The crystalline axis of the Himalaya: The Indian shield and continental drift

The Great Himalayan Range and the Central Crystalline Axis are two different units. The Axis came into existence much before the Himalayan orogeny and formed a barrier between the Tethys and the Himalayan geosynclines. Observations indicate that its existence is not a consequence of continental drift. Geological records show that the Indian shield was not involved in the continental drift to the extent postulated in the drift hypothesis.     

Rock physics model for seismic velocity & fluid substitution in sub-resolution interbedded sand–shale sequences

The measured geophysical response of sand – shale sequences is an average over multiple layers when the tool resolution (seismic or well log) is coarser than the scale of sand – shale mixing. Shale can be found within sand – shale sequences as laminations, dispersed in sand pores, as well as load bearing clasts. We present a rock physics framework to model seismic/sonic properties of sub-resolution interbedded shaly sands using the so-called solid and mineral substitution models. This modelling approach stays consistent with the conceptual model of the Thomas–Stieber approach for estimating volumetric properties of shaly sands; thus, this work connects established well log data-based petrophysical workflows with quantitative interpretation of seismic data for modelling hydrocarbon signature in sand – shale sequences. We present applications of the new model to infer thickness of sand – shale lamination (i.e., net to gross) and other volumetric properties using seismic data. Another application of the new approach is fluid substitution in sub-resolution interbedded sand–shale sequences that operate directly at the measurement scale without the need to downscale; such a procedure has many practical advantages over the approach of “first-downscale-and-then-upscale” as it is not very sensitive to errors in estimated sand fraction and end member sand/shale properties and remains stable at small sand/shale fractions.     

X-ray diffraction study of magnesite at high pressure and high temperature

 P–V–T measurements on magnesite MgCO₃ have been carried out at high pressure and high temperature up to 8.6 GPa and 1285 K, using a DIA-type, cubic-anvil apparatus (SAM-85) in conjunction with in situ synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. Precise volumes are obtained by the use of data collected above 873 K on heating and in the entire cooling cycle to minimize non-hydrostatic stress. From these data, the equation-of-state parameters are derived from various approaches based on the Birch-Murnaghan equation of state and on the relevant thermodynamic relations. With K′₀ fixed at 4, we obtain K₀=103(1) GPa, α(K⁻¹)=3.15(17)×10⁻⁵ +2.32(28)×10⁻⁸ T, (∂K_T/∂T)_P=−0.021(2) GPaK⁻¹, (dα/∂P)_T=−1.81×10⁻⁶ GPa⁻¹K⁻¹ and (∂K_T/∂T)_V= −0.007(1) GPaK⁻¹; whereas the third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state with K′₀ as an adjustable parameter yields the following values: K₀=108(3) GPa, K′₀=2.33(94), α(K⁻¹)=3.08(16)×10⁻⁵+2.05(27) ×10⁻⁸ T, (∂K_T/∂T)_P=−0.017(1) GPaK⁻¹, (dα/∂P)_T= −1.41×10⁻⁶ GPa⁻¹K⁻¹ and (∂K_T/∂T)_V=−0.008(1) GPaK⁻¹. Within the investigated P–T range, thermal pressure for magnesite increases linearly with temperature and is pressure (or volume) dependent. The present measurements of room-temperature bulk modulus, of its pressure derivative, and of the extrapolated zero-pressure volumes at high temperatures, are in agreement with previous single-crystal study and ultrasonic measurements, whereas (∂K_T/∂T)_P, (∂α/∂P)_T and (∂K_T/∂T)_V are determined for the first time in this compound. Using this new equation of state, thermodynamic calculations for the reactions (1) magnesite=periclase+CO₂ and (2) magnesite+enstatite=forsterite+CO₂ are consistent with existing experimental phase equilibrium data. Received September 28, 1995/Revised, accepted May 22, 1996     

Fluid inclusion study of the Higher Himalayan quartzitic pelites, Garhwal Himalaya, India: Implications for recrystallization history of metasediments

