Integrated approach for demarcating the fracture zone for well site location : A case study near Gumla and Lohardaga,Bihar

In recent years satellite remote sensing techniques have greatly aided identification of fractures/joints/faults in connection with groundwater exploration. However, due to some constraints in filtering out the type of fracture i.e. shear fracture, tensional fracture, mineralised fracture etc. as to their “open or closed” nature from groundwater aspects, there is need of adding geophysical survey, particularly resistivity survey to further enhance the accuracy, and hence minimise drilling failures. The area under study is a part of Ranchi plateau and lithologically comprising of granite-gneiss. The present paper lays stress on an integrated approach for localising well sites through satellite data analysis and resistivity profiling along with vertical electrical sounding which is based on fracture patterns. With this combined effort i.e. firstly considering the surfacial features like drainage, geomorpho-logy, lithology and lineaments, and secondly taking into account geophysical survey aspects, i.e. depth and thickness of fracture zone, lateral extent, different layer parameter, etc., fairly accurate results are achieved. In the presnt study this type of an integrated survey has been carried out in Lohardaga and Gumla districts in Bihar, the results of which are highlighted in the paper.     

Spatial Distribution of the Biotic Community in the Thermal Gradients of the Two Hot Springs

The runoff channels of two hot springs are investigated at seven and six stations with water temperatures of 64 … 34 or 44 … 35 °C, respectively. The temperatures are constant in the annual variation. With decreasing temperature, the pH-values and alkalinity decrease, whereas the hydrogen carbonate content and the orthophosphate concentration increase. In the range above 60 °C the mat consists of cyanophyceae and bacteria, and, unexpectedly, already from 60 °C also diatoms occur as dominant forms, below 40 °C the mat consisting of green algae and diatoms. With rotatoria, crustaceae and insects, herbivorous species occur only below 40 °C, fish species are regularly found below 38 °C.     

Uranium (-nickel-cobalt-molybdenum) mineralization along the Singhbhum copper belt,India, and the problem of ore genesis

Uranium mineralization is present at many places along the 200 km long Singhbhum copper belt, but the mineralization is relatively concentrated at the central part of it. The belt is characterized by many shear zone features, such as mylonites, phyllonites, and L-S type of structures and of course, copious metasomatism. Country rocks are basic schists, metapelites, quartzose rocks and albite schist/gneiss (Soda Granite). Orebodies are sheet-like, conformable with the pervasive planar structures in the host rocks. No pronounced wall rock alteration accompanied the mineralization. Grade of the ore is low (<0.1% U₃O₈). The principal uraniferous mineral uraninite occurs as dissemination. Other uranium-bearing minerals include pitchblende, allanite, xenotime, davidite, clarkeite, autunite (-metaautunite), torbernite, schoepite (-metaschoepite) and uranophane. Uranium is also present in a number of refractory phases either as inclusion of uraninite or in the crystal structure. Additionally, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum are present at Jaduguda-Bhatin in the form of millerite, gersdorffite, melonite, nickel-bearing pyrite, molybdenite etc. Dominance of uraninite over pitchblende and the larger cell-edge of uraninite, development of hematite-bearing quartz and Na-oligoclase at places in the ore zone, association of uranium mineralization with Ni-Co-Mo(-S-As) mineralization at Jaduguda-Bhatin and continuation of the orebodies to considerable depths, suggest that the uranium mineralization along the Singhbhum belt belongs to moderate to high temperature vein type. The age obtained by Pb²⁰⁷/Pb²⁰⁶ ratio and the concordia method suggest that the uranium mineralization in Singhbhum took place 1500–1600 Ma ago and this age is not far different from the age of formation of uranium-vein deposits in many other Precambrian shields of the world. The following two mechanisms of the formation of the deposits are discussed: 1) uranium precipitated in the Dhanjori basal sediments was mobilized during deformation and metamorphism into ore deposits, 2) the hydrodynamic system that leached out copper from the metabasic rocks to form the copper deposits at an earlier stage, could, in one of the oxidised pulses leach out uranium from the basal sediments and precipitate it in the favourable situations. Subsequent small-scale redistribution is possible. Constituents of the Ni-Co-(-S-As) mineralization appear to have been contributed by the volcanic-sedimentary pile.     

Experimental superensemble forecasts of tropical cyclones over the Bay of Bengal

This study entails the implementation of an experimental real time forecast capability for tropical cyclones over the Bay of Bengal basin of North Indian Ocean. This work is being built on the experience gained from a number of recent studies using the concept of superensemble developed at the Florida State University (FSU). Real time hurricane forecasts are one of the major components of superensemble modeling at FSU. The superensemble approach of training followed by real time forecasts produces the best forecasts for tracks and intensity (up to 5 days) of Atlantic hurricanes and Pacific typhoons. Improvements in track forecasts of about 25–35% compared to current operational forecast models has been noted over the Atlantic Ocean basin. The intensity forecasts for hurricanes are only marginally better than the best models. In this paper, we address tropical cyclone forecasts over the Bay of Bengal for the years 1996–2000. The main result from this study is that the position and intensity errors for tropical cyclone forecasts over the Bay of Bengal from the multimodel superensemble are generally less than those of all of the participating models during 1- to 3-day forecasts. Some of the major tropical cyclones, such as the November 1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone and October 1999 Orissa super cyclone were well handled by this superensemble approach. A conclusion from this study is that the proposed approach may be a viable way to construct improved forecasts of Bay of Bengal tropical cyclone positions and intensity.     

