Cotton yield prediction through spectral parameters

To predict the crop yield from spectral parameters, a field experiment was conducted on cotton crop during 1997-98 Kharif season on a sandy loam soil at the Punjab Agricultural Unjversity, Ludhiana. India. Spectral reflectance and agronomic measurements were made for cotton species (American and Desi cotton), sown on two dates (May 1 and May 29) under five nitrogen levels (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg/ha). Regression analysis showed that growth variables had poor correlation with seed cotton yield for all three models, however, yield attributes were significantly and highly correlated for second degree model with seed cotton yield. The integrated Radiance Ratio (RR) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) measured over time were significantly correlated quadratically with seed cotton yield on three time segment periods viz., 81–110, 111–140 and 141–200 DAS, but highest correlation values were obtained during 81–110 DAS, In American cotton, the highest correlation coefficient for RR and NDVI were 0.91 and 0.81, respectively; whereas for Desi cotton these values were 0.88 and 0.84, respectively.     

New insights into rare earth element (REE) particulate generated by cigarette lighters: an electron microscopy and materials science investigation of a poorly understood indoor air pollutant and constraints for urban geochemistry

Cigarette smoking is a well-recognized cause of lung cancer and other diseases and is a major contributor to indoor air pollution in numerous settings worldwide. Most cigarette lighters use rare earth element (REE) mischmetal in their flints in order to aid ignition, and these lighters thus have pyrophoric properties. REE particulate emitted from these lighters presents a complexity in the role of health of smokers that has yet to be explored fully. Furthermore, these particles are likely present in numerous urban settings and contribute to the complexities of urban geochemistry. Details of the material properties of rare earth element (REE) particulate derived from smoking lighters are determined first the first time. Particulate was investigated using back-scatter detection scanning electron microscopy techniques and transmission electron microscopy techniques. Several particle types were observed and demonstrate a diverse range of size and textures, many of which are previously not documented and are much smaller than previous basic scanning electron microscopy investigations. These include irregularly shaped fragments of mischmetal, micrometer-scale spherules, aggregates of nanospherules, and platy sponge-like nanoparticles. All of these particles have significant REE content, and most are of a particle size that can be deposited deep in the lung. The available literature regarding toxicity of REEs and the material science data presented here argues very strongly for cause for concern.     

A strontium,neodymium and oxygen isotope study of hydrothermal metamorphism and crustal anatexis in the Trois Seigneurs Massif,Pyrenees, France

Nd, Sr, and O isotope analyses have been made on metamorphic and igneous rocks and minerals from a 310–340 Ma Hercynian-age metamorphic terrane in the Pyrenees, France. Lower Paleozoic shales and phyllites have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values of 0.707–0.717 at 310 Ma, but model values at 310 Ma of 0.709–0.736 (based on assumed depositional age of 450 Ma and an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.707). On a regional scale, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr was homogenized to about 0.713 to 0.717 in the higher-grade pelitic schists during metamorphism. Much of this ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr exchange occurred at very low grades (below the biotite isograd), but significant changes also accompanied the δ ¹⁸O lowering of the phyllites (+13 to +16) during their transformation to andalusite- and sillimanite-grade schists (δ ¹⁸O=+11 to +12); all of these effects are attributed to pervasive interactions with hydrothermal fluids (Wickham and Taylor 1985). The data also show that a syn-metamorphic plutonic complex, dominated by a biotite granite body, was derived by mixing of a relatively mafic magmatic end-member (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr～ 0.7025–0.7050 and δ ¹⁸O～ +7.5 to +8.0) with two metasedimentary sources, both having ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr～0.715 and δ ¹⁸O～ +10.0 to +12.0, but with one being more homogeneous than the other. The more homogeneous component and the (mantle-derived?) magmatic end-member dominate at low structural levels within the complex. The less homogeneous end-member that dominates at high levels is clearly derived from the local Paleozoic pelitic schists. A Rb-Sr age of 330±20 Ma was obtained on hornblende from a deep level within the complex, which fixes this age for the regional metamorphism, as well. Although a post-metamorphic granodiorite magma body at Trois Seigneurs also displays heterogeneities in δ ¹⁸O and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (and thus does not give a clear-cut Rb-Sr isochron), the data are consistent with an emplacement age between 260 and 310 Ma, similar to ages of other late granodiorites in the Pyrenees. ¹⁴³Nd/ ¹⁴⁴Nd is very uniform within the Hercynian crust, both at Trois Seigneurs (? _Nd=?3 to ?7) and elsewhere in the Pyrenees; almost all igneous lithologies have depleted-mantle, mid-Proterozoic model ages, consistent with efficient recycling of crustal material following original crustal accretion in this area at about 1600 Ma or earlier. Rb-Sr mineral ages exhibit a complex cooling history reflecting late Hercynian and Mesozoic thermal events. Our results show that profound homogenization of the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratios of large volumes of the crust can occur during regional metamorphism and crustal anatexis, particularly in regions undergoing extensional tectonics. Such processes can significantly modify the isotopic compositions of the protoliths of granitic magmas; this may explain why many peraluminous Hercynian granitoids of Western Europe have anomalously low (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) initial values compared to their probable sedimentary parent rocks.     

