Support and Information Effect Modeling for Recoverable Reserve Estimation of a Beach Sand Deposit in India

Application of geostatistics in estimating recoverable reserves of beach sand deposit is rare. This paper made an attempt to estimate local recoverable reserves using disjunctive kriging and discrete Gaussian model considering support and information effects for a beach sand deposit located in the eastern part of India. The dependence of different selective mining unit (SMU) sizes and different production sampling strategies on the estimated tonnage, metal quantity, and the ore tonnage versus metal quantity relationships has been examined. The results of the study show that nonlinear geostatistics should be used for more precise assessment of the grade, ore tonnage, and metal quantity and their relationships, which are necessary for recoverable reserve estimation. In selective mining operation, both support and information effects have significant influence on recoverable reserve. Recoverable reserve estimation based on SMU involves estimating grade distributions of mining unit with much bigger support than the available drill core sample data. Information effect comes into picture from the real scenario where the actual grades of the blocks remain unknown even during mining. At the mining stage, discrimination of ore and waste blocks is carried out based on estimated grades of the production samples and it is likely that the blocks might be misclassified as either ore or waste and thus sent to wrong destination. Information effect modeling makes the estimation more reliable by taking care of misclassification.     

Nebulosities around QSOs

In this paper independent evidence in favour of the hypothesis proposed by Thakur and Sapre (1979) that a QSO consists of a bright central object embedded in an extended nebulosity has been presented. _U–B and _B–V , the spectral indices in (U-B) and (B-V) colours, have been calculated for a sample of 80 QSOs with redshiftz0.76. In Figure 1 = ( _B–V – _U–V ) has been plotted against = ( _B–V + _U–B )/2. In this figure the QSOs in which detectability of neubulosities has been predicted by Thakur and Sapre (1979) occupy a separate but adjacent part of the diagram as compared to those for which such a prediction has not been made. In Figure 2 (U-B)₀ has been plotted against (B-V)₀ for the same sample of 80 QSOs, where (U-B)₀ and (B-V)₀ are the (U-B) and (B-V) colours corrected for galactic extinction. In this plot also, a similar separation of the two classes of objects is discernible. Another empirical criterion—namely, (B-V)₀0.32 for the detectability of nebulosities around QSOs—has been suggested.     

The gravitational instability of flow through porous medium for some systems of astrophysical interest

The gravitational instability of flow through porous medium for some hydrodynamical and hydromagnetical systems of astrophysical interest is investigated. The effects of rotation, magnetic field, viscosity and finite electrical conductivity are studied for the gravitational instability through porous medium. The effect of suspended particles on the instability is also considered. It is found that Jean's criterion remains unchanged in the presence of porosity, viscosity, finite conductivity, rotation, magnetic field and suspended particles in the medium.     

Hβ luminosity of extragalactic objects and evolution of galaxies

Hourly interplanetary proton plasma data, measured by Helios-1 and Helios-2 heliocentric satellites over the period extending between the sunspot minimum and maximum of the 21rst solar cycle are analysed. This analysis gives an emphasis in the presence of a third type solar wind (intermediate) at 450 km s^–1, appearing at solar minimum, during which large coronal holes are dominating in the Sun. This type of solar wind is hardly to be observed during the solar maximum period.Both Helios-1 and Helios-2 data give an average speed of the slow solar wind of 350 km s^–1 for the period between these two extremes of solar activities.After correlation of the plasma temperature with its speed in different heliocentric distances, it comes out the stronger heating which takes place in distances shorter than 0.6 AU than in distances between 0.6 and 1.0 AU.A different behaviour of the radial proton temperature gradient in different solar activities appears after the calculation of the gradients as a function of solar wind speed and radial distance.     

Impact of Pastoral Practices on Forest Cover and Regeneration in the Outer Fringes of Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary,Western Himalaya

The study reports the impact of migratory livestock in the buffer area of Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. The cumulative impacts of livestock grazing, fuel wood extraction and other anthropogenic pressures on forest cover in and around camping sites have been analyzed using satellite data and field observations. Multi-date satellite data were used to map the forest cover around 16 seasonal livestock camps. An annual loss of about 7.25 ha of forest covers during 1976–1990, 13.57 ha during 1990–1999 and 11.46 ha during 1999–2005 are recorded. A loss of 108.53 ha of forestland has been estimated during 1976–1990, about 122.16 ha during 1990–1999 and 68.78 ha during 1999–2005. It is also observed that many of the isolated camping sites are now connected due to loss of vegetation. Phytosociological analysis indicates that the number of seedlings and saplings in three species of Quercus (Q. leucotrichophora, Q. floribunda and Q. semecarpifolia) as compared to mature tress is very less around cattle camping sites. The ratio of number of sapling with seedling and trees indicates that the status of sapling is nil to very poor, an indication of loss of saplings due to either trampling or grazing.     

