Analysis of curved tunnels in soil subjected to internal blast loading

Acta Geotechnica - The present study deals with three-dimensional nonlinear finite element (FE) analyses of tunnels with curved alignment in the longitudinal direction, subjected to internal blast...     

Mass Discharge in a Tracer Plume: Evaluation of the Theissen Polygon Method

A tracer plume was created within a thin aquifer by injection for 299 d of two adjacent “sub‐plumes” to represent one type of plume heterogeneity encountered in practice. The plume was monitored by snapshot sampling of transects of fully screened wells. The mass injection rate and total mass injected were known. Using all wells in each transect (0.77 m well spacing, 1.4 points/m² sampling density), the Theissen Polygon Method (TPM) yielded apparently accurate mass discharge (M_d) estimates at three transects for 12 snapshots. When applied to hypothetical sparser transects using subsets of the wells with average spacing and sampling density from 1.55 to 5.39 m and 0.70 to 0.20 points/m², respectively, the TPM accuracy depended on well spacing and location of the wells in the hypothesized transect with respect to the sub‐plumes. Potential error was relatively low when the well spacing was less than the widths of the sub‐plumes (>0.35 points/m²). Potential error increased for well spacing similar to or greater than the sub‐plume widths, or when less than 1% of the plume area was sampled. For low density sampling of laterally heterogeneous plumes, small changes in groundwater flow direction can lead to wide fluctuations in M_d estimates by the TPM. However, sampling conducted when flow is known or likely to be in a preferred direction can potentially allow more useful comparisons of M_d over multiyear time frames, such as required for performance evaluation of natural attenuation or engineered remediation systems.     

Spacetime dynamics of bed forms due to turbulence around submerged bridge piers

Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment - This work presents a study of spatiotemporal changes of scour-holes around sand embedded submerged circular and non-circular cylinders with...     

Effect of nonthermality on the perturbation dynamics of self-gravitating complex fluids

The perturbation dynamics of an unbounded nonthermal self-gravitating inhomogeneous viscoelastic system composed of two-component constitutive fluids is theoretically investigated. The role of fluid turbulence, which is a highly nonlinear hydrodynamic vorticity-driven phenomenology, is included via the Larson logatropic equation of state describing nonlinear fluid pressure effects. The thermodynamics of the variable-temperature bulk fluid is included with the help of a proper heat diffusion equation. The system is coupled by the electro-gravitational Poisson equations in a closed form. A generalized linear dispersion relation (cubic in degree) is procedurally obtained using a standard technique of linear normal mode analysis. The dispersion relation stems from the rudimentary condition of non-vanishing perturbed gravitational potential in a linear order. The propagatory and dispersive features of the composite fluid perturbations are numerically explored with a special attention to the nonthermality effects. Their growth characteristics are analyzed alongside promising indication to applicability in the astro-cosmo-plasmic context.     

Supernova neutrinos: Flavor conversion independent of their mass

In extremely dense neutrino environments like in supernova core, the neutrino-neutrino refraction may give rise to self-induced flavor conversion. These neutrino flavor oscillations are well understood from the idea of the exponentially growing modes of the interacting oscillators in the flavor space. Until recently, the growth rates of these modes were found to be of the order of the vacuum oscillation frequency \(\Delta m^2/2E\) [\(\mathcal {O}(1~\mathrm{km}^{-1})\)] and were considered slow growing. However, in the last couple of years it was found that if the system was allowed to have different zenith-angle distributions for the emitted \(\nu _e\) and \(\bar{\nu }_e\) beams then the fastest growing modes of the interacting oscillators grew at the order of \(\mu =\sqrt{2} G_\mathrm{F}n_{\nu }\), a typical \(\nu \)–\(\nu \) interaction energy [\(\mathcal {O}(10^5~\mathrm{km}^{-1})\)]. Thus the growth rates are very large in comparison to the so-called ‘slow oscillations’ and can result in neutrino flavor conversion on a much faster scale. In fact, the point that the growth rates are no longer dependent on the vacuum oscillation frequency \(\Delta m^2/2E\), makes these ‘fast flavor conversions’ independent of \(\Delta m^2\) (thus mass) and energy. This is a surprising result as neutrino flavor conversions are considered to be the ultimate proof of massive neutrinos. However, the importance of this effect in the realistic astrophysical scenarios still remains to be understood.     

Impact of CAMEX-3 data on the analysis and forecasts of Atlantic hurricanes

Summary In the past, various field experiments were conducted using special aircrafts to enhance the observational database of hurricanes. Dropwindsondes (or “dropsondes”) are generally deployed to collect additional observations in the vicinity of the hurricane center. In addition to dropsondes, during the Third Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX-3), which was conducted over the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico during August–September 1998, LASE was also used to measure vertical moisture profiles. Four hurricanes: Bonnie, Danielle, Earl and Georges were targeted during this campaign. This paper describes the resulting impact of CAMEX-3 data, especially the LASE moisture profile data, on the hurricane analysis and forecast. The data were analyzed using a spectral statistical interpolation technique and the forecasts were made using the FSUGCM at T126 resolution with 14 σ-vertical levels. Results indicate that the LASE data had a significant impact on the moisture analysis. The reanalysis was slightly drier away from the hurricane center and wetter close to the center. Spiraling bands, both dry and wet, of moisture were clearly seen for hurricane Danielle. The LASE data did not affect the wind analysis significantly, however when it was used along with dropsonde observations the hurricane intensity and its structure were well represented and the forecast track produced from the reanalyzed initial condition had less forecast errors. The LASE and dropsonde observations were in good agreement. Received February 27, 2001 Revised July 31, 2001     

