Morphometric analysis of the upper catchment of Kosi River using GIS techniques

Geographical Information System (GIS) have proved to be an efficient tool in the delineation of drainage pattern for water resources management and its planning. In this study, GIS and image processing techniques have been adopted for the identification of morphological features and analyzing the properties of the upper catchment of Kosi River. The basin area includes the high-altitude Himalayan Mountains, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga peaks. This basin is the main contributing area for devastating floods in 2008 in the Bihar state of India. The catchment can be divided into three sub-catchments, namely, Arun, Sunkosi, and Tamur. A morphometric analysis shows the nature of drainage in the upper catchment of Kosi River and some causes behind the high-intensity floods by comparing the properties of these three sub-catchments. It shows that the highest-order drains are present in both Arun and Sunkosi and the length of the first-order drains is very high (6,088 km) due to the absence of vegetation and also due to the barren/rocky surface which has tremendous potential to generate runoff. Due to highest mean channel gradient in Tamur sub-basin compared to others, it has the highest flow kinetic velocity. Also, the results show that the Arun sub-catchment has the highest potential to contribute runoff and sediment. One of the major causes behind the high intensity of floods is that the sub-catchments Arun and Sunkosi have a nearly equal time of concentration, so they contribute their peak floods at the same time and hence double the intensity of floods.     

The effect of dissolved barium on biogeochemical processes at cold seeps

A numerical model was applied to investigate and quantify the biogeochemical processes fueled by the expulsion of barium and methane-rich fluids in the sediments of a giant cold-seep area in the Derugin Basin (Sea of Okhotsk). Geochemical profiles of dissolved Ba²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ca²⁺, SO₄²⁻, HS⁻, DIC, I⁻ and of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) were fitted numerically to constrain the transport processes and the kinetics of biogeochemical reactions. The model results indicate that the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is the major process proceeding at a depth-integrated rate of 4.9 μmol cm⁻² a⁻¹, followed by calcium carbonate and strontian barite precipitation/dissolution processes having a total depth-integrated rate of 2.1 μmol cm⁻² a⁻¹. At the low seepage rate prevailing at our study site (0.14 cm a⁻¹) all of the rising barium is consumed by precipitation of barite in the sedimentary column and no benthic barium flux is produced. Numerical experiments were run to investigate the response of this diagenetic environment to variations of hydrological and biogeochemical conditions. Our results show that relatively low rates of fluid flow (<∼5 cm a⁻¹) promote the dispersed precipitation of up to 26 wt% of barite and calcium carbonate throughout the uppermost few meters of the sedimentary column. Distinct and persistent events (several hundreds of years long) of more vigorous fluid flow (from 20-110 cm a⁻¹), instead, result in the formation of barite-carbonate crusts near the sediment surface. Competition between barium and methane for sulfate controls the mineralogy of these sediment precipitates such that at low dissolved methane/barium ratios (<4-11) barite precipitation dominates, while at higher methane/barium ratios sulfate availability is limited by AOM and calcium carbonate prevails. When seepage rates exceed 110 cm a⁻¹, barite precipitation occurs at the seafloor and is so rapid that barite chimneys form in the water column. In the Derugin Basin, spectacular barite constructions up to 20 m high, which cover an area of roughly 22 km² and contain in excess of 5 million tons of barite, are built through this process. In these conditions, our model calculates a flux of barium to the water column of at least 20 μmol cm⁻² a⁻¹. We estimate that a minimum of 0.44 × 10⁶ mol a⁻¹ are added to the bottom waters of the Derugin Basin by cold seep processes, likely affecting the barium cycle in the Sea of Okhotsk.     

Zur Deckentektonik des Hochbalkans

Zusammenfassung Im Botewgebiet der Stara Planina (Hochbalkan) liegt inmitten paläozoischer, mesozoischer und tertiärer Schichten ein 30 km langer und 12 km breiter Granitkomplex, der als autochthone Einheit, aber auch als Deckscholle gedeutet worden ist. Die Deckennatur des Komplexes wird durch die großtektonischen Verhältnisse eindeutig belegt. Der Bewegungsplan besitzt meridionale Symmetrie, die tektonischen Haupttransporte erfolgten von S nach N. Groß- und Kleingefüge entsprechen einander. Das Liegende der Decke besitzt keine einheitliche Prägung. Diskordante Lagerungsverhältnisse lassen variszische, kimmerische, kretazische, laramische und pyrenäische Bewegungen erkennen.     

