An analysis of mechanisms for submesoscale vertical motion at ocean fronts

We analyze model simulations of a wind-forced upper ocean front to understand the generation of near-surface submesoscale, O(1 km), structures with intense vertical motion. The largest vertical velocities are in the downward direction; their maxima are situated at approximately 25 m depth and magnitudes exceed 1 mm/s or 100 m/day. They are correlated with high rates of lateral strain, large relative vorticity and the loss of geostrophic balance. We examine several mechanisms for the formation of submesoscale structure and vertical velocity in the upper ocean. These include: (i) frontogenesis, (ii) frictional effects at fronts, (iii) mixed layer instabilities, (iv) ageostrophic anticyclonic instability, and (v) nonlinear Ekman effects. We assess the role of these mechanisms in generating vertical motion within the nonlinear, three-dimensionally evolving flow field of the nonhydrostatic model. We find that the strong submesoscale down-welling in the model is explained by nonlinear Ekman pumping and is also consistent with the potential vorticity arguments that analogize down-front winds to buoyancy-forcing. Conditions also support the formation of ageostrophic anticyclonic instabilities, but the contribution of these is difficult to assess because the decomposition of the flow into balanced and unbalanced components via semigeostrophic analysis breaks down at O(1) Rossby numbers. Mixed layer instabilities do not dominate the structure, but shear and frontogenesis contribute to the relative vorticity and strain fields that generate ageostrophy.     

Use of laser range and height texture cues for building identification

Airborne LiDAR has found application in an increasing number of mapping and Geo-data acquisition tasks. Apart from terrain information generation, applications such as automatic detection and modeling of objects like buildings or vegetation for the generation of 3-D city models have been explored. Besides the height itself, height texture defined by local variations of the height is a significant parameter for object recognition. The paper explores the potential of the analysis of height texture as a cue for the automatic detection of objects in LiDAR datasets. A number of texture measures were computed. Based on their definition and computation these measures were used as bands in a classification algorithm, and objects like buildings, single trees, and roads could be recognized.     

Sedimentologic attributes of the Proterozoic siliciclastic packages of the Garhwal–Kumaun Lesser Himalaya,India: Implication for their relationship and palaeobasinal conditions

The present work addresses the long-standing issues on the characterization aspect of the Proterozoic siliciclastic successions exposed in the central part of the Lesser Himalaya, restricted between the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and the Main Central Thrust (MCT). Geologic, sedimentologic, and petrographic study divides the Lesser Himalaya in two zones- northern Palaeo- Mesoproterozoic Inner Lesser Himalayan (ILH) and southern Neoproterozoic Outer Lesser Himalayan (OLH) zones. The major lithofacies recognized from the zones are - (i) coarse grained siliciclastic (CGS), (ii) interbedded medium and fine-grained siliciclastic (IMFS), (iii) argillite (ARG), and (iv) siliciclastic–argillite rhythmites (SAR). Amongst all these facies, the nearshore IMFS facies shows consistent presence in both OLH and ILH zones. From the facies distribution pattern, a northwest–southeasterly trending palaeo- shoreline has been envisaged. The CGS facies in the ILH hints towards an alluvial fan setting during 1.8 Ga rifting phase associated with penecontemporaneous basic magmatism. Compositionally, the siliciclastics of both the zones (ILH and OLH) are arenite and wacke types with minimal variation in their detrital proportions, derived from the early Proterozoic (between 2.4-1.6Ga) Aravalli-Delhi Supergroup provenance. Nearly matching types and content of detrital modes and the lithofacies pattern of the ILH and OLH siliciclastics probably conclude the derivation from the rising (nearby) Aravalli-Delhi orogen and deposition in a foreland like situation.     

Sediment storage and release from Himalayan piggyback basins and implications for downstream river morphology and evolution

Piggyback basins developed at the mountain fronts of collisional orogens can act as important, and transient, sediment stores along major river systems. It is not clear, however, how the storage and release of sediment in piggyback basins affects the sediment flux and evolution of downstream river reaches. Here, we investigate the timing and volumes of sediment storage and release in the Dehra Dun, a piggyback basin developed along the Himalayan mountain front in northwestern India. Based on OSL dating, we show evidence for three major phases of aggradation in the dun, bracketed at ca. 41–33 ka, 34–21 ka and 23–10 ka, each accompanied by progradation of sediment fans into the dun. Each of these phases was followed by backfilling and (apparently) rapid fan‐head incision, leading to abandonment of the depositional unit and a basinward shift of the active depocentre. Excavation of dun sediment after the second and third phases of aggradation produced time‐averaged sediment discharges that were ca. 1–2% of the modern suspended‐sediment discharges of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers that traverse the margins of the dun; this sediment was derived from catchment areas that together comprise 1.5% of the drainage area of these rivers. Comparison of the timing of dun storage and release with upstream and downstream records of incision and aggradation in the Ganga show that sediment storage in the dun generally coincides with periods of widespread hinterland aggradation but that late stages of dun aggradation, and especially times of dun sediment excavation, coincide with major periods of sediment export to the Ganga Basin. The dun thus acts to amplify temporal variations in hinterland sediment supply or transport capacity. This conceptual model appears to explain morphological features of other major river systems along the Himalayan front, including the Gandak and Kosi Rivers, and may be important for understanding sediment flux variations in other collisional mountain belts.     

