Electron cyclotron waves in the presence of parallel electric fields in the Earth’s auroral plasma

The electron cyclotron waves that originate at low altitudes (<0.5 R_E) and observed by ground facilities have been studied in the presence of a weak parallel electric field in auroral magnetoplasma consisting of trapped energetic auroral electrons and cold background electrons of ionospheric origin. The model distribution for auroral trapped electrons is taken as Maxwellian ring distribution. An expression for the growth rate has been obtained in the presence of parallel electric field assuming that the real frequency in the whistler mode is not affected by the presence of the electric field. The results show that waves grow (or damp) in amplitude for a parallel (or antiparallel) electric field. The influence of the electric field is more pronounced at a shorter wavelength spectrum. An increase in population of energetic electrons increases the growth rate and thus, plays a significant role in the wave excitation process in the auroral regions.     

Seismic horizontal pullout capacity of shallow vertical anchors in sand

The concept of the equivalent free surface has been extended to determine the seismic horizontal pullout capacity of shallow vertical strip plate anchors buried in sand. The analysis has been done rigorously by using the method of stress characteristics. The results have been expressed in the form of non-dimensional charts. The pullout resistance has been found to reduce quite extensively with increase in the magnitude of horizontal earthquake acceleration. The results were compared with the previously published data, and it was seen that the computed pullout resistance with the proposed method was found to be lowest. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Mechanism of arrested charnockite formation at Nemmara, Palghat region, southern India

The formation of arrested charnockite is an excellent example of structurally controlled channellised fluid flow along specific sites accompanied by selective elemental mobility and mineralogical changes. The present paper recognises and focuses study on three types of arrested charnockite formation from Palghat region, namely, shear-controlled, foliation parallel and boudin-neck types, and address their spatio-temporal relations to regional-scale charnoenderbite. The shear-controlled and foliation parallel types post-date deformation and migmatisation. The boudin-neck type, on the contrary, is coeval with partial melting and followed the path of cooling and decreasing water activity in the gneiss. K-feldspar veining around plagioclase and quartz, symplectitic intergrowth of biotite+quartz after orthopyroxene and K-feldspar, and fluid inclusion data suggests the presence of alkalic supercritical brine and low-density CO₂-rich fluid during charnockite formation. Charnockite domains developed following the breakdown of hornblende, biotite and quartz are characterised by a more or less pronounced depletion of Fe, Ca, Mg and Ti and trace elements Y and Zr, compared to their counterpart gneiss. REE spectra indicate a subtle depletion in the HREE near the centre of the charnockite domain. Although close-pair samples of gneiss–charnockite are isochemical, on a scale of a few millimetres, bi-directional element movement, related to the formation of new mineral was noted. It is postulated that arrested charnockite formation developed in situ on local scale within the granitic domains of the hornblende-biotite gneiss, in the presence of CO₂-rich fluids and alkalic supercritical saline brine. This process post-dated the time of regional granulite (charnoenderbite) and large regional scale retrogression and migmatisation.     

Hydrography of the eastern Arabian Sea during summer monsoon 2002

Hydrographic observations in the eastern Arabian Sea (EAS) during summer monsoon 2002 (during the first phase of the Arabian Sea Monsoon Experiment (ARMEX)) include two approximately fortnight-long CTD time series. A barrier layer was observed occasionally during the two time series. These ephemeral barrier layers were caused byin situ rainfall, and by advection of low-salinity (high-salinity) waters at the surface (below the surface mixed layer). These barrier layers were advected away from the source region by the West India Coastal Current and had no discernible effect on the sea surface temperature. The three high-salinity water masses, the Arabian Sea High Salinity Water (ASHSW), Persian Gulf Water (PGW), and Red Sea Water (RSW), and the Arabian Sea Salinity Minimum also exhibited intermittency: they appeared and disappeared during the time series. The concentration of the ASHSW, PGW, and RSW decreased equatorward, and that of the RSW also decreased offshore. The observations suggest that the RSW is advected equatorward along the continental slope off the Indian west coast.     

