Nowcasting visibility during wintertime fog over the airport of a metropolis of India: decision tree algorithm and artificial neural network approach

Natural Hazards - The endeavor of the present research is to nowcast the spatial visibility during fog over the airport of Kolkata (22.6°N; 88.4°E), India, with artificial neural network...     

Integrated studies for characterization of lineaments used to locate groundwater potential zones in a hard rock region of Karnataka, India

An integrated study was carried out to investigate the subsurface geological conditions in a hard rock environment, with the aim of identifying zones with groundwater resource potential. The study, in Bairasagara watershed, Karnataka, India, considered geomorphology, water level, resistivity imaging, self potential, total magnetic field and susceptibility. The signatures due to lineaments have been clearly identified and their role in groundwater movement has been documented. Synthetic simulation methods were used to model the electrical response of the lineament using finite differential modeling scheme. The inverted image of the field data is compared with the synthetic image and iteration were performed on the initial model until a best match was obtained resulting on the generation of the calibrated resistivity image of the subsurface. Resistivity imaging revealed that the dykes are weathered/fractured to a depth of 6–8 m and are compact at deeper levels, and that they behave as barriers to groundwater movement, yet facilitate a good groundwater potential zone on the upgradient side. The results of magnetic surveys were utilized in differentiating granites and dolerite dykes with an insignificant resistivity contrast. Geomorphological expression alone cannot reveal the groundwater potential associated with a lineament. However, characterizing the nature of the feature at depth with integrated geophysical methods provides essential information for assessing that potential.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Groundwater study in the Piedmont zone of Mechi Mahananda interfluve in Darjiling district,West Bengal using remote sensing techniques

The Mechi-Mahananda interfluve is a transitional area between the hills and the plains and exhibits a wide range of topographical variations. The drainage system of the area has a close relationship with lithology and landforms. The rivers originating in the hills attain a braiding character and have well developed alluvial fans. Piedmont plain covers a large area and has high ground water potential. The river terraces and flood plains also have high potentialities of ground water targeting. Fluctuation of water table is very high in the upper piedmont plain dependent upon the proximity to the drainage lines.     

Impact of vegetation on the simulation of seasonal monsoon rainfall over the Indian subcontinent using a regional model

The change in the type of vegetation fraction can induce major changes in the local effects such as local evaporation, surface radiation, etc., that in turn induces changes in the model simulated outputs. The present study deals with the effects of vegetation in climate modeling over the Indian region using the MM5 mesoscale model. The main objective of the present study is to investigate the impact of vegetation dataset derived from SPOT satellite by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) versus that of USGS (United States Geological Survey) vegetation dataset on the simulation of the Indian summer monsoon. The present study has been conducted for five monsoon seasons (1998–2002), giving emphasis over the two contrasting southwest monsoon seasons of 1998 (normal) and 2002 (deficient). The study reveals mixed results on the impact of vegetation datasets generated by ISRO and USGS on the simulations of the monsoon. Results indicate that the ISRO data has a positive impact on the simulations of the monsoon over northeastern India and along the western coast. The MM5-USGS has greater tendency of overestimation of rainfall. It has higher standard deviation indicating that it induces a dispersive effect on the rainfall simulation. Among the five years of study, it is seen that the RMSE of July and JJAS (June–July–August–September) for All India Rainfall is mostly lower for MM5-ISRO. Also, the bias of July and JJAS rainfall is mostly closer to unity for MM5-ISRO. The wind fields at 850 hPa and 200 hPa are also better simulated by MM5 using ISRO vegetation. The synoptic features like Somali jet and Tibetan anticyclone are simulated closer to the verification analysis by ISRO vegetation. The 2 m air temperature is also better simulated by ISRO vegetation over the northeastern India, showing greater spatial variability over the region. However, the JJAS total rainfall over north India and Deccan coast is better simulated using the USGS vegetation. Sensible heat flux over north-west India is also better simulated by MM5-USGS.     

