Estimation of Strong Ground Motion from a Great Earthquake Mw 8.5 in Central Seismic Gap Region, Himalaya (India) Using Empirical Green’s Function Technique

In the present study ground motions for a Mw 8.5 scenario earthquake are estimated at 13 sites in Kumaun-Garhwal region using the empirical Green’s function technique. The recordings of 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake of Mw 6.8 at these sites are used as an element earthquake. A heterogeneous source model consisting of two asperities is considered for simulating the ground motions. The entire central seismic gap (CSG) can expect acceleration in excess of 100 cm/s² with NW portion in excess of 400 cm/s² and SE between 100 and 200 cm/s². The central portion can expect peak ground acceleration (PGA) between 200 and 400 cm/s². It has been observed from simulation of strong ground motion that sites located near the rupture initiation point can expect accelerations in excess of 1g. In the present analysis, Bhatwari and Uttarkashi can expect ground accelerations in excess of 1g. The estimates of the PGA are compared with earlier studies in the same region using different methodologies and it was found that the results are comparable. This has put constrains on the expected PGAs in this region. The obtained PGA values can be used in identifying the vulnerable areas in the central Himalaya, thereby facilitating the planning, design and construction of new structures and strengthening of the existing structures in the region.     

Kinetics of ammonia and ammonium ion inhibition of the atmospheric oxidation of aqueous sulfur dioxide by oxygen

This is the first study, which shows both NH₃ and NH₄⁺ to inhibit the autoxidation of aqueous SO₂ in the pH range 7.0–8.5. The rate of the autoxidation, R _aut , in both buffered and unbuffered media at a fixed pH is in conformity with the rate law:

Depth Estimation from the Scaling Power Spectral Density of Nonstationary Gravity Profile

-- A technique to estimate the depth to anomalous sources from the scaling power spectra of long nonstationary gravity profiles is presented. The nonstationary profile is divided into piecewise stationary segments based on the criterion of optimum gate length in which the time-varying and time-invariant autocorrelation functions are similar. The division of a nonstationary into piecewise stationary allows identification of the portion of the crust with different geological histories, and using the stationary portion of the gravity profiles, more consistent depths to the anomalous sources have been obtained. The technique is tested with the synthetic gravity profile and applied along the Jaipur-Raipur geotransect in western and central India. The geotransect has been divided into four stationary parts: Vindhyan low, Bundelkhand low, Narmada rift and Chhattisgarh basin; each section corresponding to a different geological formation. Forward modeling of gravity data using results of each stationary section is carried out to propose the subsurface structure along the Jaipur-Raipur transect.     

An evaluation of landsat thematic mapper data for reforestation monitoring in British Columbia

Renewal of forests is important for continued wood supply and for other benefits. Consequently, restocking of forest cut-overs is a major forest management activity. Effective planning and successful implementation of reforestation programmes require efficient techniques for obtaining timely and accurate information regarding restocking status over clearcut forest lands. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data for reforestation monitoring. B-distance, a multivariation distance measure, has been used to measure spectral separability. Attempt has been made to discriminate five restocking classes (with percent canopy classes of 0,10 -12,15 -18, 43 - 47 and 100). Finally selection has been made for the optimum multiband subset from the six reflective TM bands. The results indicate that the combinations of TM bands 3-4-5, 4-5-7,1-4-5, and 2-4-5 were most useful for discriminating various restocking classes. Overall classification accuracies are estimated to be approximately 90 percent using these three-band subsets.     

Evaluation of the Comparative Toxicity of Thiotox,Dichlorvos and Carbofuran to Two Fresh Water Teleosts Ophiocephalus punctatus and Mystus Vittatus

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the comparative toxicity of Thiotox (Endosulfan) (an organochlorine), Dichlorvos (DDVP) (an organophosphorus) and Carbofuran (a carbamate) so as to determine the TL 50 values, acute toxicity ranges, relative toxicities, relative susceptibility, safe concentrations, regression equations, heterogeneity factor and 95% confidence limits for the period of 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, taking two fresh water teleosts, Mystus vittatus and Ophiocephalus punctatus as test animals. From the relative toxicity of these pesticides it is evident that thiotox was the most toxic and dichlorvos the least toxic one, while the toxicity of carbofuran was in between these two extremes for both the fishes. On the basis of relative susceptibility, Mystus vittatus was found to be more susceptible than Ophiocephalus punctatus for thiotox, dichlorvos and carbofuran, respectively. The safe concentrations were computed for all the three pesticides taking different application factors, so as to avoid the long term water pollution by these pesticides.     

