Evidence for short term changes in the intensity and spectrum of hard X-rays from Cyg X-1

The paper presents experimental evidence for the existence of fast intensity fluctuations with time scales of the order of a minute in the X-ray emission from Cyg X-1 at energies greater than 29 keV. Spectral variations over time intervals of 20–25 min are also observed in the same energy range. Whereas, similar intensity and spectral fluctuations have been reported earlier at lower energies the observations presented here is the first evidence for the existence of similar fluctuations at high energies.     

Upper Cisuralian palynology and palaeoclimate of Manuguru area Godavari basin,India and their global correlation

The Permian system of the Palaeozoic Erathem is divided into three series, the Early Permian Cisuralian Series, the Middle Permian Guadalupian Series, and the Late Permian Lopingian Series. The Cisuralian Series encompasses the Asselian to Kungurian stages which constitute the basal part of the Gondwana supersequence I. In India, they are represented lithostratigraphically by the Talchir, Karharbari, and Barakar formations. This paper presents the palynological results from the Barakar Formation of the Upper Cisuralian Series from Manuguru which lies in the southeastern part of the Godavari basin. The succession studied comprises 35 subsurface samples from bore hole 1007 represented by clay, shale, sandstone, and coal. The palynofloras in this sequence have a homogenous composition demonstrating that not many significant floral changes took place through the considered stratigraphic range. The entire sequence is characterized by the dominance of nonstriate bisaccate genus Scheuringipollenites and sub-dominance of striate bisaccate genus Faunipollenites(=Protohaploxypinus). The other pollen genera among the nonstriate bisaccates are Rhizomaspora, Primuspollenites, Ibisporites, and Platysaccus. The striate bisaccates include Striatites, Striatopodocarpites, and Stroterosporites. The taeniate taxa are represented by Lueckisporites and Lunatisporites. The common monosaccate genera include Caheniasaccites, Potoniesporites, and Barakarites. Spores are less common and include Latosporites, Brevitriletes, Horriditriletes, Microbaculispora, and Callumispora. They characterize the palynofloral composition of the Lower Barakar Formation. The correlation of this assemblage with some of the biostratigraphic palynozones proposed previously for the Cisuralian sequences of the Paraná Basin of South America, Kalahari Karoo Basin of South Africa, Ruhuhu Basin of Tanzania, East Africa as well as palynoassemblages from South Victoria Land and Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica and Collie Basin of west Australia point out to their Early Permian (Late Sakmarian–Early Artinskian) age. Palynomorphs such as Botryococcus sp., Tetraporinia sp., Balmeela sp. and Leiosphaeridia sp. are also recorded which suggest that these sediments were deposited during post-glacial near shore, cool and humid environment.     

Seismic hazard assessment and mitigation in India: an overview

The Indian subcontinent is characterized by various tectonic units viz., Himalayan collision zone in North, Indo-Burmese arc in north-east, failed rift zones in its interior in Peninsular Indian shield and Andaman Sumatra trench in south-east Indian Territory. During the last about 100 years, the country has witnessed four great and several major earthquakes. Soon after the occurrence of the first great earthquake, the Shillong earthquake (M _w: 8.1) in 1897, efforts were started to assess the seismic hazard in the country. The first such attempt was made by Geological Survey of India in 1898 and since then considerable progress has been made. The current seismic zonation map prepared and published by Bureau of Indian Standards, broadly places seismic risk in different parts of the country in four major zones. However, this map is not sufficient for the assessment of area-specific seismic risks, necessitating detailed seismic zoning, that is, microzonation for earthquake disaster mitigation and management. Recently, seismic microzonation studies are being introduced in India, and the first level seismic microzonation has already been completed for selected urban centres including, Jabalpur, Guwahati, Delhi, Bangalore, Ahmadabad, Dehradun, etc. The maps prepared for these cities are being further refined on larger scales as per the requirements, and a plan has also been firmed up for taking up microzonation of 30 selected cities, which lie in seismic zones V and IV and have a population density of half a million. The paper highlights the efforts made in India so far towards seismic hazard assessment as well as the future road map for such studies.     

Meteorological and synoptic aspects of the formation and evolution of the Novorossiysk Bora

The genetic and synoptic classifications of the Novorossiysk Bora are created using the data of daily observations at the Novorossiysk meteorological station and other available synoptic information. Obtained are the quantitative criteria of these classifications, and on this base worked out are the basic scenarios of the generation and evolution of this dangerous phenomenon on the Black Sea coast of Russia. According to the genetic classification, the Bora was divided into four types: frontal, air-mass, monsoon, and gravity. Quantitative criteria worked out for each type can be used for the more accurate forecast of this destructive phenomenon near Novorossiysk. According to the synoptic classification, four classes were distinguished: Azores, North Atlantic, Siberian, and Arctic.     

