Use of remote sensing in characterization and management of Dhamni micro-watershed of Chandrapur district of Maharashtra

Soil resource characterization of Dhamni micro-watershed in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra was carried out using IRS-1D LISS-III data in conjunction with field survey and ancillary data. The study indicates that nearly 84.2 per cent of the total geographical area of the watershed is under cultivation. Forest (mainly degraded) occupy only 4.5 per cent area Whereas wasteland with scrub cover 9.4 per cent area of the watershed. Nine soil series were tentatively identified and mapped as soil series association in to five mapping units. These soils belong to order Inceptisol, Vertisol and Mollisol. Except the soils of wasteland with scrub, other soils are moderately suitable for pigeonpea and soybean and have average to good productivity.     

From global to local: Testing the potential of cross-scaling in global data sets

The present study investigates the potential of readily available and easily accessible global data sets to understand regional/local level interactions in wetland systems. The biogeographical zones of India were used a base-frame to select three sites. The study well fits the interests of National Wetland Committee of India to investigate and document fundamental information on wetland extent/distribution. The national partnership with SACON represents this interest. SACON commenced the inland wetland inventory module at national scale using geospatial data, although the provincial scale analysis is underway. In addition, the global irrigated area mapping (GIAM-IWMI) project generated multi-scalar spatial outputs for irrigated/rain-fed areas. With the existing information base, a multi-level geospatial analysis using Arc GIS algorithmic modelling was used to derive comprehensive appraisal of wetland systems complementing the data from GIAM and SACON. It was observed that the overlap between the two layers was 58 percent for Gujarat and 10 percent in Tamil Nadu. In Krishna basin the wetland’s cover 1.04 million hectare excluding the rice agro-ecosystem. The difference in the biogeography of the case sites governs the gradient of information derived from both data layers. Additionally, the global lakes and wetlands database (GLWD) database added thematic information on coastal wetlands. In summary we describe the cross-scaling the global data layers to compliment the regional/national level monitoring assignments.     

Bearing capacity of strip foundations reinforced with geogrid sheets by using upper bound finite‐element limit analysis

By using the upper bound finite‐elements limit analysis, with an inclusion of single and two horizontal layers of reinforcements, the ultimate bearing capacity has been computed for a rigid strip footing placed over (i) fully granular, (ii) cohesive‐frictional, and (iii) fully cohesive soils. It is assumed that (i) the reinforcements are structurally strong so that no axial tension failure can occur, (ii) the reinforcement sheets have negligible resistance to bending, and (iii) the shear failure can take place between the reinforcement and soil mass. It is expected that the different approximations on which the analysis has been based would generally remain applicable for reinforcements in the form of geogrid sheets. A method has been proposed to incorporate the effect of the reinforcement in the analysis. The efficiency factors, η_c and η_γ, to be multiplied with N_c and N_γ , for finding the bearing capacity of reinforced foundations, have been established. The results have been obtained (i) for different values of ? in case of fully granular and cohesive‐frictional soils, and (ii) for different rates at which the cohesion increases with depth for a fully cohesive soil. The optimum positions of the reinforcements' layers have also been determined. The effect of the reinforcements' length on the results has also been analyzed. As compared to cohesive soils, the granular soils, especially with higher values of ?, cause a much greater increase in the bearing capacity. The results compare reasonably well with the available theoretical and experimental data from literature. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relationship between 500 hPa ridge axis positions over the indian and the west Pacific regions and the Indian summer monsoon rainfall

500 hPa ridge positions over the Indian and the West Pacific regions during April are related with the summer monsoon rainfall over India. The ridge position over the Indian region shows better relation with monsoon rainfall than that shown by the ridge over the Pacific region. The multiple correlation of these ridge positions with monsoon rainfall exceeds 0.7. These predictive relationships are better than those shown by other parameters, viz. (1) Northern Hemispheric surface temperature; (2) East-Pacific sea surface tempera-ture; (3) El-Nino events and (4) Tahiti-Darwin pressure difference, and index of southern oscillation, over the 30-year samples analysed.     