Chronology and petrogenesis of a 1.8 g lunar granitic clast:14321,1062

A study was undertaken to determine the chronology of a pristine granite clast (1062) from Apollo 14 breccia 14321 using Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and ³⁹Ar-⁴⁰Ar methods. The genesis of the granite as constrained by the isotopic results and trace element characteristics is discussed.Chronology: The Rb-Sr internal isochron is slightly disturbed and yields an age of 4.09 ± 0.11 AE ($\text{λ(}{}^{87}\text{Rb) = 0.0139}\text{AE}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$) and an imprecise initial I(Sr) = 0.702 ? .008. If two data are excluded, the age becomes 4.13 ± 0.03 AE and I(Sr) = 0.698 ? .003. The whole rock and mineral separates are extremely radiogenic; they yield model ages which are relatively well-defined. The average model age is 4.12 ± 0.03 AE (relative to BABI = 0.69898). The Sm-Nd internal isochron is also slightly disturbed and gives an age of 4.11 ± 0.20 AE ($\text{λ(}{}^{147}\text{Sm) = 0.00654}\text{AE}$^?1). The ³⁹Ar-⁴⁰Ar average age of the non-magnetic fraction of the sample yields a slightly younger age of 3.88 ± 0.03 AE (K-Ar constants from Steiger and $\text{>a}\text{?}$, 1977). The concordancy of Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd internal isochrons with the Rb-Sr model age strongly suggests that the granitic clast formed at 4.1 AE ago in the shallow crust and was later excavated and brecciated about 3.88 AE ago.Petrogenesis: Isotopic and trace element data of the lunar granite show large K/La and Rb/Sr fractionations, small Sm/Nd fractionation and the distinct V-shaped REE distribution pattern at the time of crystallization. A two-stage model involving crystal fractionation followed by silicate liquid immiscibility (SLI) is proposed for lunar granite genesis. We propose that the granite can be the immiscible acidic liquid produced by SLI from a residual liquid which underwent fractionation of ca, 3% of phases with REE distribution coefficients similar to those of phosphate minerals from a highly evolved parental magma with REE contents about twice those of the 15405,85 quartz monzodiorite (QMD).The extreme scarcity of lunar granitic samples and their young formation ages suggest that they are probably not directly crystallized from the differentiation of the primordial magma ocean. Our isotopic results and trace elements data from other workers suggest that granites, QMD and probably Mggabbronorites may be genetically related and may have formed in a plutonic environment similar to gabbro-granophyre associations in terrestrial layered intrusions such as the Skaergaard Intrusions.     

Modelling of magnetic data for scaling geology

Interpretation of magnetic data can be carried out either in the space or frequency domain. The interpretation in the frequency domain is computationally convenient because convolution becomes multiplication. The frequency domain approach assumes that the magnetic sources distribution has a random and uncorrelated distribution. This approach is modified to include random and fractal distribution of sources on the basis of borehole data. The physical properties of the rocks exhibit scaling behaviour which can be defined as P(k) = Ak^?β, where P(k) is the power spectrum as a function of wave number (k), and A and β are the constant and scaling exponent, respectively. A white noise distribution corresponds to β = 0. The high resolution methods of power spectral estimation e.g. maximum entropy method and multi‐taper method produce smooth spectra. Therefore, estimation of scaling exponents is more reliable. The values of β are found to be related to the lithology and heterogeneities in the crust. The modelling of magnetic data for scaling distribution of sources leads to an improved method of interpreting the magnetic data known as the scaling spectral method. The method has found applicability in estimating the basement depth, Curie depth and filtering of magnetic data.     

