Estimation of the sub-iron-iron flux ratio in cosmic rays over alice springs using a balloon flight experiment with a CR-39 detector

The sub-iron-iron flux ratio in cosmic rays at an atmospheric depth of 9.8 g cm^–2 has been estimated using a balloon-borne CR-39 (HCB) stack launched from Alice Springs for 32 hours. The recovered and chemically etched plates were analysed optically and the measured etch pit diameters yielded the sub-iron-iron flux ratio at the flight altitude. The sub-iron-iron flux ratio has been corrected for the top of the atmosphere by considering the loss of heavy ions due to nuclear interaction and fragmentation. The present result has been compared with the result expected from the source composition derived by Protheroeet al. as well as other authors.     

Hysteresis‐based analysis of overland metal transport

Introducing a concept of equivalent mass depth of flow, this study describes the phenomenon of non‐point source pollutant (metal) transport for pavement (or overland) flow in analogy with wave propagation in wide open channels. Hysteretic and normal mass rating curves are developed for runoff rate and mass of 12 dissolved and particulate‐bound metal elements (pollutants) using the rainfall‐runoff and water quality data of the 15 × 20 m² instrumented pavement in Cincinnati, USA. Normal mass rating curves developed for easy computation of pollutant load are found to be of a form similar to Manning's, which is valid for open channel flows. Based on the hysteresis analysis, wave types for dissolution and mixing of particulate‐bound metals are identified. The analysis finds that the second‐order partial‐differential equation normally used for metal transport does not have the efficacy to describe fully the strong non‐linear phenomena such as is described for various metal elements by dynamic waves. In addition, the proportionality concept of the popular SCS‐CN concept is extended for determining the potential maximum metal mass M_p of all the 12 elements transported by a rain storm and related to the antecedent dry period (ADP). For the primary metal zinc element, M_p is found to increase with the ADP and vice versa. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wind characteristics in the lowest 340 m of the atmospheric boundary layer at Pune,India

Wind characteristics in the lowest 340 m (agl) of the atmospheric boundary layer at Pune (18°32N, 73°51E, 559 m ASL) have been investigated using the pilot balloon wind observations obtained during the summer monsoon seasons of 1976, 1979 and 1980. Variations in the zonal and meridional components of wind at the surface, 40, 150 and 340 m (agl) have been described. Frequency distribution of the zonal component showed an unimodal character at the surface, which gradually approached a multimodal character at 340 m. The distribution pattern of the wind components was, by and large, normal. Spectral analysis of the wind components showed that the spectral energy was predominantly shared by 5–7 and 2–3 day periods.     

Influence of biotic-abiotic factors on the degradation of novaluron in tropical soil

In this study, the degradation of novaluron (benzoylphenyl urea insect growth regulator) was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions in clay loam alluvial and coastal saline soils of West Bengal, India. The application rates were field rate (FR); 2FR and 10FR. The incubation study was carried out at 30 °C and 60% of maximum water holding capacity of both the soils. Degradation of novaluron in both the soils followed first order reaction kinetics at all application rates under non-sterile and sterile conditions. The half-lives of novaluron in non-sterilized soils ranged from 17.0–17.8 days (alluvial soil) and 11.4–12.7 days (coastal saline soil), while the values in case of the sterilized soils were 53.7–59.0 days (alluvial soil) and 28.9–29.8 days (coastal saline soil) respectively. The novaluron degradation patterns were found to be highly influenced by soil types, application rates, and biotic abiotic factors. Abiotic factors strongly influenced novaluron degradation in both the soils. Biotic degradation was higher in alluvial soil compared to the coastal saline soil.     

Sea breeze activity at an inland station Kharagpur (India) — A case study

Surfaces fluxes, turbulent kinetic energy and Flux Richardson number are calculated for three typical sea breeze days characterizing three types of sea breeze onset at an inland station Kharagpur (22°21 N, 87°19 E), 80 km inland, one of the sites for MONTBLEX (MONsoon Trough Boundary Layer EXperiment), in India. The sea breeze onset is associated with a decrease in momentum and heat fluxes and an increase in moisture flux. The turbulent kinetic energy shows quite a significant value even in the late afternoon. The surface layer becomes nearly stable even before sunset, due to the passage of the sea breeze.     

A convectively-driven boundary layer in the monsoon trough

Characteristic features of the convectively driven monsoon-trough boundary layer have been explored using the conserved-variable method of analysis. Aerological observations during the Monsoon Trough Boundary Layer Experiment 1990 (MONTBLEX-90) during 18–20 August have been used to investigate the thermodynamic features of the Convective Boundary Layer (CBL). Thermodynamic parameters such as _e , _es have been used to study the dynamical aspects of the CBL. Also, mixed-layer heights at an inland station, in the monsoon trough region, obtained from SODAR, are used to document the saturation of the mixed layer after the onset of the monsoon.     

Statistical evaluation of methods for the calculation of static formation temperatures in geothermal and oil wells using an extension of the error propagation theory

The feasibility of using the more sophisticated weighted least-squares (WLS) model, as opposed to the traditional ordinary least-squares (OLS), in linear regressions of BHT data to estimate the static formation temperatures (SFT) was investigated. The most commonly used analytical methods (line-source; spherical and radial heat flow; and cylindrical heat source) were applied. Error propagation equations were derived to calculate errors in the time function of each method. These errors were combined with the BHT measurement errors to compute weighting factors for applying the WLS. Intercept uncertainties were estimated for all regressions using sets of synthetic and actual borehole logs taken from geothermal and oil applications. SFT computed with the spherical and radial heat flow method were generally greater than those from the other two methods.     

Model Tests and Field Experiments for Fragmentation Assessment During Ringhole Blasting in BG Panels

Experimental blasts were conducted in concrete blocks of known strengths to correlate field results in Blasting Gallery (BG) panels of GDK-10 Incline for improving fragmentation of coal to an optimum level so that blasted coal could easily be lifted totally by remote controlled LHDs and thereby mitigating the possibility of occurrence of spontaneous heating in BG districts before exhaustion of the panel. Various charge loading parameters and consequent breakage results were critically analyzed to arrive at a constructive conclusion, which could satisfactory improve the blast results.     

Sixteen Statistical Tests for Outlier Detection and Rejection in Evaluation of International Geochemical Reference Materials: Example of Microgabbro PM-S

A totally objective procedure involving sixteen statistical tests (a total of thirty four single or multiple outlier versions of these tests) for outlier detection and rejection in a univariate sample is applied to a data base of sixty four elements in a recently issued international geochemical reference material (RM), a microgabbro PM-S from Scotland. This example illustrates the relative importance and usefulness of these tests in processing modern geochemical data for possible outliers and obtaining mean concentration and other statistical parameters from a final normal sample of univariate data. The final mean values are more reliable (characterized by smaller standard deviations and narrower confidence limits) than those obtained earlier using an accommodation approach (robust techniques) applied to this data base. Very high quality (certified value equivalent, cve) mean data are now obtained for eleven elements as well as high quality recommended values (rv) for thirty three elements in PM-S. Earlier work using the accommodation approach failed to establish even one cve value for any of the sixty four elements compiled here. The present procedure of outlier detection and elimination is therefore recommended in the study of RMs