Quartzitic pelites forms a part of Higher Himalayan Crystalline of higher geotectonic zone in Garhwal Himalaya. Quartzitic pelites (locally known as Pandukeshwar Quartzite) in Garhwal Himalaya is sandwiched between high grade metamorphic rocks of Central Crystallines and Badrinath Formation. Fluid inclusion studies are carried out on the detrital, and recrystallized quartz grains of quartzitic pelites to know about the fluid phases present during recrystallization processes at the time of maximum depth of burial. The quartzitic pelite (Pandukeshwar Quartzite) essentially consists of recrystallised quartz with accessory minerals like mica and feldspar. Fluid microthermometry study reveals the presence of three types of fluids: (i) high-salinity brine, (ii) CO₂-H₂O and (iii) H₂O-NaCl. These fluids were trapped during the development of grain and recrystallization processes. The high saline brine inclusions and CO₂-H₂O fluid with the density of 0.90 to 0.97 gm/cm³ are remnants of provenance area. CO₂ density in detrital quartz grains characterise the protolith of the sandstone as granite or metamorphic rock. The H₂O-NaCl fluids involved in the recrystallization processes at temperature-pressure of 430-350°C; 4.8 to 0.5 Kbars as constrained by fluid isochores of CO₂-H₂O and H₂O-NaCl inclusions and bulging and subgrain development during recrystallization processes. The re-equilibration of the primary fluid due to elevated internal and confining pressure is evident from features like ‘C’ shaped cavities, stretching of the inclusions, their migration and decrepitation clusters. The observed inclusion morphology revealed that the rocks were exhumed along an isothermal decompression path.     

Identification of water-bearing fractures in hard rock terrain by electrical conductivity logs, India

For the delineation of water-bearing fractures in hard rock areas, a new hydro-chemical technique has been developed which is based on electrical conductivity (EC) logs. The EC logs were carried out in experimental shallow bore wells (≈50 m) in three different parts of India. A sharp variation in EC was observed near water-bearing fractures in hard rock areas. To access applications of this technique, different locations in India were selected and experimental bore wells (≈50 m) were drilled. These were:

Equilibrium structures of rotationally and tidally distorted stellar models

In this paper we present a method for computint the equilibrium structures of rotationally distorted stars as well as rotationally and tidally distorted primary components of the stars in binary systems. The method is based on the averaging technique of Kippenhahn and Thomas (1970) and utilizes the concepts of Roche equipotentials (Kopal, 1972). The method takes into account terms up to second-order of smallness in the rotational and tidal distortion parameters. The use of the method in obtaining the equilibrium structures of certain rotationally and (or) tidally distorted models of Main-Sequence stars is also illustrated.     

Assessment and validation of evapotranspiration using SEBAL algorithm and Lysimeter data of IARI agricultural farm,India

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a vital process in land surface atmosphere research. In this study, Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) for the assessment of ET (for 23 December 2010, 8 January 2011, 24 January 2011, 9 February 2011, 25 February 2011, 29 March 2011 and 14 April 2011) from LANDSAT7-ETM+ and validation with Lysimeter data set is illustrated. It is based on the evaporative fraction concept, and it has been applied to LANDSAT7-ETM + (30 m resolution) data acquired over the Indian Agricultural Research Institute’s agricultural farm land. The ET from SEBAL was compared with Lysimeter ET using four statistical tests (root-mean-square error (RMSE), relative root-mean-square error (R-RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and normalized root-mean square error (NRMSE)), and each test showed a good correlation between the predicted and observed ET values. Results from this study revealed that the RMSE of crop-growing period was 0.51 mm d^?1 for ET_SEBAL, i.e. ET_SEBAL having good accuracy with respect to observed ET_Lysimeter. Results were also validated using R-RMSE test, which also proved that ET_SEBAL data are having good accuracy with respect to observed ET_Lysimeter as R-RMSE of crop-growing period is 0.19 mm d^?1. MAE (0.19), NRMSE (0.21) and r² (0.91) tests indicated that model prediction is significant, and model can be effectively used for the estimation of ET from SEBAL as input of remote sensing data sets. Finally, the SEBAL has been useful for remote agricultural land where ground-based data (Lysimeter data) are not available for daily ET (ET_24 h) estimation. The temporal study of the ET_24 h values analysed has revealed that the highest ET_24 h values are owing to the higher development (high greenness) of crops, whereas the lower values are related to the lower development (low greenness) or null crop.