Investigation of seawater intrusion using stable and radioisotopes at coastal area south of Beirut,the Capital of Lebanon

In this study, field measurements were made and environmental isotopes and radiological properties were determined in six selected wells located in the coastal area south of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. It is one of the many district areas in Lebanon, threatened by the penetration of seawater into aquifers. Two sampling campaigns were carried out to determine possible seasonal variations. High electrical conductivity was observed, ranging from 1080 to 7900 μS/cm. The total dissolved solids values ranged from 530 to 5600 mg/L. This is attributed to a seawater intrusion confirmed by high chlorine concentrations that ranged from 400 to 3500 mg/L. Isotope data for δ¹⁸O/δ²H showed enrichment that is relatively small at the end of wet season due to recharge by local precipitation and infiltration. Carbon-14 ages and ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratios confirmed the presence of young water. No radiological hazard was observed as all values lay below the guidance levels of the WHO.     

Occurrence of Cordaitales from lower Gondwana sediments of Ib-River Coalfield, Orissa, India: An Indian scenario

The Ib-River Coalfield in Orissa State is a part of Mahanadi Master Basin. Recent extensive investigations were conducted in this Coalfield to locate fossiliferous beds in the Lower Gondwana deposits and as a result a large cache of plant fossils were recovered from Lower Permian sediments (Barakar Formation) exposed in Jurabaga and Lajkura Collieries. The complete flora includes 23 genera representing nine orders viz., Lycopodiales, Equisetales, Sphenophyllales, Filicales, Cordaitales, Coniferales, Ginkgoales, Cycadales and Glossopteridales. Only the Cordaitales, represented by four genera i.e., Noeggerathiopsis, Cordaites, Euryphyllum and Kawizophyllum are discussed in this paper. Cordaitalean leaves are described for the first time from this coalfield; the remaining plant groups will be considered in a subsequent publication. Cordaitalean leaves attributable to Noeggerathiopsis hislopii, Noeggerathiopsis minor, Euryphyllum whittianum, Euryphyllum maithyi, Kawizophyllum dunpathriensis and Cordaites sp. constitute about 13.90% (111 specimens) of the total plant assemblage collected from this Coalfield. Of the cordaitaleans, N. hislopii is most abundant (47.75%; 53 specimens) followed by E. whittianum (40.54%; 45 specimens). A summary of the distribution of Cordaitales throughout the Indian Gondwana is also presented. Floristic composition varies stratigraphically at the two Barakar exposures (Lajkura and Jurabaga Collieries). Cordaitales are preserved only in the lowermost (4th) horizon (lower floral zone). Strata in these collieries have been assigned to the lower and upper Barakar Formation based on floristic content and an Early Permian (Artinskian) age is assigned.     

Geochemical and isotopic evolution of groundwater in the Wadi Watir watershed,Sinai Peninsula,Egypt

The Wadi Watir delta in the Wadi Watir watershed is a tourist area in the arid southeastern part of the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, where development and growth of the community on the delta are constrained by the amount of groundwater that can be withdrawn sustainably. To effectively manage groundwater resources in the Wadi Watir delta, the origin of groundwater recharge, groundwater age, and changes in groundwater chemistry in the watershed needs to be understood. Mineral identification, rock chemistry, water chemistry, and the isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon in groundwater were used to identify the sources, mixing, and ages of groundwater in the watershed and the chemical evolution of groundwater as it flows from the upland areas in the watershed to the developed areas at the Wadi Watir delta. Groundwater in the Wadi Watir watershed is primarily from recent recharge while groundwater salinity is controlled by mixing of chemically different waters and dissolution of minerals and salts in the aquifers. The El Shiekh Attia and Wadi El Ain areas in the upper Wadi Watir watershed have different recharge sources, either from recharge from other areas or from different storm events. The downgradient Main Channel area receives groundwater flow primarily from the El Shiekh Attia area. Groundwater in the Main Channel area is the primary source of groundwater supplying the aquifers of the Wadi Watir delta.     

