A Preliminary Evaluation on the Prospects of Hydrocarbon Potential in the Carbonaceous Shales of Spiti and Chikkim Formations,Tethys Himalaya,India

In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to explore the possibility of hydrocarbon prospects in the carbonaceous shale deposits of Spiti and Chikkim formations exposed in the Spiti valley of the Tethys Himalaya. Twenty samples, collected from successive levels of these litho-units, have been subjected to maceral analysis, Rock-Eval Pyrolysis and six samples to Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses. The study reveals the presence of mainly kerogen-III type of organic matter but some of the shale samples have shown a good amount of total organic carbon (TOC) to the tune of 3.19% which is sufficient to produce hydrocarbon. The results indicate the presence of methane occurring as free and fixed hydrocarbon in the shale samples. Few levels are especially rich in hydrocarbon. They have shown encouraging results with potential for generating liquid as well as lighter hydrocarbon. The data is also supported by the FTIR and NMR studies.     

The Zihuatanejo, Mexico, earthquake of 1994 December 10 (M= 6.6): source characteristics and tectonic implications

An analysis of the Zihuatanejo, Mexico, earthquake of 1994 December 10 ( M = 6.6), based on teleseismic and near-source data, shows that it was a normal-faulting, intermediate-depth ( H = 50 ± 5 km) event. It was located about 30 km inland, within the subducted Cocos plate. The preferred fault plane has an azimuth of 130°, a dip of 79° and a rake of −86°. The rupture consisted of two subevents which were separated in time by about 2 s, with the second subevent occurring downdip of the first. The measured stress drop was relatively high, requiring a Δσ of about a kilobar to explain the high-frequency level of the near-source spectra. A rough estimate of the thickness of the seismogenic part of the oceanic lithosphere below Zihuatanejo, based on the depth and the rupture extent of this event, is 40 km.
This event and the Oaxaca earthquake of 1931 January 15 ( M = 7.8) are the two significant normal-faulting, intermediate-depth shocks whose epicentres are closest to the coast. Both of these earthquakes were preceded by several large to great shallow, low-angle thrust earthquakes, occurring updip. The observations in other subduction zones show just the opposite: normal-faulting events precede, not succeed, updip, thrust shocks. Indeed, the thrust events, soon after their occurrence, are expected to cause compression in the slab, thus inhibiting the occurrence of normal-faulting events. To explain the occurrence of the Zihuatanejo earthquake, we note that the Cocos plate, after an initial shallow-angle subduction, unbends and becomes subhorizontal. In the region of the unbending, the bottom of the slab is in horizontal extension. We speculate that the large updip seismic slip during shallow, low-angle thrust events increases the buckling of the slab, resulting in an incremental tensional stress at the bottom of the slab and causing normal-faulting earthquakes. This explanation may also hold for the 1931 Oaxaca event.     

Consistent seasonal snow cover depth and duration variability over the Western Himalayas (WH)

Precipitation in solid form, i.e., snow, during winter season over the Western Himalayas (WH) leads to the build-up of seasonal snow cover. Seasonal snow cover build-up (snow cover depth and duration) largely depends on atmospheric variables such as temperature, precipitation, radiation, wind, etc. Integrated (combined) influence of atmospheric variables on seasonal snow cover gets reflected in terms of spatial and temporal variability in seasonal snow cover build-up pattern. Hence spatial and temporal variability of seasonal snow cover build-up can serve as a good indicator of climate change in high altitude mountainous regions like the WH. Consistent seasonal snow cover depth and duration, delay days and early melt days of consistent seasonal snow cover at 11 stations spread across different mountain ranges over the WH were analyzed. Mean, maximum and percentiles (25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th) of consistent seasonal snow cover depth and duration show decline over the WH in the recent past 2–3 decades. Consistent seasonal snow cover is found to melt early and snow cover build-up pattern is found to show changes over the WH. Decline in consistent seasonal snow cover depth, duration and changing snow cover build-up pattern over the WH in recent decades indicate that WH has undergone considerable climate change and winter weather patterns are changing in the WH.     