Geotechnical Properties of Low Calcium and High Calcium Fly Ash

In this paper, a comparative study has been made for physical and engineering properties of low calcium and high calcium Indian fly ash. The grain size distribution of fly ash is independent of lime content. Fly ash particles of size >75 μm are mostly irregular in shape whereas finer fractions are spherical for low calcium fly ash. For high calcium fly ash, chemical and mineralogical differences have been observed for different size fractions. Compared to low calcium fly ash, optimum moisture content is low and maximum dry density is high for high calcium fly ash. Optimum moisture content is directly proportional and maximum dry density is inversely proportional to the carbon content. The mode and duration of curing have significant effect on strength and stress–strain behavior of compacted fly ash. The gain in strength with time for high calcium fly ash is very high compared to that of low calcium fly ash due to presence of reactive minerals and glassy phase.     

Cobalt‐Bearing Grunerite in the Metamorphosed Banded Iron Formation in Orissa,India

Banded iron formation (BIF) comprising high grade iron ore are exposed in Gorumahisani‐Sulaipat‐Badampahar belt in the east of North Orissa Craton, India. The ores are multiply deformed and metamorphosed to amphibolite facies. The mineral assemblage in the BIF comprises grunerite, magnetite/martite/goethite and quartz. Relict carbonate phases are sometimes noticed within thick iron mesobands. Grunerite crystals exhibit needles to fibrous lamellae and platy form or often sheaf‐like aggregates in linear and radial arrangement. Accicular grunerite also occur within intergranular space of magnetite/martite. Grunerite needles/accicules show higher reflectivity in chert mesoband and matching reflectance with that of adjacent magnetite/martite in iron mesoband. Some grunerite lamellae sinter into micron size magnetite platelets. This grunerite has high ferrous oxide and cobalt oxide content but is low in Mg‐ and Mn‐oxide compared to the ones, reported from BIFs, of Western Australia, Nigeria, France, USA and Quebec. The protolith of this BIF is considered to be carbonate containing sediments, with high concentrations of Fe and Si but lower contents of cobalt and chromium ± Mg, Mn and Ni. During submarine weathering quartz, sheet silicate (greenalite) and Fe‐Co‐Cr (Mg‐Mn‐Ni)‐carbonate solid solution were formed. At the outset of the regional metamorphic episode grunerite, euhedral magnetite and recrystalized quartz were developed. Magnetite was grown at the expense of carbonate and later martitized under post‐metamorphic conditions. With the increasing grade of metamorphism greenalite transformed to grunerite.     

Hydrogeochemical Characterization and Groundwater Quality of Jamshedpur Urban Agglomeration in Precambrian Terrain,Eastern India

This paper reports petrography, geochemistry and Rb-Sr age data on the rare metal bearing Neoarchean fertile (Nb-Ta) granite at Allapatna and elucidates its petrogenesis and role in Nb-Ta-Li-Be mineralization. The Allapatna granite (AG) intrudes the Tonalitic-Trondhjemitic - Granodioritic (TTG) Peninsular Gneiss and analysed SiO₂ (72.3-75.6 wt%), K₂O (4.0-5.7wt%), Na2O (3.0-4.4wt%), CaO (0.7-1wt%), MgO (0.13-0.25wt%) and K₂O/Na₂O (>1) indicating evolved nature. The presence of muscovite, biotite and garnet in the mode, peraluminous nature and high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio (0.7284±0.0083) attest to their S-type characteristics. Varying Nb/Ta ratio and high Li with moderate abundance of Cs further indicate affinity to Li-Cs-Ta (LCT) type granite-pegmatite system. TheAG showing whole rock Rb-Sr isochron age of 2803± 68 Ma, is the oldest reported fertile granite in India parental to rare metal pegmatites hosting Nb-Ta, Be, and Li resources. Partial melting of a mixed source consisting of both basement TTG rocks and metapelites has generated such type of granitic magma. Fractionation of such granitic magma possibly has given rise to the rare metal (Ta-Nb-Li-Be) bearing pegmatites intruding the nearby schist belt.     

