Soil characterization based on land cover heterogeneity over a tropical landscape: an integrated approach using earth observation data-sets

Soil is a vital part of the natural environment and is always responding to changes in environmental factors, along with the influences of anthropogenic factors and land use changes. The long-term change in soil properties will result in change in soil health and fertility, and hence the soil productivity. Hence, the main aim of this paper focuses on the analysis of land use/land cover (LULC) change pattern in spatial and temporal perspective and to present its impact on soil properties in the Merawu catchment over the period of 18?years. Post classification change detection was performed to quantify the decadal changes in historical LULC over the periods of 1991, 2001 and 2009. The pixel to pixel comparison method was used to detect the LULC of the area. The key LULC types were selected for investigation of soil properties. Soil samples were analysed in situ to measure the physicochemical soil properties. The results of this study show remarkable changes in LULC in the period of 18?years. The effect of land cover change on soil properties, soil compaction and soil strength was found to be significant at a level of <0.05.     

The Central Bundelkhand Archaean greenstone complex,Bundelkhand craton,central India: geology,composition, and geochronology of supracrustal rocks

Analysis of 3.3 Ga tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG) series granitoids and greenstone belt assemblages from the Bundelkhand craton in central India reveal that it is a typical Archaean craton. At least two greenstone complexes can be recognized in the Bundelkhand craton, namely the (i) Central Bundelkhand (Babina, Mauranipur belts) and (ii) Southern Bundelkhand (Girar, Madaura belts). The Central Bundelkhand greenstone complex contains three tectonostratigraphic assemblages: (1) metamorphosed basic or metabasic, high-Mg rocks; (2) banded iron formations (BIFs); and (3) felsic volcanics. The first two assemblages are regarded as representing an earlier sequence, which is in tectonic contact with the felsic volcanics. However, the contact between the BIFs and mafic volcanics is also evidently tectonic. Metabasic high-Mg rocks are represented by amphibolites and tremolite-actinolite schists in the Babina greenstone belt and are comparable in composition to tholeiitic basalts-basaltic andesites and komatiites. They are very similar to the metabasic high-Mg rocks of the Mauranipur greenstone belt. Felsic volcanics occur as fine-grained schists with phenocrysts of quartz, albite, and microcline. Felsic volcanics are classified as calc-alkaline dacites, less commonly rhyolites. The chondrite-normalized rare earth element distribution pattern is poorly fractionated (La_N/Lu_N = 11–16) with a small negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* = 0.68–0.85), being characteristic of volcanics formed in a subduction setting. On Rb – Y + Nb, Nb – Y, Rb – Ta + Yb and Ta – Yb discrimination diagrams, the compositions of the volcanics are also consistent with those of felsic rocks formed in subduction settings. SHRIMP-dating of zircon from the felsic volcanics of the Babina belt of the Central Bundelkhand greenstone complex, performed for the first time, has shown that they were erupted in Neoarchaean time (2542 ± 17 Ma). The early sequence of the Babina belt is correlatable with the rocks of the Mauranipur belt, whose age is tentatively estimated as Mesoarchaean. The Central Bundelkhand greenstone complex consists of two (Meso- and Neoarchaean) sequences, which were formed in subduction settings.     

Influence d'un changement climatique dû à une hausse de gaz à effet de serre sur l'agriculture au quebec

Abstract

This study, using a climate change scenario generated by the Canadian Climate Centre (CCC) general circulation model (GCM) examines the impacts of such a climate change on agriculture in southern Quebec. Using a crop model from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), yield responses of a variety of cereals, legumes, oleaginous and special crops to climate change are analysed and discussed.

Results show that under the 2 × CO₂ climate scenario the growing season would be longer and accumulation of corn heat units and growing degree days would be more important than under actual climate (1961–1990). One of the more important results of this study is that, on the one hand yield of C₃ cereals would be lower and that of C₄ cereals higher in most agricultural regions. On the other hand, the direct fertilisation effect of increased CO₂ is not considered. It must be cautioned however that we can not generalise results obtained for one legume crop to all legumes.     

