Influence of galactic nuclear explosions on the efficiency of the process of star formation

Periodic explosions in the nucleus of a galaxy generate strong shock waves. The shock waves, in moving outwards, produce highly compressed thin layers of gas at distances much larger than the thickness of the layer. When the gas in this layer undergoes fragmentation, the Jeans mass is found to be much less than that if the fragmentation proceeded under normal gravitational pull. It is, therefore, concluded that the explosive events in the galactic centres make the process of star formation highly efficient in the central region of galaxies.     

Mass accretion by the nuclei of disk galaxies

In this work a model has been proposed to explain how the nucleus of a Galaxy can accumulate mass and becomes supermassive — ultimately giving way to gravitational instability leading to an explosion in the nucleus. The process may be repeated many times during the life-span of a Galaxy. The mass shed by the evolved stars populating the central region of the Galaxy can be attracted toward the nuclear core by gravitational pull. Since the incident gas possesses rotational velocity, the centrifugal repulsion of the gas may balance the gravitational pull of the nucleus; thus infall of mass into the nucleus will ordinarily be inhibited. But dissipative agents — such as the prevailing magnetic field and the viscosity of gas — may be sufficient to destroy the rotational velocity of the incident gas and keep the accretion process efficient. The correlation between rotational velocity of gas and its distance from the centre of the Galaxy has been deduced. The radial equation of motion has been solved and the time-scale during which the nucleus accumulates mass sufficient for explosion, has been estimated.     

Integrated approach of using remote sensing and GIS to study watershed prioritization and productivity

Soil data obtained from soil resource inventory, land and climate were derived from the remote sensing satellite data (Landsat TM, bands 1 to 7) and were integrated in GIS environment to obtain the soil erosion loss using USLE model for the watershed area. The priorities of different sub-watershed areas for soil conservation measures were identified. Land productivity index was also used as a measure for land evaluation. Different soil and land attribute maps were generated in GIS, and R,K,LS,C and P factor maps were derived. By integrating these soil erosion map was generated. The mapping units, found not suitable for agriculture production, were delineated and mapped as non-arable land. The area suitable for agricultural production was carved out for imparting the productivity analysis; the land suitable for raising agricultural crops was delineated into different mapping units as productivity ratings good, fair, moderate and poor. The analysis performed using remote sensing and GIS helped to generate the attribute maps with more accuracy and the ability of integrating these in GIS environment provided the ease to get the required kind of analysis. Conventional methods of land evaluation procedures in terms of either soil erosion or productivity are found not comparable with the out put generated by using remote sensing and GIS as the limitations in generating the attribute maps and their integration. The results obtained in this case study show the use of different kinds of data derived from different sources in land evaluation appraisals.     

The structural and geochemical evolution of the Singhbhum granite batholithic complex, India

The Singhbhum granite batholithic complex of eastern India is composed mainly of (a) the Older Metamorphic Group, tonalite (-trondhjemite) gneiss (OMTG, 3800 Ma old), whch intruded synkinematically into the enveloping Older Metamorphic Group (OMG, > 3800 Ma old) and (b) the Singhbhum granite (SBG) consisting of three distinct but closely related phases of at least twelve separate magmatic units of granodiorite-granite (2950 Ma old), and a number of patches of granitised OMG orthoamphibolites. Geochemical studies including REE and LIL elements suggest that (a) the OMG orthoamphibolites were derived either by re-melting of a K-poor basalt (LKT) or of mantle peridotite with high concentration of LIL elements, (b) the OMG tonalite was derived by partial melting of amphibolite and (c) the Singhbhum granite magmas appear to have formed in two distinct modes: (i) partial melting of amphibolite for the magmas of phases I and II and (ii) partial melting of a siliceous, garnet-bearing granulite for magmas of the phase III units.     

Effect of ion kinematic viscosity on large amplitude dust ion acoustic solitary waves

Nonlinear dust ion acoustic solitary waves (DIASW) in dusty plasma are studied incorporating kinematic viscosity, using Sagdeev’s pseudopotential approach. The effects of kinematic viscosity and the nonextensive parameter q on the features of DIASW are investigated in some detail.     

