Quality assessment and hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in Agastheeswaram taluk,Kanyakumari district,Tamil Nadu,India

The present study investigates the hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater quality in Agas- theeswaram taluk of Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 69 groundwater samples were collected during pre- and post-monsoon periods of 2011-2012. The groundwater quality assessment has been carried out by evaluating the physicochemical parameters such as pH, EC, TDS, HCO3, Cl, SO42-, Ca2＋, Mg2＋, Na＋ and K＋ for both the seasons. Based on these parameters, groundwater has been assessed in favor of its suitability for drinking and irrigation purpose. Dominant cations for both the seasons are in the order of Na＋〉 Ca2＋〉 Mg2＋ 〉 K＋ while the dominant anions for post monsoon and pre monsoon have the trends of CI 〉 HCO3 〉 SO42- and HCO3- 〉 CI 〉 SO42-, respectively. Analytical results observed from various indices reveal that the groundwater quality is fairly good in some places. Analytical results of few samples show that they are severely polluted and incidentally found to be near the coasts, estuaries and salt pans in the study area. The Gibbs plot indicates that the majority of groundwater samples fall in rock dominant region, which indicates rock water interaction in the study area. The United States salinity （USSL） diagram shows that the groundwater is free from sodium hazards but the salinity hazard varies from low to very high throughout the study area. This reveals that the groundwater is moderately suitable for agricultural activities. The observed chemical variations in pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons may be the effect to rock-water interactions, ion-exchange reactions, and runoff of fertilizers from the surrounding agricultural lands.     

Use of the L2C signal for inversions of GPS radio occultation data in the neutral atmosphere

Results from processing FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC radio occultations (RO) with the new GPS L2C signal acquired both in phase locked loop (PLL) and open loop (OL) modes are presented. Analysis of L2P, L2C, and L1CA signals acquired in PLL mode shows that in the presence of strong ionospheric scintillation not only L2P tracking, but also L1CA tracking often fails, while L2C tracking is most stable. The use of L2C improves current RO processing in the neutral atmosphere mainly by increasing the number of processed occultations (due to significant reduction in the number of L2 tracking failures) and marginally by a reduction in noise in statistics. The latter is due to the combination of reduced L2C noise (compared to L2P) and increased L1CA noise in those occultations where L2P would have failed. This result suggests application of OL tracking for L1CA and L2C signals throughout an entire occultation to optimally acquire RO data. Two methods of concurrent processing of L1CA and L2C RO signals are considered. Based on testing of individual occultations, these methods allow: (1) reduction in uncertainty of bending angles retrieved by wave optics in the lower troposphere and (2) reduction in small-scale residual errors of the ionospheric correction in the stratosphere.     

Characteristics of the supernova remnant G351.7+0.8 and a distance argument against its association with PSR J1721−3532

New images of the supernova remnant (SNR) G351.7+0.8 are presented based on 21-cm H  i -line emission and continuum emission data from the Southern Galactic Plane Survey. SNR G351.7+0.8 has a flux density of 8.4 ± 0.7 Jy at 1420 MHz. Its spectral index is 0.52 ± 0.25 ( S = v ^−α) between 1420 and 843 MHz, typical of adiabatically expanding shell-like remnants. H  i observations show structures possibly associated with the SNR in the radial velocity range of −10 to −18 km s⁻¹, and suggest a distance of 13.2 kpc and a radius of 30.7 pc. The estimated Sedov age for G351.7+0.8 is less than  6.8×10⁴ yr  . A young radio pulsar PSR J1721−3532 lies close to SNR G351.7+0.8 on the sky. The new distance and age of G351.7+0.8 and recent proper motion measurements of the pulsar strongly argue against an association between SNR G351.7+0.8 and PSR J1721−3532. There is an unidentified, faint X-ray point source 1RXS J172055.3−353937 which is close to G351.7+0.8. This may be a neutron star potentially associated with G351.7+0.8.     

Compositional zoning of fluid inclusions in the Archaean Junction gold deposit,Western Australia: A process of fluid ‐ wall‐rock interaction?

The Junction gold deposit, in Western Australia, is an orogenic gold deposit hosted by a differentiated, iron‐rich, tholeiitic dolerite sill. Petrographic, microthermometric and laser Raman microprobe analyses of fluid inclusions from the Junction deposit indicate that three different vein systems formed at three distinct periods of geological time, and host four fluid‐inclusion populations with a wide range of compositions in the H₂O–CO₂–CH₄–NaCl ± CaCl₂ system. Pre‐shearing, pre‐gold, molybdenite‐bearing quartz veins host fluid inclusions that are characterised by relatively consistent phase ratios comprising H₂O–CO₂–CH₄ ± halite. Microthermometry suggests that these veins precipitated when a highly saline, >340°C fluid mixed with a less saline ≥150°C fluid. The syn‐gold mineralisation event is hosted within the Junction shear zone and is associated with extensive quartz‐calcite ± albite ± chlorite ± pyrrhotite veining. Fluid‐inclusion analyses indicate that gold deposition occurred during the unmixing of a 400°C, moderately saline, H₂O–CO₂ ± CH₄ fluid at pressures between 70 MPa and 440 MPa. Post‐gold quartz‐calcite‐biotite‐pyrrhotite veins occupy normal fault sets that slightly offset the Junction shear zone. Fluid inclusions in these veins are predominantly vapour rich, with CO₂?CH₄. Homogenisation temperatures indicate that the post‐gold quartz veins precipitated from a 310 ± 30°C fluid. Finally, late secondary fluid inclusions show that a <200°C, highly saline, H₂O–CaCl₂–NaCl–bearing fluid percolated along microfractures late in the deposit's history, but did not form any notable vein type. Raman spectroscopy supports the microthermometric data and reveals that CH₄–bearing fluid inclusions occur in syn‐gold quartz grains found almost exclusively at the vein margin, whereas CO₂–bearing fluid inclusions occur in quartz grains that are found toward the centre of the veins. The zonation of CO₂:CH₄ ratios, with respect to the location of fluid inclusions within the syn‐gold quartz veins, suggest that the CH₄ did not travel as part of the auriferous fluid. Fluid unmixing and post‐entrapment alteration of the syn‐gold fluid inclusions are known to have occurred, but cannot adequately account for the relatively ordered zonation of CO₂:CH₄ ratios. Instead, the late introduction of a CH₄–rich fluid into the Junction shear zone appears more likely. Alternatively, the process of CO₂ reduction to CH₄ is a viable and plausible explanation that fits the available data. The CH₄–bearing fluid inclusions occur almost exclusively at the margin of the syn‐gold quartz veins within the zone of high‐grade gold mineralisation because this is where all the criteria needed to reduce CO₂ to CH₄ were satisfied in the Junction deposit.     

