Numerical Simulation of Extreme Sea Levels for the Tamil Nadu (India) and Sri Lankan Coasts

Numerical modeling of extreme sea levels associated with tropical cyclones in the Indian seas has been confined to the northern part of the Bay of Bengal (north of Tamil Nadu). However, limited attempts have been made for modeling of surges along the Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan coasts. Although, very rarely, cyclones form south of 10°N, there are some instances of severe cyclonic storms hitting these areas and causing widespread destruction to life and property. Keeping this in view, a suitable location-specific, high-resolution, numerical model has been developed for the prediction of storm surges in these regions with a grid resolution of 3 km. Using the model, numerical experiments are performed to simulate the storm surge associated with the 1964 Rameswaram cyclone, the 1978 Batticaloa cyclone, the 1992 Tuticorin cyclone, the 1993 Karaikal cyclone, and the 1994 Madras cyclone. During the years 1964, 1978, and 1992, the cyclones struck both Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu coasts, while in 1993 and 1994, the cyclones struck only the Tamil Nadu coast. It is found that the computed sea surface elevations are in close agreement with the available observations/estimates.     

Tsunami Travel Time Atlas for the Atlantic Ocean

Compared to the Pacific Ocean, tsunamis are rare both in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. However, the December 26, 2004, tsunami demonstrated that, no matter how rare they may be, when a major tsunami occurs, it could be very disastrous. The most basic information in tsunami warning center requires are charts showing tsunami travel times to various locations around the rim of the ocean. With this in mind, a tsunami travel time atlas for the Atlantic Ocean is in preparation. The Caribbean Sea is also included in this Atlas, as it is more or less a part of the Atlantic Basin.     

Analysis of the Tsunami of December 26, 2004, on the Kerala Coast of India—Part II: Arrival Times

The Tsunami of December 26, 2004, in the Indian Ocean arrived on the coast of Kerala in southwest India some three hours after the tsunami was generated. The tsunami activity persisted throughout that day and, in some locations, even into the early morning of the next day. Based on interviews with eye witnesses, arrival times of tsunami waves are presented here followed by some preliminary analysis of the results.     

A numerical calculation of the wind-driven circulation in the Gulf of St. Lawrence

The steady state surface circulation in the Gulf of St. Lawrence due to wind field forcing was calculated taking the topography into account using numerical techniques for each month of two ten year periods, 1940–49 and 1951–60. This model did not take into consideration the ice layer on the water surface and hence is not valid for the winter months. Most of the observed circulation features except the Gaspe current were reproduced satisfactorily.     

Energetics of the Tsunami of 26 December 2004 in the Indian Ocean: A Brief Review

The energetics of the most destructive tsunami in historical time, and that of the under ocean earthquake that triggered this tsunami of 26 December 2004 in the Indian Ocean have been briefly reviewed. This latest tsunami has several other unique characteristics besides being one of the worst natural disasters in human history. It is the first truly global tsunami after modern seismographic and sea level monitoring networks have been put in place. It was the first tsunami on record detected by a satellite, even though at present, global satellite coverage of the oceans for real time tsunami detection is not adequate. Finally, the energy associated with the tsunami and the earthquake that triggered it is so large that speculation has been made about the normal modes of oscillation of the earth, that were triggered by the earthquake as well as some suggestions, that some of the earth's rotational characteristics may have temporarily changed to a discernible degree. Here, we briefly review the energetics of the tsunami and the earthquake that triggered it.     

Cosmogenic and trapped noble gases in individual chondrules: Clues to chondrule formation

Abstract— We studied the elemental and isotopic abundances of noble gases (He, Ne, Ar in most cases, and Kr, Xe also in some cases) in individual chondrules separated from six ordinary, two enstatite, and two carbonaceous chondrites. Most chondrules show detectable amounts of trapped ²⁰Ne and ³⁶Ar, and the ratio (³⁶Ar/²⁰Ne)_t (from ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites) suggests that HL and Q are the two major trapped components. A different trend between (³⁶Ar/²⁰Ne)_t and trapped ³⁶Ar is observed for chondrules in enstatite chondrites indicating a different environment and/or mechanism for their formation compared to chondrules in ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites. We found that a chondrule from Dhajala chondrite (DH‐11) shows the presence of solar‐type noble gases, as suggested by the (³⁶Ar/²⁰Ne)_t ratio, Ne‐isotopic composition, and excess of ⁴He. Cosmic‐ray exposure (CRE) ages of most chondrules are similar to their host chondrites. A few chondrules show higher CRE age compared to their host, suggesting that some chondrules and/or precursors of chondrules have received cosmic ray irradiation before accreting to their parent body. Among these chondrules, DH‐11 (with solar trapped gases) and a chondrule from Murray chondrite (MRY‐1) also have lower values of (²¹Ne/²²Ne)_c, indicative of SCR contribution. However, such evidences are sporadic and indicate that chondrule formation event may have erased such excess irradiation records by solar wind and SCR in most chondrules. These results support the nebular environment for chondrule formation.     

High-level warmings and total ozone over a tropical region

The rocketsonde data obtained from the launchings made at Thumba (8°3215N, 76°5148E) during the winter period 1970–71, as already reported, have indicated that warmings of noticeable magnitude occurred at high levels (upper stratosphere and mesosphere) over this tropical station during the period mentioned. The mean monthly radiosonde temperatures of 50, 100 and 300 mb levels at Thumba (Trivandrum) and Delhi (28°35N, 77°12E) during the same period have also pointed out certain anomalies consistent with the warmings referred to above at Thumba. The radiosonde temperatures of the two stations, Thumba (Trivandrum) and Delhi, have now been examined, along with the values of total ozone, for the ten winter periods commencing from 1961–1962. The analysis has pointed out the possibility of high-level warmings also having occurred in the past over the Indian region during the winters of 1963–1964 and 1967–1968, which are also the periods when prominent warmings are definitely known to have occurred at higher latitudes. The behaviour of total ozone has been found to be different in the different years of the warmings. The features noticed have been presented and discussed.     

Aircraft observations of electrical conductivity in warm clouds

Aircraft observations of electrical conductivity and cloud microphsical, dynamical and other electrical parameters were made in warm stratocumulus and cumulus clouds forming during the summer monsoon seasons (June-September) of 1983 and 1985 in the Deccan Plateau region, India. A Gerdien type cylindrical condenser was used for the measurement of electrical conductivity. The variations in the electrical conductivity are observed to be closely associated with the updrafts and downdrafts in the cloud, liquid water content, cloud droplet charge and coro-na discharge current. The value of electrical conductivity in warm clouds is found to be in the order of 10-12 ohm-1 m-1 which is two orders higher than that observed in clear-air at cloud-base levels in some regions by other investigators.Classical static electricity concepts predict reduced conductivity values inside clouds. Cloud electrical conductivi-ty measurements, particularly in warm clouds are few and the results are contradictory. The recently identified mech-anism of vertical mixing in clouds lends support to coovective charge separation mechanism with inherent larger than clear-air values for cloud electrical conductivity and therefore consistent with the measurements reported herein.