An analytical source function for a coupled hybrid wave model

An analytical form for the source function is formulated by comparing the fetch-limited approximation of the Ocean Wave Transport equation and the empirical equation for the fetch-dependent wave forecast nomograms. The source function thus generated has been utilised in the numerical model based on Toba’s formulation of wave transport equation and tested for the seas around the Indian subcontinent (5°S to 25°N latitude; 45°E to 100°E longitude). The grid averaged hindcast wave heights are found to be moderately matching with the GEOSAT altimeter measured significant wave heights of the 1987–1989 period, particularly for waves higher than 1 meter.     

Effects of historical and projected land use/cover change on runoff and sediment yield in the Netravati river basin,Western Ghats,India

In this study, the effects of changes in historical and projected land use land cover (LULC) on monthly streamflow and sediment yield for the Netravati river basin in the Western Ghats of India are explored using land use maps from six time periods (1972, 1979, 1991, 2000, 2012, and 2030) and the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT). The LULC for 2030 is projected using the land change modeller with the assumption of normal growth. The sensitivity analysis, model calibration, and validation indicated that the SWAT model could reasonably simulate streamflow and sediment yield in the river basin. The results showed that the spatial extent of the LULC classes of urban (1.80–9.96%), agriculture (31.38–55.75%), and water bodies (1.48–2.66%) increased, whereas that of forest (53.04–27.03%), grassland (11.17–4.41%), and bare land (1.09–0.16%) decreased from 1972 to 2030. The streamflow increased steadily (7.88%) with changes in LULC, whereas the average annual sediment yield decreased (0.028%) between 1972 and 1991 and increased later (0.029%) until 2012. However, it may increase by 0.43% from 2012 to 2030. The results indicate that LULC changes in urbanization and agricultural intensification have contributed to the increase in runoff, amounting to 428.65 and 58.67 mm, respectively, and sediment yield, amounting to 348 and 43 ton/km², respectively, in the catchment area from 1972 to 2030. The proposed methodology can be applied to other river basins for which temporal digital LULC maps are available for better water resource management plans.     

Simulation Of Salt-Water Encroachment In A Multi-Layer Groundwater System,Bangkok, Thailand

Salt-water encroachment in the multi-layer groundwater system underlying the Bangkok metropolitan area was simulated with a quasi-three-dimensional flow and solute-transport model. The quasi-three-dimensional model used in this study is based on the model SUTRA. Accurate conceptualization of the initial state of the system with regard to the distribution of salt-water concentration is very important for modeling, especially in areas where localized zones of high salt concentration exist in the groundwater. Data adequacy and model results were evaluated by a geostatistical analysis. The model is capable of simulating the regional trend of potentiometric levels and salt concentration. However, lack of monitoring data in areas where localized zones of high salt concentration exist resulted in large model residuals. RÉSUMÉ: L'empiétement des eaux salées dans le système hydrologique multi-couche sous-jacent la zone métropolitaine de Bangkok a été simulé à l'aide d'un modèle quasi-tridimensionnel représentant l'écoulement des eaux et le transport d'éléments en solution. Le modèle quasi-tridimensionnel utilisé dans cette étude est basé sur le modèle SUTRA. Une conceptualisation exacte de l'état initial du système en ce qui concerne la répartition de la concentration des eaux salines est très important, particulièrement dans les endroits localisés où l'eau souterraine presente une forte concentration en sel. La qualité des donnés et des résultats a été estimée à l'aide d'une analyse géostatistique. Le modèle est capable de simuler la tendance régionale des niveaux potentiométriques et de la concentration en sel. Cependant, le manque de données de contrôle dans les endroits à forte concentration a donné lieu à des résiduels importants. RESUMEN: La intrusión de agua salina en el sistema multicapa bajo el área metropolitana de Bangkok se simuló mediante un modelo de flujo y transporte de solutos casi-tridimensional, basado en el modelo SUTRA. La conceptualizacián precisa de la distribución inicial de concentraciones de agua salina es muy importante para el modelo, especialmente en áreas donde existen zonas locales de alta concentración salina en el agua subterránea. La exactitud de los datos y del modelo se evaluaron mediante un análisis geoestadístico. El modelo permite simular la tendencia regional de los niveles piezométricos y la concentración de sales. Sin embargo, la falta de datos de muestreo en las zonas locales de alta salinidad resultaron en valores altos de los residuos calculados por el modelo.     

