On the origin of non-tidal flaser bedding in point bar deposits of the river Ajay, Bihar and West Bengal, NE India

Flaser bedding of non-tidal origin has been described from point bar deposits of the Ajay river, NE India. Mud drapes are deposited during waning flood phases. The preferential accumulation of curled, desiccated mud laminae in ripple troughs during periods of exposure produces mud streaks resembling classical flaser bedding. This process of non-tidal flaser formation is unlike the common tidal origin related to flood and ebb cycles, and the less common mechanism of formation in fluvial systems by deposition of mud in ripple troughs after floods.     

QUANTITATIVE INTERPRETATION OF PULSE EM MEASUREMENTS OVER A WEATHERED KIMBERLITE DIATREME*

The application of pulse EM and MAXMIN II systems in search of a kimberlite diatremes under conducting cover has been demonstrated through a field example. The effectiveness of the PEM system in the search for conductive zones of economic importance and in discrimination against geologic noise such as overburden has been investigated. The transient observation has been transformed to equivalent half-space resistivities at various times. The feasibility of mapping thin conducting overburden using the PEM system has been studied by inverting the transient measurement to the thin infinite horizontal sheet conductance. The PEM measurement is shown to be an economic and effective tool for shallow geoelectric mapping.     

GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING FOR BARITE *

A case history is presented for the exploration of barite with the electrical resistivity method. Altogether eight locations were recommended out of which six correspond to barite bodies. In the present case the gravity method, which is commonly used for the location of barite because of its high density contrast with the host rocks, has failed, perhaps due to small size of the ore bodies.     

Improvement of a Snow Albedo Parameterization in the Snow–Atmosphere–Soil Transfer Model:Evaluation of Impacts of Aerosol on Seasonal Snow Cover

The presence of light-absorbing aerosols(LAA) in snow profoundly influence the surface energy balance and water budget.However,most snow-process schemes in land-surface and climate models currently do not take this into consideration.To better represent the snow process and to evaluate the impacts of LAA on snow,this study presents an improved snow albedo parameterization in the Snow–Atmosphere–Soil Transfer(SAST) model,which includes the impacts of LAA on snow.Specifically,the Snow,Ice and Aerosol Radiation(SNICAR) model is incorporated into the SAST model with an LAA mass stratigraphy scheme.The new coupled model is validated against in-situ measurements at the Swamp Angel Study Plot(SASP),Colorado,USA.Results show that the snow albedo and snow depth are better reproduced than those in the original SAST,particularly during the period of snow ablation.Furthermore,the impacts of LAA on snow are estimated in the coupled model through case comparisons of the snowpack,with or without LAA.The LAA particles directly absorb extra solar radiation,which accelerates the growth rate of the snow grain size.Meanwhile,these larger snow particles favor more radiative absorption.The average total radiative forcing of the LAA at the SASP is 47.5Wm~(-2).This extra radiative absorption enhances the snowmelt rate.As a result,the peak runoff time and "snow all gone" day have shifted 18 and 19.5 days earlier,respectively,which could further impose substantial impacts on the hydrologic cycle and atmospheric processes.     

The central point source in G76.9+1.0

We describe the serendipitous discovery of a very steep-spectrum radio point source in low-frequency Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) images of the supernova remnant (SNR) G76.9+1.0. The steep spectrum, as well as the location of the point source near the centre of this SNR confirm that this indeed is the pulsar J2022+3842. Archival Chandra X-ray data shows a point source coincident with the radio point source. However, no pulsed radio emission was detected despite deep searches at 610 MHz and 1160 MHz – which can be understood to be due to temporal broadening of the pulses. Weak pulsed emission has indeed been seen at 2 GHz with the Green Bank Telescope (GBT), establishing the fact that scattering is responsible for its non-detection at low radio frequencies. We underline the usefulness of low-frequency radio imaging as a good technique to prospect for pulsar candidates.     

Hydrological simulation of a conservation bench terrace system in a subhumid climate

Abstract

A finite element model to simulate runoff and soil erosion from agricultural lands has been developed. The sequential solutions of the governing differential equations were found: Richards' equation with a sink term for infiltration and soil water dynamics under cropped conditions; St Venant equation with kinematic wave approximation for overland and channel flow; and sediment continuity equation, for soil erosion. The model developed earlier has been improved to simulate erosion/deposition in impoundments and predicted and observed soil loss values were in reasonably good agreement when the model was tested for a conservation bench terrace (CBT) system. The finite element model was extensively applied to study the hydrological behaviour of a CBT system vis-à-vis the conventional system of sloping borders. The model estimates runoff and soil loss reasonably well, under varying conditions of rainfall and at different crop growth stages. The probable reasons for discrepancies between observation and simulation are reported and discussed. Sensitivity analysis was carried out to study the effect of various hydrological, soil and topographical parameters, such as ratio of contributing to receiving areas, weir length, depth of impoundment, slope of contributing area, etc. on the flow behaviour in a CBT system.     

