Study of isotopic seasonality to assess the water source of proglacial stream in Chhota Shigri Glaciated Basin,Western Himalaya

The impact of surface melt patterns and the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) is examined on the varying contributions of end member (snow, glacier ice, and rain) to proglacial streamflow during the ablation period (June–October) in the Chhota Shigri glaciated basin, Western Himalaya. Isotopic seasonality observed in the catchment precipitation was generally reflected in surface runoff (supraglacial melt and proglacial stream) and shows a shift in major water source during the melt season. Isotopically correlated (δ¹⁸O–δD) high deuterium intercept in the surface runoff suggests that westerly precipitation acts as the dominant source, augmenting the other snow- and ice-melt sources in the region. The endmember contributions to the proglacial stream were quantified using a three-component mixing. Overall, glacier ice melt is the major source of proglacial discharge. Snowmelt is the predominant source during the early ablation season (June) and the peak ISM period (August and September), whereas ice melt reaches a maximum in the peak melt period (July). The monthly contribution of rain is on the lower side and shows a steady rise and decline with onset and retreat of the monsoon. These results are persistent with the surface melt pattern observed in Chhota Shigri glacier, Upper Chandra basin. Moreover, the role of the ISM in Chhota Shigri glacier is unvarying to that observed in other glacierized catchments of Upper Ganga basin. Thus, this study augments the significant role of the ISM in glacier mass balance up to the boundary of the central-western Himalayan glaciated region.     

Quantifying deformation in North Borneo with GPS

The existence of intra-plate deformation of the Sundaland platelet along its eastern edge in North Borneo, South-East Asia, makes it an interesting area that still is relatively understudied. In addition, the motion of the coastal area of North-West Borneo is directed toward a frontal fold-and-thrust belt and has been fueling a long debate on the possible geophysical sources behind it. At present this fold-and-thrust belt is not generating significant seismic activity and may also not be entirely active due to a decreasing shelfal extension from south to north. Two sets of Global Positioning System (GPS) data have been used in this study; the first covering a time period from 1999 until 2004 (ending just before the Giant Sumatra–Andaman earthquake) to determine the continuous Sundaland tectonic plate motion, and the second from 2009 until 2011 to investigate the current deformations of North Borneo. Both absolute and relative positioning methods were carried out to investigate horizontal and vertical displacements. Analysis of the GPS results indicates a clear trend of extension along coastal regions of Sarawak and Brunei in North Borneo. On the contrary strain rate tensors in Sabah reveal that only insignificant and inconsistent extension and compression occurs throughout North-West Borneo. Moreover, station velocities and rotation rate tensors on the northern part of North Borneo suggest a clockwise (micro-block) rotation. The first analysis of vertical displacements recorded by GPS in North-West Borneo points to low subsidence rates along the western coastal regions of Sabah and inconsistent trends between the Crocker and Trusmadi mountain ranges. These results have not been able to either confirm or reject the hypothesis that gravity sliding is the main driving force behind the local motions in North Borneo. The ongoing Sundaland–Philippine Sea plate convergence may also still play an active role in the present-day deformation (crustal shortening) in North Borneo and the possible clockwise rotation of the northern part of North Borneo as a micro-block. However, more observations need to be collected to determine if the northern part of North Borneo indeed is (slowly) moving independently.     

Environmetric and GIS techniques for hydrochemical characterization of the Dal lake,Kashmir Himalaya,India

This research explains the background processes responsible for the spatial distribution of hydrochemical properties of the picturesque eutrophic Himalayan Lake, Dal, located in Kashmir valley, India. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were used to understand the spatiotemporal variability of 18 hydrochemical parameters comprising of 12,960 observations collected from 30 sampling sites well distributed within the lake at a grid spacing of 1 km² from March 2014 to February 2016. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) grouped all the sampled data into three clusters based on the hydrochemical similarities, Discriminant analysis also revealed the same clusters and patterns in the data, validating the results of HCA. Wilk’s λ quotient distribution revealed the contribution of ions, nutrients, secchi disk transparency, dissolved oxygen and pH in the formation of clusters. The results are in consonance with the Principal Component Analysis of the whole lake data and individual clusters, which showed that the variance is maximally explained by the ionic component (46.82%) followed by dissolved oxygen and pH (9.36%), nitrates and phosphates (7.33%) and Secchi disk transparency (5.98%). Spatial variability of the hydrochemistry of the lake is due to the variations in water depth, lake water dynamics, flushing rate of water, organic matter decomposition, and anthropogenic pressures within and around the Dal lake ecosystem. Overall, the water quality of the lake is unfit for drinking due to the presence of coliform bacteria in the lake waters.     

