A class of well behaved charged analogues of Vaidya–Tikekar type super-dense star

In the present article a model of well behaved charged superdense star with surface density 2×10¹⁴ gm/cm³ is constructed by considering a static spherically symmetric metric with t=const hypersurfaces as hyperboloid. So far well behaved model described by such metric could not be obtained. Maximum mass of the star is found to be 0.343457M _⊙ and the corresponding radius is 9.57459 km. The red shift at the centre and on the surface are given as 0.068887 and 0.031726 respectively.     

Exact solution of anisotropic compact stars via mass function

Studying relativistic compact objects is important in modern astrophysics to understand several astrophysical issues. It is therefore natural to ask for an internal structure and physical properties of specific classes of compact stars from astrophysical observations. We obtain a class of new relativistic solutions with anisotropic distribution of matter for compact stars. More specifically, stellar models, described by an anisotropic fluid, establishing a relation between metric potentials and generating a specific form of mass function, are explicitly constructed within the framework of General Relativity. New solutions can be used to model compact objects, which adequately describe compact strange star candidates like SMC X-1, Her X-1 and 4U 1538-52, with observational data taken from Gangopadhyay et al. (Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 431:3216, 2013). As a possible astrophysical application the obtained solutions could explain the physics of selfgravitating objects, and might be useful for strong-field regimes where data are currently inadequate.     

Measurement of Kodaikanal white-light images – IV. Axial Tilt Angles of Sunspot Groups

The Kodaikanal sunspot data set, covering the interval 1906–1987, is used in conjunction with the similar Mount Wilson sunspot data set, covering the interval 1917–1985, to examine characteristics of sunspot group axial tilt angles. Good agreement is demonstrated between various results derived from the two independent data sets. In particular, the tendency for sunspot groups near the average tilt angle to be larger than those far from the average tilt angle is confirmed. Similarly the faster residual rotation rate for groups near the average tilt angle is also confirmed. Other confirmations are made for the relationships between latitude drift of sunspot groups and tilt angle, polarity separations, and axial expansion. Evidence is presented that tilt angles averaged over these long time intervals differ between the north and south hemispheres by about 1.4 deg. It is suggested that residual tilt angles show a slight systematic variation with phase in the activity cycle.     

Impact of Changes in Redox Conditions on Leaching of Some Elements from MSW Fly Ash

Abstract. Oxidation and reduction processes can influence extent of leaching of elements from solid waste. Three samples of municipal solid waste combustion fly ash were subjected to oxidizing and reducing conditions in order to evaluate leaching of elements in the Milli-Q water and fly ash (liquid to solid ratio, 100) mixtures. Although the oxidizing and reducing conditions were applied for 6 hours only, elements like Cs, Li, Mg, Sb, Tl and V leached more under oxidizing condition than under reducing condition in the case of all three ash samples. Cadmium, Pb and Zn leached more from all samples under reducing condition than under oxidizing condition. Leaching of other elements like Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Ni and Rb was inconsistent with oxidizing or reducing conditions and varied from sample to sample, suggesting that factors other than redox may be more important in controlling leaching of these elements. Strong acid neutralization capacity of the fly ash samples let the pH vary within a narrow range, and thus severely limited the extent of leaching during the course of the experiment. Lead and Zn were the most sensitive while K and Na were the least sensitive to changes in redox conditions.     

Heavy metals in freshly deposited sediments of the river Subernarekha, India: an example of lithogenic and anthropogenic effects

Heavy metal distribution patterns in river sediments aid in understanding the exogenic cycling of elements as well as in assessing the effect of anthropogenic influences. In India, the Subernarekha river flows over the Precambrian terrain of the Singhbhum craton in eastern India. The rocks are of an iron ore series and the primary rock types are schist and quartzite. One main tributary, the Kharkhai, flows through granite rocks and subsequently flows through the schist and quartzite layers. The Subernarekha flows through the East Singhbhum district, which is one of India’s industrialised areas known for ore mining, steel production, power generation, cement production and other related activities. Freshly deposited river sediments were collected upstream and downstream the industrial zone. Samples were collected from four locations and analysed in <63-μm sediment fraction for heavy metals including Zn, Pb, Cd and Cu by anodic stripping voltammetry. Enrichment of these elements over and above the local natural concentration level has been calculated and reported. Sediments of the present study are classified by Muller’s geo-accumulation index (I _geo) and vary from element to element and with climatic seasons. During pre-monsoon period the maximum I _geo value for Zn is moderately to highly polluted and for Cu and Pb is moderately polluted, respectively, based on the Muller’s standard. Anthropogenic, lithogenic or cumulative effects of both components are the main reasons for such variations in I _geo values. The basic igneous rock layer through which the river flows or a seasonal rivulet that joins with the main river may be the primary source for lithogenic components.     