Source study of two small earthquakes of Delhi, India, and estimation of ground motion from future moderate, local events

We study source characteristics of two small, local earthquakes which occurred in Delhi on 28 April 2001 (Mw3.4) and 18 March 2004 (Mw2.6). Both earthquakes were located in the heart of New Delhi, and were recorded in the epicentral region by digital accelerographs. The depths of the events are 15 km and 8 km, respectively. First motions and waveform modeling yield a normal-faulting mechanism with large strike-slip component. The strike of one of the nodal planes roughly agrees with NE–SW orientation of faults and lineaments mapped in the region. We use the recordings of the 2004 event as empirical Green’s functions to synthesize expected ground motions in the epicentral region of a Mw5.0 earthquake in Delhi. It is possible that such a local event may control the hazard in Delhi. Our computations show that a Mw5.0 earthquake would give rise to PGA of ~200 to 450 gal, the smaller values occurring at hard sites. The estimate of corresponding PGV is ~6 to 15 cm/s. The recommended response spectra, Sa, 5% damping, for Delhi, which falls in zone IV of the Indian seismic zoning map, may not be conservative enough at soft sites for a postulated Mw5.0 local earthquake.     

Finite-difference modelling of S-wave splitting in anisotropic media

We have implemented a 3D finite‐difference scheme to simulate wave propagation in arbitrary anisotropic media. The anisotropic media up to orthorhombic symmetry were modelled using a standard staggered grid scheme and beyond (monoclinic and triclinic) using a rotated staggered grid scheme. The rationale of not using rotated staggered grid for all types of anisotropic media is that the rotated staggered grid schemes are more expensive than standard staggered grid schemes. For a 1D azimuthally anistropic medium, we show a comparison between the seismic data generated by our finite‐difference code and by the reflectivity algorithm; they are in excellent agreement. We conducted a study on zero‐offset shear‐wave splitting using the finite‐difference modelling algorithm using the rotated staggered grid scheme. Our S‐wave splitting study is mainly focused on fractured media. On the scale of seismic wavelenghts, small aligned fractures behave as an equivalent anisotropic medium. We computed the equivalent elastic properties of the fractures and the background in which the fractures were embedded, using low‐frequency equivalent media theories. Wave propagation was simulated for both rotationally invariant and corrugated fractures embedded in an isotropic background for one, or more than one, set of fluid‐filled and dry fractures. S‐wave splitting was studied for dipping fractures, two vertical non‐orthogonal fractures and corrugated fractures. Our modelling results confirm that S‐wave splitting can reveal the fracture infill in the case of dipping fractures. S‐wave splitting has the potential to reveal the angle between the two vertical fractures. We also notice that in the case of vertical corrugated fractures, S‐wave splitting is sensitive to the fracture infill.     

Mapping of magnetic basement in Central India from aeromagnetic data for scaling geology

The Central Indian region has a complex geology covering the Godavari Graben, the Bastar Craton (including the Chhattisgarh Basin), the Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt, the Mahanadi Graben and some part of the Deccan Trap, the northern Singhbhum Orogen and the eastern Dharwar Craton. The region is well covered by reconnaissance‐scale aeromagnetic data, analysed for the estimation of basement and shallow anomalous magnetic sources depth using scaling spectral method. The shallow magnetic anomalies are found to vary from 1 to 3 km, whereas magnetic basement depth values are found to vary from 2 to 7 km. The shallowest basement depth of 2 km corresponds to the Kanker granites, a part of the Bastar Craton, whereas the deepest basement depth of 7 km is for the Godavari Basin and the southeastern part of the Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt near the Parvatipuram Bobbili fault. The estimated basement depth values correlate well with the values found from earlier geophysical studies. The earlier geophysical studies are limited to few tectonic units, whereas our estimation provides detailed magnetic basement mapping in the region. The magnetic basement and shallow depth values in the region indicate complex tectonic, heterogeneity, and intrusive bodies at different depths, which can be attributed to different thermo‐tectonic processes since Precambrian.