Multivariate statistical approach for assessment of subsidence in Jharia coalfields,India

Indian coalfields, one of the major coal producers, are facing serious problem of subsidence now-a-days. This paper attempts to investigate various factors and their influence on magnitude and extent of subsidence. The study was conducted in the Jharia coalfields, India where extraction of thick seams at shallow depths has damaged the ground surface in the form of subsidence. For precise pre-estimation of subsidence, it is therefore necessary to know the contribution of each factor to the occurrence of subsidence. In order to achieve the objectives of this study, several multivariate statistical techniques such as factor analysis (FA), principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) have been used. Two factors were extracted using FA. Factor 1 and factor 2 account for 42.327% and 24.661% of the variability respectively. Factor 1 represents “natural factor” whereas factor 2 represents “subsidence coefficient”. Spatial variations in regarding susceptibility to the subsidence were determined from hierarchical CA using the linkage distance. Further, the findings of this study would be helpful for prediction of magnitude of subsidence empirically.     

Validation of high-resolution TRMM-3B43 precipitation product using rain gauge measurements over Kyrgyzstan

This paper presents the validation of monthly precipitation using Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA)—3B43 product with conventional rain gauge observations for the period 1998–2007 over Kyrgyzstan. This study is carried out to quantify the accuracy of TMPA-3B43 product over the high latitude and complex orographic region. The present work is quite important because it is highly desirable to compare the TMPA precipitation product with the ground truth data at a regional scale, so that the satellite product can be fine-tuned at that scale. For the validation, four different types of spatial collocation have been used: station wise, climatic zone wise, topographically and seasonal. The analysis has been done at the same spatial and temporal scales in order to eliminate the sampling biases in the comparisons. The results show that TMPA-3B43 product has statistically significant correlation (r?=?0.36–0.88) with rain gauge data over the most parts of the country. The minimum linear correlation is observed around the large continental water bodies (e.g., Issyk-Kul lake; r?=?0.17–0.19). The overall result suggests that the precipitation estimated using TMPA-3B43 product performs reasonably well over the plain regions and even over the orographic regions except near the big lake regions. Also, the negative bias suggests the systematic underestimation of high precipitation by TMPA-3B43 product. The analyses suggest the need of a better algorithm for precipitation estimation over this region separately to capture the different types of rain events more reliably.     

Observed Relationship between Surface Freshwater Flux and Salinity in The North Indian Ocean

Using 10-year (2001 10) monthly evaporation, precipitation, and sea surface salinity (SSS) datasets, the relationship between local freshwater flux and SSS in the north Indian Ocean (NIO) is evaluated quantitatively. The results suggest a highly positive linear correlation between freshwater flux and SSS in the Arabian Sea (correlation coefficient, R=0.74) and the western equatorial Indian Ocean (R=0.73), whereas the linear relationships are relatively weaker in the Bay of Bengal (R=0.50) and the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean (R=0.40). Additionally, the interannual variations of freshwater flux and SSS and their mutual relationship are investigated in four sub- regions for pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons separately. The satellite retrievals of SSS from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and Aquarius missions can provide continuous and consistent SSS fields for a better understanding of its variability and the differences between the freshwater flux and SSS signals, which are commonly thought to be linearly related.     

Pressure structure of solar coronal loops,III

The theory of ideal magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in cylindrical geometry is used to study the steady-state structure of a coronal loop. The pressure profile is derived from MHD equations by representing the velocity and magnetic fields as the superposition of Chandrasekhar-Kendall functions. Such a representation brings out the three-dimensional structure of the pressure in the coronal loop. The radial, azimuthal, and axial variations of the pressure for a constant density loop are discussed in detail. The pressure has an oscillatory behavior for different azimuthal angles at some radial positions. This study predicts more features in pressure than can be compared with the presently available observations.     

Pressurized crack opening displacement and its application in fracture flow

Conclusions (1) Relations between permeability, and fracture geometry and loading can be established by means of fracture mechanics.(2) The mean crack opening displacement (MCOD) can be calculated by Equation 13.(3) MCOD is easily obtained without great computational efforts, even for relatively complicated cases, if fracture intensity factor is known.(4) The plasticity of fractures and multifracture sets are recommended for further study.     

