Effects of plasma rotation on alfvén solitons in pulsar magnetospheres

Nonlinear Alfvén wave in a hot rotating and strongly magnetized electron-positron plasma is considered. Using relativistic two fluid equations, the dispersion relation for Alfvén wave in the rotating plasma is obtained. Large amplitude Alfvén solitons are found to exist in the rotating pulsar plasma. Rotational effects on solitons are discussed.     

Study of Aeromagnetic Data Over Part of Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt and Bastar Craton

A portion of the aeromagnetic anomaly map of India, from 17⁰ to 20⁰ N and 78^o to 84^o E has been analysed to understand the tectonics of the region. The distribution of magnetic sources in the study region are clearly brought out in the analytic signal map and found to be associated with charnockitic rocks, iron formation and trap flows. The Godavari Graben is devoid of any magnetic sources. High-grade charnockitic rocks on surface and sub-surface, flank the shoulders of the Godavari Graben on either side. From the analysis of magnetic data, Sileru Shear Zone (SSZ) is identified as the contact of the Bastar craton and the Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB). The Eastern Ghat is divided into two blocks: Block-N north of Srikakulam is devoid of magnetic sources while the charnockitic rocks are the main magnetic carriers in Block-S. The difference in magnetic characteristics of the two blocks has been attributed to the difference in metamorphic history. Block-N has an over print of amphibolite facies metamorphism while Block-S to the south depicts granulite facies metamorphism. The Euler solutions within the EGMB shows that the magnetic sources along SSZ is shallower than the south east implying that the exhumation process in the EGMB has a differential rate.     

Wetland Loss,Juvenile Salmon Foraging Performance,and Density Dependence in Pacific Northwest Estuaries

During the transition of juveniles from fresh water to estuarine and coastal environments, the survival of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) can be strongly size selective and cohort abundance is partly determined at this stage. Because quantity and quality of food influence juvenile salmon growth, high rates of prey and energy acquisition during estuarine residence are important for survival. Human activities may have affected the foraging performance of juvenile salmon in estuaries by reducing the area of wetlands and by altering the abundance of salmon. To improve our understanding of the effects of wetland loss and salmon density on juvenile salmon foraging performance and diet composition in estuaries, we assembled Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) diet and density data from nine US Pacific Northwest estuaries across a gradient of wetland loss. We evaluated the influence of wetland loss and density on juvenile Chinook salmon instantaneous ration and energy ration, two measures of foraging performance, and whether the effect of density varied among estuaries with different levels of wetland loss. We also assessed the influence of wetland loss and other explanatory variables on salmon diet composition. There was no evidence of a direct effect of wetland loss on juvenile salmon foraging performance, but wetland loss appeared to mediate the effect of density on salmon foraging performance and alter salmon diet composition. Specifically, density had no effect on foraging performance in the estuaries with less than 50 % wetland loss but had a negative effect on foraging performance in the estuaries with greater than 50 % wetland loss. These results suggest that habitat loss may interact with density to constrain the foraging performance of juvenile Chinook salmon, and ultimately their growth, during a life history stage when survival can be positively correlated with growth and size.     

Template-based classification of SDSS-<Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">GALEX</Emphasis> point sources

We have classified a sample of 37,492 objects from SDSS into QSOs, galaxies and stars using photometric data over five wave bands (u, g, r, i and z) and UV GALEX data over two wave bands (near-UV and far-UV) based on a template fitting method. The advantage of this method of classification is that it does not require any spectroscopic data and hence the objects for which spectroscopic data is not available can also be studied using this technique. In this study, we have found that our method is consistent by spectroscopic methods given that their UV information is available. Our study shows that the UV colours are especially important for separating quasars and stars, as well as spiral and starburst galaxies. Thus it is evident that the UV bands play a crucial role in the classification and characterization of astronomical objects that emit over a wide range of wavelengths, but especially for those that are bright at UV. We have achieved the efficiency of 89% for the QSOs, 63% for the galaxies and 84% for the stars. This classification is also found to be in agreement with the emission line diagnostic diagrams.     

