Geomorphology and landuse of Pasighat-Jonai bazar area-A photo based study in a part of Dihang river basin,Arunachal pradesh and Assam

Photo-interpretation coupled with systematic field checks over an area of about 1500 sq. km has led to the identification of various landform units and their characteristic landuse pattern in part of the submontaneous tract of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the Dihang river basin. Four major geomorphic units have been mapped and their respective lithounits are studied in detail. Present landuse and the land’s capability inrespect of each of the major geomorphic units have been noted. Suggestions have been made for better utilisation of land.     

A note on visual interpretation of landsat imagery to locate possible locust habitat in a part of Rajasthan

Visual interpretation of Landsat data from an area in Rajasthan desert has been used to delineate vegetation and other associated parameters helpful for locust breeding and development. The results indicate the usefulness of Landsat in date locust surveys by reducing time and cost involved.     

On the random motion of a uniform beam in a magnetic field

Summary The present note is concerned with the investigation of responses under random processes of a beam-plate placed in a magnetic field which is transverse in nature. The distinctive features of the motion have been pointed out.     

Transmission of elastic waves through a second-order fluid layer sandwiched between elastic media

Summary The present paper is concerned with the transmission of elastic waves through a second-order fluid layer sandwiched between homogeneous elastic media having identical properties. It is concluded that the transmission ratio increases with the increasing absolute values of visco-elastic co-efficient and also with the wavelength of the wave transmitted.     

Landscape level disturbance gradient analysis in daltonganj south forest division

Disturbance, man-made or natural, is an innate process of any landscape. Disturbance gradient analysis provides insight into the disturbance status of forest which is useful for forest management. In the present study new landscape metrics are introduced through FRAGSTATS 3.3 software for analyzing both anthropogenic and natural disturbance pattern of Daltonganj south forest division of Jharkhand state. Various landscape indices were used for natural disturbance analysis. Anthropogenic disturbance was measured as function of the proximity of landscape to roads and settlements. It was observed that the forests of the study area are experiencing varied degrees of disturbances. The software in combination with ARC VIEW Spatial Analyst was found to be a cost effective and user friendly landscape analysis tool.     

Understanding the turbulent structure of the atmospheric boundary layer: A diagnostic approach

In this paper, we have attempted a diagnostic study of the turbulence characteristics of the ABL by means of two one-dimensional models. The first model uses a first order non-local closure, based on the Transilient Turbulence Theory, for parameterizing turbulent fluxes. while the second model uses second order local closure for parameterizing these. The models have been applied to conduct case studies using the Kytoon data taken at Kharagpur, during 17th–21st June, 1990, as part of the MONTBLEX programme. Our findings bring out various interesting features regarding the non-local and local turbulent statistics such as kinematic fluxes, turbulence kinetic energy, vertical velocity variance, the contribution of the eddies of various sizes to the fluxes at different level and the mixing lengths. The one-dimensional anisotropy of the turbulent eddies has been revealed by the findings from the transilient model. The vertical variation of the turbulence kinetic energy, as computed directly by the second order model, is found to be strongly correlated with the vertical velocity variance. In particular, for stably stratified boundary layers, identification of two distinct zones of the turbulence kinetic energy and corresponding vertical velocity maxima is possible, which has been interpreted as positive evidence of patchy turbulence in the boundary layer.     

Physical and chemical response of zircons to deformation

An investigation of U-Pb isotopic systematics in zircons from mylonitized Henderson Gneiss (Sinha and Glover 1978) revealed that selected zircon fractions from the mylonite zone suffered total loss of radiogenic Pb at 460 m.y. To further investigate the relationship between Pb loss, U gain, and grain size reduction associated with increasing strain in the shear zone, we have characterized the chemistry and morphology of zircons in the mylonitic rocks, using both electron microprobe analysis and scanning electron microscopy.SEM photographs of the zircons indicate that strain-correlated fracturing and size reduction of the zircons accompanied Pb loss throughout the mylonite zone. Stresses imposed by the expansion of initially U-rich, -damaged portions of the crystal resulted in microfracturing of the more brittle crystalline material proximal to the U-rich zones. During mylonitization, fractures propagated preferentially along these zones allowing metamorphic fluids to penetrate the easily-leached, -damaged portions of the zircons. Removal of 75% of the radiogenic Pb from zircons in the least-deformed zone of the mylonites may have occurred via this mechanism.Irregular, porous zircon overgrowths are also evident from the SEM photographs. Overgrowths are strongly enriched in U, Y and P with respect to the relict, Henderson Gneiss-derived cores, and tend to increase in volume from the protomylonite to the blastomylonite. Thus, the development of overgrowths on the zircons accounts for the U gain observed by Sinha and Glover (1978), and indicates that the transport of high field strength cations (e.g., Zr⁴⁺, Hf⁴⁺, U⁴⁺, etc.) occurred during prograde mylonitization at 460 m.y.A retrograde shearing event at 273 m.y. caused no further disturbance in the U-Pb isotopic systematics of the zircons. Pb retention by zircons during the later episode may have been the result of 1) the participation of H₂O-rich, relatively noncorrosive fluids and/or 2) the lack of further fracturing and size reduction in a strain gradient of lower magnitude than the prograde event.     

The Influence of a Teleost Clarias batrachus (L.) on the Behaviour of Different Species of Nitrogen in Water

Different experimental conditions (fed large, fed small, starved large, starved small groups, batch offered ration during experiment and low fish loading for a constant volume of water) of the carnivorous fish Clarias batrachus resulted in marked changes in the concentration of different N species (ammonium-N, nitrate-N, nitrate-N, organic-N as well as the sum of all forms of N) in aquaria water. Organic forms of nitrogen were the most important species of nitrogen excreted by the test fish. The maintenance nitrogen excretion rate was distinctly higher in larger fishes than in smaller ones. Different species of N were found to differ significantly depending upon the fed or starved conditions as well as small or large groups. A reduced level of oxygen in experimental aquaria inhibited the synthesis of nitrate which was maximum in control aquaria with considerably higher values of oxygen.     

Strontium isotopic and selected trace element variations between two Aleutian volcanic centers (Adak and Atka): implications for the development of arc volcanic plumbing systems

Major and trace element concentrations and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of lavas from the Aleutian volcanic centers of Adak and Atka have been used to study the evolution of their respective lithospheric plumbing systems. The centers are within 150 km of one another and show similar overall silica ranges (47–67%), but Adak (40 km³) is smaller than Atka (200 km³). Adak's lavas are chemically and isotopically heterogeneous (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr:0.70285–0.70330) and two units contain lithospheric xenoliths. The lavas of the much larger Atka, on the other hand, have much less variability in major and trace elements as well as ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.70320–0.70345). We suggest that these characteristics are a measure of the relative maturity and cleanliness of the lithospheric plumbing systems that supply magma to these centers. Because Aleutian volcanic centers often remain fixed for relatively long periods of time (5 m.y.), once established, magmatic passageways are repeatedly used. Young plumbing systems are relatively cool and contain large amounts of wallrock contaminant, and ascending magmas undergo contamination as well as concurrent crystallization and fractionation. With time, however, heat and mass transfer between ascending magmas and wallrock produce thermal and chemical boundary layers that insulate subsequent magmas. In effect, the plumbing system matures. The chemical heterogeneity displayed by young, dirty systems (like Adak) reflects not only the magma source but also the wallrock encountered during ascent and possibly the effects of extensive crystal fractionation. Thus, it is the petrologic data of mature, clean systems, like Atka, that yield the most direct and unambiguous information on the ultimate origin of the lavas and their near surface evolution.