Exsolution textures in orthopyroxene in aluminous granulites as indicators of UHT metamorphism: New evidence from the Eastern Ghats Belt, India

Highly aluminous orthopyroxene, coexisting with sapphirine, cordierite, sillimanite, quartz and garnet in various combinations, constitute granoblastic mosaic peak metamorphic assemblages in aluminous granulites from three localities in the Eastern Ghats Belt, India. Orthopyroxene contains four types of intergrowths: (a) involving sapphirine with or without cordierite, (b) involving spinel, but without sapphirine, (c) involving cordierite, but without sapphirine and spinel, and (d) involving garnet, without sapphirine, spinel or cordierite. On the basis of textural and compositional data, origin of the intergrowths is ascribed to breakdown of Mg-Tschermak component, locally also involving Fe- and Ti-Tschermak. An attempt is made to compute the “pre-breakdown” compositions of orthopyroxene by image analysis, which shows maximum Al₂O₃ content of 13.4 wt.% in the pristine orthopyroxene. Geothermometry, phase equilibria consideration and application of existing experimental data on alumina solubility in orthopyroxene coexisting with sapphirine and quartz, collectively indicate extreme thermal conditions of metamorphism (> 1000 °C) for the studied assemblages. This re-affirms the notion that Al₂O₃ solubility in orthopyroxene is the most powerful indicator of UHT metamorphism (Harley, S.L., 2004. Extending our understanding of ultrahigh temperature crustal metamorphism. J. Mineral. Petrol. Sci. 99, 140–158). The intergrowths are considered to have formed due to cooling from the thermal peak spanning a temperature range of approximately 150 °C. Appearance of diverse types of intergrowths is probably related to subtle differences in bulk composition, particularly Fe:Mg ratios.     

Drainage Performance of Different Sizes Tire Chips used Alone and Mixed with Natural Aggregates as Leachate Drainage Layer Material

Results of compressibility and hydraulic conductivity testing performed under different levels of average vertical stress were used to determine the appropriate tire chips size (in particular aspect ratio) and tire chip—gravel random state mix combination. Proper sidewall treatment was provided to reduce side wall friction up to minimum level and constant head conditions were maintained with appropriate design flow rate. Results showed that tire chips (length 25 mm, aspect ratio 1) mixed with 40 mm gravel in the random state in mixing ratio of 3:1 (ds:dg) was observed to undergo minimum strain, maximum hydraulic conductivity and hence free drainage even under high vertical stress levels. By selecting tire chips of appropriate aspect ratio and optimum mix combination for the construction of drainage layer of MSW landfill leachate collection system lower strain response, higher hydraulic conductivity values and relatively free drainage even under anticipated higher vertical stress levels may be achieved.     

Precipitation of iron in microbial mats of the spring waters of Borra Caves,Vishakapatnam, India: some geomicrobiological aspects

The Borra caves, Vishakapatnam, India, can be described as a speleothem cave with significant amounts of unexplored microbial mats in spring waters. Here, we present the first observations and hypotheses on the possible impact of the microorganisms in these mats on the cave formation, focusing on their role on iron mineral precipitation. The spring waters (pH neutral 7.5–7.7) contained dissolved metals like iron and the organic mat sludge (pH 7.0–7.3) had a TOC content of approximately 5.4 wt%. Geochemically, the spring waters deep below the microbial mats contained Fe 369 ppb, Sr 198 ppb; and the organic mat sludge contained Mg 9 ppm, Fe 427 ppb, Zn 149 ppb, Sr 190 ppb. XRD observations displayed Fe minerals (dominantly hematite), minor amounts of zinc gallium sulfide and nitrofuryl compounds. At least four groups of bacteria identified by direct microscopy and SEM-EDX on the basis of morphology could be observed in all samples: Leptothrix-like organisms, entombed bacterial mineral sheaths, a few stalks of Gallionella-like organisms and some additional bacteria that could not be further identified. Leptothrix-like organisms contained 43.22–60.08 wt % Fe and the mineral precipitated near and around these bacteria (in the actual unaltered samples on site) contained 30.76–45.22 wt% Fe as identified and quantified by SEM-EDX. This study indicates that the precipitation of these iron-rich mats in the spring waters could be linked to the presence of abundant active communities of iron precipitating bacteria at Borra caves, Vishakapatanam.     

Field and petrographic aspects of the iron ore mineralizations of Gandhamardan hill,Keonjhor, Orissa and their genetic significance

Banded iron formations of the Iron Ore Group (Archean greenstone belts) of Jharkhand-Orissa region, India host a good number of large iron ore deposits (Fe wt %> 62). Iron ore mineralization of Gandhamardan hill is one of them where iron ores occur in two stratigraphic horizons. One is strictly confined within banded iron formation (stratabound mineralization) with irregular geometry, and show fracture filling and replacement vein-type mineralization along the fringes of hard massive ores of the core. This type of mineralization is exposed along the western slope of the hill. Hard massive and laminated ores dominate this mineralization. The other type occurs as low dipping sheet like body above banded iron formation and covered by laterites forming the top of the hill. Flaky ores dominate this mineralization with formation of hard goethitic crust near the top. Both the mineralizations contain mineralized banded iron formation corestones surrounded by hard massive or flaky iron ores. Hard massive ores are entirely represented by martite-microplaty hematite mineralogy. Hard laminated ores contain microplaty hematite and few martite grains representing early magnetites of the banded iron formation. Flaky ores are high porosity ores produced by leaching of silica, martite and microplaty hematite. Hard goethitic ores are developed due to replacement of martite and microplaty hematite or precipitation of goethite in the pore spaces.     

