The inner ramp facies of the Thanetian Lockhart Formation,western Salt Range,Indus Basin,Pakistan

The Lockhart Formation from a major carbonate unit of the Paleocene Charrat Group in Upper Indus Basin, Pakistan represents a larger foraminiferal–algal build up deposited in a cyclic sequence of the carbonate ramp. The foraminiferal–algal assemblages of the Lockhart Formation are correlated here to larger foraminiferal biostratigraphic zone, i.e. Shallow Benthic Zone (SBZ3) of the Thanetian Age. Inner ramp lagoon, shoal and fore shoal open marine are three main facies associations represented by wackstone and packstone foraminiferal–algal deposits. These facies are present in a cyclic order and displayed a retrograding carbonate ramp indicating the Thanetian transgressive deposits associated with eustatic sea level rise. The correlation of the microfacies of the Lockhart Formation (Upper Indus Basin) and facies of the Dungan Formation (Lower Indus Basin) provide detailed configuration of the depositional setting of the Indus Basin during the time interval represented by the Thanetian Zone SBZ3.     

Using stable isotopes of nitrogen to study its source and transformation in a heavily farmed watershed

Twenty private wells and ten stream locations were sampled to assess the source and fate of dissolved nitrate in the Cedar River watershed of Iowa, USA. The average levels of nitrate in groundwater decreased from 39.5 mg/L in May, to 38 mg/L in July, to 30 mg/L in September. Although several surface water samples exceeded MCL in May, most values dropped to below 20 mg/L by July and September. The decreasing N levels were attributed to the gradual uptake of nitrate by growing crops as well as the cyanobacterial growth in the aquatic systems. The δ¹⁵N values of dissolved nitrate in groundwater ranged from +0.45 to +5.35‰, whereas those in surface water ranged from +1.48 to +5.16‰. The results suggested that commercial fertilizers and soil organic nitrogen were probably mixed up in their transport pathways. A fertilizer-only source would provide much lower delta values, whereas soil nitrogen would provide higher than observed delta values. Denitrification was considered unlikely because of the low δ¹⁵N values, high nitrate concentrations, and moderately high DO content in groundwater. Animal wastes were not found as a possible source of nitrate in the water. This is supported by the low chloride concentrations and lower than 10‰ delta values in the water samples. The study demonstrates that nitrogen isotope data in coordination with the dissolved nitrate levels and land use can be effectively used in nitrogen source identification and its transformation studies.     

New paleomagnetic results from the northern margin of the Kohistan Island Arc

Different phases of remanent magnetizations have been identified in the Cretaceous–Tertiary rocks collected from the northern margin of the Kohistan Island Arc, northern Pakistan. Among them, a magnetite-related component is recognized as the most useful one because of its relatively stable behaviour and widespread presence in the volcanics and red beds. Calculation of mean direction for this component reveal two visible groupings in terms of paleomagnetic directions (Yasin + Baris Group: D?=?341.6º, I?=?10.6º, α ₉₅?=?23.3 º, k?=?11.7, N?=?5; Sandhi Group: D?=?28.4º, I?=??27.4º, α ₉₅?=?32.5 º, k?=?8.96, N?=?4). The fold tests applied to both these groups are inconclusive, indicating a syn-folding to post-folding origin for this component. A set of inclinations from this study provide new insight into post-collision northward displacement of the Kohistan Arc with respect to its surrounding terranes. Reliability of the paleomagnetic declinations from this study is not fully guaranteed, but when compared with previously reported paleomagnetic directions, a systematic increase in counter-clockwise deflections towards west has been detected along this paleo-island arc. This trend of declinations is well matched with the extrusion model of Asia, where counter-clockwise rotation has been suggested for the tectonic terranes around Western Himalaya. Another important observation is a divergence in paleomagnetic declinations across the rivers, which may indicate the presence of faulted zones under the cover of flowing water. This aspect can be compared to recent geological interpretations that Kohistan may not have acted as a rigid block following its collision with India but may have been deformed through localized shears and faults.     

Impact of Siberian High on rainfall variability over Northern part of Indo-Pak region

Anticyclones dominate the weather over most of the eastern and the southern Asia during the winter season. This study examines the impact of Siberian High on winter rainfall variability over South Asia. In this paper, the teleconnections between the Siberian High and winter precipitation that cover the northern part of Indo-Pak region have been discussed. The objective indices of area-weighted pressure and area-weighted latitudinal and longitudinal movements high are used to find out the linkage between the winter rainfall in the mentioned region and the Siberian High. The analysis shows that rainfall pattern is significantly correlated with latitudinal displacement of the Siberian High. We have constructed a linear model of the winter rainfall using Siberian High latitude and Nino34 which explains 27 % variance of the winter precipitation for the region under study. The article also explains the physical mechanisms to establish the relationships between the Siberian High and regional rainfall.     