Raingauge network optimization in a tropical urban area by coupling cross-validation with the geostatistical technique

An adequate and reliable raingauge network is essential for observing rainfall data in hydrology and water resource applications. A raingauge network developed for a catchment area is commonly extended periodically to increase data accuracy. Due to financial constraints, the network is reviewed for the optimal number of stations. A new optimization approach is developed in this study by coupling a cross-validation technique with a geostatistical method for raingauge network optimization to prioritize raingauge stations. The spatial interpolation error of the spatial rainfall distribution, measured as the root mean square error (E_rms) optimization criterion is applied to a raingauge network in a tropical urban area. The results indicate that this method can successfully optimize the number of rainfall stations in an existing raingauge network, as the stations are prioritized based on their importance in the network.     

Analytic network process for criteria selection in sustainable coastal land use planning

The coastal lands are very important boundaries in the natural system. But these areas are under pressure that has threatened their health by short-sighted planning policies. The management options have focused on economic production and human benefits rather than the natural systems that guaranty sustainability of them. Evaluation of sustainability in coastal lands needs some critical criteria and indicators. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate an innovative reliable method for identification of the most important criteria and indicators using multi criteria techniques, especially the Analytic Network Process (ANP). Analytic Network Process as a new approach has potential to be applied into the field of coastal land use development. This is the first time ANP has been used for criteria selection to ensure sustainability in coastal land use planning. The integration of social, economic and environmental criteria within the planning framework in this paper has provided a holistic approach for integrated coastal land use development.     

Middle Permian cephalopods from central Peninsular Malaysia: implications for faunal migration through the southern Tethys

A Wordian (Middle Permian) cephalopod fauna consisting of four ammonoid species, Tauroceras aff. scrobiculatum (Gemmellaro), Agathiceras sp., Bamyaniceras orientale n. sp. and Pronoritidae gen. and sp. indet., and two nautiloid species, Tainoceras sp. and Orthocerida fam. indet., were recovered from the Bera South area, southern Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. The outcrop represents the southernmost extent of the Bera Formation. Bamyaniceras and Tainoceras are recorded in Malaysia for the first time. The presence of T. aff. scrobiculatum suggests a regional correlation with an ammonoid-bearing bed of Sungai Cheroh, western Pahang, and permits global correlations with strata of northeastern Iraq, northern Oman and Sicily (Italy). A possible eastwards faunal migration through the southern Tethys is suggested.     

Geomagnetic anomalies and regional geology in India along 18° N parallel

The mobile geomagnetic measurements made during 1970–73 by NGRI across the Indian Peninsula between Alibag and Kalingapatnam have been examined. It is noticed that the meanZ values after normal correction and the long periodZr/Hr ratio reveal different levels on the three different geological provincesviz., the Deccan traps, peninsular granites and the easternghat metamorphics.     

Prediction of long-term settlement on soft clay using shear wave velocity and damping characteristics

This paper presents a method of calculating long-term settlement of a loaded pad on soft clay at Klang, Selangor, Malaysia where the soil model is treated as an anelastic material of viscoelastic property. Initially, an elastic shear modulus (G) value from shear wave velocity profiles of the seismic tests from spectral analysis of surface wave (SASW) and continuous surface wave (CSW) tests was obtained. A value of damping (D) at an equivalent elastic strain is then calculated from the hysteresis of the plate load tests corrected to equivalent strain using the Damping–Strain formula. The calculated elastic settlement and its equivalent damping are then used to calculate the long-term settlement by applying the generalised viscoelastic formula. Comparisons to traditional methods of settlement predictions were made and the viscoelastic formula has shown better agreement to the observed settlement. Further modification of the settlement formula is introduced to improve the settlement accuracy to 10%.     

Establishment of Avicennia marina mangroves on accreting coastline at Sungai Haji Dorani, Selangor, Malaysia

Avicennia marina saplings were established within a restoration area at Sg. Hj. Dorani, Malaysia between May and August 2010. Sapling establishment was achieved following the construction of segmented and hard breakwater as mitigating measure against coastal erosion. Geostructures known as brush faschines were installed within the restoration area as secondary sediment and seed traps. There was a steady increase in the sand content of the soil from 5% in November 2008 to 18% in May 2010. The dominant soil content was silt but it fluctuated and declined slightly over the same period, between 80% in November 2008 and 72% in May 2010. The accreting shoreline behind the breakwater had stabilised within 18 months. Subsequently, the first batch of A. marina wild seedlings or wildings was established on the mud surface in September 2009. Only about 10% of these wildings survived and showed high survival rate (90%) over the next eight months. Wildings that were naturally established near mother trees showed good growth performance. No wilding was established after the fruiting season in August 2010 as all seeds that were dispersed into the restoration area were washed away by September 2010. Tall, A. marina wild saplings (1 m) planted within the restoration area showed higher survival rate (80%) compared to planted saplings of Rhizophora apiculata (30%). Final planting of a thousand 1 m tall A. marina wild saplings was carried out from June 2010, in clumps of 20 and in 1 m × 1 m spacing. By the end of September 2010 clusters of regenerating A. marina mangroves about 1.5 m tall were successfully established on the accreting coastline.