On the interpretation of the distinctive pattern of geomagnetic induction observed in northwest India

The geomagnetic variation data from the 1979 Indian array experiment have been reanalyzed and reexamined using the hypothetical event analysis technique. The contour map of the |Z/H ratio replicates distinctive anomaly in northwest India previously delineated in maps of the Fourier coefficients. The anomaly reveals the presence of a significant conductor under the Ganga basin. The contour map has been used to derive a response profile perpendicular to the strike of the anomaly, for comparison with 2-D numerical models. An excellent fit was found for a conductor at a depth of 32 km, with a width of 110 km and a conductivity contrast of 1000. This result places the conductor deep within the lithosphere. In the absence of supporting data the origin of the conductor is difficult to resolve. However, it is thought to be related to pressure-released partial melting, caused by fracturing of the Indian crust during the collision of India with Asia.     

Soil,landuse and land evaluation studies of Patna area Bihar

The soil and landuse surveys have been conducted in Patna area, Bihar, using aerial photos of 1:25,000 scale. Three major systems, Ganges Gandak and interfluvial plain, have been identified in the area. These were further sub-divided into levees plains and channels etc. The soils were classified according to Soil axonomy. The major land use of the area is cultivation (62.2%) (Upland, lowland and wet land crops) plantation (1.8%) habitation (16.0%), water bodies (8.8%), barren lands (9.4%) and miscellaneous (1.8%). The soils of the area have been evaluated for different land utilization types-upland crops, lowland crops, and habitation. For paddy 75.:%, upland crops 8.2% and for habitation 57%, area was found suitable.     

Use of remote sensing techniques for agricultural land use survey,classification and planning

A critical appraisal of the need and use of remote sensing techniques for land use mapping with particular reference to Indian conditions have been made. Land use classification system based on physiography, utility, management and identification have been suggested using remote sensing techniques at different levels of mapping.     

Multi level land use surveys using remote sensing techniques

The use of Landsat imagery at 1:1 M and 1:250,000 and aerial photos on 1:65,000 and 1:20,000 scale have been used to study landuse. It has been possible to achieve identification using Landsat imagery up to utility level ( level 1 and II ) and with the aerial photographs further subdivisions of utility into management and identification (level III and IV) .     

Numerical Simulation of Andhra Severe Cyclone (2003): Model Sensitivity to the Boundary Layer and Convection Parameterization

The Andhra severe cyclonic storm (2003) is simulated to study its evolution, structure, intensity and movement using the Penn State/NCAR non-hydrostatic mesoscale atmospheric model MM5. The model is used with three interactive nested domains at 81, 27 and 9 km resolutions covering the Bay of Bengal and adjoining Indian Peninsula. The performance of the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) and convective parameterization on the simulated features of the cyclone is studied by conducting sensitivity experiments. Results indicate that while the boundary layer processes play a significant role in determining both the intensity and movement, the convective processes especially control the movement of the model storm. The Mellor-Yamada scheme is found to yield the most intensive cyclone. While the combination of Mellor-Yamada (MY) PBL and Kain-Fritsch 2 (KF2) convection schemes gives the most intensive storm, the MRF PBL with KF2 convection scheme produces the best simulation in terms of intensity and track. Results of the simulation with the combination of MRF scheme for PBL and KF2 for convection show the evolution and major features of a mature tropical storm. The model has very nearly simulated the intensity of the storm though slightly overpredicted. Simulated core vertical temperature structure, winds at different heights, vertical winds in and around the core, vorticity and divergence fields at the lower and upper levels—all support the characteristics of a mature storm. The model storm has moved towards the west of the observed track during the development phase although the location of the storm in the initial and final phases agreed with the observations. The simulated rainfall distribution associated with the storm agreed reasonably with observations.