Evaluation of glacial resource potential for sustaining kuhl irrigation system under changing climate in the Himalayan region

A large numbers of mountain communities in the Himalayan region depend on glacier-fed kuhl system – gravity flow irrigation, for their sustenance. The depletion and retreat of glaciers often result in disruption of melt flows to kuhl system, which ultimately impacts the agriculture as well as livelihood of the local communities. Sustainability of glacial resource was assessed for establishing kuhl irrigation system based on indices of glacier decrease by number(GDN) and glacier depletion by volume(GDV) during the 2001-2013 period. The selected factors are important in terms of understanding point source and reserve potential of glaciers for sustaining glacier-fed kuhl irrigation in this region. The sustainability of glaciers was found good(i.e. a least decrease or rather increase in glacier number and volume) in about 23.6% glaciers(ice reserves about 705.9 km~3) under 10 km~2 area class of glaciers mainly in Gilgit and Shigar river basins of the Karakoram range. In the 5–10 km~2 class of glaciers, sustainability was good in 49 glaciers(ice reserve 26.59 km~3) and under 1–5 km~2 class, in 558 glaciers(ice reserve 60.189 km~3). Overall sustainability of glaciers appears to prevail in the Karakoram basins. The lesser sustainability of glaciers in the Himalaya basins like Astore and Jhelum would apparently be compensated by monsoon and change in rainfall pattern. A regular monitoring of the glacier resource and utilizing advance water conservation techniques would help in coping with negative impacts of downwasting of glaciers and provide long-term support to kuhl irrigation system in the Himalayan region in future.     

Vortex formation in nonlinearly coupled modes in a magnetized quantum plasma

Linear and nonlinear properties of coupled modes in a magnetized quantum plasma in the presence of electron Fermi pressure are studied in a nonuniform magnetoplasma composed of electrons, ions, and extremely massive and negatively charged immobile dust grains. Stationary solutions of the nonlinear equations that govern the dynamics of coupled modes are presented. It is found that electrostatic dipolar vortex structure can form in such a plasma. The dipolar structures in dense plasmas are observed to be formed on a much shorter scalelength by comparison with their classical counterparts. It is found that the increasing Fermi temperature shortens the scalelength over which the nonlinear coherent structures are formed. The relevance of the present investigation with regard to the dense astrophysical plasmas is also pointed out.     

Landau damping and kinetic instability in non-Maxwellian highly electronegative multi-species plasma

The effect of two negative ions on the Landau damping and stellar solar wind driven instability is analyzed using kinetic theory for the Lorentzian plasmas. It is investigated that the dispersion relations, damping rates and instability growths are appreciably modified in the presence of Generalized Lorentzian or kappa distributed function and additional negative ion in our plasma system. A quantitative measurement of the threshold value of the streaming velocity is also determined to estimate the condition of the growing instability.     

Dust-acoustic solitary and rogue waves in a Thomas-Fermi degenerate dusty plasma

The formation and propagation of dust-acoustic (DA) solitary and rogue waves are studied in a non-relativistic degenerate Thomas-Fermi thermal dusty plasma incorporating transverse velocity perturbation effects. The electrons and ions are described by the Thomas-Fermi density distributions, whereas the dust grains are taken as dynamic and classical. By using the reductive perturbation technique, the cylindrical Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (CKP) equation is derived, which is then transformed into a Korteweg-deVries (KdV) equation by using appropriate variable transformations. The latter admits a solitary wave solution. However, when the carrier waves frequency is much smaller than the dust plasma frequency, the DA waves evolve into the nonlinear modulation instability, generating modulated wave packets in the form of Rogue waves. For the study of DA-rogue waves, the KdV equation is transformed into a self-focusing nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The variation of dust temperature and the electron density affects the nonlinearity and dispersion coefficients which suppress the amplitudes of the DA solitary and rogue waves. The present results aim to describe the nonlinear electrostatic excitations in astrophysical degenerate dense plasma.     

Electrostatic electron acoustic solitons in electron-positron-ion plasma with superthermal electrons and positrons

Properties of fully nonlinear electron-acoustic solitary waves in an unmagnetized and collisionless electron-positron-ion plasma containing cold dynamical electrons, superthermal electrons and positrons obeying Cairns’ distribution have been analyzed in the stationary background of massive positive ions. A linear dispersion relation has been derived, from which it is found that even in the absence of superthermal electrons, the superthermal positron component can provide the restoring force to the cold inertial electrons to excite electron-acoustic waves. Moreover, superthermal electron and positron populations seem to enhance the electron acoustic wave phase speed. For nonlinear analysis, Korteweg-de Vries equation is obtained using the reductive perturbation technique. It is found that in the presence of positron both hump and dip type solitons appear to excite. The present work may be employed to explore and to understand the formation of electron acoustic soliton structures in the space and laboratory plasmas with nonthermal electrons and positrons.     

The use of vertical electrical sounding resistivity method for the location of low salinity groundwater for irrigation in Chaj and Rachna Doabs

A geoelectrical resistivity survey using vertical electrical sounding (VES) was conducted at Chaj Doab (land between rivers Jhelum and Chenab, Pakistan) and Rachna Doab (land between rivers Chenab and Ravi, Pakistan), with the objective of investigating groundwater conditions. A total of 90 sites were selected with 43 sites in Chaj and 47 sites in Rachna Doabs. The resistivity meter (ABEM Terrameter SAS 4000, Sweden) was used to collect the VES data by employing a Schlumberger electrode configuration, with half current electrode spacings (AB/2) ranging from 2 to 180 m and the potential electrode (MN) from 1 to 40 m. The field data were interpreted using the Interpex IX1D computer software and the resistivity versus depth models for each location was estimated. The outputs of subsurface layers with resistivities and thickness presented in contour maps and 3-D views by using SURFER software were created. A total of 102 groundwater samples from nearby hydrowells at different depths were collected to develop a correlation between the aquifer resistivity of VES and the electrical conductivity (EC) of the groundwater and to confirm the resulted geophysical resistivity models. From the correlation developed, it was observed that the groundwater salinity in the aquifer may be considered low and so safe for irrigation if resistivity >45 Ω m, and marginally fit for irrigation having resistivity between 25 and 45 Ω m. The study area has resistivities from 3.9 to 2,222 Ω m at the top of the unsaturated layer, between 1.21 and 171 Ω m, in the shallow aquifers, and 0.14–152 Ω m in the deep aquifers of the study area. The results indicate that the quality of groundwater is better near the rivers and in the shallow layers compared to the deep layers.     

