Morphology of pockmarks along the western continental margin of India: Employing multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data

This study addresses the morphology of pockmarks along the western continental margin of India using multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data. Here, for the first time we have utilized the application of ArcGIS (Geographical Information System) for understanding the morphology of pockmarks from the western continental margin of India. The pockmarks observed in water depths of 145–330 m are circular, elliptical or elongated in plan-view, with an average length and width of 157 (±72) m and 83 (±19) m respectively. The average pockmark relief and perimeter are 1.9 (±0.9) m and 412 (±181) m, respectively. The pockmarks have average areas and volumes of 10 759 m² and 15 315 m³ respectively. Spatial separation that coincides with 210 m isobath divides the pockmarks into two groups with differing distributions and morphologies. These pockmarks originated from seepages of biogenic or thermogenic gas or from pore fluids from deeper sources, migrated vertically along the faults. Besides a possible structural control, the pockmark morphologies are also affected by bottom currents and/or by submarine slumping. The average acoustic backscatter strength from pockmark centre is higher (−35 dB) than the average backscatter of the total area (−40 dB), which suggests their possible linkage to the precipitation of diagenitic minerals from biodegradation of seepage material.     

Orographic control of the Bay of Bengal cold pool rainfall

In boreal summer (June–September), most of the Indian land and its surroundings experience rainrates exceeding 6 mm day\(^{-1}\) with considerable spatial variability. Over southern Bay of Bengal (BoB) along the east coast of the Indian peninsula (henceforth referred to as the Bay of Bengal cold pool or BoB-CP), the rain intensity is significantly lower (<2 mm day\(^{-1}\)) than its surroundings. This low rainfall occurs despite the fact that the sea surface temperature in this region is well above the threshold for convection and the mean vorticity of the boundary layer is cyclonic with a magnitude comparable to that over the central Indian monsoon trough where the rainrate is about 10 mm day\(^{-1}\). It is also noteworthy that the seasonal cycle of convection over the BoB-CP shows a primary peak in November and a secondary peak in May. This is in contrast to the peak in June–July over most of the oceanic locations surrounding the BoB-CP. In this study, we investigate the role of the Western Ghat (WG) mountains in an Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM) to understand this paradox. Decade-long simulations of the AGCM were carried out with varying (from 0 to 2 times the present) heights of the WG. We find that the lee waves generated by the strong westerlies in the lower troposphere in the presence of the WG mountains cause descent over the BoB-CP. Thus, an increase in the height of the WG strengthens the lee waves and reduces rainfall over the BoB-CP. More interestingly in the absence of WG mountains, the BoB-CP shows a rainfall maxima in the boreal summer similar to that over its surrounding oceans. The WG also impacts the climate over the middle and high latitude regions by modifying the upper tropospheric circulation. The results of this study underline the importance of narrow mountains like the WG in the tropics in determining the global climate and possibly calls for a better representation of such mountains in climate models.     

Dynamic Analysis of Tunnel in Soil Subjected to Internal Blast Loading

The present work deals with the three-dimensional nonlinear finite element (FE) analyses of the tunnel in soil subjected to internal blast loading. The analyses are performed using the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian analysis tool in FE software Abaqus/Explicit. The soil and reinforced concrete lining are modeled using the Lagrangian elements. The explosive Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is modeled using the Eulerian elements. The stress–strain response of soil, concrete, and reinforcement are simulated using strain rate dependent Drucker–Prager plasticity, concrete damaged plasticity and Johnson–Cook (J–C) plasticity models, respectively. The pressure–volume relationship of the TNT explosive is simulated using the Jones-Wilkins-Lee equation of state. Parametric sensitivity studies have been performed for different (1) tunnel lining thicknesses, (2) explosive charge weights and (3) angles of internal friction of soil. It is observed from the results that blast induced pressure on the tunnel lining increases with the increase in charge weight. Both the lining and the surrounding soil undergo significant deformation. The deformation of the tunnel lining increases with increasing charge weight and decreases with increasing lining thickness and increasing the angle of internal friction of soil. Blast-induced velocity in soil attenuates with increasing distance from the source of the blast.     

