Holocene climate variability from lake sediment core in Larsemann Hills,Antarctica

A sediment core (L2) from Larsemann Hills, Antarctica was analyzed for Biogenic Silica (BSi), Sand (%) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC). The 78 cm core length represents the time span of ∼8.3 cal ka BP. The values of BSi from the core show prominent high productivity from ∼8.3 to ∼6 cal ka BP in comparison to less productivity in mid-late Holocene (∼6 cal ka BP to recent). Moreover, high sand (%) infers the glacio-fluvial deposition from ∼8.3 to ∼5 cal ka BP TOC shows little variation through out the core, except in the upper ∼10 cm (∼4 cal ka BP) part wherein it is comparatively high. The increased TOC in the upper part of the core possibly indicates presence of algal mat due to exposure of the lake to the ice free (glacier free) conditions.     

Selachian fishes from Bhuban Formation,Surma Group,Aizawl, Mizoram

An interesting selachian fish assemblage having stratigraphic and palaeoecological significance is being described from the two intraformational calcareous conglomeratic horizons within the Upper Bhuban unit of Bhuban Formation, Surma Group (Lower to Middle Miocene). The assemblage consists of eighteen species of selachian fishes including two new ones (Carcharhinus bhubanicus and Hemipristis unidenticulata) belonging to thirteen genera and another thirteen forms have been identified up to generic level. It is dominated by the families Carcharhinidae and Lamnidae, and is one of the most diversified Miocene assemblages from the Indian subcontinent. The fish fauna and the associated mega-invertebrates suggest Lower Miocene (Aquitanian - Burdigalian) age for the Upper Bhuban unit of Bhuban Formation. These further suggest that the fish yielding horizons were deposited under a warm shallow marine set-up near to the shoreline in a high-energy environment.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ficus palaeoracemosa</Emphasis> sp. nov. – A new fossil leaf from the Kasauli Formation of Himachal Pradesh and its palaeoclimatic significance

A new fossil leaf impression is described from the Early Miocene sediments of Kasauli–Kalka road section, Himachal Pradesh. The characteristic leaf venation pattern suggests that it has a close affinity with Ficus L., particularly with F. racemosa L. (= F. glomerata Roxb.). Its presence indicates a warm and humid climate in the region during the deposition of sediments, in contrast to the present day cooler and less humid climate.     

Modelling of stream run-off and sediment output for erosion hazard assessment in Lesser Himalaya: need for sustainable land use plan using remote sensing and GIS: a case study

Assessment and inventory on soil erosion hazard are essential for the formulation of successful hazard mitigation plans and sustainable development. The objective of this study was to assess and map soil erosion hazard in Lesser Himalaya with a case study. The Dabka watershed constitutes a part of the Kosi Basin in the Lesser Himalaya, India, in district Nainital has been selected for the case illustration. The average rate of erosion hazard is 0.68 mm/year or 224 tons/km²/year. Anthropogenic and geo-environmental factors have together significantly accelerated the rate of erosion. This reconnaissance study estimates the erosion rate over the period of 3 years (2006–2008) as 1.21 mm/year (398 tons/km²/year) in the barren land having geological background of diamictite, siltstone and shale rocks, 0.92 mm/year (302 tons/km²/year) in the agricultural land with lithology of diamictite, slates, siltstone, limestone rocks, while in the forest land, it varies between 0.20 mm/year (66 tons/km²/year) under dense forest land having the geology of quartzwacke and quartrenite rocks and 0.40 mm/year (132 tons/km²/year) under open forest/shrubs land having geological setup of shale, dolomite and gypsum rocks. Compared to the intensity of erosion in the least disturbed dense forest, the erosion rate is about 5–6 times higher in the most disturbed agricultural land and barren land, respectively. The erosion hazard zones delineated following scalogram modelling approach. Integrated scalogram modelling approach resulted in severe classes of soil erosion hazard in the study area with numerical values of Erosion Hazard Index (EHI) ranging between 01 (very low hazard) and 5 (very high hazard).     

Theoretical studies on OH and Cl initiated hydrogen atom abstraction of HFE-227pc (CF3OCF2CHF2)

The kinetics of hydrogen atom abstraction reactions of HFE-227pc by OH and Cl was studied by ab initio method. The structural optimization and frequency calculation of the titled compound and the species formed during the abstraction reactions were performed with density functional theory using hybrid meta density functional MPWB1K with 6–31?+?G(d,p) basis set. The energy of the species was further refined by making a single point energy calculation at G3B3 level of theory. The standard enthalpies of formation of reactant and the radical formed after H-atom abstraction was calculated using isodesmic method. The rate constants of abstraction reactions were calculated using Conventional Transition State Theory (CTST) and were found to be 1.5?×?10^?15 and 0.53?×?10^?16 cm³molecule^?1 s^?1 for OH and Cl respectively. The calculated value for the abstraction by OH is close to the experimental value of 2.26?×?10^?15 cm³molecule^?1 s^?1 whereas the same for Cl is found to be about five times lower than that of 2.70?×?10^?16 cm³molecule^?1 s^?1. The theoretical studies yielded the enthalpies of formation and the rate constants that are vital in determining the lifetime of HFE-227pc.     