Methane flux dynamics in relation to methanogenic and methanotrophic populations in the soil of Indian Sundarban mangroves

The dynamics of methane (CH₄) flux in relation to populations of methanogenic and methanotrophic bacteria was studied under the different biophysical conditions of the Indian Sundarban mangrove ecosystem. Soil depth profile analysis (up to 60 cm) in the lower littoral zone (LLZ) revealed that a methanogenic population of 6.45 ± 0.19 × 10⁴ cells/g dry weight (dry wt) of soil accounted for a CH₄ production rate of 6.23 ± 3.53 × 10³ µmol m^?2 day^?1, whereas in the surface soil, a methanogenic population of 3.34 ± 0.37 × 10⁴ cells/g dry wt of soil accounted for a CH₄ production rate of 31.6 ± 0.57 µmol m^?2 day^?1. The CH₄ oxidation rate at 60 cm depth in the LLZ was 24.42 ± 1.28 µmol m^?2 day^?1, with an average methanotrophic population of 1.33 ± 0.43 × 10⁴ cells/g dry wt of soil, whereas in the surface soil, the oxidation rate and average population were 3.38 ± 1.43 × 10³ µmol m^?2 day^?1 and 12.80 ± 2.54 × 10⁴ cells/g dry wt of soil, respectively. A similar soil profile in terms of CH₄ dynamics and the populations of methanogenic and methanotrophic bacteria was found in the mid‐littoral and upper littoral zones of the studied area. The results demonstrate that most of the produced CH₄ (approximately 60%) was oxidized by methanotrophic bacteria present in the soil, thus revealing their principal role in regulating the CH₄ flux from this unique ecosystem.     

The Geochemical Effects of Microbial Humic Substances Reduction

As part of a study on microbial redox alteration of humic substances we investigated the potential effect of this metabolism on the fate of heavy metals and hydrocarbons as a result of conformational alteration of the humic molecular structure due to microbial reduction. Our studies indicate that the microbial reduction of humic acids (HA) results in significant morphological and geochemical alterations. X‐ray microscopy analysis indicate that the conformational structure of the humic colloids is altered as a result of the redox change. In the reduced state, the HA appeared as small dense particles, on reoxidation, large loose aggregates were formed. In addition, spectrofluorometric studies indicated that the binding capacity of the HA for naphthalene was decreased by 10% when the HA was reduced. Similarly, the reduced HA yielded higher surface tension values at all concentrations tested which is indicative of a more hydrophilic and less hydrophobic solute. On reoxidation, the surface tension values reverted back to values similar to those obtained for the untreated oxidized HA. These data indicate that the hydrophobicity of the HA is altered on biological reduction of the HA and that this alteration is reversible. In contrast the reduced HA demonstrated a 15% higher affinity for heavy metals such as divalent cobalt than the oxidized HA. In addition to increasing the binding capacity of HA for heavy metals, the reduction of the HA also decreased the bioavailability and toxicity of bound heavy metals such as chromium. When incubated in the presence of Cr(III) and HA, cells of Escherichia coli grew much more rapidly in the presence of the reduced HA suggesting that the higher metal binding capacity of the reduced humic substances resulted in a removal of the Cr(III) from solution and hence reduced its bioavailability and toxicity. These studies demonstrate that HA redox state and reduction of humic acids by microorganisms can have a significant effect on the molecular morphology and binding constants of HA for heavy metals and hydrocarbons and also directly affects the bioavailability of these compounds in the environment.     

The analysis of unparalleled struggle for existence of urban women informal workers in West Bengal,India for survival and resilience to COVID-19 pandemic risk

An unparalleled struggle has been witnessed among the urban women informal workers of Midnapore and Kharagpur cities in West Bengal, India. Many researchers have advocated and are advocating about the deadly impact of COVID-19 pandemic situation on the women informal workers but very few were concentrated on their coping capabilities. These women in the study area have set an example before others that how can one survive her livelihood in the time of critical situation. Despite all the hardships they have been fighting their own lonely battle not only against this situation but also a lot of serious threats like insecurity, low resources and low standard of living. This study mainly highlights the measures taken by these poor women to cope with this situation for the survival of their families along with the external supports provided for them. This is strictly a perception based study conducted among 500 women selected by purposive sampling procedure across age, ethnicity, income and educational level during unlock phases with the help of semi-structured and open ended questionnaire schedule. The result reveals that although their capabilities and efforts to cope with this devastating situation are praiseworthy but it is a hard reality that this pandemic put its evil imprint in every step of their daily livelihoods. The various measures have already been taken by the government but, these measures have to be continued till the situation will become normal along with gender sensitive long term benefit.