Geothermal energy potential of Tulsishyam thermal springs of Gujarat,India

Tulsishyam thermal springs are located in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, India with discharge temperatures varying from 39 to 42 °C. The pH of these thermal springs varies from 7.1 to 7.4, indicating neutral character. Though these thermal springs propagate through the near surface layer of Deccan basalt, detailed geochemical analysis of the thermal waters using Piper diagram suggests that the water is interacting with the granitic basement rock. Silica and cation geothermometry estimates have reservoir temperature in the range of 138 to 207 °C categorizing it into a low to moderate enthalpy geothermal system. Furthermore, the area has high heat flow values of 53–90 mW/m² because of shallow Moho depth. The prevailing conditions suggest that the geothermal energy can potentially be exploited through an enhanced geothermal system (EGS). The study also indicates different mineral phases that may precipitate out of water during exploitation of geothermal energy and it should be taken into account while designing an EGS for the area.     

Recession of Milam Glacier,Kumaun Himalaya,Observed via Lichenometric Dating of Moraines

Glaciers being very sensitive to climate change have been identified as one of the best indicators of climate change and evidences have proved that most of the Himalayan glaciers have receded with an increased rate during the recent past under the influence of global warming. Lichenometric study was carried out on the moraines of Milam glacier (located in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand) with the help of lichen species Dimelaena oreina having an average annual growth rate of 1.31 mm. The study revealed that Milam glacier has receded 1450 m in last 69.37 years with an average recession rate of 20.90 m/year. Since lichenometric studies are cost effective and ecofriendly in comparison to carbon dating, satellite and remote sensing based studies and also reliable, hence, it should be promoted in Himalaya which is an abode of glaciers.     

Role of barotropic mechanism in the development of a monsoon depression: A MONEX study

The role of barotropic processes in the development of a monsoon depression, formed on 5 July 1979 during MONEX observational period, is studied by considering it as a quasi-geostrophic divergent barotropic instability problem of zonal flow of 3 July 1979 at 700 mb level. Numerical solutions are obtained by initial value approach. The preferred wave has a wavelength of 2750 km, an e-folding time of 4.3 days, a period of 6.5 days and an eastward phase speed of 4.9 ms^–1. Structure of preferred wave is found to be in good agreement with the observed horizontal structure of the depression at 700 mb. Poleward momentum transports are found to predominate over equatorward transports.Parts of this paper were presented at the National Symposium on Early Results of MONEX-1979. 9–12 March 1981, in New Delhi, India.     

Gravel fabric in a sub-Himalayan braided stream

Data on the fabric properties of gravels have been collected at 10 locations over a distance of 27 km from the Chakki River — a braided channel of the Beas River system. The imbrication of AB-planes reveals a close correspondence with the channel direction; the deviations seldom exceed 30°. Increase in sinuosity and the existence of subsidiary channels contribute, at some locations, to larger deviations. Imbrication directions tend to be modified because of the influence of local channels which develop temporarily on the bar surfaces.A current-normal mode exists for the A-axis orientation data. Bimodal distributions are recognised and attributed to shifting flow conditions. Variance values are low for both the imbrication and A-axis data. The range in mean values of the dip of AB-planes is between 22.6° and 37.6° with s = 8° to 14°. The mean values of plunge of the A-axis vary from 2.9° to 13.2° with s = 3.4° to 12.69°. There is a marked decrease in plunge of the A-axis in the downstream direction in the Chakki River.A particle size versus orientation approach indicates that, irrespective of size, there is a strong upcurrent imbrication. Longitudinal alignment of particles in the smaller size intervals is not supported by the data obtained in this study. A particle shape versus orientation approach reveals that the A-axis orientation is not dependent on particle shape. The A-axis fabric patterns of both tabular and bladed clasts show a peripheral circular arrangement of the maxima, the bisectrix of which points in a current-normal direction. Orientation patterns do not reflect any control in terms of the lithic composition of clasts.     

Palynological investigation of Neogene (Early Miocene) sediments of Mangalore basin,India: Palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic implications

A rich palynological assemblage consisting of algal remains (5 genera and 7 species, including dinoflagellate cysts), fungal spores (2 genera and 3 species), pteridophytic spores (5 genera and 8 species), gymnospermous pollen grains (3 genera and 3 species) and angiospermous pollen grains (17 genera and 22 species) has been recorded for the first time from the Miocene sediments exposed along Kullur-Kavur road, near Mangalore along the west coast of Karnataka. Among the important genera are: Achomosphaera, Leptodinium, Staphlosporonites, Hammenisporis, Polypodiaceaesporites, Quilonipollenites, Myricipites, Graminidites, Malvacearumpollis, Palaeomalvaceaepollis and Chenopodipollis. Qualitative and quantitative analyses reveal that the angiosperm pollen grains are dominant over pteridophytic spores and an overall, a warm and humid tropical-sub-tropical coastal climate with heavy precipitation is suggested for the site of deposition. The sediments were deposited in fluctuating conditions ranging from lacustrine to marine environments with fresh water swamps and ponds nearby. The occurrence of Hammenisporis, Polypodiaceaesporites, Quilonipollenites, Myricipites, Graminidites, Malvacearumpollis, Palaeomalvaceaepollis and Chenopodipollis in the present assemblage suggests an early Miocene age. A comparison of the present palynofloral assemblage with those known from the Indian Tertiary sediments shows its close resemblances with the Miocene palynoflora recovered from Quilon and Warkalli beds of Kerala basin.