Detection of fluvial sand systems using seismic attributes and continuous wavelet transform spectral decomposition: case study from the Gulf of Thailand

Fluvial sands host excellent oil and gas reservoirs in various fields throughout the world. However, the lateral heterogeneity of reservoir properties within these reservoirs can be significant and determining the distribution of good reservoirs is a challenge. This study attempts to predict sand distribution within fluvial depositional systems by applying the Continuous Wavelet Transformation technique of spectral decomposition along with full spectrum seismic attributes, to a 3D seismic data set in the Pattani Basin, Gulf of Thailand. Full spectrum seismic attributes such as root mean square and coherency help to effectively map fluvial systems down to certain depth below which imaging is difficult in the intervals of interest in this study. However, continuous wavelet transform used in conjunction with other attributes by applying visualization techniques of transparency and RGB can be used at greater depths to extract from 3D seismic data useful information of fluvial depositional elements. This workflow may help to identify different reservoir compartments within the fluvial systems of the Gulf of Thailand.     

Periodic orbits in the photogravitational restricted problem with the smaller primary an oblate body

In this paper, we have studied periodic orbits generated by Lagrangian solutions of the restricted three body problem when more massive body is a source of radiation and the smaller primary is an oblate body. We have determined periodic orbits for fixed values of μ, σ and different values of p and h (μ mass ratio of the two primaries, σ oblate parameter, p radiation parameter and h energy constant). These orbits have been determined by giving displacements along the tangent and normal to the mobile co-ordinates as defined by Karimov and Sokolsky (in Celest. Mech. 46:335, 1989). These orbits have been drawn by using the predictor-corrector method. We have also studied the effect of radiation pressure on the periodic orbits by taking some fixed values of μ and σ.     

Mapping of accumulated nitrogen in the sediment pore water of a eutrophic lake in Iowa, USA

A large pool of nitrogen in the sediment pore fluid of a eutrophic lake in Iowa, USA, was mapped in this study. Previously, the lake had supported fishing and boating, but today it no longer supports its designated uses as a recreational water body. In the top 5 cm of the lake bottom, the pore water nitrogen ranges between 3.1 and 1,250 μg/cm³ of sediments, with an average of 160.3 μg/cm³. Vertically, nitrate concentrations were measured as 153 μg/cm³ at 0–10 cm, 162 μg/cm³ at 10–20 cm, and 32 μg/cm³ at 20–30 cm. Nitrate mass distribution was quantified as 3.67 × 10³ kg (65%) in the bottom sediments, 172 kg (3%) in suspended particulates, and 1.83 × 10³ kg (32%) in the dissolved phase. Soil runoff nutrients arrive at the lake from the heavily fertilized lands in the watershed. Upon sedimentation, a large mass of nitrogen desorbs from mineral particles to the relatively immobile pore fluid. Under favorable conditions, this nitrogen diffuses back into the water column, thereby dramatically limiting the lake’s capability to process incoming nutrients from farmlands. Consequently, a condition of oxygen deficiency disrupts the post-season biological activities in the lake.     

Amendments affect lead mobility and modulated chemo-speciation under different moisture regimes in normal and salt-affected lead-contaminated soils

The total lead content in the soil itself is insufficient as a measure to indicate the actual environmental risks related to the presence of lead in the soil. Understanding the mobility of lead and its chemical speciation in soil solution is of great importance for accurately assessing environmental risks posed by lead. Therefore, a laboratory study was carried out to evaluate the effect of inorganic amendments (gypsum, rock phosphate and di-ammonium phosphate) on lead mobility and chemical speciation under different moisture regimes (flooding regime and 75 % field capacity) in normal and salt-affected lead-contaminated soils. After 2, 7, 15, 30, 100 and 110 days of incubation, pore water samples were collected by using Rhizon soil moisture samplers. In order to estimate the chemical speciation of lead in pore water, Visual MINTEQ 3.0 modeling approach was used. The results showed that presence of free Pb²⁺, PbCl⁺, Pb(SO₄) ₂ ^2? , and PbH₂PO₄ ⁺ was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected by the soil moisture regime, incubation time and applied amendments in lead-contaminated soils. The Visual MINTEQ 3.0 predicted free Pb²⁺ species concentration was found higher in lead-contaminated soils, while PbCl⁺ was more pronounced in salt-affected soils. Gypsum increased the occurrence of Pb(SO₄) ₂ ^2? , while di-ammonium phosphate and rock phosphate enhanced the PbH₂PO₄ ⁺ species formation and decreased free Pb²⁺ species in pore water. Thus, gypsum is the most effective in reducing lead and free Pb²⁺ species concentrations in the pore water under different soil moisture regimes and incubation times in normal and salt-affected lead-contaminated soils.