Analysis of SARAL/AltiKa Wind and Wave over Indian Ocean and its Real-time Application in Wave Forecasting System at ISRO

The current study aims to analyze the wind and wave parameters over Indian Ocean region obtained from first Ka –band altimeter AltiKa onboard SARAL, a collaborative mission of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), France. It also demonstrates a real time application of SARAL data by assimilating the wave height in a wave model operational at the Space Applications Centre, ISRO. State-of–the art coastal wave model Simulating Wave Near shore (SWAN) is used for this purpose. The well-tested optimal interpolation technique is adopted for assimilation. Before proceeding to the assimilation per se, SARAL/AltiKa Wind and Significant Wave Height (SWH) have been validated using in- situ observations and WAVEWATCH III model. Apart from assessment of wind and wave data quality, this also served the purpose of providing error covariance to be used in assimilation. Supremacy of the assimilation run over parallel control run without assimilation has been judged by comparing the results with buoy observations at Indian National Centre for Ocean Information System (INCOIS). The statistics of validation of the assimilation run has been found to be extremely encouraging and interesting.     

A plane-symmetric inhomogeneous cosmological model of perfect fluid distribution with electromagnetic field

A plane-symmetric inhomogeneous cosmological model of perfect fluid distribution with electromagnetic field, is obtained.F ₁₂ is the non-vanishing component of the electromagnetic field tensor. To get a determinate solution, we assume the free gravitational field is Petrov type-II non-degenerate. In general, the model represents an expanding, shearing, non-rotating universe in which the flow vector is geodetic. The behaviour of the electromagnetic field tensor together with some geometrical and physical aspect of the model are also discussed.     

Distribution, classification, petrological and related gochemical (SRA) characteristics of a tropical lowland peat dome in the Kota Samarahan-Asajaya area, West Sarawak, Malaysia

Petrographic studies indicate that lateral variations in the decomposition levels of peat are associated with the predominantly occurring peat macerals. Source Rock Analyzer (SRA) results indicate lateral variation in peat organic matter types from type II to III and back again to type II, occurring laterally within the top 0-m to 0.5-m layer at the basin margin to the midsection and further towards the near-center areas of the peat dome. This variation is most likely caused by a combination of factors: (a) Horizontal zonation and lateral variation of the dominant species of plant assemblages (b) Fibric (marginal) peats and hemic to sapric peats associated with type II organic matter (kerogen). Sample organic matter (coal-equivalent kerogen) typing indicates that the relative abundance of phytoclasts and palynomorphs generally supports the organic matter classification obtained by the SRA method. Lateral variations in the peat organic matter types may support the lateral vegetation variation concept. The classification of peat organic matter types (interpreted from visual analyses of palynological slides) occurring from the basin periphery to the mid-section and further towards the basin center yields organic matter of type II to type III and mixed types II to III (coal kerogen-equivalent), respectively.     

Urban growth analysis using spatial and temporal data

Urban growth identification, quantification, knowledge of rate and the trends of growth would help in regional planning for better infrastructure provision in environmentally sound way. This requires analysis of spatial and temporal data, which help in quantifying the trends of growth on spatial scale. Emerging technologies such as Remote Sensing, Geographic Information System (GIS) along with Global Positioning System (GPS) help in this regard. Remote sensing aids in the collection of temporal data and GIS helps in spatial analysis. This paper focuses on the analysis of urban growth pattern in the form of either radial or linear sprawl along the Bangalore — Mysore highway. Various GIS base layers such as built-up areas along the highway, road network, village boundary etc. were generated using collateral data such as the Survey of India toposheet, etc. Further, this analysis was complemented with the computation of Shannon’s entropy, which helped in identifying prevalent sprawl zone, rate of growth and in delineating potential sprawl locations. The computation Shannon’s entropy helped in delineating regions with dispersed and compact growth. This study reveals that the Bangalore North and South taluks contributed mainly to the sprawl with 559% increase in built-up area over a period of 28 years and high degree of dispersion. The Mysore and Srirangapatna region showed 128% change in built-up area and a high potential for sprawl with slightly high dispersion. The degree of sprawl was found to be directly proportional to the distances from the cities.     

A simple non-linear model for the investigation of the effects of the gap closure at the abutment joints of short bridges

Closure of the gap at the abutment joints of bridges has been the source of extensive damage during the 1971 San Fernando and more recent earthquakes. In this paper a model for the investigation of the effects of this gap closure is presented and analysed. The focus of the model is the representation of the non-linear response of the bridge abutments, the foundation and the columns. The model is used for the investigation of the response of a short bridge located in California.