A technique to assess dispersion

A technique to arrive at conditions congenial to maintaining a stable suspension of fine particles has been described. The technique involves continuous monitoring of apparent loss of weight of a body suspended in settling slurries. Such a technique is useful in fixing the best conditions for gravity separation of fine particles involving Bartles-Mozley concentrators or hydrocyclones.     

Magneto-elastic waves and disturbances in initially stressed conducting media: II

Summary The paper is concerned with the investigation of the magneto-elastic waves and disturbances in initially stressed conducting media. Firstly, (a) the steady state response to moving loads in a magneto-elastic initially stressed conducting medium under an uniaxial tension has been discussed. Secondly, (b) the Lamb's problem corresponding to a line load suddenly applied in a magneto-elastic initially stressed conducting half-space bounded by a plane under uniaxial tension has been investigated. The final results obtained in both cases are in agreement with the corresponding classical problems when the initial tension is zero and the magnetic field is absent.     

An Upper Limit on the Ratio Between the Extreme Ultraviolet and the Bolometric Luminosities of Stars Hosting Habitable Planets

A large number of terrestrial planets in the classical habitable zone of stars of different spectral types have already been discovered and many are expected to be discovered in the near future. However, owing to the lack of knowledge on the atmospheric properties, the ambient environment of such planets are unknown. It is known that sufficient amount of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from the star can drive hydrodynamic outflow of hydrogen that may drag heavier species from the atmosphere of the planet. If the rate of mass loss is sufficiently high, then substantial amount of volatiles would escape causing the planet to become uninhabitable. Considering energy-limited hydrodynamical mass loss with an escape rate that causes oxygen to escape alongwith hydrogen, an upper limit for the ratio between the EUV and the bolometric luminosities of stars which constrains the habitability of planets around them is presented here. Application of the limit to planet-hosting stars with known EUV luminosities implies that many M-type of stars should not have habitable planets around them.     

GIS-enabled historiography to determine travel routes during the Western Han period via agent-based models and least-cost path analysis

GIS-enabled historiography allows us to shed light on missing or poorly understood aspects of historical events. Here, we use agent-based models (ABMs), least cost path analysis (LCPA), and space–time paths to recreate and evaluate possible modes and routes of travel undertaken by Shi Rao, a Western Han official. A diary was found in Shi Rao's tomb that includes information about his travels over 1 year (11 BCE), including start and end times of his journeys. But it leaves out details regarding modes of transport or exact routes. Using Tan Qixiang's historical atlas, we digitized river networks and utilized modern topographic data to digitally recreate the landscape as it was during Shi Rao's travels. This was then used to evaluate possible journeys via rivers (using ABMs) and roads (using LCPA), and compared to historical speed of boats, carts and horses, with findings indicating that horseback may have been the viable option.     

Evolution of high-Mg–Al granulites from Sunkarametta, Eastern Ghats, India: evidence for a lower crustal heating–cooling trajectory

A suite of high-Mg–Al granulites from Sunkarametta, Eastern Ghats Belt, India, shows contrasting prograde assemblages of extremely aluminous orthopyroxene+cordierite+sapphirine and similarly aluminous orthopyroxene+Ti-rich spinel in closely associated domains. Textural and compositional characteristics indicate that both were derived from prograde dehydration–melting of biotite–plagioclase–quartz-bearing protoliths. The former assemblage was stabilized at relatively more magnesian bulk composition. Geothermobarometric data and petrogenetic grid considerations place 'peak' metamorphic conditions at c. 950 °C and 9 kbar. Subsequent to peak metamorphism, the rocks cooled to c . 700–750 °C, with slight lowering of pressure, and the retrograde reactions also involved melt–solid interaction. The inferred P – T  trajectory is one of heating–cooling at lower crustal (25–30 km) depths.     