Structural mapping over the 85°E Ridge and surroundings using EIGEN6C4 high-resolution global combined gravity field model: an integrated approach

A revised gravity anomaly map, generated from the EIGEN6C4 high resolution global gravity model, has been utilized for understanding structure and tectonics over the 85°E Ridge and surroundings. EIGEN6C4 data have been analysed using different derivatives and Analytical Signal techniques for delineation of structural features and comparative analysis with the published results, which shows good correlation. All the structural features observed in two seismic reflection sections over a small part of the 85°E Ridge have also been delineated very well. The lineament trends of N–S, NNW–SSE, ENE–WSW and E–W are consequences of the major changes occurred in the mid-Cretaceous towards the spreading trends from NNW–SSE to N–S and resulted in northward movement of the Indian Plate trailed by interaction with the Asian Plate in the Early Eocene. The lineaments in the eastern side of the ridge have greater circular variances and greater circular standard deviation than those of the western side, which reveals that the eastern side of the ridge has suffered more tectonic activities.     

Helmholtz instability in stratified shear flows with magnetic fields

The stability characteristics of a Helmholtz velocity profile in a stratified Boussinesq fluid in the presence of a rigid boundary is studied. A jump in the magnetic field is introduced at a level different from the velocity discontinuity. New unstable modes in addition to the Kelvin-Helmholtz mode are found. The wavelengths of these unstable modes are close to the wavelengths of internal Alfvén gravity waves in the atmosphere.     

Evaluation of the Effect of Fault on the Stability of Underground Workings of Coal Mine through DEM and Statistical Analysis

The rock mass around an excavation is generally traversed by different geological discontinuities such as faults, folds, slips, joints, etc. Fault is one of the major geological discontinuities which creates lot of difficulties during underground winning of coal. Entire stress regime and ground conditions in the formation are altered in and around the faults. Faults also impose detrimental effects by introducing impurities, including clay and various forms of mineral matter into the coal seams; opening of pathways for the influx of water and gas into the underground workings; displacing the coal seams upward/downwards making the coal seams difficult or sometimes impractical to mine. Appropriate evaluation of the effect of the fault on the stability of the underground workings is a requisite for safe design of the underground mining structures. In this paper, a study has been carried out to assess the effect of the fault on the stability of underground coal mines by numerical simulation with distinct element method (DEM). On the calibrated DEM model, parametric study has been performed by varying the selected parameters, the dip and the friction angles of the fault. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows that both the factors have statistically significant effect on the strength of the coal pillar. Similarly, the displacement of the immediate roof and the height of the disturbed strata are evaluated by the DEM modelling and statistical analysis when the fault passes through the middle of the gallery. The results of ANOVA for both cases indicate that the both factors have significant effect on the displacement of the immediate roof and the height of the disturbed strata. It is obtained from the study that the low angle fault causes high instability in the immediate roof. The paper has been supplemented with the field observations where instability in underground roadways of a coal mine in India is caused by the fault. It was observed in VK-7 incline mine of Singareni Collieries Company Limited, India that there was sudden failure of immediate roof of a roadway where a low angle fault crosses the middle of the roadway. The findings of the paper help to understand the behaviour of the coal pillar and the surrounding rock mass in the presence of the fault. The study would also help to take appropriate decisions about the unstable regions of the working safeguarding safety in underground coal mines.     

Turbulence characteristics of flow region over a series of 2-D dune shaped structures

This paper addresses the development of a flow region associated with turbulence and stress characteristics over a series of 2-D asymmetric dunes placed successively at the flume surface. Experiments were conducted over twelve asymmetric dunes of mean length 32 cm, crest height 3 cm and the dune width almost as wide as width of the flume, using 3-D Micro-ADV at the Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta. The variations of turbulence statistics along the flow affected by the wavy bottom roughness have been studied. Quadrant decomposition of the instantaneous Reynolds shear stress has been adopted to calculate the contribution of ejection and sweeping events in shear stress generation. The relative dominance of two events are found to contribute in a cyclic manner (spatially) in the near bed region, whereas such phenomenon seems to be disappeared towards the main flow.