Data base management system for erosivity values

In order to check the premature siltation of the reservoirs and guard against the drop in the irrigation potential, the Government of India has launched the schemes of soil conservation and integrated watershed management in the catchments of RVPs and Flood Prone rivers. Owing to the large financial and manpower commitments needed to implement and execute soil conservation measures over vast catchment areas, a priority approach for treatment was identified. The methodology developed for prioritization of watersheds of a catchment area conceptualizes sedimentation of the reservoirs as a multiplicative function of erosivity value and the delivery ratio. This paper deals with the development of a computerized data base software module ‘WEIGHT’ for determination of erosivity values for the mapping units comprising assemblages of the varying combinations of climate, physiography and slope, land use and cover conditions, soil characteristics (texture, solumn thickness, permeability and pH) and the existing erosion and soil conservation measures. The WEIGHT software package is coded in FORTRON-4 for PDP 11/83 operating system. the data base comprises storage of the attributes of the different erosivity determinants of the mapping units with predetermined erosivity values sequentially on a disk and comparing the attributes of a new mapping unit to get the most probabilities erosivity value. The objective has been to eliminate the personal bias and bring about the objectivity in the process of assigning erosivity values to the different mapping units. The data base design, design logic and operational sequence of the data base are discussed in the paper.     

Solar activity dependence of interplanetary disturbances

Interplanetary scintillation measurements obtained inside 200 R using the Ooty Radio Telescope during August 1986–April 1991 have been analysed to study the interplanetary disturbances (or events) and their occurrence rates at various phases of the solar cycle. The disturbances are identified by the increase in the level of scintillation compared with the expected value. In total, 735 events have been identified. The results show a rate of 0.49 events per day near solar maximum and a low rate of 0.16 events per day during minimum of activity. The results are compared with coronal mass ejection (CME) rates and transients rates obtained from the Doppler scintillation measurements.     

Das Problem des Fazieswechsels in der Mitteltrias der Südtiroler Dolomiten

Ohne ZusammenfassungVortrag, gehalten in der Hauptversammlung der Geologischen Vereinigung in Frankfurt a. M., am 7. I. 1928. Ausführlichere Mitteilungen über dieses Thema werden im Rahmen einer größeren Abhandlung über die südalpine Mitteltrias an anderer Stelle veröffentlicht werden.     

Rice research for food security and sustainable agricultural development in Asia: Achievements and future challenges

Rice is the major staple food of Asia, and an important source of employment and income in rural areas, particularly in low-income countries. Research has contributed significantly in achieving food security by increasing the yield potential of rice in irrigated systems, reducing the crop maturity period and achieving yield stability by developing resistance against major insects and diseases in the modern high-yielding varieties. Poverty is, however, still extensive in fragile rainfed rice ecosystems where rice yield has remained low, as scientists have yet to develop high-yielding varieties resistant to abiotic stresses and problem soils. Rice production needs to be increased by another 70% over the next 30 years to meet growing food needs. This has to be achieved with less land, less water, and less labor to accommodate the demand for these inputs from the expanding nonagricultural sectors. The challenge to the rice research community is to make further shifts in yield potential of rice for the irrigated systems, to close the yield gaps in the rainfed systems through developing resistance of high yielding varieties to abiotic stresses, and greater understanding of the interactions between genotypes and environment, developing durable resistance against pests and diseases to reduce farmers' dependence on harmful agrochemicals, and to increase efficiency in the use of water, labor and fertilizers. As further intensification of rice cultivation is inevitable, scientists must understand the negative environmental side-effects of increasing rice productivity, to develop appropriate mitigation options.     

Contributions from oceanic and ionospheric dynamos to the lunar daily variation at Alibag

Summary. The contributions from the oceanic and ionospheric dynamos, L_o and L_I respectively, to the geomagnetic lunar daily variation, L , at Alibag, a coastal station in the Indian equatorial region, are calculated from the L harmonics derived from a 41–yr long series of observations. The analysis in the calendar months shows a steady and significant ocean dynamo contribution in the vertical component, Z, in all the months except April. Examination, by an analysis of the data year by year, of the association of L_o and L_I with varying solar and magnetic activities reveals, surprisingly, a stable correlation between the magnetic activity index A _P and the oceanic part in the horizontal and vertical components but not in declination, which probably indicates the influence of induced currents, along the latitudes, on L _o.