Variety of well behaved exact solutions of Einstein–Maxwell field equations: an application to Strange Quark stars, Neutron stars and Pulsars

We present a variety of well behaved classes of Charge Analogues of Tolman’s iv (1939). These solutions describe charged fluid balls with positively finite central pressure, positively finite central density; their ratio is less than one and causality condition is obeyed at the centre. The outmarch of pressure, density, pressure-density ratio and the adiabatic speed of sound is monotonically decreasing, however, the electric intensity is monotonically increasing in nature. These solutions give us wide range of parameter for every positive value of n for which the solution is well behaved hence, suitable for modeling of super dense stars. keeping in view of well behaved nature of these solutions, one new class of solutions is being studied extensively. Moreover, this class of solutions gives us wide range of constant K (0.3≤K≤0.91) for which the solution is well behaved hence, suitable for modeling of super dense stars like Strange Quark stars, Neutron stars and Pulsars. For this class of solutions the mass of a star is maximized with all degree of suitability, compatible with Quark stars, Neutron stars and Pulsars. By assuming the surface density ρ _b =2×10¹⁴ g/cm³ (like, Brecher and Caporaso in Nature 259:377, 1976), corresponding to K=0.30 with X=0.39, the resulting well behaved model has the mass M=2.12M _Θ, radius r _b ≈15.27 km and moment of inertia I=4.482×10⁴⁵ g cm²; for K=0.4 with X=0.31, the resulting well behaved model has the mass M=1.80M _Θ, radius r _b ≈14.65 km and moment of inertia I=3.454×10⁴⁵ g cm²; and corresponding to K=0.91 with X=0.135, the resulting well behaved model has the mass M=0.83M _Θ, radius r _b ≈11.84 km and moment of inertia I=0.991×10⁴⁵ g cm². For n=0 we rediscovered Pant et al. (in Astrophys. Space Sci. 333:161, 2011b) well behaved solution. These values of masses and moment of inertia are found to be consistent with other models of Neutron stars and Pulsars available in the literature and are applicable for the Crab and the Vela Pulsars.     

Monitoring and evaluation of seasonal snow cover in Kashmir valley using remote sensing,GIS and ancillary data

Seasonal snow cover is a vital natural resource in the Himalaya. Monitoring of the areal extent of seasonal snow cover is important for both climatological studies as well as hydrological applications. In the present paper, snow cover monitoring was carried out to evaluate the region-wise accumulation and ablation pattern of snow cover in Pir Panjal and Shamshawari ranges of Kashmir valley. The study was carried out for the winter period between November and April of 2004–05, 2005–06 and 2006–07, using multi-temporal WiFS sensor data of IRS-1C/1D satellites. The study shows reduction in the areal extent of seasonal snow cover and rising trend of maximum temperature in three winters for the entire Kashmir valley. This has been validated with 20 years (1988–89 to 2007–08) climatic conditions prevailed in both ranges of Kashmir valley. Region-wise study shows the spatial and temporal variability in seasonal snow cover within Kashmir valley. Advance melting was observed in Banihal and Naugam/Tangdhar regions than Gurez and Machhal regions. Different geographical parameters of these regions were studied to evaluate the influence on snow cover and it was observed that altitude and position of region with respect to mountain range are the deciding factors for retaining the seasonal snow cover for longer duration. Such region-wise study of snow cover monitoring, can provide vital inputs for planning the hydropower projects, development in habitat areas, recreational and strategic planning in the region.     

Landforms along transverse faults parallel to axial zone of folded mountain front,north-eastern Kumaun Sub-Himalaya,India

The shape of the frontal part of the Himalaya around the north-eastern corner of the Kumaun Sub-Himalaya, along the Kali River valley, is defined by folded hanging wall rocks of the Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT). Two parallel faults (Kalaunia and Tanakpur faults) trace along the axial zone of the folded HFT. Between these faults, the hinge zone of this transverse fold is relatively straight and along these faults, the beds abruptly change their attitudes and their widths are tectonically attenuated across two hinge lines of fold. The area is constituted of various surfaces of coalescing fans and terraces. Fans comprise predominantly of sandstone clasts laid down by the steep-gradient streams originating from the Siwalik range. The alluvial fans are characterised by compound and superimposed fans with high relief, which are generated by the tectonic activities associated with the thrusting along the HFT. The truncated fan along the HFT has formed a 100 m high-escarpment running E–W for ～5 km. Quaternary terrace deposits suggest two phases of tectonic uplift in the basal part of the hanging wall block of the HFT dipping towards the north. The first phase is represented by tilting of the terrace sediments by ～30 ^° towards the NW; while the second phase is evident from deformed structures in the terrace deposit comprising mainly of reverse faults, fault propagation folds, convolute laminations, flower structures and back thrust faults. The second phase produced ～1.0 m offset of stratification of the terrace along a thrust fault. Tectonic escarpments are recognised across the splay thrust near south of the HFT trace. The south facing hill slopes exhibit numerous landslides along active channels incising the hanging wall rocks of the HFT. The study area shows weak seismicity. The major Moradabad Fault crosses near the study area. This transverse fault may have suppressed the seismicity in the Tanakpur area, and the movement along the Moradabad and Kasganj–Tanakpur faults cause the neotectonic activities as observed. The role of transverse fault tectonics in the formation of the curvature cannot be ruled out.     

