Remote sensing applications in the study of landuse and soils of aeolian cover op the western part of Haryana State

Multispectral and multitemporal landsat-FCC of 1:250,000 and transparancies on 1:1000,000 scales of bands 4, 5, 6 and 7 were interepreted to identify and delineate the areas under varying intensities of dunal activity in the western part of Haryana State comprising an area of 12610 sq. km. CCTs of some representative areas were also interpreted on the Multispectral Interactive Data Analysis System. Field checks were made to correlate the laboratory interpretation and the ground truth. The study areas were differentiated into the following units: (1) Sandy desert zone: No cultivation on dune tops except some shrubs, (2) Aeolian cover with sandy hummocks: low intensity cultivation, (3) Plain with aeolian cover: moderately cultivated, (4) Plain: Moderately to intensively cultivated. The major soils in association were Typic Torripsamments/Ustipsamments/Ustorthents/Ustifluvents/Calciorthids and Natric Camborthids.     

Convective Cloud Detection and Tracking from Series of Infrared Images

The most significant part of prediction of precipitation is the detection and identification of convective (cumulonimbus) clouds, also the tracking of cloud movement is important for identification of location of precipitation. A very simple methodology for detecting convective clouds and then tracking its movement from a series of infrared (IR) images is proposed in this paper. IR image is segmented using k-means clustering algorithm, which has been implemented using Euclidean, Manhattan and Mahalanobis distances and the results have been compared. Cloud clusters have been identified from segmented image and subsequently the large clusters were extracted. Center of Mass (CoM) was calculated for each selected cloud cluster and its position after every 30 min was predicted and compared with the actual values. If the predicted position deviates, the proposed models automatically adjusts itself, and the next prediction becomes closer to original values of position.     

Geochemical characteristics of the mud volcano fluids in southwestern Taiwan and their possible linkage to elevated arsenic concentration in Chianan plain groundwater

Fluid and mud samples were collected from Wushanting (WST), Hsiaokunshui (HKS), Yenshuikeng (YSK), Kuantzeling (KZL), and Kunshuiping (KSP) mud volcanoes of southwestern Taiwan. Concentrations of major ions and trace elements in mud volcanic fluids were analyzed to find the possible linkage to elevated arsenic (As) concentrations in the Chianan plain groundwater. The elevated Na⁺, K⁺, and Cl⁻ concentrations indicated possible marine origin of the fluids. The trace element concentrations in the mud volcanic fluids were generally low, but the As concentrations were up to 0.12 mg/L. High contents of As, Fe, and Mn were observed in the mud samples. Saturation index calculations indicated that both carbonate and oxide minerals acted as potential sinks for As in the mud volcanic fluids. Arsenic in the dewatering fluids and muds may be transported by the subsurface flow and surface streams as suspended solids and eventually deposited in the Chianan plain aquifers. Under reducing conditions, As may be released from the host minerals (such as Fe- and Mn-oxides/hydroxides), thereby causing widespread groundwater As pollution.