Urban stormwater quality I. Hillcrest,Hamilton, New Zealand

Water quality parameters associated with siltation (non‐volatile and volatile suspended solids), oxygen depletion (chemical and biochemical oxygen demand), nutrient enrichment (N, P), toxicity (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Cd), and human pathogenic micro‐organisms (coliforms, faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci) were measured in baseflow and stormflow from a residential catchment in Hamilton, New Zealand, from November 1979 to December 1981. A macro‐invertebrate survey was conducted. All parameters, except nitrogen, were predominantly associated with particulate material, and closely followed suspended solids behaviour during storm runoff. The concentrations of these particulate parameters are linearly related to suspended solid concentrations, which implies a reasonable consistency in the particulate source material, probably attributable to the uniform stable land use. The runoff was enriched with nitrate (from septic tank seepage) and the particles by Zn, Pb, and Cu. There was little or no enrichment of the particulates with phosphorus, nitrogen, organic matter, Cr, or Ni relative to catchment soils. Ni, Cr, and Cd were generally below detection limits. Dissolved reactive phosphorus and NH₄ ⁺‐N levels were low and unimportant in total P or N leaving the catchment. Most organic matter was particulate and only slowly degraded, and consequently the biological oxygen demand was only a small fraction (c. 13%) of chemical oxygen demand. Interpretation of the water quality data allows some tentative predictions to be made of potential receiving water impacts. It is doubtful that urban runoff will cause significant oxygen depletion, although the high level of organic‐rich particulate material could lead to a deterioration of receiving water sediments and affect benthic invertebrates. Urban runoff may be an important source of nutrients, but (apart from nitrate) its importance depends on the amount of suspended material in the runoff rather than increased input of nutrients from urban‐related activities. Bacterial counts indicate a poor water quality. The impact of metals will depend largely on the bioavailability of the particulate‐bound fraction. The key to the understanding of transport, treatment, and impact of most potential pollutants in urban runoff is probably their association with particulate materials.     

Geologie an den höheren Schulen Sachsens

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Characteristics of magnetic and non-magnetic lag in the Cobar area, NSW

Geochemical patterns from two lag anomalies in the Cobar region of central New South Wales are described. The region is semi-arid, deeply weathered and some areas are covered by variable thicknesses of aeolian and alluvial transported overburden.Lag morphology and mineralogy are related to landform. In erosional landforms the surface is covered by lag, which is composed of coarse fragments derived locally from bedrock and displays varying degrees of ferruginization, together with a range of secondary pisoids. In depositional landforms the lag is less abundant and contains more pisoids. Deflation by sheetwash may lead to lag being partially buried by alluvium. In a large proportion of pisoid lag, hematite and goethite have been converted to maghemite, allowing ready separation into magnetic and non-magnetic fractions. The non-magnetic fraction is dominated by the lithic lag whereas the magnetic fraction is dominated by pisoid lag.The magnetic and non-magnetic components of the 2–11 mm lag fraction, milled to < 75 μm and subjected to HF-HNO₃-HClO₄ attack, give rise to distinct geochemical patterns at targets related to a variant of the Cobar style of Pb-Zn mineralization with variable silicification and to Zn mineralization in a swarm of quartz and carbonate veinlets. The patterns are influenced by metal source, lag type, surface chemical conditions and landtbrm. Differences in the correlation between metal contents in the magnetic and non-magnetic lag components, and between trace elements and Fe. indicate variable loss of Cu and Zn from the magnetic lag at some targets but retention of Pb. The presence of a readily cxtractable base metal component in the lag has implications for detecting anomalies in transported cover in the region.