Observed daily large-scale rainfall patterns during BOBMEX-1999

A daily rainfall dataset and the corresponding rainfall maps have been produced by objective analysis of rainfall data. The satellite estimate of rainfall and the raingauge values are merged to form the final analysis. Associated with epochs of monsoon these rainfall maps are able to show the rainfall activities over India and the Bay of Bengal region during the BOBMEX period. The intra-seasonal variations of rainfall during BOBMEX are also seen using these data. This dataset over the oceanic region compares well with other available popular datasets like GPCP and CMAP. Over land this dataset brings out the features of monsoon in more detail due to the availability of more local raingauge stations.     

Abundance and degree of residency of humpback dolphins Sousa plumbea in Mossel Bay,South Africa

Indian Ocean humpback dolphins Sousa plumbea inhabit nearshore waters from South Africa to eastern India. Humpback dolphins are vulnerable to conservation threats due to their naturally small population sizes and use of nearshore habitats, where human activities are highest. We investigated the abundance and residency of this species inhabiting Mossel Bay, South Africa, using photographic mark-recapture. Data were collected during 81 surveys in Mossel Bay between 2011 and 2013. Open population modelling using the POPAN parameterisation produced a ‘super-population’ estimate of 125 individuals (95% CI: 61–260) and within-year estimates of between 33 and 86 individuals (2011: 71 [95% CI: 30–168]; 2012: 33 [15–73], 32 [15–70]; 2013: 46 [20–108]). Although less appropriate, closed capture models were also run for comparison with previous studies in the region and generated similar, but slightly smaller, population estimates within each year. We compared our catalogue with opportunistic data collected from East London, Plettenberg Bay, De Hoop and Gansbaai. The only catalogue matches attained were between Plettenberg Bay (n = 44 identified) and Mossel Bay (n = 67 identified), separated by 140?km. Population exchange was moderate, with nine individuals resighted in multiple years between these two areas. This study supports previous findings of long-range movements for this species and provides a baseline from which to assess future impacts on the population.     

Unusual calcareous concretions from the Palaeocene grey-black shales of Palana Formation at Hadla Bhatiyan Southwest of Bikaner, Rajasthan

During the search of some plant and animal fossils a variety of calcareous concretions were collected from the carbonaceous grey-black shales of Palana Formation of the Palaeocene age in a dug well section at Hadla Bhatiyan village Southwest of Bikaner in Rajasthan. The concretions range in size from a few millimetres to 30 centimetres in diameter. These structures exhibit a variety of shapes ranging from spherical, botryoidal, flattened and dumbbell shaped. The calcareous concretions observed here show an unusual internal structure. On the outer surface they show straight laminations but inside these laminations form slump structures. In many cases the central portion of the slump structures has been detached and rotated due to the gravity effect. Secondly, laminations on the outer surface exhibit continuity irrespective of the shape of the concretions.     

MULTIVARIATE RESPONSE SURFACE MODELLING BY PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS ANALYSIS

Analysis of multivariate response data by modelling the principal components of the response has beenapplied to two sets of data. In both cases principal components analysis revealed the relationships amongthe response variables and exploited them to simplify the problem of modelling and optimizing themultivariate response. The models and optima obtained from the principal components comparedfavourably with the individual models and simultaneous optima.     

Trends in 1,4-Dioxane Analyses: Implications for Identification and Characterization of Contaminated Groundwater Sites

1,4-Dioxane is a contaminant of emerging concern, and there is significant uncertainty about how its environmental occurrence in groundwater is being assessed given the various analytical methods available. This study compiled public sampling records from 2000 to 2019 that included >106,000 analyses of 1,4-dioxane from 822 different U.S. sites. The 1,4-dioxane detection frequency in the entire dataset (including all methods) was 45%, and the median detected concentration was 10 μg/L, highlighting the dilute nature of 1,4-dioxane in environmental media and the importance of selecting methods with adequate sensitivity. The annual distribution of samples analyzed by each method type confirmed a shift towards methods designed for semi-volatile compounds (Method 8270 and Method 8270 SIM) that exhibited consistently lower reporting limits (median reporting limit for each year typically ≤1 μg/L). In contrast, the method designed for volatile compounds (Method 8260) exhibited less sensitivity for 1,4-dioxane (median reporting limit per year between 40 and 100 μg/L) and its use declined significantly over time with increasing use of the moderately sensitive Method 8260 SIM in later years. This shift contributed to an increase in the 1,4-dioxane detection frequency over time, with a strong correlation between the annual detection frequency and the median reporting limit. Sites where 1,4-dioxane was analyzed but not detected overwhelmingly used less-sensitive methods that may not have been adequate for the expected concentration levels. Given the sub-μg/L groundwater criteria issued for 1,4-dioxane by some regulatory agencies, more sensitive and accurate methods will be increasingly needed to assess compliance.     