Relativistic supermassive stars

A plausible scenario for the formation of a stable supermassive star in the relativistic regime has been discussed. The onset of the negativity of the `distribution function' in the stable sequences of the star clusters [the stability of star clusters is assured by using the variational method (Chandrasekhar, 1964a,b) for equivalent gas spheres] described by Tolman's type VII solution with vanishing surface density has been regarded as an indication of the conversion of the cluster structure into a supermassive star. For the critical values of the `adiabatic index', (4/3) < _crit (5/3) (forwhich a supermassive star represent neutrally stable system), the mass, and the size of this object comes out to be 6.87 × 10⁷ M M 1.7 × 10⁹M, and 2.74× 10¹⁴ cm a 1.43× 10¹⁵cm respectively, for the central temperature,T₀ = 6× 10⁷°K, which is sufficient for the release ofnuclear energy. The total energy released during their evolution rangesfrom 2.46× 10⁶⁰ - 3.18× 10⁶² erg, which is sufficient to power these objects at least for a period of 10⁶ - 10⁷years. These figures agrees quite well with those cited for Quasi Stellar Objects (QSOs) in the literature.     

Evidence of low density sub-crustal underplating beneath western continental region of India and adjacent Arabian Sea: Geodynamical considerations

The known high mobility of the Indian subcontinent during the period from 80 to 53 Ma has evoked considerable interest in recent times. It appears to have played an important role in shaping the subcontinental structures of western India and the adjoining Arabian Sea. During this period, a major catastrophic event took place in the form of Deccan volcanism, which coincides with the biological mass extinction at the K-T boundary, including the death of dinosaurs. The origin of Deccan volcanism is still being debated.Geophysically, western India and its offshore regions exhibit numerous prominent anomalies which testify to the abnormal nature of the underlying crust-lithosphere. In this work, we develop a two-dimensional structural model of these areas along two long profiles extending from the eastern basin of the Arabian Sea to about 1000 km inland. The model, derived from the available gravity data in the oceanic and continental regions, is constrained by seismic and other relevant information in the area, and suggests, for the first time, the presence of an extensive low-density (2.95–3.05 g/cm³) sub-crustal underplating. Such a layer is found to occur between depths of 11 and 20 km in the eastern basin of the Arabian Sea, and betweeen 45 and 60 km in the continental region where it is sandwiched in the lower lithosphere. The low density may have been caused as a result of serpentinization or fractionation of magma by a process related in some way to the Deccan volcanic event. Substantial depletion of both oceanic and continental lithosphere is indicated. We hypothesize that the present anatomy of the deformed lithosphere of the region at the K-T boundary is the result of substantial melt generated owing to frictional heat possibly giving rise to a hot cell like condition at the base of the lithosphere, resulting from the rapid movement of the Indian subcontinent between 80 and 53 Ma.     

A matrix method for heat conduction in multi-layered media

Summary A matrix formalism is developed to facilitate computation of temperature distribution in the steady state in the interior of a multi-layered earth. The idealized model consists of homogeneous and isotropic layers of constant (but arbitrary) values of heat production as well as thermal conductivities. The known surface data is continued by this method to define the thermal structure at any desired point of the interior for planar and spherical stratification. Extension of the problem to the unsteady flow conditions has been presented.     

A reinterpretation of the linear heat flow and heat production relationship for the exponential model of the heat production in the crust

Summary. The conventional assumption of the equality of the slope of the empirical linear heat flow/heat generation relation and the logarithmic decrement in the exponential model of the heat production is not valid. The rigorous analysis of the heat flow equation shows that, with the increase of the magnitude of the slope, the invalidity becomes significant. In the Indian shield region, the available estimate of the slope is 14.8 km, while the corresponding logarithmic decrement value is 17.2 km, However, it may be emphasized that in the step model the slope is rightly interpreted as the thickness of the radioactive layer.     

Vertical component MAGSAT anomalies and Indian tectonic boundaries

MAGSAT vertical component (Z-component) of crustal anomalies are correlated for the first time with major geological and tectonic boundaries/features of the Indian subcontinent. A prominent ‘low’ is consistently observed on all the profiles centred between 19° and 23° latitudes over the broad Peninsular ‘high’. The other conspicuous ‘low’ indicated from the present work is confined to the region above Sarda depression (29° N to 31° N) in the foothills of Himalayas. Interesting magnetic signatures are identified over the Narmada-Son rift and Godavari graben.     

Global volcanism, biological mass extinctions and the galactic vertical motion of the solar system

Summary. The recent findings of nearly matching long-term cyclicity in biological mass extinctions, geomagnetic reversals, impact cratering and other terrestrial processes have evoked a major controversy. We report here a compilation and analysis of major global magmatic episodes showing a significant enhancement of volcanic activity with a periodicity of 33 million years for the last 250 million years. These magmatic episodes match extremely well the best available astronomical estimates of the periodic (31 ± 5 Myr) galactic-disc crossing events during vertical motions of the solar system. These events also have a close linkage with the marine biological mass extinctions and other geological rhythms. It is argued that the prolonged volcanic activity, instead of impact cratering, may have been the more immediate primary cause for profound climatic and other environmental deterioration sufficient to create biological crises on a global scale. The volcanic periodicity scheme is well supported by the evidence of recent increases in volcanic activity. However, the alternative hypothesis of the death star 'Nemesis' can be rejected, since it does not explain the recent increase in volcanism and impact cratering during the last 4 ± 3 Myr in view of its quieter apehelion position lying beyond the Oort cloud of comets.