Effect of dynamical cosmological constant in presence of modified Chaplygin gas for accelerating universe

In this paper we have considered the Universe to be filled with Modified Gas and the Cosmological Constant Λ to be time-dependent with or without the Gravitational Constant G to be time-dependent. We have considered various phenomenological models for Λ, viz., and . Using these models it is possible to show the accelerated expansion of the Universe at the present epoch. Also we have shown the natures of G and Λ over the total age of the Universe. Using the statefinder parameters we have shown the diagrammatical representation of the evolution of the Universe starting from radiation era to ΛCDM model.     

Disturbances in a viscoelastic medium due to impulsive forces on a spherical cavity

Summary The disturbances produced in a visco-elastic medium by impulsive forces on the surface of a spherical cavity inside the medium have been studied.     

Observational study of higher dimensional magnetic universe in non-linear electrodynamics

In this work, we have considered the flat FRW model of the universe in (n+2)-dimensions filled with the dark matter and the magnetic field. We present the Hubble parameter in terms of the observable parameters Ω _m0 and H ₀ with the redshift z and the other parameters like B ₀, ω, μ ₀, δ, n, w _m . The natures of magnetic field B, deceleration parameter q and $\operatorname{Om}$ diagnostic have also been analyzed for accelerating expansion of the universe. From Stern data set (12 points), we have obtained the bounds of the arbitrary parameters by minimizing the χ ² test. The best-fit values of the parameters are obtained by 66 %, 90 % and 99 % confidence levels. Now to find the bounds of the parameters (B ₀,ω) and to draw the statistical confidence contour, we fixed four parameters μ ₀, δ, n, w _m . Here the parameter n determines the higher dimensions and we perform comparative study between three cases: 4D (n=2), 5D (n=3) and 6D (n=4) respectively. Next due to joint analysis with BAO observation, we have also obtained the bounds of the parameters (B ₀,ω) by fixing other parameters μ ₀, δ, n, w _m for 4D, 5D and 6D. The best fit of distance modulus for our theoretical model and the Supernova Type Ia Union2 sample are drawn for different dimensions.     

Determination of Free Nickel Ion Concentrations Using the Ion Exchange Technique: Application to Aqueous Mining and Municipal Effluents

Free metal ion concentration is generally considered a useful indicator of a metal’s bioavailability and ecotoxicity to aquatic biota. This article reports the speciation of nickel in mining and municipal effluents from Sudbury (Ontario, Canada), and also in model solutions containing a fully characterized laurentian fulvic acid (LFA) at environmentally relevant concentrations. A column ion exchange technique (IET) using a cation exchange resin (Dowex 50W-X8) was applied to determine free nickel ion concentrations. In model solutions, reasonable correlation was found between the predictions of an equilibrium-based computer speciation code, Windermere Humic Aqueous Model (WHAM) VI, and the results obtained by IET at low nickel-to-fulvic acid ratios. However at higher mole ratios, the WHAM VI predicted higher free nickel ion concentrations than IET. Only three out of six effluent samples showed reasonable agreement between the IET and the WHAM VI results, indicating the need for further development of IET for application to effluent waters.     

Results on potential use of simulated IRS-1C WiFS data for crop monitoring

Some of the basic requirements for cropping system analysis are updated information on crops grown, their phenological behaviour, method and duration of establishment and harvest, inter and intra crop variability, sequential cropping patterns. The next generation Indian Remote Sensing Satellite with high repeat cycle opens new possibility of crop surveys to derive such information. In this study, an attempt has been made to analyse cropping system at district level using simulated IRS-1C Wide Field Sensor (WiFS) data. Data acquired for nineteen dates during 1992–93 season for Bardhaman district, West Bengal has been used. It was feasible to derive accurate information on cropping pattern, crop rotation, crop duration, progress of harvest, crop growth profiles and annual crop acreage using multidate data. It was observed that even a seven to eight day interval of data acquisition during critical growth periods significantly affected classification and identification accuracy.