Relationships between three dispersion measures used in flood frequency analysis

Three dispersion measures of a random variable, i.e., the standard deviation, the mean deviation (MD) about the mean and the second L-moment, are analyzed in terms of their properties and mutual relationships. Emphasis is placed on the MD, as it is less recognized than two other dispersion measures. The relationships between the dispersion measures are derived for distributions commonly applied in flood frequency analysis (FFA). For distributions that are unbounded, there is a distribution-dependent constant value of the ratio of dispersion measures, or equivalently of respective coefficients of variation. For two-parameter distributions that are lower-bounded, the relationship between the coefficients of variation is also distribution dependent and is not linear. For lower-bounded three-parameter distributions, the dispersion measure ratios, or equivalently the ratios of coefficients of variation, depend on the coefficient of skewness and show a strong distributional dependence. For selected distributions, the three dispersion measures are compared both in terms of the robustness to the largest samples element and the accuracy of upper quantile estimation. The MD statistics may be highly competitive to the two other dispersion measure statistics if applied in FFA for parameters estimation.     

Microwave response of seasonal snow-cover measured by using a ground-based radiometer at 6.93 and 18.7 ghz frequencies and at dual polarization

Snow cover is an important variable for climatic and hydrologic models due to its effects on surface albedo, energy, and moisture budgets. Passive microwave sensors can be used to monitor temporal and spatial variations in large-scale snow cover parameters, avoiding problems of cloud cover and polar nights. In the present study, brightness temperature values were estimated (using calibration curves) for moist snow on natural and blackbody/metal surface. T_B response on snow depth, density, SWE and angular variation from nadir were measured and found that T_B decreases with increase of snow depth and with increase of angle from nadir. Empirical relations were used to estimate emissivity, dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor. It was observed that emissivity decreases with the increase of dielectric constant. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor both increases with the increase of density. Experiments were performed during winter of year 2005 at Dhundi and Solang (H.P.), India, using ground based passive microwave radiometer having 6.9 and 18.7 GHz antenna frequencies at dual polarization.     

Geo-engineering properties of expansive soil treated with xanthan gum biopolymer

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the effectiveness of xanthan gum (XG) biopolymer in stabilising the expansive soil. The XG biopolymer is mixed with expansive soil in different proportions such as 0%, 0.2%, 0.5%, 0.8% and 1.0% by weight of the dry soil mass. The plasticity, compaction, swelling, compressibility, hydraulic conductivity, strength and durability characteristics of the treated and un-treated expansive soil are examined. Results show that the plasticity index of the treated soil mass initially increases but beyond 0.5% biopolymer addition it decreases sharply. The optimum moisture content and maximum dry density of treated soil, found out from light and heavy compaction tests, do not follow any definite trend. It is also found that increasing XG content increases compressibility slightly but, it reduces swelling pressure, differential free swelling value and hydraulic conductivity remarkably. On the other hand, time-dependent compressive strength and resistance to mass loss increases with increasing XG content. Microscopic examination confirms the formation of gel-like linkage, which brings about the modifications in the treated expansive soil.     

The Correlation Lifetimes of Chromospheric Ca II K Network Cells

The lifetimes and spatial scales of emission network cells in the solar chromosphere were studied from a nearly continuous sequence of Caii K filtergrams, obtained from Antarctica. The temporal autocorrelation function (ACF) was calculated for spatially-aligned windows from the time sequence of filtergrams. The lifetime of network cells was found to be dependent on the activity of the region. The estimated lifetimes are 24–34 hours for quiet-region cells and 58–61 hours for active-region cells. The temporal ACF shows prominent undulations in some of the quiet-region windows. The spatial ACF reveals the periodicity of the emission network in quiet regions.     