Improvement of user’s accuracy through classification of principal component images and stacked temporal images

The classification accuracy of the various categories on the classified remotely sensed images are usually evaluated by two different measures of accuracy, namely, producer’s accuracy (PA) and user’s accuracy (UA). The PA of a category indicates to what extent the reference pixels of the category are correctly classified, whereas the UA of a category represents to what extent the other categories are less misclassified into the category in question. Therefore, the UA of the various categories determines the reliability of their interpretation on the classified image and is more important to the analyst than the PA. The present investigation has been performed in order to determine if there occurs improvement in the UA of the various categories on the classified image of the principal components of the original bands and on the classified image of the stacked image of two different years. We performed the analyses using the IRS LISS III images of two different years, i.e., 1996 and 2009, that represent the different magnitude of urbanization and the stacked image of these two years pertaining to Ranchi area, Jharkhand, India, with a view to assessing the impacts of urbanization on the UA of the different categories. The results of the investigation demonstrated that there occurs significant improvement in the UA of the impervious categories in the classified image of the stacked image, which is attributable to the aggregation of the spectral information from twice the number of bands from two different years. On the other hand, the classified image of the principal components did not show any improvement in the UA as compared to the original images.     

Plasma instability at the inner edge of the accretion disk—I

In this paper, the analytical and numerical results of the stability analysis of the accretion disk at the inner boundary is presented. Including the effect of finite conductivity in the disk dynamics, a simple calculation considering only the radial perturbation has been carried out. Within local approximation, it is concluded that the disk is stable to Kelvin-Helmholtz and resistive electromagnetic modes whereas the magnetosonic mode can destabilise the disk structure.     

Geochemical Eccentricity of Ground Water Allied to Weathering of Basalts from the Deccan Volcanic Province,India: Insinuation on CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Consumption

Analyses of 72 samples from Upper Panjhara basin in the northern part of Deccan Plateau, India, indicate that geochemical incongruity of groundwater is largely a function of mineral composition of the basaltic lithology. Higher proportion of alkaline earth elements to total cations and HCO₃>Cl + SO₄ reflect weathering of primary silicates as chief source of ions. Inputs of Cl, SO₄, and NO₃ are related to rainfall and localized anthropogenic factors. Groundwater from recharge area representing Ca + Mg–HCO₃ type progressively evolves to Ca + Na–HCO₃ and Na–Ca–HCO₃ class along flow direction replicates the role of cation exchange and precipitation processes. While the post-monsoon chemistry is controlled by silicate mineral dissolution + cation exchange reactions, pre-monsoon variability is attributable chiefly to precipitation reactions + anthropogenic factors. Positive correlations between Mg vs HCO₃ and Ca + Mg vs HCO₃ supports selective dissolution of olivine and pyroxene as dominant process in post-monsoon followed by dissolution of plagioclase feldspar and secondary carbonates. The pre-monsoon data however, points toward the dissolution of plagioclase and precipitation of CaCO₃ supported by improved correlation coefficients between Na + Ca vs HCO₃ and negative correlation of Ca vs HCO₃, respectively. It is proposed that the eccentricity in the composition of groundwater from the Panjhara basin is a function of selective dissolution of olivine > pyroxene followed by plagioclase feldspar. The data suggest siallitization (L < R and R _k) as dominant mechanism of chemical weathering of basalts, stimulating monosiallitic (kaolinite) and bisiallitic (montmorillonite) products. The chemical denudation rates for Panjhara basin worked out separately for the ground and surface water component range from 6.98 to 36.65 tons/km²/yr, respectively. The values of the CO₂ consumption rates range between 0.18 × 10⁶ mol//km²/yr (groundwater) and 0.9 × 10⁶ mol/km²/yr (surface water), which indicates that the groundwater forms a considerable fraction of CO₂ consumption, an inference, that is, not taken into contemplation in most of the studies.     

