Bianchi II,VIII, and IX viscous fluid cosmology

In this paper we study the exact solutions for a viscous fluid distribution in Bianchi II, VIII, and IX models. The metric is simplified by assuming a relationship between the coefficients of the metric tensor. Solutions are obtained in two special cases: in one an additional assumption is made where the matter density and the expansion scalar have a definite relation and in the other a barotropic equation of state of the formp= is assumed. While the Bianchi II solutions are already found in the literature the other two classes of solutions are apparently new.     

Studies on flow characteristics of coal–oil–water slurry system

Experiments were carried out to investigate the rheological properties of coal–oil–water suspension containing solids of different sizes. Two different coal samples with mean particle sizes of 120 mesh, 175 mesh and 220 mesh were used. The coal concentration was varied from 5% to 25% by weight. Sodium silicate has been used as an additive to study the behavior of the variation of average viscosity of the suspension. A generalized correlation has been developed to predict the average viscosity of suspension in terms of particle diameter of the coal, concentration of coal, viscosity of the suspending medium and the concentration of water. Experimental investigations revealed that coal–oil–water suspensions show an increase in the viscosity with decrease in coal size but with the addition of an additive, the average viscosity tends to decrease initially up to a certain optimum dosages and thereafter it increases with further addition of additives. Two empirical correlations are proposed for average viscosity of the coal–oil–water suspension, μ_sL in terms of physical properties of the solid and viscosity of the suspending medium with and without additives.     

GIS-based flood hazard mapping at different administrative scales: A case study in Gangetic West Bengal, India

This paper addresses the need for an efficient and cost-effective methodology for preparing flood hazard maps in data poor countries, particularly those under a monsoon regime where floods pose a recurrent danger. Taking Gangetic West Bengal, India, as an example and using available historical data from government agencies, the study compiled a regional map indicating hazard prone subregional areas for further detailed investigation, thereby isolating actual high risk localities. Using a GIS (Geographical Information System), a composite hazard index was devised incorporating variables of flood frequency, population density, transportation networks, access to potable water, and availability of high ground and maximum risk zones were mapped accordingly. A digital elevation model derived from high resolution imagery available in the public domain was used to calculate elevated areas suitable for temporary shelter during a flood. Selecting administrative units of analysis at the lowest possible scales – rural development blocks (regional) and revenue villages (subregional) – also ensures that hazard mapping is prepared in line with the existing rural planning and administrative authorities responsible for remedial intervention.     

Where did rotational shortening occur in the Himalayas? - Inferences from palaeomagnetic remagnetisations

In metacarbonates of the Lesser (LH) and Tethyan (TH) Himalayas of Kumaon/Garhwal (N-India) characteristic remanent magnetisations carried by pyrrhotite (unblocking temperatures: 250-330°C) and magnetite (demagnetising spectra: 15-50 mT) have been identified. Negative fold tests indicate remanence acquisition after the main folding phase, which is of short-wavelength character and occurs during the early orogenese of the Himalayas. A thermal or thermochemical origin of magnetisation is likely and the age of remanence acquisition is indicated to be about 40 Ma by ⁴⁰K/³⁹Ar cooling and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar crystallisation ages. In the Kumaon LH a long-wavelength tilting is indicated by a distribution of the remanence directions along a small-circle in N-S direction. Steepening of the remanence directions in the TH related to ramping on the Main Central Thrust (MCT) was not observed, in contrast to other related studies. In the Alaknanda valley of LH a 38±8 Ma age of remanence acquisition is supported by comparison of observed inclinations to the apparent polar wander path of India. Clockwise rotation of 20.3±11.7° (LH/Alaknanda valley) and 11.3±8.5° (TH) with respect to the Indian plate is observed, indicating that there is no significant evidence for rotational shortening along the MCT since about 40 Ma. Our results suggest that most of rotational underthrusting and oroclinal bending has not been accommodated by the MCT, but by the main thrusts south of it. The latest Miocene/Pliocene age of the Main Boundary Thrust indicates that oroclinal bending is a late-orogenic process.     