Intra-seasonal variations of kinetic energy of lower tropospheric zonal waves during northern summer monsoon

Space spectral analysis of zonal (u) and meridional (v) components of wind and time spectral analysis of kinetic energy of zonal waves at 850 hPa during monsoon 1991 (1st June 1991 to 31st August 1991) for the global belt between equator and 40°N are investigated. Space spectral analysis shows that long waves (wavenumbers 1 and 2) dominate the energetics of Region 1 (equator to 20°N) while over Region 2 (20°N to 40°N) the kinetic energy of short waves (wavenumbers 3 to 10) is more than kinetic energy of long waves. It has been found that kinetic energy of long waves is dominated by zonal component while both (zonal and meridional) the components of wind have almost equal contribution in the kinetic energy of short waves. Temporal variations of kinetic energy of wavenumber 2 over Region 1 and Region 2 are almost identical. The correlation matrix of different time series shows that (i) wavenumber 2 over Regions 1 and 2 might have the same energy source and (ii) there is a possibility of an exchange of kinetic energy between wavenumber 1 over Region 1 and short waves over Region 2. Wave to wave interactions indicate that short waves over Region 2 are the common source of kinetic energy to wavenumber 2 over Regions 1 and 2 and wavenumber 1 over Region 1. Time spectral analysis of kinetic energy of zonal waves indicates that wavenumber 1 is dominated by 30–45 day and bi-weekly oscillations while short waves are dominated by weekly and bi-weekly oscillations. The correlation matrix, wave to wave interaction and time spectral analysis together suggest that short period oscillations of kinetic energy of wavenumber 1 might be one of the factors causing dominant weekly (5–9 day) and bi-weekly (10–18 day) oscillations in the kinetic energy of short waves.     

Silicate and carbonate weathering in the drainage basins of the Ganga-Ghaghara-Indus head waters: Contributions to major ion and Sr isotope geochemistry

The role of silicate and carbonate weathering in contributing to the major cation and Sr isotope geochemistry of the headwaters of the Ganga-Ghaghara-Indus system is investigated from the available data. The contributions from silicate weathering are determined from the composition of granites/ gneisses, soil profiles developed from them and from the chemistry of rivers flowing predominantly through silicate terrains. The chemistry of Precambrian carbonate outcrops of the Lesser Himalaya provided the data base to assess the supply from carbonate weathering. Mass balance calculations indicate that on an average ∼ 77% (Na + K) and ∼ 17% (Ca + Mg) in these rivers is of silicate origin. The silicate Sr component in these waters average ∼40% and in most cases it exceeds the carbonate Sr. The observations that (i) the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and Sr/Ca in the granites/gneisses bracket the values measured in the head waters; (ii) there is a strong positive correlation between⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of the rivers and the silicate derived cations in them, suggest that silicate weathering is a major source for the highly radiogenic Sr isotope composition of these source waters. The generally low⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (< 0.720) and Sr/Ca (∼ 0.2 nM/ μM) in the Precambrian carbonate outcrops rules them out as a major source of Sr and⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr in the headwaters on a basin-wide scale, however, the high⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (∼ 0.85) in a few of these carbonates suggests that they can be important for particular streams. The analysis of⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and Ca/Sr data of the source waters show that they diverge from a low⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and low Ca/Sr end member. The high Ca/Sr of the Precambrian carbonates precludes them from being this end member, other possible candidates being Tethyan carbonates and Sr rich evaporite phases such as gypsum and celestite. The results of this study should find application in estimating the present-day silicate and carbonate weathering rates in the Himalaya and associated CO₂ consumption rates and their global significance.     

A note on the relationship between dip-slip fault parameters and plate parameters in the two-dimensional modelling of preseismic deformation

Preseismic lithospheric deformation at a subduction zone can be modelled as dip-slip dislocation on an inclined fault or as flexure of a thin plate. Both these models predict a region of positive topography known as forebulge or outer rise. By matching the location and the magnitude of the forebulge, we derive useful relations between the dip-slip fault parameters and the plate parameters. In particular, we determine the width of a long dip-slip fault of given dip corresponding to a semi-infinite plate of given thickness. The displacement profiles of the two models are also compared.     