Assessment of land use land cover change impact on hydrological regime of a basin

The sustainability of water resources mainly depends on planning and management of land use; a small change in it may affect water yield largely, as both are linked through relevant hydrological processes, explicitly. However, human activities, especially a significant increase in population, in-migration and accelerated socio-economic activities, are constantly modifying the land use and land cover (LULC) pattern. The impact of such changes in LULC on the hydrological regime of a basin is of widespread concern and a great challenge to the water resource engineers. While studying these impacts, the issue that prevails is the selection of a hydrological model that may be able to accommodate spatial and temporal dynamics of the basin with higher accuracy. Therefore, in the present study, the capabilities of variable infiltration capacity hydrological model to hydrologically simulate the basin under varying LULC scenarios have been investigated. For the present analysis, the Pennar River Basin, Andhra Pradesh, which falls under a water scarce region in India, has been chosen. The water balance components such as runoff potential, evapotranspiration (ET) and baseflow of Pennar Basin have been simulated under different LULC scenarios to study the impact of change on hydrological regime of a basin. Majorly, increase in built-up (13.94% approx.) and decrease in deciduous forest cover (2.44%) are the significant changes observed in the basin during the last three decades. It was found that the impact of LULC change on hydrology is balancing out at basin scale (considering the entire basin, while routing the runoff at the basin outlet). Therefore, an analysis on spatial variation in each of the water balance components considered in the study was done at grid scale. It was observed that the impact of LULC is considerable spatially at grid level, and the maximum increase of 265 mm (1985–2005) and the decrease of 48 mm (1985–1995) in runoff generation at grid were estimated. On the contrary, ET component showed the maximum increase of 400 and decrease of 570 mm under different LULC change scenario. Similarly, in the base flow parameter, an increase of 70 mm and the decrease of 100 mm were observed. It was noticed that the upper basin is showing an increasing trend in almost all hydrological components as compared to the lower basin. Based on this basin scale study, it was concluded that change in the land cover alters the hydrology; however, it needs to be studied at finer spatial scale rather than the entire basin as a whole. The information like the spatial variation in hydrological components may be very useful for local authority and decision-makers to plan mitigation strategies accordingly.     

Hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico: Does the science support the Plan to Reduce,Mitigate, and Control Hypoxia?

We update and reevaluate the scientific information on the distribution, history, and causes of continental shelf hypoxia that supports the 2001 Action Plan for Reducing, Mitigating, and Controlling Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force 2001), incorporating data, publications, and research results produced since the 1999 integrated assessment. The metric of mid-summer hypoxic area on the LouisianaTexas shelf is an adequate and suitable measure for continued efforts to reduce nutrients loads from the Mississippi River and hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico as outlined in the Action Plan. More frequent measurements of simple metrics (e.g., area and volume) from late spring through late summer would ensure that the metric is representative of the system in any given year and useful in a public discourse of conditions and causes. The long-term data on hypoxia, sources of nutrients, associated biological parameters, and paleoindicators continue to verify and strengthen the relationship between the nitratenitrogen load of the Mississippi River, the extent of hypoxia, and changes in the coastal ecosystem (eutrophication and worsening hypoxia). Multiple lines of evidence, some of them representing independent data sources, are consistent with the big picture pattern of increased eutrophication as a result of long-term nutrient increases that result in excess carbon production and accumulation and, ultimately, bottom water hypoxia. The additional findings arising since 1999 strengthen the science supporting the Action Plan that focuses on reducing nutrient loads, primarily nitrogen, through multiple actions to reduce the size of the hypoxic zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico.     

High magnitude global seismicity and lateral velocity gradients

Summary A new significant correlation has been sought between high magnitude global seismicity and lateral surface wave velocity gradients. Rayleigh wave velocity divisioning of Eurasia, Africa, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean into regions of similar group velocity dispersion character of 30 sec period bySanto andSato [1]³) has been mainly used for calculating the gradients. It is quite striking to note that all earthquakes of magnitude 8.6 and above during 1897–1956 have occurred in regions having gradients of the order of 1.5·10^–3 sec^–1.Finally, some potential areas for high magnitude earthquake occurrences are predicted and the possible velocity gradients in regions, where division pattern is not yet investigated like South America and Australia, are also estimated.N.G.R.I. Contribution No. 70-170.     

Bridge dynamic loading due to road surface irregularities and braking of vehicle

Single span highway bridges of composite construction are idealized as beams as well as orthotropic plates. A standard HS–20–44 highway vehicle is represented by a planar, two-axle, sprung mass system with frictional device. The response equations are derived in terms of the natural modal co-ordinates of the bridge and of displacement co-ordinates of the vehicle. The road surface irregularities, generally found at the junctions of the approach road and bridge ends, are idealized as a 45° ramp. The maximum impact factors for bending moment and deflection are obtained due to the ramp and in combination with the braking of vehicle for symmetric as well as essentric loading of the vehicle.     

Surface heat flow and igneous intrusion in the Cambay Basin, India

Heat flow values from some additional locations in the Cenozoic Cambay Basin have been determined. Together with the previously published data, they show that the heat flow is moderate (55–67 mW/m′) in the southern part of the basin towards Broach and Ankleswar, and that there is a clear trend of high heat flow (75–93 mW/m²; range of average values for six different, widely separated, locations) in a part of the basin located north of the Mahisagan river between Cambay and Mehsana along a stretch of about 140 km. Conductive steady state geotherms, calculated using observed high surface heat flow values and appropriate models show, beneath the Cambay-Mehsana area, a large degree of melting in the lower crust and upper mantle, which is not suggested by the existing geodata. Considering this aspect and taking into account the existence of a normal crust about 37 km thick below the Cambay-Tarapur and Ahmedabad-Mehsana blocks (as obtained from deep seismic soundings), it has been inferred that the heat flow anomaly is due to transient thermal perturbations introduced from tectonic activity in the form of magmatic intrusions. A careful analysis of heat flow, gravity and other related geodata point out and support the possibility of a Miocene/Pliocene basic intrusive body at a depth of around 10 km under the Cambay-Mehsana area. Further, the consistent trend of the thermal and gravity fields indicates thinning of the postulated intrusive body from Cambay towards Mehsana.