Analysis and interpretation of Ibuji spring magnetic anomaly using the Mellin transform

The Mellin transform is a mathematical tool which has been applied in many areas of Mathematics, Physics and Engineering. Its application in Geophysics is in the computation of solution of potential problems for the determination of the mass as well as the depth to the basement of some solid mineral deposits. In this study, the Mellin transform is used to determine the depth to the top (h) and the depth to the bottom (H) of the basement of a profile of an anomalous magnetic body. Ibuji, the study area is located in Ifedore Local Government area of Ondo state, Nigeria, underlain by Precambrian complex rocks and bounded by geographical co-ordinate of Easting 5°00t’00″ to 5°4t’30″ and Northing 7°24t’00″ to 7°27t’36″. The magnetic anomaly profile due to a two- dimensional body(vertical thin sheet)over magnetic spring of the study area was digitised and the values of magnetic amplitude (nT) with respect to its horizontal distance (say interval of 5 m) obtained from the digitized profile was then used in the computation of Mellin transform using Matlab programs. In order to determine the depths H and h, the amplitudes were considered at three arbitrary point (s = ¼, ½ and ¾) such that, (0 < s < 1), where s is a complex variable of real positive integer. The value obtained for H was 47.95 m, which compared favourably with the result obtained using other methods. Meanwhile, the value obtained for h has a convergence restriction, whereby, at lower values of s, there is divergence, while at higher values of s, (about 0.9), the result converges and h was obtained to be 32.56 m. The Ibuji magnetic anomaly was therefore analysed to have a depth to the bottom (H) of 47.95 m and depth to the top of 32.56 m using this mathematical tool.     

The governance of nature as development and the erasure of the Pygmies of Cameroon

The Pygmies are among the remaining ‘savages’ in West and Central Africa. This paper demonstrates how the governance of nature through sedentarization, the creation of national parks as a mechanism of forestry conservation and the failure to endorse standard environmental safeguards in the creation of the Tchad-Cameroon pipeline project have led to the devastation of the livelihood of the indigenous pygmies. Simultaneously, by categorizing the Pygmies as a ‘primitive other’ despite the very dynamism of the concept of culture, the state of Cameroon has excluded them from the benefits of postmodernist development. I demonstrate that projects aimed at modernizing them, and achieving sustainability have instead accentuated their exclusion because of their presumed cultural isolation, led to their deep entrenchment in poverty and resulted in complete erasure. The failure of these projects is due to the clash between global and local perspectives and interests over the Western protectionism and nature aesthetics that underpin conservation and development schemes, and the government’s failure to ensure that developers fulfill their obligations to affected communities, as well as the non-recognition of the multiplex relationships between hunter-gatherers and farmers that is based on cultural, historical and political ecology. Against this backdrop, development has thus, become a process of erasure in which the livelihood of the Pygmies has been balkanized and their cultural existence and identity, negated.     

Perceived effects of climate change on profit efficiency among small scale chili pepper marketers in Benue State,Nigeria

GeoJournal - In the determination of the level of efficiency of an enterprise, the role of climate change cannot be overemphasized. However, some scholars are of the view that climate change might...