Shock waves in a dusty plasma having q-nonextensive electron velocity distribution

The dust-acoustic shock waves have been theoretically investigated using reductive perturbation technique. An unmagnetized four-component dusty plasma system consisting of nonextensive q-distributed electrons, Boltzmann distributed ions, and negatively as well as positively charged dust particles has been considered. The solution of Burgers equation in planar geometry is numerically analyzed. It has been observed that the nonextensive q-distribution of electrons has a significant role in the formation of shock waves. The relevance of our results to astrophysics as well as laboratory plasmas are briefly discussed.     

Snowpack and runoff response to climate change in Owens Valley and Mono Lake watersheds

Precipitation from the Eastern Sierra Nevada watersheds of Owens Lake and Mono Lake is one of the main water sources for Los Angeles’ over 4 million people, and plays a major role in the ecology of Mono Lake and of these watersheds. We use the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model at daily time scale, forced by climate projections from 16 global climate models under greenhouse gas emissions scenarios B1 and A2, to evaluate likely hydrologic responses in these watersheds for 1950–2099. Comparing climate in the latter half of the 20th Century to projections for 2070–2099, we find that all projections indicate continued temperature increases, by 2–5 °C, but differ on precipitation changes, ranging from ?24 % to +56 %. As a result, the fraction of precipitation falling as rain is projected to increase, from a historical 0.19 to a range of 0.26–0.52 (depending on the GCM and emission scenario), leading to earlier timing of the annual hydrograph’s center, by a range of 9–37 days. Snowpack accumulation depends on temperature and even more strongly on precipitation due to the high elevation of these watersheds (reaching 4,000 m), and projected changes for April 1 snow water equivalent range from ?67 % to +9 %. We characterize the watershed’s hydrologic response using variables integrated in space over the entire simulated area and aggregated in time over 30-year periods. We show that from the complex dynamics acting at fine time scales (seasonal and sub-seasonal) simple dynamics emerge at this multi-year time scale. Of particular interest are the dynamic effects of temperature. Warming anticipates hydrograph timing, by raising the fraction of precipitation falling as rain, reducing the volume of snowmelt, and initiating snowmelt earlier. This timing shift results in the depletion of soil moisture in summer, when potential evapotranspiration is highest. Summer evapotranspiration losses are limited by soil moisture availability, and as a result the watershed’s water balance at the annual and longer scales is insensitive to warming. Mean annual runoff changes at base-of-mountain stations are thus strongly determined by precipitation changes.     

A megacity in a changing climate: the case of Kolkata

Projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggest that there will be an increase in the frequency and intensity of climate extremes in the 21st century. Kolkata, a megacity in India, has been singled out as one of the urban centers vulnerable to climate risks. Modest flooding during monsoons at high tide in the Hooghly River is a recurring hazard in Kolkata. More intense rainfall, riverine flooding, sea level rise, and coastal storm surges in a changing climate can lead to widespread and severe flooding and bring the city to a standstill for several days. Using rainfall data, high and low emissions scenarios, and sea level rise of 27 cm by 2050, this paper assesses the vulnerability of Kolkata to increasingly intense precipitation events for return periods of 30, 50, and 100 years. It makes location-specific inundation depth and duration projections using hydrological, hydraulic, and urban storm models with geographic overlays. High resolution spatial analysis provides a roadmap for designing adaptation schemes to minimize the impacts of climate change. The modeling results show that de-silting of the main sewers would reduce vulnerable population estimates by at least 5 %.     

Spatial patterns of diurnal variations in summer-season lightning activity across the tropical and subtropical regions of the Northern Hemispheric Americas

Hourly lightning data were obtained from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission dataset collected through the Lightning Imaging Sensor instrument from 1998 to 2011 to analyze the diurnal pattern of lightning activity in the tropical and subtropical northern hemispheric Americas. The majority of the lightning strikes occurred over land, with relatively lower strike rates over the oceanic areas. The results of our studies showed substantial spatial variations in the time of maximum and strength of the diurnal cycle in the study area. A clockwise progression in the time of maximum was observed across most of the study area, particularly over North America where an east–west orientation was observed. The findings of our study were mainly a result of the interaction between local topography such as the Andes and Rocky mountains, and surface level atmospheric circulations. The strength of the observed diurnal cycle was greatest in the Gulf of Mexico region.     

The subsurface megascopic characteristics of basalt and basement rocks from Koyna-Warna area of Maharashtra,India

Vertical deep boreholes of depth up to 1522.50m have been drilled in Koyna-Warna area of Maharashtra State within the Deccan Volcanic Province to study the most outstanding example of Reservoir Triggered Seismicity (RTS). The drilling of 9 bore-holes in the area has provided a window to earth scientists to peep into geological details available below Deccan Trap.The 932.50m thick pile of Deccan basalt, consisting of 30 flows at Rasati, near Koyna, which has been physically seen through cores, present a marvellous geological repository for observations. The megascopic characteristics of various flows and variation in composition have been presented in this paper. The microscopic and geochemical characteristics have been kept out of this communication, as the relevant studies are not completed to draw any conclusion. This study records the presence of granite wash (≈1m thick) over basement and below basalt representing Late Archaean to Cretaceous period hiatus. The basement rocks, presumably of Late Archaean age have been described mega-scopically. A fair picture of sub-surface pre-Deccan topography is shown with the help of borehole data, which confirm the nearly flat topography of pre-Deccan surface especially in this part of the area occupied by 30 flows of Deccan basalt. Correlation of 30 flows with the established stratigraphy has also been attempted for subsurface existence of Ambenali (Upper) and Poladpur Formations of Wai Subgroup in Koyna-Warna area.     

