Test of evolutionary models for stellar population studies

Using the Andersen (1991) data on the mass, absolute visual magnitude, the effective surface temperature and the bolometric corrections, new calibrations for the mass vs. absolute visual magnitude and for the bolometric correction vs. effective surface temperature have been derived. Comparison between the latest evolutionary models with the empirical data has been made to test the evolutionary models for the purpose of stellar population studies.     

Long‐term change of daily and multi‐daily precipitation in southern Sweden

Daily rain series from southern Sweden with records dating back to the 1870s have been analysed to investigate the trends of daily and multi‐day precipitation of different return periods with emphasis on the extremes. Probabilities of extreme storms were determined as continuously changing values based on 25 years of data. An extra set of data was used to investigate changes in Skåne, the southernmost peninsula of Sweden. Another 30‐year data set of more than 200 stations of a dense gauge network in Skåne was used to investigate the relation between very large daily rainfall and annual precipitation. The annual precipitation has increased significantly all over southern Sweden due to increased winter precipitation. There is a trend of increasing maximum annual daily precipitation at only one station, where the annual maximum often occurs in winter. The number of events with a short return period is increasing, but the number of more extreme events has not increased. Daily and multi‐daily design storms of long return periods determined from extreme value analysis with updating year by year are not higher today than during the last 100 years. The largest daily storms are not related to stations with annual rainfall but seem to occur randomly. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of shredded tyre waste in improving the geotechnical properties of expansive black cotton soil

In recent years, geotechnical engineers are using tyre waste to alter the properties of soil for providing sustainable solutions to complex engineering problems. It is noted that black cotton soil, which is expansive in nature, covers a major portion of the Indian sub-continent, such as the Deccan plateau, Malwa plateau and a portion of Gujarat and poses challenging problems to infrastructural development in the region. In the present study, authors have characterised the geotechnical properties of black cotton soil, which is partially replaced with 4.75 mm passing – 2 mm retained (coarse fraction) and 2.0 mm passing - 75 micron retained (fine fraction) shredded tyre waste. The results of the experimental studies clearly show that partial replacement of black cotton soil with shredded tyre waste alters the geotechnical properties favourable to engineering applications and greatly reduces the swelling potential of the black cotton soil. It is noted that instead of fine fraction (2.0–0.075 mm), replacement with coarse fraction (4.75–2.00 mm) of shredded tyre waste can better be used for light weight fill behind the retaining walls as well as for embankment construction as it helps in reducing swelling pressure as well as improving the strength properties.     

On the definition of mass-energy of a static spherically-symmetric mass in the post-newtonian approximation of general relativity

Recently we (Roy and Rana, 1990a) critically examined the self-consistency of the EIH equations of motion. A static spherically symmetric body as was pointed out there may not appear as a point mass with all its mass concentrated at its centre to a particle placed outside the body. An attempt to analyse this aspect further is made here in the context of the Chandrasekhar gauge. A comparison is also made with the general solutions obtained by Schwarzschild in the standard co-ordinates. Certain difficulties still exist.     

A double-resolution transient RCM climate change simulation experiment for near-coastal eastern zone of the Eastern Mediterranean region

A double-resolution regional experiment on hydrodynamic simulation of climate over the eastern Mediterranean (EM) region was performed using an International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste RegCM3 model. The RegCM3 was driven from the lateral boundaries by the data from the ECHAM5/MPI-OM global climate simulation performed at the MPI-M, Hamburg and based on the A1B IPCC scenario of greenhouse gases emission. Two simulation runs for the time period 1960-2060, employing spatial resolutions of 50?km/14?L and 25?km/18?L, are realized. Time variations of the differences in the space distributions of simulated climate parameters are analyzed to evaluate the role of smaller scale effects. Both least-square linear and non-linear trends of several characteristics of the EM climate are evaluated in the study. One of the key findings with regard to linear trends is a notable and statistically significant precipitation drop over the near coastal EM zone during December-February and September-November. Statistically significant positive air temperature trends are projected over the entire EM region during the four seasons. Also projected are increases in air temperature extremes and the relative contribution of convective processes in the Southern Mediterranean coastal zone (ECM) region. A notable sensitivity of projected larger-scale climate change signals to smaller-scale effects is also demonstrated.     