Impact of different sea surface roughness on surface gravity waves using a coupled atmosphere–wave model: a case of Hurricane Isaac (2012)

Ocean Dynamics - The complicated pattern of the chaotic ocean surface depends strongly on the interaction between wind and waves. An accurate representation of momentum and energy exchange at...     

Evaluating the impact of artificial groundwater recharge structures using geo-spatial techniques in the hard-rock terrain of Rajasthan,India

Groundwater levels in hard-rock areas in India have shown very large declines in the recent past. The situation is becoming more critical due to a paucity of rainfall, limited surface water resources and an increasing pattern of groundwater extraction in these areas. Consequently, the Ground Water Department with the aid of World Bank has implemented the water structuring programme to mitigate groundwater scarcity and to develop a viable solution for sustainable development in the region. The present study has been undertaken to assess the impact of artificial groundwater recharge structures in the hard-rock area of Rajasthan, India. In this study groundwater level data (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon) of 85 dug-wells are used, spread over an area of 413.59 km². The weathered and fractured gneissic basement rocks act as major aquifer in the area. Spatial maps for pre- and post-monsoon groundwater levels were prepared using the kriging interpolation technique with best fitted semi-variogram models (Spherical, Exponential and Gaussian). The groundwater recharge is calculated spatially using the water level fluctuation method. The entire study period (2004–2011) is divided into pre- (2004–2008) and post-intervention (2009–2011) periods. Based on the identical nature of total monsoon rainfall, two combinations of average (2007 and 2009) and more than average (2006 and 2010) rainfall years are selected from the pre- and post-intervention periods for further comparisons. All of the water harvesting structures are grouped into the following categories: as anicuts (masonry overflow structure); percolation tanks; subsurface barriers; and renovation of earthen ponds/nadis. A buffer of 100 m around the intervention site is taken for assessing the influence of these structures on groundwater recharge. The relationship between the monsoon rainfall and groundwater recharge is fitted by power and exponential functions for the periods of 2004–2008 and 2008–2011 with R ² values of 0.95 and 0.98, respectively. The average groundwater recharge is found to be 18% of total monsoon rainfall prior to intervention and it became 28% during the post-intervention period. About 70.9% (293.43 km²) of the area during average rainfall and more than 95% (396.26 km²) of the area during above-average rainfalls show an increase in groundwater recharge after construction of water harvesting structures. The groundwater recharge pattern indicates a positive impact within the vicinity of intervention sites during both average and above-average rainfall. The anicuts are found to be the most effective recharge structures during periods of above-average rainfall, while subsurface barriers are responded well during average rainfall periods. In the hard-rock terrain, water harvesting structures produce significant increases in groundwater recharge. The geo-spatial techniques that are used are effective for evaluating the response of different artificial groundwater recharge techniques.     

Lead-zinc resource prediction in India: An application of Zipf's law

Resource prediction is necessary for allocation of exploration efforts to keep pace with future demand and the growth pattern of a commodity. Zipf's law, a mathematical relationship between size and rank of discrete phenomena, has been used for resource prediction of oil in Western Canada, uranium, gold, tin, and lead-zinc deposits in Australia, and copper deposits in Zambia. The model, applied to lead-zinc metal accumulation of 24 known precambrain deposits in India, indicates that about 75% of the lead-zinc metal is yet to be discovered. The probability of occurrence of 14 deposits of larger dimensions based on the cumulative percentage frequency for different accumulations lies between 5 and 30%. In future exploration, preference should be given to more effort in the Banded Gneissic Complex of Rajasthan in comparison to Aravalilis of Rajasthan, followed by similar environments throughout the country and Palaeozoic strata of the Himalayas.     

Assimilation of IRS-P4 (MSMR) meteorological data in the NCMRWF global data assimilation system

Oceansat-1 was successfully launched by India in 1999, with two payloads, namely Multi-frequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer (MSMR) and Ocean Color Monitor (OCM) to study the biological and physical parameters of the ocean. The MSMR sensor is configured as an eight-channel radiometer using four frequencies with dual polarization. The MSMR data at 75 km resolution from the Oceansat-I have been assimilated in the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) data assimilation forecast system. The operational analysis and forecast system at NCMRWF is based on a T80L18 global spectral model and Spectral Statistical Interpolation (SSI) scheme for data analysis. The impact of the MSMR data is seen globally, however it is significant over the oceanic region where conventional data are rare. The dry-nature of the control analyses have been removed by utilizing the MSMR data. Therefore, the total precipitable water data from MSMR has been identified as a very crucial parameter in this study. The impact of surface wind speed from MSMR is to increase easterlies over the tropical Indian Ocean. Shifting of the positions of westerly troughs and ridges in the south Indian Ocean has contributed to reduction of temperature to around 30‡S.