An analysis of medium losses in coal washing plants

A major operating cost in dense-medium separation is in replacement of lost medium solids. The loss of medium solids, being costly, plays a crucial role in determining the economics of any preparation operation. Coal washeries that employ dense-medium cyclones often attempt optimization of the processes by varying the vortex or the spigot diameter and the feed relative density. While these changes help in closer control of the separation process, they also result in medium losses due to changes in the medium split ratio (ratio of the medium flow rate in overflow to underflow). Since medium solids are lost by adhesion to products and as magnetic separator effluent, the effect of the change in medium split ratio on the drain-and-rinse screens and, hence, the magnetic separator circuit needs to be studied. In Tata Steel's coal washeries, at Jharkhand India, which employs primary and secondary dense-medium cyclones in series to produce clean coal, middlings and rejects, reducing the relative density of feed medium, had an insignificant effect on the medium split ratio. On the other hand, changing the cone ratio (ratio of the overflow diameter to the underflow diameter) changed the relative density and the flow rates through the cyclone outlets, thus affecting the performance of the magnetite recovery circuit.A systematic study through laboratory tests and a detailed plant sampling campaign helped in identifying the causes of magnetite loss. Upon implementation of the recommendations, the magnetite losses decreased, resulting in a saving of approximately US$27,500 per annum. The study also helped in evolving some checkpoints for plant operators for identifying magnetite losses.     

Viewing Angle Effect on the Remote Sensing Monitoring of Wheat and Rice Crops

Abstract

Bidirectional reflectance characteristics of a wheat and a rice canopy were studied using radiometric measurements over the two canopies with an Exotech Radiometer Model 100AX. For both rice and wheat, the measurements exhibited significant variations in reflectance amplitude for varying viewing zenith angles and their values decreased from backward to forward scattering direction. Reflectance obtained its maximum value in the backscatter direction for the viewing angle that corresponds approximately to the solar zenith angle at the time of measurements. Canopy background condition (irrigated or non‐irrigated) was an important determining factor of canopy reflectance particularly in the near‐infrared region of the solar spectrum. Furthermore, bidirectional response characteristics of a vegetation canopy were influenced by the amount of vegetation cover.     

Desertification in western Rajasthan (India): an assessment using remote sensing derived rain-use efficiency and residual trend methods

Natural Hazards - Owing to its impact on global ecosystem, climate change and related effects is being perceived as a serious issue worldwide especially in the arid and semi-arid regions. Climatic...     

Analysis of Beams on Pasternak Foundation Using Quintic Displacement Functions

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - Beams supported by elastic foundations one of the complex soil-structure interaction problems and analysis carried out using the concept of “beam on...     

Shift in detrital sedimentation in the eastern Bay of Bengal during the late Quaternary

Down-core variations of granulometric, geochemical and mineral magnetism of a 70-cm long sediment core retrieved from the eastern Bay of Bengal abyssal region were studied to understand sedimentation pattern and sediment provenance during the last ～12 kyr BP. Based on down-core physical and elemental variations, three units were identified: unit 3 (70–43 cm) is a ～30 cm thick clayey silt organic carbon-rich (0.5–0.92%) turbidite probably delivered by the Brahmaputra River during the late Quaternary period. Units 2 (43–24 cm) and 1 (24–0 cm) represent enhanced and reduced supply of coarse-grained detrital sediments from the Ganges River during early and late Holocene period, respectively. Increased terrigenous supply dilutes calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and biogenic elements (P, Ba and Cu) in units 3 and 2. On the contrary, a reduction in detrital input enhances CaCO₃ and biogenic elements in unit 1. Lithogenic elements (Ti, Al, K and Rb) and shale-normalized REE patterns in all three units suggest terrigenous source. The shift in provenance from the Brahmaputra to the Ganges derived sediments is evident by a sharp increase in sediment grain size, increased concentration and grain size assemblages of magnetic minerals, lithogenic elements concentration and La_n/Yb_n ratio. This study highlights terrigenous dilution on biogenic sedimentation in the eastern Bay of Bengal sediments.