Landslide hazard zonation mapping and comparative analysis of hazard zonation maps

Landslide hazard zonation mapping at regional level of a large area provides a broad trend of landslide potential zones. A macro level landslide hazard zonation for a small area may provide a better insight into the landslide hazards. The main objective of the present work was to carry out macro landslide hazard zonation mapping on 1：50,000 scale in an area where regional level zonation mapping was conducted earlier. In the previous work the regional landslide hazard zonation maps of Srinagar- Rudraprayag area of Garhwal Himalaya in the state of Uttarakhand were prepared using subjective and objective approaches. In the present work the landslide hazard zonation mapping at macro level was carried out in a small area using a Landslide Hazard Evaluation Factor rating scheme. The hazard zonation map produced by using this technique classifies the area into relative hazard classes in which the high hazard zones well correspond with high frequency of landslides. The results of this map when compared with the regional zonation maps prepared earlier show that application of the present technique identified more details of the hazard zones, which are broadly shown in the earlier zonation maps.     

Fisher Matrix-based Predictions for Measuring the <Emphasis Type="Italic">z</Emphasis> = 3.35 Binned 21-cm Power Spectrum using the Ooty Wide Field Array (OWFA)

We use the Fisher matrix formalism to predict the prospects of measuring the redshifted 21-cm power spectrum in different k-bins using observations with the upcoming Ooty Wide Field Array (OWFA) which will operate at 326.5 MHz. This corresponds to neutral hydrogen (HI) at z = 3.35, and a measurement of the 21-cm power spectrum provides a unique method to probe the large-scale structures at this redshift. Our analysis indicates that a 5σ detection of the binned power spectrum is possible in the k range 0.05 ≤ k ≤ 0.3 Mpc^?1 with 1000 hours of observation. We find that the signal- to-noise ratio (SNR) peaks in the k range 0.1?0.2 Mpc^?1 where a 10σ detection is possible with 2000 hours of observations. Our analysis also indicates that it is not very advantageous to observe beyond 1000 h in a single field-of-view as the SNR increases rather slowly beyond this in many of the small k-bins. The entire analysis reported here assumes that the foregrounds have been completely removed.     

Early In-orbit Performance of Scanning Sky Monitor Onboard AstroSat

We report the in-orbit performance of Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM) onboard AstroSat. The SSM operates in the energy range 2.5 to 10 keV and scans the sky to detect and locate transient X-ray sources. This information of any interesting phenomenon in the X-ray sky as observed by SSM is provided to the astronomical community for follow-up observations. Following the launch of AstroSat on 28th September, 2015, SSM was commissioned on October 12th, 2015. The first power ON of the instrument was with the standard X-ray source, Crab in the field-of-view. The first orbit data revealed the basic expected performance of one of the detectors of SSM, SSM1. Following this in the subsequent orbits, the other detectors were also powered ON to find them perform in good health. Quick checks of the data from the first few orbits revealed that the instrument performed with the expected angular resolution of 12’ \(\times \) 2.5\(^\circ \) and effective area in the energy range of interest. This paper discusses the instrument aspects along with few on-board results immediately after power ON.     

Spatial Distribution of the Biotic Community in the Thermal Gradients of the Two Hot Springs

The runoff channels of two hot springs are investigated at seven and six stations with water temperatures of 64 … 34 or 44 … 35 °C, respectively. The temperatures are constant in the annual variation. With decreasing temperature, the pH-values and alkalinity decrease, whereas the hydrogen carbonate content and the orthophosphate concentration increase. In the range above 60 °C the mat consists of cyanophyceae and bacteria, and, unexpectedly, already from 60 °C also diatoms occur as dominant forms, below 40 °C the mat consisting of green algae and diatoms. With rotatoria, crustaceae and insects, herbivorous species occur only below 40 °C, fish species are regularly found below 38 °C.     

Uranium (-nickel-cobalt-molybdenum) mineralization along the Singhbhum copper belt,India, and the problem of ore genesis

Uranium mineralization is present at many places along the 200 km long Singhbhum copper belt, but the mineralization is relatively concentrated at the central part of it. The belt is characterized by many shear zone features, such as mylonites, phyllonites, and L-S type of structures and of course, copious metasomatism. Country rocks are basic schists, metapelites, quartzose rocks and albite schist/gneiss (Soda Granite). Orebodies are sheet-like, conformable with the pervasive planar structures in the host rocks. No pronounced wall rock alteration accompanied the mineralization. Grade of the ore is low (<0.1% U₃O₈). The principal uraniferous mineral uraninite occurs as dissemination. Other uranium-bearing minerals include pitchblende, allanite, xenotime, davidite, clarkeite, autunite (-metaautunite), torbernite, schoepite (-metaschoepite) and uranophane. Uranium is also present in a number of refractory phases either as inclusion of uraninite or in the crystal structure. Additionally, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum are present at Jaduguda-Bhatin in the form of millerite, gersdorffite, melonite, nickel-bearing pyrite, molybdenite etc. Dominance of uraninite over pitchblende and the larger cell-edge of uraninite, development of hematite-bearing quartz and Na-oligoclase at places in the ore zone, association of uranium mineralization with Ni-Co-Mo(-S-As) mineralization at Jaduguda-Bhatin and continuation of the orebodies to considerable depths, suggest that the uranium mineralization along the Singhbhum belt belongs to moderate to high temperature vein type. The age obtained by Pb²⁰⁷/Pb²⁰⁶ ratio and the concordia method suggest that the uranium mineralization in Singhbhum took place 1500–1600 Ma ago and this age is not far different from the age of formation of uranium-vein deposits in many other Precambrian shields of the world. The following two mechanisms of the formation of the deposits are discussed: 1) uranium precipitated in the Dhanjori basal sediments was mobilized during deformation and metamorphism into ore deposits, 2) the hydrodynamic system that leached out copper from the metabasic rocks to form the copper deposits at an earlier stage, could, in one of the oxidised pulses leach out uranium from the basal sediments and precipitate it in the favourable situations. Subsequent small-scale redistribution is possible. Constituents of the Ni-Co-(-S-As) mineralization appear to have been contributed by the volcanic-sedimentary pile.     