Seismic rotational displacement of gravity walls by pseudo-dynamic method: Passive case

Prediction of the seismic rotational displacements of retaining wall under passive condition is an important aspect of design in earthquake prone region. In this paper, the pseudo-dynamic method is used to compute the rotational displacements of rigid retaining wall supporting cohesionless backfill under seismic loading for the passive earth pressure condition. The proposed method considers time, phase difference and effect of amplification in shear and primary waves propagating through both the backfill and the retaining wall. The influence of ground motion characteristics on rotational displacement of the wall is evaluated. Also the effects of variation of parameters like wall friction angle, soil friction angle, amplification factor, shear wave velocity, primary wave velocity, period of lateral shaking, horizontal and vertical seismic accelerations on the rotational displacements are studied. The rotational displacement of the wall increases substantially with increase in amplification of both shear and primary waves, time of input motion, period of lateral shaking and decreases with increase in soil friction angle, wall friction angle. The rotational displacements of the wall also increase when the effect of wall inertia is taken into account. Results are provided in graphical form.     

A Geographic Information System approach to evaluation of groundwater potentiality of Shamri micro-watershed in the Shimla Taluk, Himachal Pradesh

GIS. a potential tool for facilitating the generation and use of thematic information, has been applied to groundwater potentiality of the Shamri micro-watershed in Shimla Taluk. The role of various parameters, namely, drainage. lineament. lithology . slope and landuse have been emphasised for delineation of groundwater potential iones. IRS-I C IAN and LISS Ill FCC merged satellite images on 1:25000 scale and Topographic map no. 53L/4 SI together with field traverses have been used as the data source. A multi-criteria evaluation following probability weighted approach has been applied for overlay analysis that allows a linear combination of weights of each thematic map with the individual capability value. 1 he resultant map indicates a high groundwater potentiality in the flood plains, river terraces and river channels in the vicinity of the Shamri nala. Other sites of high potentiality include places showing break in slopes and criss-crossing of lineaments.     

The Non-Linear Stability of L4 in the Restricted Three-Body Problem when the Bigger Primary is a Triaxial Rigid Body

The non-linear stability of L ₄ in the restricted three-body problem has been studied when the bigger primary is a triaxial rigid body with its equatorial plane coincident with the plane of motion. It is found that L ₄ is stable in the range of linear stability except for three mass ratios:

Palaeomonsoon and palaeoproductivity records of δ18O, δ{13}C and CaCO3 variations in the northern Indian Ocean sedimentsC and CaCO3 variations in the northern Indian Ocean sediments

δ¹⁸ O and δ¹³C of G.sacculifer have been measured in five cores from the northern Indian Ocean. In addition, high resolution analysis (1 to 2 cm) was performed on one core (SK-20-185) for both δ¹⁸O and gd¹³C in five species of planktonic foraminifera. CaCO₃ variation was measured in two cores. The results, presented here, show that

Prime controls on Archaean–Palaeoproterozoic sedimentation: Change over time

Although the principle of uniformitarianism may be applied to the Precambrian sedimentary record as a whole, certain periods of the Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic witnessed a changing pattern of prime influences controlling the depositional systems. This paper examines the major controls on sedimentation systems and environments during the Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic within the broader perspective of Earth evolution. Earth's earliest sedimentary system (4.4?-3.7 Ga) was presumably comprised of deep oceanic realms and probably influenced primarily by bolide impacts, major tsunamis, localized traction and global contour current patterns, and bathymetry. As continental crust began to form, the impact-dominated, tsunami type sedimentation gave way to wider varieties of sedimentary environments, known from the oldest sedimentary records. During early continental crustal evolution (c. 3.7–2.7 Ga), sedimentation was essentially of greenstone-type. Volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks were the major components of the greenstone belts, associated with thin carbonates, stromatolitic evaporites, BIF, pelites and quartzites and lesser synorogenic turbidites, conglomerates and sandstones. Volcanism and active tectonism (reflecting dynamic depositional settings during island arc and proto-continental nucleus formation) were the predominant factors influencing sedimentation during this phase of Earth evolution. Transgressions and regressions under the combined influence of tectonics and eustasy are reflected in fining- and coarsening-upwards successions from the proto-cratonic settings; low freeboard enabled the transgression to affect large areas of the proto-cratons. As the earliest, relatively stable craton formed, through a combination of plate tectonic and mantle-thermal processes, continents and supercontinents with the potential for supercontinental cycles started to influence sedimentation strongly. Major controls on Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic sedimentation systems (2.7–1.6 Ga) were provided by a combination of superplume events and plate tectonics. Two global-scale ‘superevents’ at c. 2.7 Ga and c. 2.2–1.8 Ga were accompanied by eustatic rise concomitant with peaks in crustal growth rates, and large epeiric seas developed. The operation of first-order controls leading to development of vast chemical sedimentary platforms in these epeiric seas and concomitant palaeo-atmospheric and palaeo-oceanic evolution combined to provide a second-order control on global sedimentary systems in the Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic period. The supercontinental cycle had become well established by the end of the Palaeoproterozoic, with the existence of large cratons across broad spectrums of palaeolatitude enabling erg development. The entire spectrum of sedimentary systems and environments came into existence by c. 1.8 Ga, prime influences on sedimentation and depositional system possibly remaining essentially uniform thereafter.