Mitigation of Flooding and Cyclone Hazard in Orissa, India

Storm surges generated by the strong tangential wind stressesand normal atmospheric pressure gradients at the sea surface due to tropical cyclones (TC'S)have been studied with the goal of detecting any significant and systematic changes due to climatechange. Cyclone and storm surge data for the 19th and 20th centuries for the Bay of Bengalcoast of the state of Orissa in India are available to varying degrees of quality and detail,the data being more scientific since the advent of the India Meteorological Department in 1875.Based on more precise data for the period 1971 to 2000, statistical projections have been madeon the probable intensities of tropical cyclones for various return periods. The super cyclone ofOctober 29, 1999 (SC1999) appears to have a return period of about 50 years. The cyclones of1831, 1885 and possibly the one in 1895 could have been super cyclones. During the 19th century,there were 72 flooding events associated with cyclones, whereas in the 20th century therewere only 56 events. There was no observational evidence to suggest that there was an increaseeither in the frequency or intensity of cyclones or storm surges on the coast of Orissa. However,the impact of cyclones and surges is on the increase due to increase of population and coastalinfrastructure.     

Geomagnetic activity control on VHF scintillations over an Indian low latitude station, Waltair (17.7‡N, 83.3‡E, 20‡N dip)

Using the data of amplitude scintillations recorded at 244 MHz from the geostationary satellite, FLEETSAT (73‡E) at a low latitude station, Waltair (17.7‡N, 83.3‡E, 20‡N dip), during the increasing sunspot activity period of 1997–2000, the effect of the geomagnetic storms on the occurrence of ionospheric scintillations has been studied. A total of 60 SC storms studied during this period, following the Aarons’ criterion, reveals that the local time of onset of the recovery phase of the geomagnetic storms play an important role in the generation or inhibition of the ionospheric irregularities. Out of the 60 storms studied, nearly 60 to 70% satisfied the categories I, II and III of Aarons’ criteria. However, in the remaining 30 to 40% of the cases, no consistent results were observed. Thus, there is a necessity for further investigation of the effect of geomagnetic storms on ionospheric irregularities, particularly with reference to the altitude variations of the F-layer (h’F) relating to the changes in the local electric fields.     

Groundwater quality in a coastal area: a case study from Andhra Pradesh, India

Over-exploitation of groundwater results in decline of water levels, leading to intrusion of salt water along the coastal region, which is a natural phenomenon. A groundwater quality survey has been carried out to assess such phenomena along the coast of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Brackish groundwaters are observed in most of the wells. The rest of the wells show a fresh water environment. The factors responsible for the brackish groundwater quality with respect to the influence of seawater are assessed, using the standard ionic ratios, such as Ca²⁺:Mg²⁺, TA:TH and Cl⁻:HCO⁻ ₃. Results suggest that the brackish nature in most of the groundwaters is not due to the seawater influence, but is caused by the hydrogeochemical process. Some influence of seawater on the groundwater quality is observed along the rock fractures. The combined effect of seawater and urban wastewaters is due to the inferior quality of groundwater in a few wells, where they are at topographic lows close to the coast.     

Numerical Study of the Circulation and Sediment Transport in the Mahanadi Estuary

The Mahanadi River is one of the largest river systems in the east coast of Indiaand the estuary drains and communicates with the Bay of Bengal. The seasonallyvarying fresh water river discharge and the intrusion of salt water from the baydepend on the flow associated with the semi-diurnal component of the astronomicaltide (dominated by M₂ component). A numerical model has been developed tosimulate and study the salinity structure, velocity profile, flow and circulation patternand have been compared with the observed data. A reasonably good agreement isnoticed between the model simulations and the observations. The model result hasbeen utilised to compute sediment load transport to the estuary channel over a tidalcycle as well as on a monthly time scale. The sediment load transport owing to monthlyclimatological rainfall is discussed and it is inferred that a dynamic equilibrium existson a long-term over good/bad monsoons.     

河北张北M6.2地震前怀来地震台的中短期异常

基于强震前主破裂潜在变化过程中产生的地壳形变异常及伴随地壳形变而产生的地下水化学前兆现象随时间变化显示出的动态异常，依据河北怀来地震台形变、地下流体观测资料，研究了1998年河北张北M6．2地震前地形变、地下流体异常特性及同步性，认为其有由短期向临震演化的不同阶段的群体演化特征。形变异常早于流体异常出现，临震异常集中，反映明显。断层气CO2、水汞体应变异常同时在震前2个月出现，显示出异常的集中性、同步性。     

河北怀来地震台体应变异常与河北张北M6.2地震

介绍了河北怀来地震台体应变仪器概况及观测资料的质量，以原始观测资料为基础，分析了异常图形和经Nakai拟合分析方法处理的震前异常特征．总结了1998年河北张北M6．2地震的体应变异常的映震效果，指出，体应变观测连续多次出现脉冲、阶变、应变固体潮畸变等异常可作为地震短临预测的指标。     

Effect of equatorial ionization anomaly on the occurrence of spread-F

The unique geometry of the geomagnetic field lines over the equatorial ionosphere coupled with the E–W electric field causes the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) and equatorial spread-F (ESF). lonosonde data obtained at a chain of four stations covering equator to anomaly crest region (0.3 to 33 °N dip) in the Indian sector are used to study the role of EIA and the associated processes on the occurrence of ESF. The study period pertains to the equinoctial months (March, April, September and October) of 1991. The ratios of critical frequency of F-layer (f₀F₂) and electron densities at an altitude of 270 km between Ahmedabad (33 °N dip) and Waltair (20 °N dip) are found to shoot up in the afternoon hours on spread-F days showing strengthening of the EIA in the afternoon hours. The study confirms the earlier conclusions made by Raghava Rao et al. and Alex et al. that a well-developed EIA is one of the conditions conducive for the generation of ESF. This study also shows that the location of the crest is also important in addition to the strength of the anomaly.     

An intense SFE and SSC event in geomagnetic H, Y and Z fields at the Indian chain of observatories

Changes in the three components of geomagnetic field are reported at the chain of ten geomagnetic observatories in India during an intense solar crochet that occurred at 1311 h 75° EMT on 15 June 1991 and the subsequent sudden commencement (SSC) of geomagnetic storm at 1518h on 17 June 1991. The solar flare effects (SFE) registered on the magnetograms appear to be an augmentation of the ionospheric current system existing at the start time of the flare. An equatorial enhancement in AH due to SFE is observed to be similar in nature to the latitudinal variation of SQ (H) at low latitude. AF registered the largest effect at 3.6° dip latitude at the fringe region of the electrojet. AZ had positive amplitudes at the equatorial stations and negative at stations north of Hyderabad. The SSC amplitude in the H component is fairly constant with latitude, whereas the Z component again showed larger positive excursions at stations within the electrojet belt. These results are discussed in terms of possible currents of internal and external origin. The changes in the Y field strongly support the idea that meridional current at an equatorial electrojet station flows in the ionospheric dynamo, E.Presently at: School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia     

载流无限长螺线管磁场分布的证明

本文从磁场方程出发，对载流无限长螺线管的磁场分布进行了全面的证明。