Interplay between river discharge and topography of the basin floor in a hyperpycnal lacustrine delta

Basin‐floor topography influences the flow path of hyperpycnal plumes and delta morphology during progradation of the Red River delta in Lake Texoma, USA. The Red River discharge is typically a hyperpycnal plume due to elevated total dissolved solids. Because the river plume is a bottom‐hugging hyperpycnal flow, lake bathymetry and topography strongly influence deposition and subsequent delta morphology. In addition to elevated total dissolved solid concentrations compared with Lake Texoma water, the density contrast of the Red River outflow is increased by high suspended‐sediment concentrations during high‐discharge events. Steep lateral slopes in the Lake Texoma basin deflect hyperpycnal river plumes and, subsequently, change the delta progradation direction before the delta reaches the opposite bank of the lake. Analysis of multi‐temporal aerial and satellite images indicates that the hyperpycnal delta follows the steepest lake‐bottom gradients, corresponding to the pre‐impoundment river thalweg (i.e. bypassing shallow parts of the lake). An analytical model for the hyperpycnal‐plume trajectory indicates plume deflection during low‐discharge or high‐discharge events, towards the deepest part of the basin. The magnitude of plume deflection is a function of river discharge and basin‐margin gradients. Plume deflection can vary between 10° and 80° from the channel axis towards the old river thalweg. The high deflection appears in the case of maximum basin side gradients of 12·8° and in conditions of low river discharge. During low‐discharge periods, the Red River delta builds a lobate shape with multiple terminal distributary channels whereas, during high‐discharge periods the Red River delta builds an elongate shape with a single large distributary channel. The elongate morphology of the delta is formed through the development of a single distributary channel and abandonment of the other distributaries. Therefore, the lobate shaped delta is expected to be preserved in the rock record.     

Block‐and‐ash flow deposit of the Narcondam Volcano: Product of dacite–andesite dome collapse in the Burma–Java subduction complex

Narcondam Island in the Andaman Sea represents a dacite–andesite dome volcano in the volcanic chain of the Burma–Java subduction complex. The pyroclasts of andesitic composition are restricted to the periphery of the dome predominantly in the form of block‐and‐ash deposits and minor base surge deposits. Besides pyroclastic deposits, andesitic lava occurs dominantly at the basal part of the dome whereas dacitic lava occupies the central part of the dome. The pyroclasts are represented by non‐vesiculated to poorly vesiculated blocks of andesite, lapilli, and ash. The hot debris derived from dome collapse was deposited initially as massive to reversely‐graded beds with the grain support at the lower part and matrix support at the upper part. This sequence is overlain by repetitive beds of lapilli breccia to tuff breccia. These deposits are recognized as a basal avalanche rather than lahar deposit. This basal avalanche was punctuated by an ash‐cloud surge deposit representing a sequence of thinly bedded units of normal graded unit to parallel laminated beds.     

A NOTE ON THE USE OF A NOMOGRAM FOR SELF-POTENTIAL ANOMALIES*

A nomogram has been devised for situations, in which the source of a self-potential anomaly can be approximated by an obliquely polarized sphere or horizontal cylinder embedded in a homogeneous half space. The nomogram can be used for rapid determination of three parameters of the target: (1) depth to the centre, (2) angle between the axis of polarization and the horizontal, (3) shift of the point vertically above the centre of the body from zero potential value. The nomogram has been tested and the parameters determined for SP results obtained over ore bodies Weiss and Süleymanköy in the Ergani Copper district, Turkey. The curves computed for the estimated parameters match the field curves well.     

ON THE ELECTROMAGNETIC RESPONSE OF CONDUCTORS IN THE INDUCTIVE METHOD OF PROSPECTING (MODEL STUDIES)*

In the inductive method of prospecting, information on conductivity and size of conducting ore-bodies located in non-conducting host rocks, can be conveniently obtained by studying amplitude-frequency relation or amplitude-phase relation of their response with the help of suitable Master-curves. Experiments carried out in the laboratory on the scale-model method show these Master-curves to be different depending on the type of primary excitation and the shape of conductor. Cases of sphere, plate and disc in uniform field, field of line source and dipole field have been studied with an Amplitude-Phase Meter specially constructed in the laboratory for this purpose.