Additional coralline algae from the Lower Miocene to Late Holocene sediments of the Porbandar Group,Gujarat

The Neogene-Quaternary sediments well exposed in the Porbandar Basin are characterized by coralline algae. The limestone, calc-arenites and marls are the dominant lithology of this sequence. The present paper documents ten species of coralline algae. Among these, the nongeniculate coralline algae are represented by four species and geniculate coralline algae include six species. The sediments yielding this algal flora range in age from the Lower Miocene to Late Holocene.     

Chemical,isotopic and amino acid composition of Mukundpura CM2.0(CM1) chondrite: Evidence of parent body aqueous alteration

The carbonaceous chondrites are intriguing and unique in the sense that they are the only rocks that provide pristine records of the early solar nebular processes. We report here results of a detailed mineralogical, chemical, amino acid and isotopic studies of a recently observed fall at Mukundpura, near Jaipur in Rajasthan, India. Abundance of olivines in this meteorite is low and of serpentine minerals is high. FeO/SiO_2 = 1.05 in its Poorly Characterized Phases(PCP) is similar to that observed in other CM2.0 chondrites. The water content of ～9.8 wt.% is similar to that found in many other CM chondrites.Microscopic examination of matrix shows that its terrestrial weathering grade is WO but aqueous parent body alteration is high, as reflected in low abundance of identifiable chondrules and abundant remnants of chondrules(～7%). Thus, most of the chondrules formed initially have been significantly altered or dissolved by aqueous alterations on their parent bodies. The measured bulk carbon(2.3%) and nitrogen content and their isotopic(δ¹³C =-5.5‰, δ¹⁵N = 23.6%0) composition is consistent with CM2.0 classification probably bordering CM1. Several amino acids such as Alanine, Serine, Proline, Valine, Threonine,Leucine, Isoleucine, Asparagine and Histamine are present. Tyrosine and Tryptophan may occur in trace amounts which could not be precisely determined. All these data show that Mukundpura chondrite lies at the boundary of CM2.0 and CM1 type carbonaceous chondrites making it one of the most primitive chondrites.     

Water marginalization at the urban fringe: environmental justice and urban political ecology across the North–South divide

This article reconsiders the epistemic and geographic boundaries that have long separated scholarship on urban water poverty and politics in the Global North and South. We stage an encounter between the seemingly dissimilar cases of Tooleville outside of the city of Exeter in California’s Central Valley and Bommanahalli outside of Bangalore, India, to illuminate the geography of water marginalization at the fringes of urban areas, and to deepen cross-fertilization between two geographic literatures: environmental justice (EJ) and urban political ecology (UPE). We argue that there is scope for transnational learning in three arenas in particular: (1) water access, (2) state practice, and (3) political agency. In so doing, we aim to advance a genuinely post-colonial approach to theory and practice in the pressing arena of urban water politics.     

Spatial heterogeneity in near surface aerosol characteristics across the Brahmaputra valley

In order to examine the spatial variability of the aerosol characteristics across the Brahmaputra valley, a land campaign was conducted during late winter (February 3–March 2) 2011. Measurements of particulate matter (PM, PM₁₀, PM_2.5) and black carbon (BC) concentrations were made onboard an interior redesigned vehicle. The length of the campaign trail stretched about 700 km, covering the longitude belt of 89.97°–95.55°E and latitude belt of 26.1°–27.6°N, comprising 13 measurement locations. The valley is divided into three sectors longitudinally: western sector (R1: 89.97°–91.75°E), middle sector (R2: 92.5°–94.01°E) and eastern sector (R3: 94.63°–95.55°E). Spatial heterogeneity in aerosol distribution has been observed with higher PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations at the western and middle sectors compared to the eastern sector. The locations in the western sector are found to be rich in BC compared to the other two sectors and there is a gradual decrease in BC concentrations from west to east of the Brahmaputra valley. Two hotspots within the western and middle sectors with high PM and BC concentrations have been identified. The associated physico-optical parameters of PM reveal abundance of PM_2.5 aerosols along the entire valley. High population density in the western and middle sectors, together with the contribution of remote aerosols, leads to higher anthropogenic aerosols over those regions. Spectral Radiation-Transport Model for Aerosol Species (SPRINTARS) slightly underestimates the measured PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 at the eastern sector while the model overestimates the measurements at a number of locations in the western sector. In general, BC is underestimated by the model. The variation of BC within the campaign trail has not been adequately captured by the model leading to higher variance in the western locations as compared to the middle and eastern locations.     