On the Structure and Evolution of a Polar Crown Prominence/Filament System

Polar crown prominences, that partially circle the Sun’s poles between 60° and 70° latitude, are made of chromospheric plasma. We aim to diagnose the 3D dynamics of a polar crown prominence using high-cadence EUV images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/AIA at 304, 171, and 193 Å and the Ahead spacecraft of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO-A)/EUVI at 195 Å. Using time series across specific structures, we compare flows across the disk in 195 Å with the prominence dynamics seen on the limb. The densest prominence material forms vertical columns that are separated by many tens of Mm and connected by dynamic bridges of plasma that are clearly visible in 304/171 Å two-colour images. We also observe intermittent but repetitious flows with velocity 15 km?s^?1 in the prominence that appear to be associated with EUV bright points on the solar disk. The boundary between the prominence and the overlying cavity appears as a sharp edge. We discuss the structure of the coronal cavity seen both above and around the prominence. SDO/HMI and GONG magnetograms are used to infer the underlying magnetic topology. The evolution and structure of the prominence with respect to the magnetic field seems to agree with the filament-linkage model.     

Fractal Analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Situ</Emphasis> Host Rock Nepheline Syenite Xenoliths in a Micro-Shonkinite Dyke (The Elchuru Alkaline Complex,SE India)

Formation of the fragments of the wall-rock during dyking is one of the important manifestations of instantaneous magmatic events. This process is well documented at shallower depths of Earth’s crust but not at deeper levels. In this paper the in situ xenoliths of host rock nepheline syenite within a micro-shonkinite dyke emplaced at mid-crustal depths is described and the fractal theory applied to evaluate origin of the xenoliths. The nepheline syenite xenoliths are angular to oval shaped and sub-millimetre to ~50 cm long. The xenoliths are matrix supported with clasts and matrix being in equal proportions. Partly detached wall-rock fragments indicate incipient xenolith formation, which suggested that the model fragmentation processes is solely due to dyke emplacement. Fractal analytical techniques including clast size distribution, boundary roughness fractal dimension and clast circularity was carried out. The fractal data suggests that hydraulic (tensile) fracturing is the main process of host rock brecciation. However, the clast size and shape are further affected by postfragmentation processes including shear and thermal fracturing, and chemical erosion. The study demonstrates that dyking in an isotropic medium produces fractal size distributions of host rock xenoliths; however, post-fragmentation processes modify original fractal size distributions.     

Assessment of Groundwater Quality of the Central Gangetic Plain Area of India Using Geospatial and WQI Techniques

The paper presents results of research to determine the health risk of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils of gold mining area in Ilesha, Southwestern Nigeria. Eighteen top soil samples were collected and analysed for PTEs using ICPMS. The pollution level in soils were assessed using pollution load index (PLI) and potential ecological risk index (PERI). The human health risk was assessed using hazard index (HI), non-carcinogenic risk index and carcinogenic risk index. All the PTEs were higher than crustal average values except Fe and follow the order Mn > Ba > Cr > Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Co >Fe > As > Cd. The soil samples can be classified as unpolluted to moderately polluted (0.18-1.23) and low risk (15.28-94.24) based on PLI and PERI respectively. The values of hazard Index (HI) calculated for child and adult population for all the pathways were <1 and pose no obvious non carcinogenic risk to the population except for ingestion pathway where 33% of the samples showed value >1 in child population. As, Co, Cd and Pb constituted high cancer risk in the study area with child at higher risk than adult. The Total Cancer Risk (TCR) in the study area based on all the pathways ranges between 0.19 -3.86 and 0.18-3.58 for child and adult respectively and the ingestion route seems to be the major contributor to excess lifetime cancer risk followed by the dermal pathway.     

A 19<Superscript>th</Superscript> Century Baseline Temperature Estimate for Peninsular India from Combined Analysis of Geothermal and Meteorological Records

Direct information about climate change from meteorological surface air temperature records are available in India only since 1901 A.D. Meteorological surface air temperature (SAT) data for the period 1901–2006 from 49 sites in peninsular India have been combined with the geothermal data from 146 sites to extract a baseline (or pre-observational mean, POM) surface temperature prior to the existence of the observational record in the region. Periodicities of 5, 11 and 22 years in the SAT time series have little influence on the combined analysis to infer long-term climate change. The best estimate of the long-term average temperature for the 19^th Century is 0.7 °C lower than the 1961–1990 mean temperature. Considering the additional warming of 0.38°C relative to the 1961–1990 mean over a 10-year window centred on the year 2000, the hybrid POM-SAT method suggests that the total surface warming in peninsular India from mid-1800s to early- 2000s is about 1.1 °C. The study provides new evidence for significant warming prior to the establishment of widespread meteorological stations in peninsular India.