta</Emphasis>) determined from phenologically different time periods

The Above Ground Biomass(AGB) estimates of vegetation comprise both the bole biomass determined through a volumetric equation and litter biomass collected from the ground.For mature trees,the AGB estimated in phenologically different time periods is directly affected by the litter biomass since the Diameter at Breast Height(DBH) and height(H) of such trees that are used in the estimation of bole biomass would remain unchanged over a reasonable time period.In the present study,we have determined the AGB of Sal trees(Shorea robusta) in two contrasting seasons:the peak green period in October being devoid of lit-ter on the ground and the leaf shedding period in February with abundant amount of litter present on the ground.Estimation of AGB for the month of February included the litter biomass.In contrast,the AGB for October represented only the bole biomass.AGB was estimated for ten different plots selected in the study area.The AGB estimated from ten sampling plots for each time period was re-gressed with the individual tree parameters such as the average DBH and height of trees measured from the corresponding plots.The regression analysis exhibited a significantly stronger relationship between the AGB and DBH for the month of October as compared to February.Furthermore,the correlation between the remotely sensed derived data and AGB was also found to be significantly higher for the month of October than February.This observation indicates that inclusion of the litter biomass in AGB will tend to decrease the re-gression relationship between AGB and DBH and also between the remotely sensed data and AGB.Therefore,these conclusions invite careful consideration while estimating AGB from satellite data in phenologically different time periods.     

Removal of Ni(II) Using Cation Exchange Resins in Packed Bed Column: Prediction of Breakthrough Curves

Sorptive removal of Ni(II) from electroplating rinse wastewaters by cation exchange resin Dueolite C 20 was investigated at the temperature of 30°C under dynamic conditions in a packed bed. The effects of sorbent bed length 0.1–0.2 m, fixed flow rate 6 dm³ min^?1, and the initial rinse water concentration (C₀) 53.1 mg L^?1 on the sorption characteristics of Dueolite C 20 were investigated at an influent pH of 6.5. More than 94.5% of Ni(II) was removed in the column experiments. The column performance was improved with increasing bed height and decreasing the flow rate. The Thomas, Yoon–Nelson, Clark, and Wolborska models were applied to the experimental data to represent the breakthrough curves and determine the characteristic design parameters of the column. The sorption performance of the Ni(II) ions through columns could be well described by the Thomas, Yoon–Nelson, and Wolborska models at effluent‐to‐influent concentration ratios (C/C₀) >0.03 and <0.99. Among the all models, the Clark model showed the least average percentage time deviation. The sorptive capacity of electroplating rinse water using Ni(II) was found to be 45.98 mg g^?1.     

Colloidal arsenic composition from abandoned gold mine tailing leachates in Nova Scotia,Canada

Asymmetric-Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AsFlFFF) coupled to an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) was used to determine whether colloidal As exists in mine tailings from abandoned Au mine sites in Nova Scotia. Using this technique, the chemical composition and the size of the colloidal material was determined. Tailings samples were collected from the sites and leachates were analyzed. The resulting fractograms showed the presence of colloidal As. Arsenic co-elutes with Fe and Al suggesting that the As is associated with colloids containing these elements. The colloidal material present in the samples has a calculated median size of 7 nm. The leachates were also analyzed for totalAs, Fe and Al using ICP-MS. The colloidal fraction was determined to account for approximately 20% of the total dissolved As present in these samples. Dissolved As concentrations at the selected mine sites are very high and the arbitrary cutoff for dissolved still incorporates colloidal material. Therefore. it is important to distinguish between truly dissolved and colloidal As as the speciation will affect the toxicity and mobility of As at these locations.     