Meso‐scale particle modeling of concrete deterioration caused by alkali‐aggregate reaction

A meso‐scale particle model is presented to simulate the expansion of concrete subjected to alkali‐aggregate reaction (AAR) and to analyze the AAR‐induced degradation of the mechanical properties. It is the first attempt to evaluate the deterioration mechanism due to AAR using the discrete‐element method. A three‐phase meso‐scale model for concrete composed of aggregates, mortar and the interface is established with the combination of a pre‐processing approach and the particle flow code, PFC2D. A homogeneous aggregate expansion approach is applied to model the AAR expansion. Uniaxial compression tests are conducted for the AAR‐affected concrete to examine the effects on the mechanical properties. Two specimens with different aggregate sizes are analyzed to consider the effects of aggregate size on AAR. The results show that the meso‐scale particle model is valid to predict the expansion and the internal micro‐cracking patterns caused by AAR. The two different specimens exhibit similar behavior. The Young's modulus and compressive strength are significantly reduced with the increase of AAR expansion. The shape of the stress–strain curves obtained from the compression tests clearly reflects the influence of internal micro‐cracks: an increased nonlinearity before the peak loading and a more gradual softening for more severely affected specimens. Similar macroscopic failure patterns of the specimens under compression are observed in terms of diagonal macroscopic cracks splitting the specimen into several triangular pieces, whereas localized micro‐cracks forming in slightly affected specimens are different from branching and diffusing cracks in severely affected ones, demonstrating different failure mechanisms. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shift trend and step changes for runoff time series in the Shiyang River basin,northwest China

Shift trend and step changes were detected for runoff time series in the Shiyang River basin, one of the inland river basins in north‐west China. Annual runoff data from eight tributaries as well as both annual and monthly runoff from the mainstream from 1958 to 2003 were used. Seven statistical test methods were employed to identify the shift trends and step changes in the study. Mann–Kendall test, Spearman's Rho test, linear regression and Hurst exponent were used to detect past and future shift trends for runoff time series, while the distributed‐free CUSUM test, cumulative deviations and the Worsley likelihood ratio test were used to detect step changes for the same time series. Results showed that the annual runoff from Zamu, Huangyang and Gulang rivers, as well as both annual and monthly runoff from the mainstream, show statistically significant decreasing trends. Future tendency of runoff for both tributaries and mainstream were consistent with that from 1958 to 2003. Step changes probably occurred in 1961 for the runoff from Huangyang, Gulang and Dajing rivers according to the Worsley likelihood ratio test, but no similar results were found using the other two test methods. Three change points (1979, 1974 and 1973) were detected for the mainstream using different methods. These change points were close to the years that reservoirs started to be operated. Both climate change and human activities, especially the latter, contributed to the decreasing runoff in the study area. Between 21% and 79% of the reduction in runoff from the mainstream was due to the impact of human activities during the past few decades. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A study of hybrid and chaotic long-range propagation in a doublesound channel environment

This paper presents the results of the analysis of long range propagation (~200 km) in a range-dependent environment. The propagation medium is characterized by two deep sound channels. The range dependence enables energy transfer between the channels and leads to a mismatch between real data and ray predictions. To explain this mismatch, an analysis of hybrid ray propagation is presented. This analysis is completed by an interpretation in terms of chaos. This chaos is quantified in the particular case of the Bay of Biscay environment. This paper puts forward that mesoscale perturbations, such as the Mediterranean outflow in the North Atlantic, can affect long-range propagation. However, it shows that the ray theory remains reliable for a propagation range of several hundred kilometers     

Whipple telescope observations of LS I +61 303: 2004–2006

In this paper we present the results of the past two years observations on the galactic microquasar LS I +61 303 with the Whipple 10 m gamma-ray telescope. The recent MAGIC detection of the source between 200 GeV and 4 TeV suggests that the source is periodic with very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission linked to its orbital cycle. The entire 50-hour data set obtained with Whipple from 2004 to 2006 was analyzed with no reliable detection resulting. The upper limits obtained in the 2005–2006 season covered several of the same epochs as the MAGIC Telescope detections, albeit with lower sensitivity. Upper limits are placed on emission during the orbital phases of 0→0.1 and 0.8→1, phases which are not included in the MAGIC data set.