Some results of induced polarisation surveys for sulphide mineralisation in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat,India

Some results of induced polarisation surveys carried out for the exploration of sulphide mineralisation in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, employing both frequency-domain and time-domain techniques, are presented. A few typical examples of I.P. results along with borehole sections and results of conventional geophysical surveys have been incorporated. Frequency-domain and time-domain I.P. data have been compared for selected areas.Borehole data pertaining to several areas investigated have corroborated the I.P. results fairly well.     

The Apoteri volcanic formation — tholeiitic flows in the North Savannas Graben of Guyana and Brazil

Amygdaloidal tholeiitic flows, locally pillowed, have been mapped at intervals over a distance of 280 km along the margins of the North Savannas Rift Valley in southern Guyana and Brazil. The combined chemical and petrological evidence suggests that the formation represents an originally uniform continental tholeiitic sequence that has undergone variable secondary alteration involving increasing oxidation and ingress of soda, potash and water. The lavas are both spatially and temporally related to the rift faulting; field observations and K∶Ar age determinations on eleven samples from different localities indicate that the flows were erupted during the Early to Middle Jurassic (180-150 m. y.). It is shown that this tectono-magmatic event is synchronous with the initiation of the southern North Atlantic rift and the pan-Antarctic rift which resulted in fragmentation of the continents according to the scheme ofDietz &Holden (1970).     

Gravel fabric in a sub-Himalayan braided stream

Data on the fabric properties of gravels have been collected at 10 locations over a distance of 27 km from the Chakki River — a braided channel of the Beas River system. The imbrication of AB-planes reveals a close correspondence with the channel direction; the deviations seldom exceed 30°. Increase in sinuosity and the existence of subsidiary channels contribute, at some locations, to larger deviations. Imbrication directions tend to be modified because of the influence of local channels which develop temporarily on the bar surfaces.A current-normal mode exists for the A-axis orientation data. Bimodal distributions are recognised and attributed to shifting flow conditions. Variance values are low for both the imbrication and A-axis data. The range in mean values of the dip of AB-planes is between 22.6° and 37.6° with s = 8° to 14°. The mean values of plunge of the A-axis vary from 2.9° to 13.2° with s = 3.4° to 12.69°. There is a marked decrease in plunge of the A-axis in the downstream direction in the Chakki River.A particle size versus orientation approach indicates that, irrespective of size, there is a strong upcurrent imbrication. Longitudinal alignment of particles in the smaller size intervals is not supported by the data obtained in this study. A particle shape versus orientation approach reveals that the A-axis orientation is not dependent on particle shape. The A-axis fabric patterns of both tabular and bladed clasts show a peripheral circular arrangement of the maxima, the bisectrix of which points in a current-normal direction. Orientation patterns do not reflect any control in terms of the lithic composition of clasts.     

Detection of crustal motion using spaceborne laser ranging systems

The spaceborne laser ranging (or lasering) system provides a method of precise positioning of a large number of points on the earth's surface in a short period of time. That is, a measure of the relative location of geodetic markers from a space platform can maintain horizontal and vertical control to 2 to 5 cm. At this level of control, small earth surface crustal motions should be detectable. Development of a model for the strain field can be constructed. Furthermore, the spaceborne lasering system can survey an area in a very short period of time (one to two weeks) and resurvey the area as required. System design parameters are now being established by NASA for a possible test flight aboard the Shuttle in 1982. These include design specifications of economical corner cubes for ground retroreflectors coupled with the evolution of engineering model to flight model development. If the experiment of the Shuttle proves to be successful, it is hoped to put the laser in a free flight satellite. This paper presents the results of a simulated analysis for this latter case. The system is conceived as an orbiting ranging device with a ground base grid of reflectors or transponders (spacing 10 to 30 km), which are projected to be of low cost (maintenance-free and unattended) and which will permit the saturation of a local area to obtain data useful to monitor crustal movements. The test network includes 75 stations with roughly half of them on either side of the San Andreas fault zone. Critical study comparatively evaluates various observational schemes and statistically analyzed crustal motion recovery. The study considers laser radar as the main ranging system pending final selection from many possible candidates. The satellite orbit is inclined at 110° and slightly eccentric (e=0.04) with orbital altitudes varying from 370 km to 930 km. The results indicate that the geometric mode (simultaneous ranging) with a minimum of five grid and three distant (fundamental) stations and mixed ranging to satellite and airplane seems to be most promising. The fundamental stations are distinguished from the grid station in their location and this location should be “distant” enough from the area of crustal movement so that they can be considered stationary over the time span of the motion involved. Presented at the 1977 I.A.G. International Symposia on Satellite Geodesy, Budapest, Hungary, June 28–July 1, and on Recent Crustal Movements, Palo Alto, California, USA, July 25–30.     