Trends and fluctuations of rainfall regime in the Brahmaputra and Barak basins of Assam, India

Severe weather conditions create negative impacts on humans. One of the severe weather conditions is storms. In the scope of this study, the storm effects on the Marmara Region were investigated using data for the period 2000 to 2010 giving the hourly averaged wind direction and speed in the Marmara Region, as provided by the Turkish Meteorological Service. The monthly distribution of storms has been estimated and their daily variability has been investigated. Additionally, air masses that cause storms have been determined by using NCEP/NCAR re-analysis data. Other than this, by studying the storms, extreme values have been ascertained and northerly values from these storm values (since in percentage terms they are larger) and hourly variability in a single day for 17 weather stations have been depicted graphically. The days that northerly storms reached extreme values are shown with the meteorological maps (surface chart, 850, 700, 500, and 300 hPa) and the temperature diagrams for Istanbul in the Marmara Region have been examined and analysed.     

Evaluating the Long-term Urban Expansion of Ranchi Urban Agglomeration,India Using Geospatial Technology

The present study analyzes the built-up expansion of Ranchi urban agglomeration over a period of about 8 decades from 1927–2005. Satellite images and topographical maps were used to evaluate land use dynamics during these periods. Built-up growth of 473.7% during 1927–2005 was primarily at the expense of agricultural land along with reduction of natural water bodies reflects negative impacts of built-up expansion, which increased many folds in recent decades. The built-up growth is also analyzed with reference to population growth, land consumption rate and land transformation. The land loss due to increasing built-up growth of Ranchi were compared with other capital regions and cities along with population increase to provide insight into the possible scenario of built-up expansion in Ranchi urban area.     

Marine mammals from northeast Atlantic: relationship between their trophic status as determined by delta13C and delta15N measurements and their trace metal concentrations

The relationship between trophic position through delta13C and delta15N and trace metal concentrations (Zn, Cd, Cu and Hg) was investigated in the tissues of six marine mammal species from the Northeast Atlantic: striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba, common dolphin, Delphinus delphis, Atlantic white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus, harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena, white beaked-dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris, grey seal Halichoerus grypus stranded on French Channel and Irish coasts. White-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises, white-sided dolphins, common and striped dolphins display the same relative and decreasing trophic position, as measured by delta15N values, along both the Irish and French channel coasts, reflecting conservative trophic habits between these two places. Hepatic and renal Cd concentrations were significantly correlated to muscle delta13C and delta15N values while Hg, Zn and Cu did not. These results suggest that Cd accumulation is partly linked to the diet while other factors such as age or body condition might explain Hg, Zn or Cu variability in marine mammals. Combined stable isotope and trace metal analyses appear to be useful tools for the study of marine mammal ecology.     

Selection of a Landfill Site for Solid Waste Management: An Application of AHP and Spatial Analyst Tool

Selection of a suitable landfill site for Solid Waste Management (SWM) forms an important component of urban planning. The problem of SWM has assumed significant proportion for the municipal authorities in the wake of rapid industrialization, urbanization and resultant pressure on existing resources. Many criteria such as distance from residential locations, transport connectivity, presence of water-bodies (drains, ponds, rivers etc.) and forests, ground water table and geology are taken into consideration while planning for suitable sites. Spatial Analyst Tool along with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model is extremely useful in such multicriteria decision making process. The present study, based on these tools/techniques, endeavours to identify a suitable location for landfill site in a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The study identifies six potential sites out of which one has been proposed and recommended as the best suitable site.