Metamorphism of Proterozoic agpaitic nepheline syenite gneiss from North Singhbhum Mobile Belt, eastern India

Sushina nepheline syenite gneisses of Early Proterozoic North Singhbhum Mobile Belt (NSMB), eastern India suffered regional metamorphism under greenschist-amphibolite transitional facies condition. The Agpaitic Sushina nepheline syenite gneisses consist of albite, K-feldspar, nepheline (close to Morozewicz-Buerger composition), aegirine, biotite, epidote, piemontite, sodalite, cancrinite, natrolite and local alkali amphibole. Accessory phases include zircon, hematite, magnetite, rare pyrochlore and occasional eudialyte and manganoan calcic zirconosilicates. Mineral chemistry of albite, K-feldspar, nepheline, aegirine, alkali amphibole, natrolite and zirconium silicate minerals are described. The detailed textural features together with chemical data of some minerals indicate metamorphic overprint of these rocks. A new reaction is given for the genesis of metamorphic epidote. Metamorphic piemontite suggests greenschist facies metamorphism under high fO₂ (Hematite-Magnetite buffer). Up to 15.34 mol% of jadeite component in aegirine suggests that the metamorphic grade of the nepheline syenite gneiss reached at least to greenschist-amphibolite transitional facies or higher. Nepheline geothermometry suggests temperature of metamorphism <500 °C, which is consistent with greenschist facies metamorphism of surrounding chlorite-biotite-garnet phyllite country rock.     

Redox Condition,Nature and Tectono-magmatic Environment of Granitoids and Granite gneisses from the Karbi Anglong Hills,Northeast India: Constraints from Magnetic Susceptibility and Biotite Geochemistry

The Karbi Anglong hills (erstwhile Mikir hills) in northeast India are detached and separated from the Meghalaya plateau by a NW-SE trending Kopili rift. The Karbi Anglong hills granitoids (KAHG) and its granite gneissic variants belong to Cambrian plutons formed during Pan-African orogenic cycle, which commonly intrude the basement granite gneisses and Shillong Group metasediments. The KAHG can be broadly classified into three major granitoid facies viz., coarse grained porphyritic granitoid, medium grained massive non-porphyritic granitoid, and granite gneiss, which share a common mineral assemblage of plagioclase-K-feldspar-quartz-biotite±hornblende-apatite-titanite-zircon-magnetite but differ greatly in mineral proportion and texture. Modal mineralogy of KAHG, granite gneiss and basement granite gneiss largely represents monzogranite and syenogranite. The magnetic susceptibility (MS) of the KAHG, granite gneiss and basement granite gneiss varies widely between 0.11×10^-3 and 43.144×10^-3 SI units, corresponding to ilmenite series (<3×10^-3 SI; reduced type) and magnetite series (>3×10^-3 SI; oxidized type) of granitoids respectively. The observed MS variations are most likely intrinsic to heterogeneous source regions, modal variations of orthomagnetic and ferromagnetic minerals, and tectonothermal and deformational processes that acted upon these rocks. The primary and re-equilibrated compositions of biotites from the KAHG, granite gneiss and basement granite gneiss suggest calcalkaline, metaluminous (I-type) nature of felsic host magma formed in a subduction or post-collisional to peraluminous (S-type) host magma originated in syn-collisional tectonic settings, which were evolved and stabilized between FMQ and NNO buffers typically corresponding to reducing and oxidising magma environments respectively.     

Magnetite Dyke in Precambrian Banded Iron Formation,Singhbhum Craton,India: Mineralogical and Chemical Characteristics

Banded iron formation (BIF) of the Gorumahisani–Sulaipat–Badampahar (GSB) belt in Singhbhum Craton, India, consists predominantly of magnetite. This BIF is intruded by a magnetite dyke. The magnetite dyke is massive and compact with minor sulphide minerals while the host banded magnetite ore, a component of the BIF, shows thin lamination. The magnetite ore of the dyke is fine to medium grained and exhibits interlocking texture with sharp grain boundaries, which is different from the banded magnetite that is medium to coarse grained and show irregular martitised and goethitised grain boundaries. Relics of Fe–Ca–Mn–Mg‐carbonate and iron silicates (grunerite and cummingtonite) are observed in the banded magnetite. The intrusive magnetite is distinctly different in minor, trace and REE geochemistry from the banded magnetite. The banded magnetite contains higher amounts of Si, Al, Mn, Ca, Mg, Sc, Ga, Nb, Zr, Hf, Co, Rb and Cu. In contrast, the massive magnetite is enriched in Cr, Zn, V, Ni, Sr, Pb, Y, Ta, Cs and U with higher abundance of HREE. In the chondrite normalized plot, the massive magnetite shows a slight positive Eu anomaly while the banded ore does not show any Eu anomaly. Field disposition, morphology, mineralogy and chemistry show that the intrusive magnetite dyke is of igneous origin, while magnetite in BIF formed from a carbonate protolith through the process of sedimentation.