Spectral reflectance of some typical Indian soils as affected by tillage and cover types

Measuring spectral reflectance of soils in situ which simulates measurements made from aircraft and by satellite scanner system has become an integral part of soil mapping using remote sensing techniques. A preliminary study has been conducted to measure the spectral reflectance of some typical red and black soils of India using a field radiometer (EXOTECH-100-A) and to study the changes in specrtral reflectance patterns due to tillage and crop and non-crop cover, The spectral reflectance were measured in four different pands of electromagnetic spectrum—two in visible (0.5-0.6μ and 0.6-0.7μ) and two in infrared (0.7-0.8μ and 0.8-1.0μ) region. Spectral reflectance curves were drawn from these values which helped in understanding the spectral separability and mixing of various red and black soil types. Black soils having grass cover showed maximum reflectance value followed by ploughed one and bare counterparts whereas, the order of decrease in spectral reflectance of red soils was bare soils> ploughed soil> soils with grass cover.     

Some thougths on the evolution of Himalaya and the Northern limit of the Indian Shield

Based on the sedimentological studies and the distribution of fossil-bearing horizons in the Himalaya a new model for the evolution of Himalaya is visualized. It is proposed that the Lesser and Central Himalaya constitute an integral part of the Peninsular Indian shield. The unfossiliferous orthoquartzite-shale-carbonate sequences of Lesser and Central Himalaya represent Precambrian sediments, deposited in a shallow tidal sea. Within the Lesser Himalaya there are thin detached marine fossiliferous horizons of three ages, viz. Carboniferous-Permian, Jurassic-Cretaceous and Eocene, located in a narrow E-W running zone (Dogadda-Subathu Zone), representing deposits of three transgressions in this zone.This zone is analogous to the Narbada Valley zone of the Peninsular India, where rocks of Permian, Cretaceous and Eocene ages are present. This model properly explains the unfossiliferous nature of the Lesser Himalayan sediments and demands the northern limit of Indian Plate north of Himalaya.

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Zusammenfassung Aufgrand sedimentologischer Untersuchungen und der Verteilung fossilführender Schichten im Himalaya wird ein neues Modell der Himalayaentwicklung dargestellt. Es wird angenommen, daß der Außen- und Zentralhimalaya fester Bestandteil des indischen Schildes waren. Die fossilleeren Abfolgen von Orthoquarziten, Tonen und Kalken des Außen- und Zentralhimalaya bestehen aus präkambrischen Sedimenten, die ehemals in einem Flachmeer unter Gezeiteneinfluß abgelagert wurden. Im Bereich des Außenhimalaya finden sich geringmächtige Einschaltungen mit mariner Fauna, die dem Permokarbon, Jura/Kreide und Eozän zuzuordnen sind. Sie liegen innerhalb einer schmalen E/W-verlaufenden Zone (Dogadda-Subathu Zone) und entsprechen 3 Transgressionen in diesem Gebiet.Diese Zone ist dem Narbada Valley-Bereich der indischen Halbinsel vergleichbar, wo ebenfalls Ablagerungen aus Perm, Kreide und Eozän angetroffen werden.Durch dieses Modell läßt sich die Art der fossilleeren Sedimente des Außenhimalaya erklären. Es führt zu der Annahme, daß die Nordgrenze der indischen Platte nördlich des Himalaya zu suchen ist.

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Résumé Un nouveau modèle de l'évolution de l'Himalaya est présenté, basé sur des études sédimentologiques et sur la répartition des horizons fossilifères, suivant lequel l'Himalaya Central et Externe ferait intégralement partie du boncliez péninsulaire Indien.Les séquences non fossilifères d'orthoquartzites-schistes-carbonates de l'Himalaya Central et Externe représentent des sédiments précambriens déposés dans un environnement marin peu profond soumis aux marées. Dans la région de l'Himalaya Externe, on observe de minces intercalations fossiliferes marines correspondant à trois phases de transgression, au Permo-Carbonifére, au Jurassique-Crétacé et à l'Eocène. Ces horizons sont localisés dans une zone étroite, de direction E-W, la zone de Dogadda-Subathu.Cette zone est comparable à la Valleé de Narbada en Inde péninsulaire, qui comporte également des dépôts permiens, crétacés et éocènes. Le modèle propose permet d'expliquer la nature non fossilifère de la plupart des sédiments de l'Himalaya Externe et conduit á rechercher la limite Nord de la plaque indienne au Nord de l'Himalaya.

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