Effect of radiation pressure on the stability of L 4,5 in the relativistic R3BP

This paper examines the motion of a test particle in the vicinity of the triangular points L _4,5 by considering the more massive primary as a source of radiation in the framework of the relativistic restricted three-body problem (R3BP). It is found that the position and stability of the triangular point are affected by both the relativistic factor and radiation pressure.     

Resonance stability of triangular equilibrium points in elliptical restricted three body problem under the radiating primaries

The main aim of this paper is to study the existence of resonance and linear stability of the triangular equilibrium points of the planar elliptical restricted three body problem considering the photo gravitational effect of both the primaries in circular and elliptical case. A practical application of this case could be the study of the dynamical system around the binary systems. For this the Hamiltonian function, convergent in nature and describing the motion of the infinitesimal body in the neighborhood of the triangular equilibrium solutions is derived. Also, the Hamiltonian for the system is expanded in powers of the generalized components of momenta. Further, canonical transformation has also been used to study the stability of the triangular equilibrium points. The study primarily focuses on establishing the relation for determining the range of stability at and near the resonance frequency ω ₂=1/2 around the binary systems using simulation technique. It is observed that the parametric resonance is only possible at the resonance frequency ω ₂=1/2 in both circular and elliptical cases.     

Motion around L 4 in the perturbed relativistic R3BP

This paper studies the motion of a test particle (infinitesimal mass) in the neighborhood of the triangular point L ₄ in the framework of the perturbed relativistic restricted three-body problem (R3BP). The problem is perturbed in the sense that a small perturbation is given to the centrifugal force. It is found that the position and stability of the triangular point are affected by both the relativistic factor and a small perturbation in the centrifugal force.     

Solar activity during first six years of solar cycle 24 and 23: a comparative study

Attempt to look into the nature of solar activity and variability have increased importance in recent days because of their terrestrial relationships. In the present work we have attempted to compare the solar activity events during first six years (2008–2013) of the ongoing solar cycle 24 with first six years (1996–2001) of solar cycle 23. To that end, we have considered sunspot numbers, F10.7 cm solar flux, halo CMEs and geomagnetic storms as comparison parameters. Sunspot number during the year 2008–2013 varied from 0 to 96.7 while during the year 1996 to 2001 it was observed from 0.9 to 170.1. Solar radio flux (F10.7 cm index) varied from 65 to 190 during the years 2008–2013 while it was observed from 65 to 283 during the years 1996–2001. 197 cases of halo CMEs (width=360^°) in solar cycle 23 (1996–2001) and 177 cases of halo CMEs (width=360^°) in solar cycle 24 (2008–2013) are investigated. 287 and 104 geomagnetic storm cases (Dst varies between ?50 and ?350 nT) are analysed during the half period of solar cycle 23 and 24 respectively. Comparative results indicate that solar cycle 23 was more pronounced in comparison of solar cycle 24.     

General class of Bianchi cosmological models with Λ in creation-field cosmology

The solutions of Einstein’s equations with cosmological constant (Λ) in the presence of a creation field have been obtained for general class of anisotropic cosmological models. We have obtained the cosmological solutions for two different scenarios of average scale factor. In first case, we have discussed three different types of physically viable cosmological solutions of average scale factor for the general class of Bianchi cosmological models by using a special law for deceleration parameter which is linear in time with a negative slope. In second case, we have discussed another three different forms of cosmological solutions by using the average scale factor in three different scenarios like Intermediate scenario, Logamediate scenario and Emergent scenario. All physical parameters are calculated and discussed in each physical viable cosmological model. We examine the nature of creation field and cosmological constant is dominated the early Universe but they do not survive for long time and finally tends to zero for large cosmic time t. We have also discussed the all energy conditions in each cases.