Parametric study of factors affecting fluid flow through a fracture

Understanding the flow behavior through fractures is critically important in a wide variety of applications. In many situations, the fluid flow can be highly irregular and non-linear in nature. Numerical simulation can be employed to simulate such conditions which are difficult to replicate in laboratory experiments. Therefore, a parametric study has been conducted on the fluid flow through micro-fracture over a large range of inlet pressure, fluid density, fluid viscosity, temperature, joint roughness coefficient (JRC), and fracture using finite element analysis. Irregular fracture profiles were created using Barton’s joint roughness coefficient. The Navier-Stokes (NS) equation was used to simulate the flow of water in those micro-fractures. The result showed that the fracture, fluid, and ambient conditions have a wide and varied effect on the fluid flow behavior. The interrelationship between these parameters was also studied. The model simulation provided result in the form of velocity and pressure drop profile, which can be used to determine the behavior of flow under different condition. The volumetric flow was calculated for each condition and has been plotted against the corresponding parameter to study the interrelationship.     

Fractal analysis of logs to characterize the hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon zones of Bhogpara oil field,Northeast India

Identification with accuracy of prospective and dry zone from well log data is of prime importance in reservoir or hydrocarbon studies. This issue has greater stake, where in return many conventional methods have been established. The purpose of this study is to recognize the hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon bearing portion within a reservoir by using a non-conventional technique. Application of rescaled range (R/S) analysis and wavelet-based fractal analysis (WBFA) on the wire-line log data to obtain the pre-defined hydrocarbon (HC) and non-hydrocarbon (NHC) zones by their fractal nature is demonstrated in this paper. Among these two techniques, the WBFA tool has provided more prolific results. Applicability of the proposed approach is tested with the help of the most commonly used well log data like self-potential, gamma ray, and porosity log responses. These are used in the industry to distinguish several HC and NHC zones of all wells in the study region belonging to the Upper Assam Basin, India. The results are found to be of lower fractal dimension in this study for a particular log response having HC-bearing zones, which are mainly situated in a variety of sandstone lithology. On the other hand, NHC-bearing zones correspond to lithology with higher shale content categorized with higher fractal dimension. Hence, the WBFA technique can overcome the chance of misinterpretation, which is quite possible in the case of conventional reservoir characterization.     

Temporal variation of solar flare index during solar cycles 21–24

The present investigation attempts to quantify the temporal variation of Solar Flare Index(SFI)with other activity indices during solar cycles 21-24 by using different techniques such as linear regression,correlation,cross-correlation with phase lag-lead,etc.Different Solar Activity Indices(SAI)considered in this present study are Sunspot Number(SSN),10.7 cm Solar Radio Flux(F10.7),Coronal Index(CI)and MgⅡCore-to-Wing Ratio(MgⅡ).The maximum cycle amplitude of SFI and considered SAI has a decreasing trend from solar cycle 22,and cycle 24 is the weakest solar cycle among all other cycles.The SFI with SSN,F10.7,CI and MgⅡshows hysteresis during all cycles except for solar cycle 22 where both paths for ascending and descending phases are intercepting each other,thereby representing a phase reversal.A positive hysteresis circulation exists between SFI and considered SAI during solar cycles 22 and 23,whereas a negative circulation exists in cycles 21 and 24.SFI has a high positive correlation with coefficient values of 0.92,0.94,0.84 and 0.81 for SSN,F10.7,CI and MgⅡrespectively.According to crosscorrelation analysis,SFI has a phase lag with considered SAI during an odd-number solar cycle(solar cycles21 and 23)but no phase lag/lead during an even-numbered solar cycle(solar cycles 22 and 24).However,the entire smoothed monthly average SFI data indicate an in-phase relationship with SSN,F10.7 and MgⅡ,and a one-month phase lag with CI.The presence of those above characteristics strongly confirms the outcomes of different research work with various solar indices and the highest correlation exists between SFI and SSN as well as F10.7 which establishes that SFI may be considered as one of the prime activity indices to interpret the characteristics of the Sun’s active region as well as for more accurate short-range or long-range forecasting of solar events.     

The rapid growth and decay of severe cyclone JAL (2010) over the Bay of Bengal

This study investigates the life cycle of Bay of Bengal cyclone JAL, characterized by a rapid fluctuation in its intensity during 60-h interval. The cyclone JAL underwent a period of rapid intensification during 24-h from 0000 UTC 05 November to 0000 UTC 06 November 2010. It was quasi-static during subsequent 24 h followed by a 12-h period of unusually rapid decay. During the rapid cyclogenesis phase, the system intensified (by 25 kt) from deep depression (DD) to severe cyclonic storm (SCS) and weakened (by 30 kt) from SCS to DD during the 12-h period of rapid cyclolysis. European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model analysis field is used to analyze the Q vectors, K index and potential vorticity (PV) to diagnose the life cycle of this unusual cyclone. The analysis reveals that the 500–700 hPa column-averaged Q-vector convergence above the surface cyclone had strengthened and very high values of the K index produced a burst of heavy precipitation during the development stage of the cyclone. The associated latent heat release produced a substantial diabatic positive PV anomaly in the lower and middle troposphere that caused rapid cyclogenesis. The rapid cyclolysis is coincident with the weakening of the upper and lower PV anomalies and the westward shearing of the upper PV from the cyclone centre. Thus, the very latent heat release that assisted the rapid development of the cyclone also played an important role in its subsequent rapid decay. ECMWF model forecast for track and intensity is also verified.