Prediction of sea ice edge in the Antarctic using GVF Snake model

Antarctic sea ice cover plays an important role in shaping the earth’s climate, primarily by insulating the ocean from the atmosphere and increasing the surface albedo. The convective processes accompanied with the sea ice formation result bottom water formation. The cold and dense bottom water moves towards the equator along the ocean basins and takes part in the global thermohaline circulation. Sea ice edge is a potential indicator of climate change. Additionally, fishing and commercial shipping activities as well as military submarine operations in the polar seas need reliable ice edge information. However, as the sea ice edge is unstable in time, the temporal validity of the estimated ice edge is often shorter than the time required to transfer the information to the operational user. Hence, an accurate sea ice edge prediction as well as determination is crucial for fine-scale geophysical modeling and for near-real-time operations. In this study, active contour modelling (known as Snake model) and non-rigid motion estimation techniques have been used for predicting the sea ice edge (SIE) in the Antarctic. For this purpose the SIE has been detected from sea ice concentration derived using special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I) observations. The 15% sea ice concentration pixels are being taken as the edge pixel between ice and water. The external force, gradient vector flow (GVF), of SIE for total the Antarctic region is parameterised for daily as well as weekly data set. The SIE is predicted at certain points using a statistical technique. These predicted points have been used to constitute a SIE using artificial intelligence technique, the gradient vector flow (GVF). The predicted edge has been validated with that of SSM/I. It is found that all the major curvatures have been captured by the predicated edge and it is in good agreement with that of the SSM/I observation.     

Towards a Flux-Partitioning Procedure Based on the Direct Use of High-Frequency Eddy-Covariance Data

Scanlon and Sahu (Water Resour Res 44(10):W10418, 2008) proposed an interesting method to estimate assimilation, respiration, evaporation and transpiration directly using high-frequency eddy-covariance measurements. In this note we critically revise this method and, in particular, using the Descartes’ rule of sign, we show that one branch of solutions can be directly neglected reducing the analytical complexity of the procedure. We also discuss the stability of the results of the method with respect to the input parameters, especially to the water-use efficiency.     

Uses of invasive alien plant species in Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary of Bangladesh

An exploratory survey was conducted on the uses and role of invasive alien species(IAS) to local livelihoods in the Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary in the northeastern hilly region of Bangladesh.Vegetation was sampled in 50 quadrates,each 10 m×10 m,and 25 line transects,each 50 m×20 m,through a combination of random and systematic sampling.Group discussions were also arranged with fifty local inhabitants(17 % of the total inhabitants) to learn the various uses of IAS.A total of 17 alien plant species belonging to 10 different families,of which Leguminosae constitutes the highest number(5 species),include tree(53%) followed by herb(12%),shrub(12%) and others(weed,climber and palm).The majority of the identified species were found to be used for fuel,followed by timber production,medicinal or curative uses,fodder,and many others.In addition to providing various forest products,alien tree species planted in forest plantation help provide many vital ecosystem services such as soil amelioration through nitrogen fixation.It is true that the alien species have some negative impacts on local ecosystems,and not all of them are harmful.Therefore,a national programme must be initiated to distinguish the harmful from the harmless species and to identify the uses and impacts of the former and latter.     

Extraction, utilization pattern and prioritization of fuel resources for conservation in Manali Wildlife Sanctuary, Northwestern Himalaya

Fuelwood is the main source of the energy in mountainous regions.Hence,annual wood consumption is very high.Information on fuelwood resources,and their extraction and availability is very scanty.Therefore,present study was carried out to study the diversity of fuelwood species,annual collection,preference and availability of fuel species in the forests.Thirty four species(25 trees and 9 shrubs) were extracted for fuel by the inhabitants.Total collection and species preference was highest for Picea smithiana,Cedrus deodara,Indigofera heterantha,Pinus wallchiana and Sorbaria tomentosa,respectively.Resource use index indicating use pressure was highest for P.smithiana,C.deodara,I.heterantha and Abies pindrow,respectively.Besides native species,some non-native horticultural and agroforestry species such as Malus pumila,P.domestica,Celtis australis,etc.were also being used as fuel.Preferred species showed their availability in eight forest types whereas,population and regeneration status was poor.Therefore,immediate actions are suggested to sustain current and future demand of fuelwood.The afforestation of degraded,uncultivated and marginal lands through high quality and preferred fuel species might reduce pressure on wild and selective species.