Study of isotopic seasonality to assess the water source of proglacial stream in Chhota Shigri Glaciated Basin,Western Himalaya

The impact of surface melt patterns and the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) is examined on the varying contributions of end member (snow, glacier ice, and rain) to proglacial streamflow during the ablation period (June–October) in the Chhota Shigri glaciated basin, Western Himalaya. Isotopic seasonality observed in the catchment precipitation was generally reflected in surface runoff (supraglacial melt and proglacial stream) and shows a shift in major water source during the melt season. Isotopically correlated (δ¹⁸O–δD) high deuterium intercept in the surface runoff suggests that westerly precipitation acts as the dominant source, augmenting the other snow- and ice-melt sources in the region. The endmember contributions to the proglacial stream were quantified using a three-component mixing. Overall, glacier ice melt is the major source of proglacial discharge. Snowmelt is the predominant source during the early ablation season (June) and the peak ISM period (August and September), whereas ice melt reaches a maximum in the peak melt period (July). The monthly contribution of rain is on the lower side and shows a steady rise and decline with onset and retreat of the monsoon. These results are persistent with the surface melt pattern observed in Chhota Shigri glacier, Upper Chandra basin. Moreover, the role of the ISM in Chhota Shigri glacier is unvarying to that observed in other glacierized catchments of Upper Ganga basin. Thus, this study augments the significant role of the ISM in glacier mass balance up to the boundary of the central-western Himalayan glaciated region.     

Role of intra-seasonal oscillations on monsoon floods and droughts over India

Aim of this diagnostic study is to investigate the impact of intra-seasonal oscillations in terms of number, duration and intensity on rainfall during June through September, 1979–2006. Analysis of wavelet spectra for winds at 850 hPa field for monsoon period reveals number and duration of oscillations, which exercise profound influence on monsoon rainfall. Results indicate that four to six oscillations appear in normal rainfall or flood cases, while two or three oscillations are identified in the years of drought episodes. Though total duration of above oscillations is varied from 25 to 85 days, the duration is short (20 to 35 days) obviously in the years of less number of oscillations and also the number of oscillations are directly related to the monsoon rainfall. The coefficient of correlation between them is 0.56, which is significant at 1% level. To examine the strength of intra-seasonal oscillations in terms of different indices on seasonal rainfall is investigated. The Madden and Julian Oscillation Index shows an inverse relationship with rainfall, where as a direct relationship is noticed between Monsoon Shear Index and rainfall for the study period. Both results are significant at 5% level. To consolidate the above statistical relationships, seasonal circulation changes in the contrasting years of monsoon rainfall have been examined; present study reveals that anomaly negative outgoing longwave radiation is noticed over most of Arabian Sea, Indian sub-continent and the Bay of Bengal during June through September in flood year (1988). But opposite convective activity is true in drought year (2002). Similarly the spatial U-850 hPa field distribution showed much stronger monsoon winds in 1988, while zonal circulation was very weak in 2002. Such differences are observed in the anomaly zonal wind field at 200 hPa also. Over the monsoon region U-850 hPa field is almost a mirror image of U-200 hPa distribution of wind field. Finally annual cycles of U-850 and U-200 hPa fields reflect striking difference at 200 hPa level during the summer monsoon period in flood and drought years.     

Impact of dust storm on the atmospheric boundary layer: a case study from western India

Natural Hazards - The present study focuses on investigating the impacts of a sudden dust storm on the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) over Ahmedabad (23.02°N, 72.57°E), an urban site...     

The stabilization value of groundwater: evidence from Indian tank irrigation systems

Groundwater is now a major source of agricultural water supply in many parts of the world. The value of groundwater as a new source of supply is well known. However, its additional buffering or stabilization value is less appreciated and even less analysed. Knowledge on groundwater’s stabilization value is advanced by developing and estimating an empirical model using the case of tank irrigation systems in Tamil Nadu, India. Unlike previous work, the model uses cross-sectional rather than time-series data. The results show that for the case-study region, the stabilization function added approximately 15% to supply value. Scenarios with surface water and electricity price were incorporated in the model. Increased surface-water supply and electricity price caused reduction in groundwater use but the percent of stabilization value of groundwater increased. The findings are used both to suggest improvements in tank irrigation systems and to further contextualize knowledge of groundwater’s stabilization value.