Derivation of indices using remote sensing data to evaluate cropping systems

This paper presents the work done in Bathinda District of Punjab state of India for evaluating the cropping system efficiency using multi-date, multi-year and multi-sensor satellite based remote sensing data along with various spatial and non-spatial collateral data. Three efficiency indices, such as Multiple Cropping Index (MCI), Area Diversity Index (DI), Cultivated Land Utilization Index (CLUI), have been worked out to characterize the cropping systems. The salient findings point out that, the MCI has, increased remarkably. A further increase is possible by only taking a third crop. The ADI has increased in kharif (rainy) season, due to introduction of rice in the cotton belt, however in rabi (winter) season the ADI has reduced nearly to one, showing it to be a mono-cropped situation. The CLUI is low (> 0.5) in many blocks, showing there is a great scope to improve it. Since in summer the land is remaining unutilized, a summer crop can very well be taken up to improve it.     

Subduction–accretion–collision history along the Gondwana suture in southern India: A laser ablation ICP-MS study of zircon chronology

We report the petrological characteristics and preliminary zircon geochronology based on laser ablation ICP mass spectrometry of the various units in an accretionary belt within the Palghat-Cauvery Shear/Suture Zone in southern India, a trace of the Cambrian Gondwana suture. Zircons extracted from a plagiogranite in association with an ophiolite suite within this suture possess internal structure that suggests magmatic crystallization, and yield mid Neoproterozoic ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 817 ± 16 Ma (error: 1σ) constraining the approximate timing of birth of the Mozambique Ocean floor. Compiled age data on zircons separated from a quartzite and metamorphosed banded iron formation within the accretionary belt yields a younger intercept age of 759 ± 41 Ma (error: 1σ) which we relate to a mid Neoproteozoic magmatic arc. Detrital zircons extracted from the quartzite yield ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age peaks of about 1.9–2.6 Ga suggesting that they were sourced from multiple protolithis of Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic. Metamorphic overgrowths on some zircon grains record ca. 500–550 Ma ages which are in good harmony with the known ages for the timing of high-grade metamorphism in this zone during the final stage of continent collision associated with the birth of the Gondwana supercontinent in the latest Neoproterozoic-Cambrian. The preliminary geochronological results documented in our study correlate with the subduction–accretion–collision history associated with the closure of the Mozambique Ocean and the final amalgamation of the Gondwana supercontinent.     

尼泊尔波哈拉谷地若干湖泊的营养状况：过去、现在与将来

Harnessing the natural resources is one of the basis of natural economy in developing countries. The wise use of such resources is very important to sustain the balance between immediate benefits and maintenance of the ecosystem. In Phewa, Begnas and Rupa lakes of Pokhara Valley, plankton feeding fish farming in net cage,enclosure and open water stocking is one of the effective example of natural resources utilisation which sustains a number of households in surrounding lakes for economic activities. These lakes are also used for drinking water, hydroelectricity, irrigation and recreation etc. However, the understanding of trophic status of the lakes is very important for long term sustainable use of the lakes in harmony with human activities. Here, we present the trophic status of three lakes of Pokhara Valley and discuss the impacts of human and natural activities on the trophic status of the lake. The study shows that heavy rain fall in the valley during monsoon is one of the strongest natural forces which flush out the accumulated nutrients from the lakes and migrate the eutrophication processes. Recommendations for sustainable use of lake water have also been discussed.     

Long-Term variability of the indian summer monsoon and related parameters

The long-term variability of the Indian summer monsoon rain-fall and related regional and global param-eters are studied. The cubic spline is used as a digital filter to smooth the high frequency signals in the time series of the various parameters. The length of the data series varies from 95 to 115 years during the period 1871-1985. The parameters studied within the monsoon system are: (a) monsoon rainfall of the country as a whole; (b) number of break-monsoon days during July and August; (c) number of storms/ depressions in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea during summer monsoon season; and (d) dates of onset of summer monsoon over South Kerala Coast. The parameters studied outside the monsoon system are: (a) the Wright’s Southern Oscillation Index (June-July-August); (b) the January mean Northern Hemi-spheric surface air temperature anomaly; and (c) the East-equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature anomaly.In order to examine the variability under various degrees of the smoothing, the series are filtered with splines of 50% variance reduction frequency of one cycle per 10, 20 and 30 years. It is observed that the smoothed time series of the parameters within the monsoon system comprise a common slowly varying com-ponent in an episodic manner distinctly showing the excess and deficient rainfall epochs. The change of intercorrelations between the time series with increasing degree of smoothing throws some light on the time scales of the dominant interactions. The relation between Southern Oscillation and East equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature and the Indian summer monsoon seems to be dominant on the interannual scale. The low frequency variations are found to have significantly contributed to the instability of the correlations of monsoon rainfall with parameters outside the monsoon system.