Thermal stress analysis of underground openings

In the use of underground space for storage of solar energy, storage of excess heat from thermal power plants and containment of nuclear waste, the host medium is subjected to a thermal field accompanied by a thermal stress field. These stresses may endanger the stability and integrity of the structure. In this paper, the stress field, in circular and spherical openings, due to a given thermal field is analytically determined and numerically verified. Both lined and unlined openings are considered. The numerical and analytical results are in a satisfactory agreement. The lining stresses, support pressure and radial interface displacement depend only on the thermal field in the lining. A simplified method of stress computation applicable to a thin lining is also presented.     

Higher Dimensional String Cosmologies in Scale-Covariant theory of Gravitation

Field equations are obtained with the aid of higher dimensional Bianchi type-I cosmological model in scale covariant theory of gravitation in the context of cosmic strings. We present here isotropic and anisotropic solutions of the field equations and some physical implications of these solutions are briefly discussed.     

Some Homogeneous Bianchi type IX Viscous Fluid Cosmological Models with a Varying Λ

Some Bianchi type IX viscous fluid cosmological models are investigated. To get a solution, a supplementary condition between metric potentials is used. The viscosity coefficient of bulk viscous fluid is assumed to be a power function of mass density, whereas the coefficient of shear viscosity is considered as proportional to scale of expansion in the model. The cosmological constant Λ is found to be positive and is a decreasing function of time, which is supported by results from recent supernovae observations. Some physical and geometric properties of the models are also discussed.     

Hidden mass in the solar neighborhood

It is suggested that the minimum mass of a star at the time of its formation is approximately 0.01M . Making use of this fact and the stellar mass functionF(M) M ^–, it is found that the hidden mass (or the missing mass) in the solar neighborhood may be explained by the presence of a large number of invisible stars of very low mass (0.01M M<0.07M ).     

The effect of solar pressure on the motion and stability of interconnected satellites in orbit

The paper deals with the effect of solar pressure on the motion and stability of two satellites connected by an inextensible string in a central gravitational field of force. A system of nonlinear, nonhomogeneous, and non-autonomous equations under the rotating frame of reference in Nechvíle's coordinate system have been obtained. The general solution of the above system of equations is beyond our reach. The particular solutions have been obtained.The particular solution in which the system lies, wholly along the radius vector joining the attracting centre and the centre of mass of the system under the central attracting force along was found to be stable (Singh, 1973). Naturally we got interested in examining the effect of solar radiation pressure on the stability of this particular solution.     

Mineralogy and geochemistry of microgranular enclaves in Palaeoproterozoic Malanjkhand granitoids, central India: evidence of magma mixing, mingling, and chemical equilibration

Palaeoproterozoic (ca 2,480 Ma) felsic magmatism of Malanjkhand region of central Indian Precambrian shield, referred to as Malanjkhand granitoids (MG), contain xenoliths of country rocks and mesocratic to melanocratic, fine-grained porphyritic microgranular enclaves (ME). The shape of ME is spheroidal, ellipsoidal, discoidal, elongated, and lenticular, varying in size from a few centimeters to about 2 m across. The contact of ME with the host MG is commonly sharp, crenulate, and occasionally diffuse, which we attribute to the undercooling and disaggregation of ME globules within the cooler host MG. The ME as well as MG show hypidiomorphic texture with common mineral Hbl-Bt-Kfs-Pl-Qtz assemblage, but differ in modal proportions. The variation in minerals' composition, presence of apatite needles, elongated biotites, resorbed plagiclase, ocellar quartz, and other mafic–felsic xenocrysts strongly oppose the restite and cognate origins of ME. Compositions of plagioclases (An₃–An₂₉), amphiboles (Mg/Mg+Fe²⁺=0.55–0.69), and biotites (Mg/Mg+Fe²⁺=0.46–0.60) of ME are slightly distinct or similar to those of MG, which suggest partial to complete equilibration during mafic–felsic magma interactions. Al-in-amphibole estimates the MG pluton emplacement at ca 3.4 ± 0.5 kbar, and therefore, magma mixing and mingling must have occurred at or below this level. The substitution in biotites of ME and MG largely suggests subduction-related, calc–alkaline metaluminous (I-type) nature of felsic melts. Most major and trace elements against SiO₂ produce near linear variation trends for ME and MG, probably generated by the mixing of mafic and felsic magmas in various proportions. Trace including rare earth elements patterns of ME–MG pairs, however, show partial to complete equilibration, most likely governed by different degrees of elemental diffusion. The available evidence supports the model of ME origin that coeval mafic (enclave) and felsic (MG) magmas produced a hybrid (ME) magma layer, which injected into cooler, partly crystalline MG, and dispersed, mingled, and undercooled as ME globules in a convectively dynamic magma chamber.     