Integration of geoelectric and hydrochemical approaches for delineation of groundwater potential zones in alluvial aquifer

Geoelectric and hydrochemical approaches are employed to delineate the ground-water potential zones in District Okara, a part of Bari Doab, Punjab, Pakistan. Sixty-seven VES surveys are conducted with the Electrical Resistivity Meter. The resultant resistivity verses depth model for each site is estimated using computer-based software IX1D. Aquifer thickness maps and interpreted resistivity maps were generated from interpreted VES results. Dar-Zarrouk parameters, transverse resistance (TR), longitudinal conductance (SL) and anisotropy (λ) were also calculated from resistivity data to delineate the potential zones of aquifer. 70% of SL value is ≤3S, 30% of SL value is > 3S. According to SL and TR values, the whole area is divided into three potential zones, high, medium and low potential zones. The spatial distribution maps show that north, south and central parts of study area are marked as good potential aquifer zones. Longitudinal conductance values are further utilized to determine aquifer protective capacity of area. The whole area is characterized by moderate to good and up to some extent very good aquifer protective area on the basis of SL values. The groundwater samples from sixty-seven installed tube wells are collected for hydro-chemical analysis. The electrical conductivity values are determined. Correlation is then developed between the EC (μS/cm) of groundwater samples vs. interpreted aquifer resistivity showing R2 value 0.90.     

Snowmelt runoff assessment and prediction under variable climate and glacier cover scenarios in Astore River Basin,Western Himalayas

Climate change is expected to have a significant impact on the Himalayan region, which may ultimately affect the water security and agriculture productivity in the region. Investigations of hydrologic regimes and their linkage to climatic trends are therefore gaining importance to reduce vulnerability of growing implications in the region. In the present study, the eWater source software implementation of GR4JSG snow melt model was used for snow melt runoff modeling of the Astore river basin, western Himalayas. The model calibration and validation indicated a close agreement between the simulated and observed discharge data. The scenario of 0.9 °C increase in temperature indicated 33% rise in the river discharge, while an increase of 10% in precipitation may exaggerate the river flows by 15%. The scenario of 100% increase in glaciated area showed 41% increase in the Astore river discharge. On the other hand, reduction of 50% glacier cover may result in 34% decline in the river discharge, while 0% glacier coverage may reduce the river discharges by 49% from that of the base year 2014. It is essential to develop a long-term water resource monitoring process and adapt water management systems taking into account the socio-economic and ecological complexities of the region.     

Ion-temperature-gradient driven modes in dust-contaminated plasma with nonthermal electron distribution and dust charge fluctuations

The effect of nonthermal electrons on ion-temperature-gradient (ITG) driven modes is investigated in the presence of variable dust charge and ion shear flow. The dust charge fluctuating expression is obtained in the presence of kappa distributed electrons. A dispersion relation is derived and analyzed numerically by choosing space plasma parameters of Jupiter/Saturn magnetospheres. It is found that the presence of nonthermal electrons population reduces the growth rate of ITG mode driven instability. The effects of ion temperature, electron density and magnetic field variation on the growth rate of ITG instability are presented numerically. It is also pointed out that the present results will be useful to understand the ITG driven modes with variable dust charge and kappa distributed electrons, present in most of the space plasma environments.     

Chemical and oxygen isotopic properties of ordinary chondrites (H5, L6) from Oman: Signs of isotopic equilibrium during thermal metamorphism

Mean bulk chemical data of recently found H5 and L6 ordinary chondrites from the deserts of Oman generally reflect isochemical features which are consistent with the progressive thermal metamorphism of a common, unequilibrated starting material. Relative differences in abundances range from 0.5–10% in REE (Eu = 14%), 6–13% in siderophile elements (Co = 48%), and >10% in lithophile elements (exceptions are Ba, Sr, Zr, Hf, U = >30%) between H5 and L6 groups. These differences may have accounted for variable temperature conditions during metamorphism on their parent bodies. The CI/Mg‐normalized mean abundances of refractory lithophile elements (Al, Ca, Sm, Yb, Lu, V) show no resolvable differences between H5 and L6 suggesting that both groups have experienced the same fractionation. The REE diagram shows subtle enrichment in LREE with a flat HREE pattern. Furthermore, overall mean REE abundances are ~0.6 × CI with enriched La abundance (~0.9 × CI) in both groups. Precise oxygen isotope compositions demonstrate the attainment of isotopic equilibrium by progressive thermal metamorphism following a mass‐dependent isotope fractionation trend. Both groups show a ~slope‐1/2 line on a three‐isotope plot with subtle negative deviation in ?¹⁷O associated with δ¹⁸O enrichment relative to δ¹⁷O. These deviations are interpreted as the result of liberation of water from phyllosilicates and evaporation of a fraction of the water during thermal metamorphism. The resultant isotope fractionations caused by the water loss are analogous to those occurring between silicate melt and gas phase during CAI and chondrule formation in chondrites and are controlled by cooling rates and exchange efficiency.