Indus tsangpo suture zone in ladakh—its tectonostratigraphy and tectonics

The Indus Tsangpo suture zone in Ladakh lies between the Phanerozoic sequence of the Zanskar Zone of Tethys Himalaya in the south and Karakoram zone in the north. The five palaeotectonic regimes recognized in the suture zone are: The Indus palaeosubduction complex, the Ladakh magmatic arc, the Indus arc-trench gap sedimentation, the Shyok backarc and the Post-collision molasse sedimentation. The Ladakh magmatic arc, comprising intrusives of the Ladakh plutonic complex and extrusives of the Dras, Luzarmu and Khardung formations, owes its origin to the subduction of the Indian oceanic plate underneath the Tibet-Karakoram block. The Indus Formation, lower Cretaceous to middle Eocene in age, was laid down in a basin between the magmatic arc and the subduction complex. The Shergol and Zildat ophiolitic melange belts exhibit green-schist and blue-schist facies metamorphism and show structural geometry and deformation history dissimilar to that of the underlying and overlying formations. The melange belts and the flysch sediments of the Nindam Formation represent a palaeosubduction complex. The Shyok suture zone consists of tectonic slices of metamorphics of the Pangong Tso Crystallines, Cretaceous to lower Eocene volcanics and sedimentaries, together with ultramafic and gabbro bodies and molasse sediments. This petrotectonic assemblage is interpreted as representing a back-are basin. Post-collision molasse sedimentaries are continental deposits of Neogene age, and they occur with depositional contact transgressing the lithological and structural boundaries. Two metamorphic belts, the Tso Morari crystalline complex and the Pangong Tso Crystallines, flank to the south and north respectively of the Indus suture zone in Eastern Ladakh. Three generations of fold structures and associated penetrative (and linear) structures, showing a similar deformation history of both the metamorphic belts, are developed. The shortening structures developed as a result of collision during the postmiddle Eocene time.     

Stability of the triangular libration points of the circular restricted problem in the presence of resonances

The stability of triangular libration points, when the bigger primary is a source of radiation and the smaller primary is an oblate spheroid. has been investigated in the resonance cases ₁ = 2₂ and ₁ = 3₂. The motion is unstable for all the values of parameters q and A when ₁ = 2₂ and the motion is unstable and stable depending upon the values of the parameters q and A when ₁ = 3₂. Here q is the radiation parameter and A is the oblateness parameter.     

Perspect and assessment of groundwater resources using remote sensing techniques in and around Choral river basin,Indore and Khargone districts,M.P.

The study area around Choral river basin in the Narmada valley region, forms a part of Indore and Khargone districts of Madhya Pradesh. The geological, geomorphologic, lineament, hydrogeomorphic and groundwater potential zone maps of the study area have been prepared using IRS IC LISS III FCC imagery on 1:50,000 scale. Various litho-units, different land-forms, lineament fabric and hydro-geomorphic units have been worked out by visual interpretation methods and frequent field checks. The integrated hydro-geomorphological map of the study area reveals that the groundwater potential in denudation landforms such as buried pediplains, plateaus, denudational and residual hills is moderate-to-poor. On the other hand, the groundwater occurrence in structural landforms like structural hills, lineaments/faults and narrow gorges is likely to be good to moderate and the depositional landforms namely alluvial plains, valley-fills and meandering-channels favour the accumulation of sub-surface water and, therefore, may be considered as good recharge zones. From the point of view of groundwater occurrence, various hydro-geomorphic units have been classified as high, moderate and low potential zones.     

Climate change impact in the Western Himalaya: people’s perception and adaptive strategies

The Himalaya represents a vast mountain system and globally valued for its significant role in regulation of global as well as regional climate that has direct impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services crucial for sustenance of millions of people in Himalaya and adjoining areas. However, mountain regions worldwide are impacted by climate change and at the same time represent distinctive area for the assessment of climate related impacts. Climate change impacts in Himalayan region have its implications on food production, natural ecosystems, retreat of glacier, water supply, human and animal health and overall human well being. The livelihood and food security of the people inhabited in region largely depend on climate sensitive sectors i.e. agriculture, livestock, forestry and their interlinkages with each other, and has the potential to break down food and nutritional security as well as livelihood support systems. People’s perception and understanding of climate can be an important asset when it comes to adaptation to climate change impact; however it is not taken into consideration for the development of policy design and implementation of modern mitigation and adaptation strategies by governments and other civil society organizations. The knowledge of local people and farming communities for rural landscape management and sustainable use of bioresources is gaining credence as a key strategy to cope up with the climate change. Therefore, the present study analyzes the indigenous knowledge of local people and their perceptions on climate change, and also documented adaptation approaches at local level in mountain ecosystem of western Himalaya. The study could be useful to policy makers to design appropriate adaptation strategies to cope up with the impacts of climate change.