Water Level Retrieval Using SARAL/AltiKa Observations in the Braided Brahmaputra River,Eastern India

In this study, water level retrieval over the Brahmaputra river was done using different retracking algorithms for the 40 Hz waveform data of SARAL/AltiKa satellite. Water level was retrieved at 10 different locations of the river to evaluate the performance and accuracy of Ka band altimeter over the braided river system. Different retracking algorithms such as ice-1, ice-2, threshold, and beta parameter were used to retrieve water levels. A correlation and error analysis between the in-situ and satellite altimetry derived river levels was carried out for all the stations. Performance and accuracy analysis has established that water level can be retrieved with less than 40 cm root mean square error (RMSE) for most of the braided reaches of the river. The statistical analysis have found that Beta parameter algorithm has performed best in most of the cases amongst the different retracking algorithms used in this study. The water levels derived from 10 different locations were used to generate water surface elevation profiles for the monsoon and nonmonsoon periods. The water levels and the water surface profiles derived from satellite altimetry indicate the potential use of altimeters for the parameterization and calibration of river hydrological, hydrodynamic and sediment transport models.     

Molecular fossils in Cretaceous condensate from western India

The present study reports the biomarker distribution of condensate belonging to the early Cretaceous time frame using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The early Cretaceous palaeoenvironment was inscribed into these molecular fossils which reflected the source and conditions of deposition of the condensate. The saturate fraction of the condensate is characterized by normal alkanes ranging from n-C₉ to n-C₂₉ (CPI-1.13), cycloalkanes and C₁₄ and C₁₅ sesquiterpanes. The aromatic fraction comprises of naphthalene, phenanthrene, their methylated derivatives and cyclohexylbenzenes. Isohexylalkylnaphthalenes, a product of rearrangement process of terpenoids, is detected in the condensate. Several aromatic sesquiterpenoids and diterpenoids have been recorded. Dihydro-ar-curcumene, cadalene and ionene form the assemblage of sesquiterpenoids which are indicative of higher plant input. Aromatic diterpenoid fraction comprises of simonellite and retene. These compounds are also indicative of higher plants, particularly conifer source which had been a predominant flora during the Cretaceous time.     

Thermonuclear X-ray burst of MXB 1658-298 with <Emphasis Type="Italic">NuSTAR</Emphasis>

MXB 1658-298 is a transient Low-Mass X-ray Binary (LMXB), which shows eclipses, dips and bursts in its light curve. This source has undergone three active periods separated by long quiescent phases. The latest phase of enhanced X-ray emission was observed during 2015–2016. We have analysed broadband data from Swift/XRT and NuSTAR observations carried out in 2015. During NuSTAR observation, one thermonuclear X-ray burst took place. The X-ray emission during the burst was brighter by a factor of \(\sim 200\), compared to the pre-burst emission. This work focuses on the spectral analysis of MXB 1658-298 during the persistent and the burst phases using NuSTAR observation of 2015. We have also determined the temperature and radius evolution during the burst using the time-resolved spectroscopy. The burst phase shows mild Photospheric Radius Expansion (PRE).     

Optimization of a multiple gauge,regulated river‐system model. A system approach

With increasing demands on limited water resources, regulation of larger river systems continues to increase and so too does the need for accurate water accounting and prediction in these systems. River system models are either calibrated manually or automatically on a reach‐by‐reach basis, i.e. each reach is calibrated as a separate entity with little or no consideration of fluxes at other locations within the river system. While this is a practical approach, simulation errors can propagate downstream to make calibration or prediction difficult at those locations. Likewise parameters may suffer from over‐fitting especially where observations are erroneous. We developed and implemented a system calibration strategy in a portion of the Murrumbidgee River, Australia, where parameters for 11 gauges (36 parameters) were calibrated together. Parameter values, model states and model goodness of fit were compared to reach‐by‐reach calibration. The system calibration produced a better goodness of fit across the whole system relative to reach‐by‐reach calibration. Additionally, model system states were more realistic than reach‐by‐reach optimized models. Over‐fitting was obvious using the reach‐by‐reach method for one reach/gauge in particular. This was avoided with system calibration method, with improved goodness of fit at all gauges downstream of the problem gauge. The results here suggest that the system calibration approach provides more hydrologically consistent states, improved overall fit and avoids over‐fitting at problem gauges. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical analysis of permafrost effects on the seismic site response

Some of the damage to the infrastructure observed in past earthquakes occurred in Alaska could be related to the existence of permafrost. However, only limited research has been carried out so far to investigate the effects of permafrost on the seismic site response. Permafrost with relatively high shear wave velocity (1000–1500 m/s) extensively exists in the interior of Alaska and causes anomaly in the shear wave velocity profile that may alter the site response. In current design practices, permafrost has been treated as bedrock and its potential effects on site response are ignored. A systematic investigation was conducted to understand the effects of permafrost on the ground motion characteristics using one-dimensional equivalent linear analysis for the MCE, AASHTO and IBC Design Earthquake level hazards. The average surface displacement, velocity and acceleration response spectra for a typical permafrost site were obtained and the worst case scenario was identified. The results show that the presence of permafrost can significantly alter the ground motion characteristics and it may not be conservative to ignore the effects of permafrost in the seismic design of civil structures.     

Parametric study of a physically-based,plot-scale hillslope hydrological model through virtual experiments

Abstract

A physically-based hillslope hydrological model with shallow overland flow and rapid subsurface stormflow components was developed and calibrated using field experiments conducted on a preferential path nested hillslope in northeast India. Virtual experiments were carried out to perform sensitivity analysis of the model using the automated parameter estimation (PEST) algorithm. Different physical parameters of the model were varied to study the resulting effects on overland flow and subsurface stormflow responses from the theoretical hillslopes. It was observed that topographical shapes had significant effects on overland flow hydrographs. The slope profiles, surface storage, relief, rainfall intensity and infiltration rates primarily controlled the overland flow response of the hillslopes. Prompt subsurface stormflow responses were mainly dominated by lateral preferential flow, as soil matrix flow rates were very slow. Rainfall intensity and soil macropore structures were the most influential parameters on subsurface stormflow. The number of connected soil macropores was a more sensitive parameter than the size of macropores. In hillslopes with highly active vertical and lateral preferential pathways, saturation excess overland flow was not evident. However, saturation excess overland flow was generated if the lateral macropores were disconnected. Under such conditions, rainfall intensity, duration and preferential flow rate governed the process of saturation excess overland flow generation from hillslopes.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor C. Perrin