Soil-structure interaction experiment using impulse response

A new experimental method using a finite soil model with no special treatement on its boundaries is employed for soil-structure intration problems to simulate the semi-infinitenesss of the actual soil medium. The present method utlizies the characteristics of transient response to an impluse load to obtain the impedance functions and effective input motions for surface and embedded foundations. This technique is applicable to a linear elastic system whose impulse response decreases to a small enough value before observing the reflected waves. The experimentally obtained impedance functions and effective input motions are compared with those obtained by the direct boundary integral equation method and the hybrid approach. Good agreement between the xperimental and analytical results validates the present method as well as the accuracy of the numerical tools.     

Response of a circular foundation on a uniform half-space to elastic waves

An alternative technique to obtain the dynamic response of a massless rigid circular foundation resting on a uniform elastic half-space when subjected to harmonic plane waves is presented. The technique relies on the use of an integral representation involving the free-field ground motion and the contact tractions obtained in the course of calculating the dynamic force–displacement relationship of the foundation for external forces. Tables listing the translational and rotational components of the response of the foundation for non-vertically incident SH, P, SV and Rayleigh waves are presented.     

Active control of the seismic response of structures by combined use of base isolation and absorbing boundaries

The relative advantages of several control strategies to reduce the seismic response of multi-storey structures are studied. The strategies involve the separate or combined use of passive base isolation mechanisms and active control forces. The base isolation mechanism is modelled as an equivalent linear soft storey with high damping. The active control forces are selected so that an absorbing boundary is obtained at the top of the structure and non-reflecting or reflecting boundaries are obtained at the base of the building. It is found that the best results are obtained when a passive base isolation system is combined with an active absorbing boundary placed at the top of the building. However, the incremental gains resulting from adding a base isolation system to a structure already controlled by a roof-top active absorbing boundary are significant only for relatively soft base isolation systems. Also, the incremental gains appear to decrease as the number of storeys of the structure increases.     

Numerical modeling of the Rideau Valley Watershed

Using the Mike11 modeling system by the Danish Hydraulic Institute, a detailed model of the Rideau Valley Watershed was constructed. It includes 532 km of rivers and lakes, 106 basins, 122 bridges and culverts, and 20 water control structures. The model was calibrated using measured streamflow data for a time period of 5 years; additional 5 years of data was used for validation. Various methods, both qualitative and quantitative, were used to evaluate the model performance. It was found that the model can simulate the hydrological response with a reasonable to high degree of accuracy. This model is now being used for various watershed management purposes, including flood forecasting, dam safety assessment, quantification of wetland functions, and derivation of design flows.     

A Comparative Study of Pollutant Removal Stability in Hybrid Wetland Columns

This study investigated the effects of two alternative substrates(wood mulch and zeolite) on the performance of three laboratory-scale hybrid wetland systems that had identical system components and configurations.Each system consisted of a vertical flow(VF) wetland column,followed by a horizontal flow(HF) column and a vertical flow column.The substrates employed were wood mulch,gravel and zeolite,and Phragmites australis were planted in each column.The systems received synthetic wastewater,with pollutant loadings in the range of 8.5-38.0 g/(m2·d) total nitrogen(TN) and 4.0-46.4 g/(m2·d) biological oxygen demand(BOD5).Wood mulch and zeolite substrates showed higher efficiencies in terms of removing nitrogenous compounds and biodegradable organics.The supply of organic carbon from the organic mulch substrates enhanced denitrification,while adsorption of influent ammoniacal nitrogen(NH4-N) in zeolite played a major role in the removal of nitrogenous species in the wetland columns.Overall,the average percentage removals of TN and BOD5 reached >66% and >96% respectively,indicating stable performances by the hybrid wetland systems under the experimental loading ranges.Mathematical models were developed,based on the combination of Monod kinetics and continuously-stirred tank reactor(CSTR) flow patterns to describe the degradation of nitrogenous compounds.Predictions by the models closely matched the experimental data,indicating the validity and potential application of Monod kinetics in the modelling and design of treatment wetlands.