Globalized conflicts of discourse: the type of conflict of proxies*

The article describes a new form of transnational environmental conflict that developed in the wake of globalisation. Activist in this new type of conflict still act as proxies of groups under pressure but in contrast to transnational environmental conflicts hitherto the target of their protests is rather their own society at home than the location of the pressured group. Despite these conditions it is claimed that this type of metaphorical conflict is going to become more frequent as alliances are built along the oppostion to a dominant discourse. According to the model, conflicts of values are easier to transfer on stages abroad or across the Atlantic than conflicts of interests and motivation for activists is higher as the return is affecting their home society. Dynamic and features of this type of conflict are explained with help of discourse theory.     

On the Multiplicity of the O-Star Cyg OB2 #8a and its Contribution to the γ-ray Source 3EG J2033+4118

We present the results of an intensive spectroscopic campaign in the optical waveband revealing that Cyg OB2 #8A is an O6+O5.5 binary system with a period of about 21.9 days. Cyg OB2 #8A is a bright X-ray source, as well as a non-thermal radio emitter. We discuss the binarity of this star in the framework of a campaign devoted to the study of non-thermal emitters, from the radio waveband to γ-rays. In this context, we attribute the non-thermal radio emission from this star to a population of relativistic electrons, accelerated by the shock of the wind-wind collision. These relativistic electrons could also be responsible for a putative γ-ray emission through inverse Compton scattering of photospheric UV photons, thus contributing to the yet unidentified EGRET source 3EG J2033+4118. Based partly on data Obtained at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence, France.     

Lithic fragments,glasses and chondrules from Luna 16 fines

Bulk compositions of igneous and microbreccia lithic fragments, glasses, and chondrules from Luna 16 fines as well as compositions of minerals in basaltic lithic fragments were determined with the electron microprobe. Igneous lithic fragments and glasses are divided into two groups, the anorthositic-noritic-troctolitic (hereafter referred to as ANT) and basaltic groups. Chondrules are always of ANT composition and microbreccia lithic fragments are divided into groups 1 and 2. The conclusions reached may be summarized as follows: (1) Luna 16 fines are more similar in composition to Apollo 11 than to Apollo 12 and 14 materials (e.g. Apollo 11 igneous lithic fragments and glasses fall into similar ANT and basaltic groups; abundant norites in Luna 16 and Apollo 11 are not KREEP as in Apollo 12 and 14; Luna 16 basaltic lithic fragments may represent high-K and low-K suites as is the case for Apollo 11; rare colorless to greenish, FeO-rich and TiO₂-poor glasses were found in both Apollo 11 and Luna 16; Luna 16 spinels are similar to Apollo 11 spinels but unlike those from Apollo 12). (2) No difference was noted in the composition of lithic fragments, glasses and chondrules from Luna 16 core tube layers A and D. (3) Microbreccia lithic fragments of group 1 originated locally by mixing of high proportions of basaltic with small proportions of ANT materials. (4) Glasses are the compositional analogs to the lithic fragments and not to the microbreccias; most glasses were produced directly from igneous rocks. (5) Glasses show partial loss of Na and K due to vaporization in the vitrification process. (6) Luna 16 chondrules have ANT but not basaltic composition. It is suggested that either liquid droplets of ANT composition are more apt to nucleate from the supercooled state; or basaltic droplets have largely been formed in small and ANT droplets in large impact events (in the latter case, probability for homogeneous and inhomogeneous nucleation is larger. (7) No evidence for ferric iron and water-bearing minerals was found. (8) Occurrence of a great variety of igneous rocks in Luna 16 samples (anorthosite, noritic anorthosite, anorthositic norite, olivine norite, troctolite, and basalt) confirm our earlier conclusion that large-scale melting or partial melting to considerable depth and extensive igneous differentiation must have occurred on the moon.