Dust ion acoustic travelling waves in the framework of a modified Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation in a magnetized dusty plasma with superthermal electrons

For the critical values of the parameters q and V, the work (Samanta et al. in Phys. Plasma 20:022111, 2013b) is unable to describe the nonlinear wave features in magnetized dusty plasma with superthermal electrons. To describe the nonlinear wave features for critical values of the parameters q and V, we extend the work (Samanta et al. in Phys. Plasma 20:022111, 2013b). To extend the work, we derive the modified Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (MKP) equation for dust ion acoustic waves in a magnetized dusty plasma with q-nonextensive velocity distributed electrons by considering higher order coefficients of ?. By applying the bifurcation theory of planar dynamical systems to this MKP equation, the existence of solitary wave solutions of both types rarefactive and compressive, periodic travelling wave solutions and kink and anti-kink wave solutions is proved. Three exact solutions of these above waves are determined. The present study could be helpful for understanding the nonlinear travelling waves propagating in mercury, solar wind, Saturn and in magnetosphere of the Earth.     

Bifurcations of electron acoustic traveling waves in an unmagnetized quantum plasma with cold and hot electrons

Bifurcations of nonlinear electron acoustic solitary waves and periodic waves in an unmagnetized quantum plasma with cold and hot electrons and ions has been investigated. The one dimensional quantum hydrodynamic model is used to study electron acoustic waves (EAWs) in quantum plasma. Applying the well known reductive perturbation technique (RPT), we have derived a Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation for EAWs in an unmagnetized quantum plasma. By using the bifurcation theory and methods of planar dynamical systems to this KdV equation, we have presented the existence of two types of traveling wave solutions which are solitary wave solutions and periodic traveling wave solutions. Under different parametric conditions, some exact explicit solutions of the above waves are obtained.     

Geomorphologic,stratigraphic and sedimentologic evidences of tectonic activity in Sone–Ganga alluvial tract in Middle Ganga Plain,India

The basement of the Ganga basin in the Himalayan foreland is criss-crossed by several faults, dividing the basin into several sub-blocks forming horsts, grabens, or half-grabens. Tectonic perturbations along basement faults have affected the fluvial regime and extent of sediment fill in different parts of the basin during Late Quaternary. The East Patna Fault (EPF) and the West Patna Fault (WPF), located in Sone–Ganga alluvial tract in the southern marginal parts of Middle Ganga Plain (MGP), have remained tectonically active. The EPF particularly has acted significantly and influenced in evolving the geomorphological landscape and the stratigraphic architecture of the area. The block bounded by the two faults has earlier been considered as a single entity, constituting a half-graben. The present investigation (by morpho-stratigraphic and sedimentologic means) has revealed the existence of yet another fault within the half-graben, referred to as Bishunpur–Khagaul Fault (BKF). Many of the long profile morphological characters (e.g., knick-zone, low width–depth ratio) of the Sone River at its lower reaches can be ascribed to local structural deformation along BKF. These basement faults in MGP lie parallel to each other in NE–SW direction.     

Post-2004 mega-earthquake temporal velocity variation at Andaman Islands from GPS measurements

Post-mega-earthquake velocity adjustment at Andaman region was found to vary with time. Coordinate repeatability for 5-year span shows changeover from post-seismic to inter-seismic period in between 900 and 1,000 days from the mega-earthquake. Excluding Havlock Island, all sites move from south to north and from east to west. Velocity vectors gradually rotated from the nearly perpendicular orientation after the mega-earthquake to parallel orientation with the subduction interface in later phase. Velocities in India 2005 reference frame indicate the presence of a structural discontinuity between Bedonabad and Chidiatapu at south Andaman, between Padmanavapuram and Kaushalyanagar at middle Andaman and between Aerial Bay and Radhanagar at north Andaman.     

Desertification in western Rajasthan (India): an assessment using remote sensing derived rain-use efficiency and residual trend methods

Natural Hazards - Owing to its impact on global ecosystem, climate change and related effects is being perceived as a serious issue worldwide especially in the arid and semi-arid regions. Climatic...