Analysis of Seasonal Variability of Vegetation and Methane Concentration over India using SPOT-VEGETATION and ENVISAT-SCIAMACHY Data

This paper highlights the spatial and temporal variability of atmospheric columnar methane (CH₄) concentration over India and its correlation with the terrestrial vegetation dynamics. SCanning IMaging Absorption spectrometer for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) on board ENVIronmental SATellite (ENVISAT) data product (0.5° × 0.5°) was used to analyze the atmospheric CH₄ concentration. Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT)-VEGETATION sensor’s Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) product, aggregated at 0.5° × 0.5° grid level for the same period (2004 and 2005), was used to correlate the with CH₄ concentration. Analysis showed mean monthly CH₄ concentration during the Kharif season varied from 1,704 parts per billion volume (ppbv) to 1,780 ppbv with the lowest value in May and the highest value in September. Correspondingly, mean NDVI varied from 0.28 (May) to 0.53 (September). Analysis of correlation between CH₄ concentration and NDVI values over India showed positive correlation (r = 0.76; n = 6) in Kharif season. Further analysis using land cover information showed characteristic low correlation in natural vegetation region and high correlation in agricultural area. Grids, particularly falling in the Indo-Gangetic Plains showed positive correlation. This could be attributed to the rice crop which is grown as a predominant crop during this period. The CH₄ concentration pattern matched well with growth pattern of rice with the highest concentration coinciding with the peak growth period of crop in the September. Characteristically low correlation was observed (r = 0.1; n = 6) in deserts of Rajasthan and forested Himalayan ecosystem. Thus, the paper emphasizes the synergistic use of different satellite based data in understanding the variability of atmospheric CH₄ concentration in relation to vegetation.     

Influence of multipurpose trees on agricultural crops in arid regions of Haryana, India

The effects of multipurpose trees on the productivity of agricultural crops were studied in the arid regions of Haryana. In one of the experiments, wheat was grown on irrigated farms having scattered trees ofDalbergia sissoo, Azadirachta indica, Prosopis cinerariaandAcacia nilotica. Data of wheat yield for each tree species at different distances (1, 3, 5, and 7 m) and four directions (East, West, North and South) from the tree bases and control (no trees) were collected. Results indicate thatAzadirachta indicaandProsopis cinerariadid not produce any significant difference in the wheat yield while the other two species (Dalbergia sissooandAcacia nilotica) gave a reduction in yield.A. niloticahad a more significant and prominent effect and a reduction of 40 to 60 % wheat yield was observed.Dalbergia sissooreduced yield by 4 to 30 % but the reduction was only up to a distance of 3 m. In general, the impact of trees on productivity was observed up to 3 m distance and there was little, if any, impact up to 5 m and almost no impact at 7 m.In another experiment,D. sissoo(18-years-old) was raised as windbreak and productivity of cotton was assessed. The tree belt reduced the wind speed by 15 to 45 %, depending on season and wind speed. The influence of trees on cotton yield was observed to be negative up to 2H (36 m), where H is tree height, i.e. 18 m. Cotton productivity was observed to be maximum between 2H and 5H. Depending upon orientation of tree belt, the increase in cotton yield was found to be 4 to 10 %.     

利用大地电磁资料对玄武岩成像的可行性

The magnetotelluric （MT） method has been among the favorite supporting tools for seismic imaging of sub-salt and sub-basalt targets. In this paper we present an example from Kachchh, India （where basaltic rocks overlie Mesozoic sedimentary rocks）, and discuss the feasibility of using MT method as an exploration tool in this geological setting. Our results highlight the difference in magnetotelluric response caused by the thin intrabasalt layering. The key issue addressed in this paper is what MT can and cannot provide in such geological settings. First, we compute apparent resistivity and phase response curves using representative resistivity-depth models and borehole data from the study area. Later, we compare these results to assess the plausibility of using MT to image the sub-volcanic sediments at Kachchh. Finally, we substantiate our discussion through one-dimensional inversion of the field observed MT data from this region that exhibits poor sensitivity of MT for thin basalt layers.     

Accuracy of kinematic wave and diffusion wave approximations for space-independent flows on infiltrating surfaces with lateral inflow neglected in the momentum equation

Error equations for the kinematic wave and diffusion wave approximations with lateral inflow neglected in the momentum equation are derived under simplified conditions for space-independent flows. These equations specify error as a function of time in the flow hydrograph. The kinematic wave, diffusion wave and dynamic wave solutions are parameterized through a dimensionless parameter γ which is dependent on the initial conditions. This parameter reflects the effect of initial flow depth, channel-bed slope, lateral inflow, infiltration and channel roughness when the initial condition is non-vanishing; it reflects the effect of bed slope, channel roughness and acceleration due to gravity when the initial condition is vanishing. The error equations are found to be the Riccati equation. The structure of the error equations in the case when the momentum equation neglects lateral inflow is different from that when the lateral inflow is included.