Multicomponent magnetization in western Dolpo (Tethyan Himalaya, Nepal): tectonic implications

A palaeomagnetic study has been carried out in the Tethyan Himalaya (TH; the northern margin of Greater India). Twenty-six palaeomagnetic sites have been sampled in Triassic low-grade metasediments of western Dolpo. Two remanent components have been identified. A pyrrhotite component, characterized by unblocking temperatures of 270–335 °C, yields an in situ mean direction of D=191.7°, I=−30.9° (k=29.5, α₉₅=5.7°, N=23 sites). The component fails the fold test at the 99% confidence level (k_{in situ}/k_bed=6.9) and is therefore of postfolding origin. For reason of the low metamorphic grade, this pyrrhotite magnetization is believed to be of thermo-chemical origin. Geochronological data and inclination matching indicate an acquisition age around 35 Ma. The second remanence component has higher unblocking temperatures (>400 °C and up to 500–580 °C range) and resides in magnetite. A positive fold test and comparison with expected Triassic palaeomagnetic directions suggest a primary origin.The postfolding character of the pyrrhotite component, and its interpreted age of remanence acquisition, implies that the main Himalayan folding is older than 35 Ma in the western Dolpo area. This study also suggests that the second metamorphic event (Neo-Himalayan) was more significant in the Dolpo area than the first (Eo-Himalayan) one.A clockwise rotation of 10–15° is inferred from the pyrrhotite component, which is compatible with oroclinal bending and/or rotational underthrusting models. This rotation is also supported by the magnetite component, indicating that no rotation of the Tethyan Himalaya relative to India took place before 35 Ma.     

Application of Remote Sensing in Flood Management with Special Reference to Monsoon Asia: A Review

The conventional means to record hydrological parameters of aflood often fail to record an extreme event. Remote sensingtechnology along with geographic information system (GIS)has become the key tool for flood monitoring in recent years.Development in this field has evolved from optical to radarremote sensing, which has provided all weather capabilitycompared to the optical sensors for the purpose of flood mapping.The central focus in this field revolves around delineation of floodzones and preparation of flood hazard maps for the vulnerable areas.In this exercise flood depth is considered crucial for flood hazardmapping and a digital elevation model (DEM) is considered to bethe most effective means to estimate flood depth from remotelysensed or hydrological data. In a flat terrain accuracy of floodestimation depends primarily on the resolution of the DEM. Riverflooding in the developing countries of monsoon Asia is very acutebecause of their heavy dependence on agriculture but any floodestimation or hazard mapping attempt in this region is handicappedby poor availability of high resolution DEMs. This paper presents areview of application of remote sensing and GIS in flood managementwith particular focus on the developing countries of Asia.     

Shallow lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary beneath Cambay Rift Zone of India: Inferred presence of carbonated partial melt

A vast area between Phalodi in Jodhpur and Pokaran in Jaisalmer district of western Rajasthan, is occupied distinctly by rocky, shallow gravelly surfaces and occasional hills. These surfaces exhibit quartz and quartzite pebbles, angular, sub-angular and few rounded sandstone gravels, have slightly convex outline and can be best described as desert pavements. Such land features assume significance because of their extent and variability under a dominantly dry aeolian environment. Morphology and distributional pattern of such formations indicate that sediments are either of in situ origin or may have been transported to a short distance. The present study is based on field level assessment of such surfaces in the above two desert districts. Over much of the area, the profile shows a surficial concentration of gravels followed by thick sand and silt mixed with gravels and then the parent material. There are also occasional rock outcrops of very low relief exhibiting vertical, horizontal and conchoidal pattern of fractures over these surfaces near Pokaran and north of Jaisalmer which indicate disintegration of rocks under extreme diurnal fluctuation of temperature. Such manifestations in the morphology indicate impact of both thermal as well as aeolian processes. In the east of Jaisalmer town near Basanpir and Bhojka, the pavement surfaces are found covered with abundant sub-rounded to rounded pebbles and cobbles. This type of condition would indicate a profound action by fluvial activities followed by wind sorting. Our study found significant spatial variability in the distribution of pavement surfaces, which carried imprints of climatic fluctuations and environment of deposition during Holocene.     

Reliability Analysis of Earth Slopes Considering Spatial Variability

The paper presents a computational procedure for reliability analysis of earth slopes considering spatial variability of soils under the framework of the Limit Equilibrium Method. In the reliability analysis of earth slopes, the effect of spatial variability of soil properties is generally included indirectly by assuming that the probabilistic critical slip surface is the same as that determined without considering spatial variability. In contrast to this indirect approach, in the direct approach, the effect of spatial variability is included in the process of determination of the probabilistic critical surface itself. While the indirect approach requires much less computational effort, the direct approach is definitely more rigorous. In this context this paper attempts to investigate, with the help of numerical examples, how far away are the results obtained from the indirect approach from that obtained from the direct approach. In both the approaches, it is required to use a model of discretization of random fields into finite random variables. A few such models are available in the literature for one-dimensional (1D) as well as two-dimensional (2D) spatial variability. The developed computational scheme is based on the First Order Reliability Method (FORM) coupled with the Spencer Method of Slices valid for limit equilibrium analysis of general slip surfaces. The study includes bringing out the computational advantages and disadvantages of the three commonly used discretization models. The sensitivity of the reliability index to the magnitudes of the scales of fluctuation has also been studied.