Analysis of the 2003 Varunawat Landslide,Uttarkashi, India using Earth Observation data

Mass movements such as landslides in mountainous terrains are natural degradation processes and one of the most important landscape-building factors. Varunawat Parbat overlooking Uttarkashi town witnessed a series of landslides on 23 September 2003 and the debris slides and rock falls continued for 2 weeks. This landslide complex was triggered due to the incessant rainfall prior to the event, and its occurrence led to the blockage of the pilgrim route to Gangotri (source of the Ganges river) and evacuation of thousands of people to safer places. Though there was no loss of lives due to timely evacuation, heavy losses to the property were reported. High-resolution stereoscopic earth observation data were acquired after the incidence to study the landslide in detail with emphasis on the cause of the landslide and mode of failure. Areas along the road and below the Varunawat foothill region are mapped for landslide risk. It was found that the foothill region of the Varunawat Parbat was highly disturbed by man-made activities and houses are dangerously located below steep slopes. The potential zones for landslides along with the existing active and old landslides are mapped. These areas are critical and their treatment with priority is required in order to minimise further landslide occurrences.     

Finite Element Modeling of Swelling Soil Pressures Using Joint/Interface Elements

There could be some discontinuities in a soil media such as layers, earth structures, cracks, and fissures so that estimation of stresses and deformations in these types of soil masses are somewhat different from continuous masses. The discontinuities in a soil mass could be considered as a special link between two blocks. Transmitted swelling pressures affected by the soil properties of the backfill especially at the interface between the backfill and retaining wall. In order to estimate the transmitted swelling pressure distribution behind a retaining wall, using with interface element, a new finite element model and a code (SWELPRES) have been developed. To evaluate the effect of backfill characteristics and interface element from the transmitted lateral swelling pressures, four cases of thickness of backfills with or without interface elements are investigated.     

Monitoring Large-Scale Tests for Nuclear Waste Disposal

Two large-scale “in situ” demonstration experiments and their instrumentation are described. The first test (FEBEX Experiment) involves the hydration of a compacted bentonite barrier under the combined effect of an inner source of heat and an outer water flow from the confining saturated granite rock. In the second case, the progressive de-saturation of Opalinus clay induced by maintained ventilation of an unlined tunnel is analyzed. The paper shows the performance of different sensors (capacitive cells, psychrometers, TDR’s) and a comparison of fill behaviour with modelling results. The long term performance of some instruments could also be evaluated specially in the case of FEBEX test. Capacitive sensors provide relative humidity data during long transient periods characterised by very large variations of suction within the bentonite.     

SOME EXPERIMENTS CONCERNING THE PRIMARY SEISMIC PULSE*

Recordings were made with three types of detector of the primary compressional (P) and shear (S) wave pulses generated by explosions in boreholes. Charge weights varied from 0.08 kg to 9.5 kg and detector distances varied from about 3 m to about 80 m. Scaling by the simple factor W^1/3 where W is the charge weight, enabled observations from different sized charges to be fitted to a single expression. Experiments were carried out in the Bunter sandstone and the London clay and both fluid and solid tamping were used. This variation in tamping had no significant effect on the P-waves but it may have affected the generation of SV-waves. In both media the P-wave energy carried at 30 m from the shot by frequencies less than 100 Hz decreased rapidly with depth and was usually 1–2 % of the available chemical energy for a shot depth of 15 m. The S-wave energy was much less than this, but was highly directional. The P-wave pulse had the appearance of a damped sinusoid in very good agreement with the predictions of the ‘equivalent radiator’ hypothesis. However, the surface of this radiator should be identified not with the blown cavity but with the surface at which the tensile stresses associated with the stress wave become less than the tensile strength of the rock. The predominant frequency for a 1 kg charge at a depth of 15 m was 24 Hz in the clay and 52 Hz in the sandstone. In these and similar media, therefore, an effort should be made to keep individual charges less than 1 kg in reflection shooting and less than 10 kg in refraction shooting. The value of Q was about 50 in clay and about 25 in the sandstone. These estimates are rather uncertain because of the small distances over which the pulses were observed. The Z-transforms of the sampled pulses indicated that they were all of minimum phase, or very near to it.     

Ergebnisse von Temperaturmessungen im Gemünder Maar/Eifel

Zusammenfassung Auf Grund von Messungen im Gemünder Maar/Eifel in den Jahren 1959 und 1960 wird der Jahresverlauf der Temperatur in verschiedenen Tiefen und das Verhalten der Sprungschicht diskutiert. Zusammen mit Registrierungen der Globalstrahlung in Köln ergibt sich ein Einblick in den Wärmehaushalt des Sees.

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Summary Based on measurements in the Gemünder Maar/Eifel during the years 1959 and 1960, the annual variation of water temperature in different depths and the behaviour of the discontinuity layer (thermocline) are discussed. Taking into consideration records of global radiation in Cologne, and estimation of the thermal economy of the lake is possible.

     

A geological interpretation of the lunar surface

This interpretation of lunar surface features is based on the differentiation of siliceous and basaltic substances similar to those of the earth. Our hypothesis is that lunar maria are composed of basaltic matter similar to that of terrestrial ocean basins, and that the lunar continents (bright regions) are composed of siliceous blocks.     

Der Tagesgang von Temperatur und Luftfeuchtigkeit in San Salvador

Zusammenfassung Der Tagesgang von Temperatur und Luftfeuchtigkeit in San Salvador zeigt deutliche jahreszeitliche Verschiedenheiten, die wesentlich durch Strahlungsgenuss, Sonnenauf- und Untergangszeiten und ein tageszeitliches mittelräumiges Windsystem bestimmt ist.

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Summary The daily variation of air temperature and humidity shows clear seasonal differences, which are essentially determined by incoming radiation, sunrise and sunset and a diurnal meso-scale wind system.

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Resumen El transcurso diurno de la temperatura y de la humedad del ambiente en San Salvador demuestra netamente diferencias segun la estación del año, las cuales se deben a las condiciones de radiación, salida y puesta del sol y un sistema diurno de viento.

     

Note on the propagation of waves from a spherical cavity in an infinite solid

Summary The present note, as its title implies, is concerned with the investigation of disturbances in an infinite elastic medium containing an initial magnetic field in the axial direction. The equations ofMaxwell, those of elasticity have been effectively made use of to solve the problem.