A Geographic Information System approach to evaluation of groundwater potentiality of Shamri micro-watershed in the Shimla Taluk, Himachal Pradesh

GIS. a potential tool for facilitating the generation and use of thematic information, has been applied to groundwater potentiality of the Shamri micro-watershed in Shimla Taluk. The role of various parameters, namely, drainage. lineament. lithology . slope and landuse have been emphasised for delineation of groundwater potential iones. IRS-I C IAN and LISS Ill FCC merged satellite images on 1:25000 scale and Topographic map no. 53L/4 SI together with field traverses have been used as the data source. A multi-criteria evaluation following probability weighted approach has been applied for overlay analysis that allows a linear combination of weights of each thematic map with the individual capability value. 1 he resultant map indicates a high groundwater potentiality in the flood plains, river terraces and river channels in the vicinity of the Shamri nala. Other sites of high potentiality include places showing break in slopes and criss-crossing of lineaments.     

Palaeomonsoon and palaeoproductivity records of δ18O, δ{13}C and CaCO3 variations in the northern Indian Ocean sedimentsC and CaCO3 variations in the northern Indian Ocean sediments

δ¹⁸ O and δ¹³C of G.sacculifer have been measured in five cores from the northern Indian Ocean. In addition, high resolution analysis (1 to 2 cm) was performed on one core (SK-20-185) for both δ¹⁸O and gd¹³C in five species of planktonic foraminifera. CaCO₃ variation was measured in two cores. The results, presented here, show that

Prime controls on Archaean–Palaeoproterozoic sedimentation: Change over time

Although the principle of uniformitarianism may be applied to the Precambrian sedimentary record as a whole, certain periods of the Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic witnessed a changing pattern of prime influences controlling the depositional systems. This paper examines the major controls on sedimentation systems and environments during the Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic within the broader perspective of Earth evolution. Earth's earliest sedimentary system (4.4?-3.7 Ga) was presumably comprised of deep oceanic realms and probably influenced primarily by bolide impacts, major tsunamis, localized traction and global contour current patterns, and bathymetry. As continental crust began to form, the impact-dominated, tsunami type sedimentation gave way to wider varieties of sedimentary environments, known from the oldest sedimentary records. During early continental crustal evolution (c. 3.7–2.7 Ga), sedimentation was essentially of greenstone-type. Volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks were the major components of the greenstone belts, associated with thin carbonates, stromatolitic evaporites, BIF, pelites and quartzites and lesser synorogenic turbidites, conglomerates and sandstones. Volcanism and active tectonism (reflecting dynamic depositional settings during island arc and proto-continental nucleus formation) were the predominant factors influencing sedimentation during this phase of Earth evolution. Transgressions and regressions under the combined influence of tectonics and eustasy are reflected in fining- and coarsening-upwards successions from the proto-cratonic settings; low freeboard enabled the transgression to affect large areas of the proto-cratons. As the earliest, relatively stable craton formed, through a combination of plate tectonic and mantle-thermal processes, continents and supercontinents with the potential for supercontinental cycles started to influence sedimentation strongly. Major controls on Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic sedimentation systems (2.7–1.6 Ga) were provided by a combination of superplume events and plate tectonics. Two global-scale ‘superevents’ at c. 2.7 Ga and c. 2.2–1.8 Ga were accompanied by eustatic rise concomitant with peaks in crustal growth rates, and large epeiric seas developed. The operation of first-order controls leading to development of vast chemical sedimentary platforms in these epeiric seas and concomitant palaeo-atmospheric and palaeo-oceanic evolution combined to provide a second-order control on global sedimentary systems in the Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic period. The supercontinental cycle had become well established by the end of the Palaeoproterozoic, with the existence of large cratons across broad spectrums of palaeolatitude enabling erg development. The entire spectrum of sedimentary systems and environments came into existence by c. 1.8 Ga, prime influences on sedimentation and depositional system possibly remaining essentially uniform thereafter.     

An analytical source function for a coupled hybrid wave model

An analytical form for the source function is formulated by comparing the fetch-limited approximation of the Ocean Wave Transport equation and the empirical equation for the fetch-dependent wave forecast nomograms. The source function thus generated has been utilised in the numerical model based on Toba’s formulation of wave transport equation and tested for the seas around the Indian subcontinent (5°S to 25°N latitude; 45°E to 100°E longitude). The grid averaged hindcast wave heights are found to be moderately matching with the GEOSAT altimeter measured significant wave heights of the 1987–1989 period, particularly for waves higher than 1 meter.