Variations in surface ozone and NOx at Kannur: a tropical, coastal site in India

Continuous measurements of surface ozone (O₃), NOx (NO + NO₂) and meteorological parameters have been made in Kannur (11.9?°N, 75.4?°E, 5?m asl), India from November 2009 to October 2010. It was observed that O₃ and NOx showed distinct diurnal and seasonal variabilities at this site. The annual average diurnal profile of O₃ showed a peak of (30.3?±?10.4) ppbv in the late afternoon and a minimum of (3.2?±?0.7) ppbv in the early morning. The maximum value of O₃ mixing ratio was observed in winter (44?±?3.1) ppbv and minimum during monsoon (18.46?±?3.5) ppbv. The rate of production of O₃ was found to be higher in December (10.1?ppbv/h) and lower in July (1.8?ppbv/h) during the time interval 0800?C1000?h. A correlation coefficient of 0.52 for the relationship between O₃ and [NO₂]/[NO] reveals the role of NO₂ photolysis that generates O₃ at this site. The correlation between O₃ and meteorological parameters indicate the influence of seasonal changes on O₃ production. Investigations were further extended to explore the week day weekend variations in O₃ mixing ratio at an urban site reveals the enhancement of O₃. The variations of O₃ mixing ratio with seasonal air mass flows were elucidated with the aid of backward air trajectories. This study also indicates how vapor phase organic species present in the ambient air at this location may influence the complex chemistry involving (VOCs) that enhances the production of O₃ at this location.     

Interpolation of climate variables and temperature modeling

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and modeling are becoming powerful tools in agricultural research and natural resource management. This study proposes an empirical methodology for modeling and mapping of the monthly and annual air temperature using remote sensing and GIS techniques. The study area is Gangetic West Bengal and its neighborhood in the eastern India, where a number of weather systems occur throughout the year. Gangetic West Bengal is a region of strong heterogeneous surface with several weather disturbances. This paper also examines statistical approaches for interpolating climatic data over large regions, providing different interpolation techniques for climate variables' use in agricultural research. Three interpolation approaches, like inverse distance weighted averaging, thin-plate smoothing splines, and co-kriging are evaluated for 4°?×?4° area, covering the eastern part of India. The land use/land cover, soil texture, and digital elevation model are used as the independent variables for temperature modeling. Multiple regression analysis with standard method is used to add dependent variables into regression equation. Prediction of mean temperature for monsoon season is better than winter season. Finally standard deviation errors are evaluated after comparing the predicted temperature and observed temperature of the area. For better improvement, distance from the coastline and seasonal wind pattern are stressed to be included as independent variables.     

Assessment of Indian summer monsoon simulation by Community Atmosphere Model (CAM3)

Seasonal prediction of Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) has been attempted for the current year 2011 using Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) developed at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). First, 30?years of model climatology starting from 1981 to 2010 has been generated to capture the variability of ISM over the Indian region using 30 seasonal simulations. The simulated model climatology has been validated with different sets of observed climatology, and it was observed that the simulated climatological rainfall is affected by model bias. Subsequently, a bias correction procedure using the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B43 rainfall has been proposed. The bias-corrected rainfall climatology shows both spatial and temporal variability of ISM satisfactorily. Further, four sets of 10-member ensemble simulations of ISM 2009 and 2010 have been performed in hindcast mode using observed sea surface temperature (SST) and persistence of April SST anomaly, and it has been found that the bias-corrected model rainfall captures the seasonal variability of ISM reasonably well with some discrepancies in these two contrasting monsoon years. With this positive background, the seasonal prediction of ISM 2011 has been carried out in forecast mode with the assumption of persistence of May SST anomaly from June through September 2011. The model assessment shows an 11% deficiency in All-India Rainfall (AIR) of ISM 2011. In particular, the monthly accumulated rains are predicted to be 101% (17.6?cm), 86% (24.3?cm), 83% (21.0?cm) and 95% (15.5?cm) of normal AIR for the months of June, July, August and September, respectively.     

Connection of the stratospheric QBO with global atmospheric general circulation and tropical SST. Part II: interdecadal variations

The interdecadal variation of the association of the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) with tropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies (SSTA) and with the general circulation in the troposphere and lower stratosphere is examined using the ERA40 and NCEP/NCAR reanalyses, as well as other observation-based analyses. It is found that the relationship between the QBO and tropical SSTA changed once around 1978–1980, and again in 1993–1995. During 1966–1974, negative correlation between the QBO and NINO3.4 indices reached its maximum when the NINO3.4 index lagged the QBO by less than 6?months. Correspondingly, the positive correlations were observed when the NINO3.4 index led the QBO by about 11–13?months or lagged by about 12–18?months. However, maximum negative correlations were shifted from the NINO3.4 index lagging the QBO by about 0–6?months during 1966–1974 to about 3–12?months during 1985–1992. During 1975–1979, both the negative and positive correlations were relatively small and the QBO and ENSO were practically unrelated to each other. The phase-based QBO life cycle composites also confirm that, on average, there are two phase (6–7?months) delay in the evolution of the QBO-associated anomalous Walker circulation, tropical SST, atmospheric stability, and troposphere and lower stratosphere temperature anomalies during 1980–1994 in comparison with those in 1957–1978. The interdecadal variation of the association between the QBO and the troposphere variability may be largely due to the characteristic change of El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation. The irregularity of the QBO may play a secondary role in the interdecadal variation of the association.