Revisiting the classical electron model in general relativity

Motivated by earlier studies (Tiwari et al. in Astrophys. Space Sci. 182:105, 1984; Herrera and Varela in Phys. Lett. 189:11, 1994), we model electron as a spherically symmetric charged perfect fluid distribution of matter. The existing model is extended assuming a matter source that is characterized by quadratic equation of state in the context of general theory of relativity. For the suitable choices of the parameters, our charged fluid models almost satisfy the physical properties of electron.     

Overtaking collision of two ion acoustic soliton in a plasma with a q-nonextensive electron and thermal positrons

Theoretically the propagation of two ion acoustic soliton interaction in a three component collisionless unmagnetized plasma which consists of electrons, positrons and cold ions, has been investigated here by employing reductive perturbation technique. In this study, q distributed electrons and Maxwell-Boltzmann distributed positrons are considered and Korteweged-de Vries (KdV) equation is derived. The KdV equation is solved to get two soliton solution by using Hirota bilinear method. The effects of the q distributed electrons on the profiles of two soliton structures and the corresponding phase shifts are investigated. It is observed that both the nonextensive parameter (q) and the ratio of positrons density and electron density (p=n _p0/n _e0), play a significant role in the formation and existence of two soliton and also in the nature of their phase shifts.     

U–Cr-rich high Mg-Al granulites from Karimnagar Granulite Belt, India: implications for Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic events in southern India

High Mg-Al granulite occurs as enclave within granite gneisses at Karimnagar, southern India, and it contains coarse granoblastic aggregates of orthopyroxene and sapphirine with minor amount of cordierite, spinel and phlogopite. An important chemical characteristic of these minerals is their extremely high MgO content and the high Cr₂O₃ in sapphirine and spinel. Textural analysis shows sapphirine + orthopyroxene + cordierite as the peak-metamorphic assemblage that possibly evolved though the breakdown of a spinel-bearing assemblage. Cation exchange geothermometers involving orthopyroxene, sapphirine and spinel yield temperatures of 600–800 °C with a maximum of 860 °C implying an event of high temperature (HT) metamorphism. Pseudosection analysis in the FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ chemical system shows the stability of the peak- assemblage below 6.2 kbar. Subsequently, the rock underwent hydration and cooling with the appearance of phlogopite in the assemblage. Chromium enrichment is possibly inherited from the protolith and its presence presumably stabilized sapphirine and spinel below their high-temperature stability field. The recorded Rb–Sr age of ca. 2,500 Ma in host granite gneiss marks the upper age limit of HT metamorphism. Presence of patchy, lobate grains as well as veinlets of uraninite and brannerite is also a characteristic feature of the rock. Uranium mineralization took place during the post peak metamorphic stage, sulfide mineralization represented by tiny grains and veinlets of pyrite, millerite and pentlandite coincided with, and outlasted the uranium mineralization. The U–Th–Pb chemical ages of uraninite grains suggest ca. 2,200?±?12 Ma for the age of uranium mineralization in the granulite. Based on the field relations, it is surmised that the granulite metamorphism in the study area is older than ca. 2,500 Ma and is comparable with an event in the other parts of Eastern Dharwar Craton. It can be conceived as a widespread event in southern India.     

On role of pressure anisotropy for relativistic stars admitting conformal motion

We investigate the spacetime of anisotropic stars admitting conformal motion. The Einstein field equations are solved using different ansatz of the surface tension. In this investigation, we study two cases in details with the anisotropy as: (1) p _t =n p _r , (2) -p_r=(+c_2)p_{t}-p_{r}=\frac{1}{8\pi}(\frac{c_{1}}{r^{2}}+c_{2}) where, n, c ₁ and c ₂ are arbitrary constants. The solutions yield expressions of the physical quantities like pressure gradients and the mass.     

Predicting Overbreak from Blast Vibration Monitoring in a Lake Tap Tunnel - A Success Story

Tunnels are required to be constructed for meeting different human needs such as power generation, transportation, underground storage, sewage etc. The predominant method of excavation, world over, is drilling and blasting owing to its capability to meet changing geo-technical conditions. Irrespective of the purpose for which the tunnels are driven, all are plagued by overbreak problems. Tunnels driven for water conveyance in hydroelectric power projects, in particular, need to be excavated with minimum overbreak to minimise cost of permanent concrete lining. Thus, predicting overbreak assumes significant importance to design site-specific blasts for minimizing rock damage. This paper presents a brief review of existing PPV (Peak Particle Velocity) based blast-induced rock damage estimation criteria and attempts to outline the ground vibration threshold levels for overbreak/rock damage in a tunnel driven through compact basalt. Rock damage manifested as overbreak is measured and correlated with the possible threshold levels of PPV. Also, the PPV levels for crack initiation and widening are proposed. The case pertains to a lake tap horizontal tunnel of Koyna Hydro-electric Power Project, India which is a water feeder tunnel for a fully underground hydroelectric power project. The tunnel was driven under a shallow rock cover of average depth ranging from 20 to 25m beneath a fully charged water body. The parting rock is mainly compact basalt. Blasting was carried out in two rounds in a controlled manner, i.e., by limiting the maximum charge per delay based on ground vibration monitoring. Ground vibration generated with free face (in second round) has been modeled and a new ground vibration propagation equation is proposed for tunnel blasting including the effect of an extra free face. The threshold limits of PPV for different degrees of overbreak/rock damage are proposed from extrapolated vibration predictor equation. The actual overbreak in the tunnel, measured using a Planimeter, varied from 2.45 per cent to 17.75 per cent of the finished tunnel area. The predicted overbreak from extrapolated PPV measurements is compared against the measured overbreak to validate the proposed blast-induced rock damage (BIRD) assessment model. The PPV level for overbreak was found to exceed 2050 mm/s in compact basalt. A linear relationship between the overbreak and maximum charge per delay is also established to design a tunnel blast in similar formations.