Geochemical fractionation of heavy metals in Chilka Lake (east coast of India)—a tropical coastal lagoon

Chilka lake, the largest coastal lagoon of Asia is one of the most dynamic ecosystems along the Indian coast. Historically the lagoon has undergone a considerable reduction in surface area due, in part, to input from natural processes but mostly due to human activities. The purpose of this investigation is to document the heavy metals' affinity for specific geochemical phases in the recently deposited sediments in the lagoon. Thirty-three samples were collected and analyzed for different geochemical phases of Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn utilizing a sequential extraction scheme. In the nonlithogenous fraction, the exchangeable fraction was not geochemically significant, having <2% of the total metal concentration for all the elements. However, the carbonate fraction contained the following percentages of the total concentration: <1% Fe, 13% Mn, 6% Cu, 4% Cr, 8% Ni, 13% Pb, and 12% Zn, suggesting the detrital origin of the sediments. Reducible and organic matter-bound fractions were the significant phases in the nonlithogenous fraction, containing 9% Fe, 16% Mn, 15% Cu, 16% Cr, 16% Ni, 14% Pb, and 14% Zn in the former and 4% Fe, 3% Mn, 17% Cu, 3% Cr, 14% Ni, 15% Pb, and 14% Zn in the latter. The phenomenon has been attributed to the scavenging affinity of Fe-Mn oxides and affinity for sorption into organic matter of the lagoon sediments. The lithogenous, residual fraction generally considered as a guide for natural background values was determined to contain 87% Fe, 67% Mn, 61% Cu, 77% Cr, 61.3% Ni, 56% Pb, and 60% Zn of the total concentrations.     

Delineation and parameterization of banikdih watershed using remote sensing and avswat model

Delineation of Banikdih Agricultural watershed in Eastern India was carried out and various watershed parameters were extracted using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was developed with a contour interval of 10 m in the scale of 1:25000 using ARC/INFO modules. Sub watershed, drainage, slope, aspect, flow direction, soil series, soil texture, and soil class maps were independently generated and they were properly registered and integrated for analysis. The watershed was digitally delineated using AVSWAT model that couples hydrological model and GIS with appropriate threshold value of cell size. Subsequently, stream characteristics through the interface were generated. Indian Remote Sensing Satellite IRS-1D LISS-III data pertaining to the period of October 29, 1998 and October 23, 2000 was used to develop land use/land cover thematic map using ERDAS- 8.4 version image processing software. Eight major land use/land cover classes namely water body, lowland paddy, upland paddy, fallow land, upland crop (non-paddy crops), settlement, open mixed forest, and wasteland were segregated through digital image processing techniques using maximum likelihood algorithm. The information generated would be of immense help in hydrological modeling of watershed for prediction of runoff and sediment yield, thereby providing necessary inputs for developing suitable developmental management plans with sound scientific basis.     

Impact of domain size on the simulation of Indian summer monsoon in RegCM4 using mixed convection scheme and driven by HadGEM2

In this study, a smaller domain over India alone and a larger South Asia (SA) domain have been used in the Regional Climate Model version 4.2 (RegCM4.2) to examine the effect of the domain size on the Indian summer monsoon simulations. These simulations were carried out over a period of 36 years at 50 km horizontal resolution with the lateral boundary forcings of the UK Met Office Hadley Centre Global Circulation Model Version 2.0. Results show that the Indian summer monsoon rainfall is significantly reduced when the domain size for the model integration is reduced from SA to the Indian domain. In case of SA domain simulation, the Equitable Threat Scores have higher values in case of very light, light and moderate rainfall events than those in case of the Indian domain simulation. It is also found that the domain size of model integration has dominant impact on the simulated convective precipitation. The cross-equatorial flow and the Somali Jet are better represented in the SA simulation than those in the Indian domain simulation. The vertically integrated moisture flux over the Arabian Sea in the SA domain simulation is close to that in the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis while it is underestimated in the Indian domain simulation. It is important to note that when RegCM4.2 is integrated over the smaller Indian domain, the effects of the Himalayas and the moisture advection from the Indian seas are not properly represented in the model simulation and hence the monsoon circulation and associated rainfall are underestimated over India.     

Ocean and atmospheric characteristics associated with the cyclogenesis and rapid intensification of NIO super cyclonic storms during 1981–2020

Natural Hazards - Flooding events in the Lower Benue valley of Nigeria are often associated with huge damage to properties and loss of life in the adjoining communities. Specific objectives of this...     

Non-linear analysis of undrained cyclic strength of soft marine clay

Iwan models are used to simulate the non-linear and hysteretic behaviour of soils under cyclic loading conditions. However, the model in its original form cannot take into account the stiffness degradation which is observed during cyclic loading of soft clays. Studies show that the stiffness reduction (expressed as degradation index) can be represented as a function of the number of cycles and of a degradation parameter depending on the strain amplitude in the case of strain controlled cyclic loading tests. This degradation index has been incorporated into Iwan's series–parallel model as a single fatigue parameter to account for the degradation during cyclic loading. The comparisons made with the existing results of two marine clays tested under undrained cyclic triaxial and simple shear conditions provided an opportunity to understand the capability of the one dimensional model.     

Interaction of monsoonal wave, current and tide near Gopalpur, east coast of India, and their impact on beach profile: a case study

A 97-day-long record on waves and currents was obtained using wave rider buoy and current meter moored at 2.5 km off Gopalpur from 19 May to 23 August 2008 representing southwest monsoon months. A Valeport tide gauge was used to record water level at Gopalpur port. Simultaneously, beach profiles at 4 transects were monitored using real-time kinematic (RTK) global positioning system (GPS). A total of 636,167 waves were analyzed for the period; a range of 3,200–9,700 waves approach the coast in an individual day. During the study, unusual characteristics of wave were observed on July 29, 2008, with a magnitude of significant wave height, H_s = 2.85 m, maximum wave height, H_max = 5.22 m, and peak wave period, T_p = 10.2 s, and on August 11, 2008, with H_s = 2.28 m, H_max = 5.37 m, and T_p = 11.1 s. Significant beach loss was noticed during these periods, and severe erosion was recorded on August 1, 2008. Beach profile data indicates that 18–58 cu. m/m sediment was lost during the study period. The paper provides an overview of the statistical analysis of wave heights, periods, direction, and spectral energy density and explains the cause of coastal erosion and loss of sediment.