Discovery of lamproites near Vattikod Area, NW margin of the Cuddapah basin, Eastern Dharwar craton, southern India

A cluster of lamproite dykes are located 1 km west of Vattikod village at the NW margin of the Cuddapah basin, Eastern Dharwar craton, southern India, during the pursuit for locating primary diamond source rocks by adapting multifarious applications. These exotic rocks are emplaced along WNW-ESE to NW-SE trending fractures in the granitic rocks belonging to the Peninsular Gneissic Complex. Ten out of twelve lamproites occur near Vattikod village and one each is located in the vicinity of Marepalli and Gundrapalli villages respectively. These lamproites, though highly altered, contain microphenocrysts of altered olivine, clinopyroxene, phlogopite, leucite and sanidine and translucent to opaque, amoeboid shaped patches of glass set in a groundmass rich in carbonate, phlogopite, serpentine, and chlorite. This new cluster of lamproites constitutes a part of the recently discovered Ramadugu lamproite field. The Vattikod and Ramadugu lamproites, together with those from Krishna lamproite field and the Cuddapah basin, constitute, a wide spectrum of ultrapotassic magmatism emplaced in and around the Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic Cuddapah basin in southern India.     

Trend analysis and ARIMA modelling of pre-monsoon rainfall data for western India

Spatial and temporal variability of rainfall over different seasons influence physical, social and economic parameters. Pre-monsoon (March, April and May – MAM) rainfall over the country is highly variable. Since heat lows and convective rainfall in MAM have an impact on the intensity of the ensuing monsoons, hence the pre-monsoon period was chosen for the study. The pre-whitened Mann Kendall test was used to explore presence of rainfall trend during MAM. The results indicate presence of significant (at 10% level) increasing trend in two stations (Ajmer, Bikaner). The practical significance of the change in rainfall was also explored as percentage changes over long term mean, using Theil and Sen's median slope estimator. Forecast using univariate ARIMA model for pre-monsoon months indicates that there is a significant rise in the pre-monsoon rainfall over the northwest part of the country.     

Benthic denitrification and organic matter mineralization in intertidal flats of an enclosed coastal inlet, Ago Bay, Japan

Denitrification (as N(2) flux) and organic matter mineralization (as O(2) uptake) were simultaneously measured in the same set of core sediments from a natural sandy and a constructed muddy tidal flat of Ago Bay, Japan. Denitrification rates at both tidal flats fluctuated between ca. 2-20 micromol N(2)m(-2)h(-1) without showing a clear seasonal pattern, and appeared to be substrate limited as NO(3)(-) enrichment (final concentration ca. 225 microM) caused prompt and similar enhancements of ca. 10-folds. Organic matter mineralization rates were markedly higher at constructed muddy flat compared to those of natural sandy flat, especially in summer, and exhibited pronounced temperature dependent (p<0.01) seasonality for both tidal flats. O(2) uptake rates were generally ca. 2-3 order greater than respective denitrification rates indicating dominance of mineralization processes over N(2) losses.     

Electron-Positron Plasmas Created by Ultra-Intense Laser Pulses Interacting with Solid Targets

We discuss the necessary requirements to create dense electron-positron plasmas in the laboratory and the possibility of using them to investigate certain aspects of various astrophysical phenomena, such as gamma ray burst engines. Earth-based electron-positron plasmas are created during the interaction of ultra-intense laser pulses impinging on a solid density target. The fact that positrons can be generated during this interaction has already been demonstrated by Cowan et al. (2000). However, several questions concerning the number, energy, and dynamics of these positrons have yet to be answered. Through insight gathered from PIC simulations, we postulate that the e⁺e⁻ plasma leaves the creation region in dense jets, with relativistic energies. In order to estimate the number density of the positrons created, we begin by first experimentally measuring the hot electron temperatures and densities of such interactions using a compact electron spectrometer. Once the electron distribution is known, the positron creation rate, Γ, can be estimated. This same experimental diagnostic can also, with minor modification, measure the energy distribution of positrons. Initial estimates are that, with proper target and laser configurations, we could potentially create one of the densest arraignments of positrons ever assembled on earth. This experimental configuration would only last for a few femtoseconds, but would eventually evolve into astrophysically relevant pure electron-positron jets, possibly relevant to e⁺e⁻ outflow from black holes.     

Estimation of proportions of lithotypes using auxiliary information

The problem of estimating the proportion of lithological (ore) types in volumes of mineral deposits is considered when an auxiliary variable Z(z) is observed along with the lithology L(x) at x. The process {Z(x)} is assumed to be stationary and an assumption on the statistical relationship between {Z(x)} and {L(x)} processes is made. Consequently, the second-order stationarity of {L(x)} is not required. A method using the kriged distribution of the auxiliary variable is proposed. A case study illustrating the procedure is given.