Geochemistry of the Chakradharpur granite—Gneiss complex—A Precambrian trondhjemite body from West Singhbhum,Eastern India

The Chakradharpur Granite—Gneiss complex (CKPG) is exposed as an elliptical body within the arcuate metamorphic belt sandwiched between the Singhbhum Granite in the south and the Chotonagpur Granite—Gneiss to the north. It consists of an older bimodal suite of grey gneiss and amphibolites, intruded by a younger unit of pegmatitic granite. The bimodal suite represents the basement to the enveloping metasediments.The average major-element chemistry of the grey gneiss conforms to the definition of trondhjemite and includes both low-Al₂O₃ and high-Al₂O₃ types. The amphibolites can be grouped into a low-MgO and a high-MgO type. Rocks of the younger unit range in composition from granodiorite to quartz monzonite. The two granitic units also differ significantly in their Rb, Sr and Ba contents, and in the REE distribution pattern. The grey gneiss shows a highly fractionated REE pattern and a distinct positive Eu anomaly, with Eu/Eu^* values increasing with increase in SiO₂ %. In samples of the younger granite, the REE pattern is less fractionated, with higher HREE abundance relative to the grey gneiss and usually shows a negative Eu anomaly. The two types of REE patterns in amphibolites are interpreted to represent the two broad groups identified on the basis of major element chemistry.On the basis of chemical data, a two-stage partial melting model for the genesis of grey gneiss is suggested, involving separation of hornblende and varying amounts of plagioclase in the residual phase. Varying amounts of plagioclase in the residuum result in the wide range of Al₂O₃ content of the partial melt from which the trondhjemites crystallised. Residual hornblende produces the highly fractionated REE pattern, but a relatively higher HREE content of the trondhjemites compared to those produced by separation of garnet in the residual phase. The high level of Ba together with moderate levels of Sr in the trondhjemites can also be explained by plagioclase in the residue, whose effectiveness in partitioning Ba compared to Sr is lower. Of the two groups of amphibolites, the low-MgO type shows relative depletion of LREE compared to the high-MgO type. It contains varying amounts of plagioclase and is tentatively suggested to represent the residue. The other group, with a slightly fractionated REE pattern (Ce_N/ Yb_N = 2.01), is generally considered to represent the source material for the trondhjemites. This may have been generated by 5–15% partial melting of mantle peridotites, containing higher concentrations of LIL elements than those which produced average Precambrian tholeiites. This first phase of partial melting resulted in the slightly fractionated REE pattern of these amphibolites. Derivation of the younger granitic unit from the trondhjemites can be ruled out on the basis of REE data alone. REE data suggest partial melting of metasediments to be the origin of these rocks. It is also possible that deeply buried volcanic rocks, similar to calc-alkaline components of greenstone belts, are the parent for this component.     

Petrology of gedrite-bearing rocks in mid-crustal ductile shear zones from the Eastern Ghats Belt, India

A suite of metapelitic, basic and quartzofeldspathic rocks intruded by enderbitic gneiss from the southernmost tip of the Eastern Ghats Belt, India, and metamorphosed at c. 750–800  °C, 6  kbar, were subjected to repeated ductile shear deformation, hydration, cooling and accompanying alkali metasomatism along narrow shear zones. Gedrite-bearing assemblages developed in the shear zones traversing metapelitic rocks. Interpretation of the reaction textures in an appropriate P–T  grid in the system FMASH, an isothermal–isobaric μ _H2O– μ _Na2O grid in the system NFMASH, and geothermobarometric data suggest a complex evolutionary history for the gedrite-bearing parageneses. Initially, gedrite-bearing assemblages were produced due to increase in μ _Na2O at nearly constant but high μ _H2O accompanying cooling. Gedrite was partially destabilized to orthopyroxene+albite due to progressively increasing μ _Na2O. During further cooling and at increased μ _H2O a second generation of gedrite appeared in the rocks.     

Behavior of braced excavation in sand under a seismic condition: experimental and numerical studies

The behavior of braced excavation in dry sand under a seismic condition is investigated in this paper. A series of shake table tests on a reduced scale model of a retaining wall with one level of bracing were conducted to study the effect of different design parameters such as excavation depth, acceleration amplitude and wall stiffness. Numerical analyses using FLAC 2D were also performed considering one level of bracing. The strut forces, lateral displacements and bending moments in the wall at the end of earthquake motion were compared with experimental results. The study showed that in a post-seismic condition, when other factors were constant, lateral displacement, bending moment, strut forces and maximum ground surface displacement increased with excavation depth and the amplitude of base acceleration. The study also showed that as wall stiffness decreased, the lateral displacement of the wall and ground surface displacement increased, but the bending moment of the wall and strut forces decreased. The net earth pressure behind the walls was influenced by excavation depth and the peak acceleration amplitude, but did not change significantly with wall stiffness. Strut force was the least affected parameter when compared with others under a seismic condition.