Earth's equatorial ionosphere and the heliospheric current sheet

Evidence is presented to show that during epochs of high sunspot activity, the duration of manifestation of equatorial spread-F (ESF) irregularities in the Earth's equatorial ionosphere undergoes a systematic modulation around the times of crossing of the heliospheric current sheet by the Earth. The modulation which is assessed as an indirect and geomagnetic activity-associated effect, is characterised by an enhancement in the duration of ESF conditions prior to the current sheet crossing and a reduction thereafter. It is suggested that the observed response of the equatorial ionosphere to the current sheet passage is primarily a manifestation of the geomagnetic activity related modifications in the equatorial east-west electric field in the post-sunset period.     

Two-stage metamorphic evolution of the Bemarivo Belt of northern Madagascar: constraints from reaction textures and in situ monazite dating

New results on the pressure–temperature–time evolution, deduced from conventional geothermobarometry and in situ U‐Th‐total Pb dating of monazite, are presented for the Bemarivo Belt in northern Madagascar. The belt is subdivided into a northern part consisting of low‐grade metamorphic epicontinental series and a southern part made up of granulite facies metapelites. The prograde metamorphic stage of the latter unit is preserved by kyanite inclusions in garnet, which is in agreement with results of the garnet (core)‐alumosilicate‐quartz‐plagioclase (inclusions in garnet; GASP) equilibrium. The peak metamorphic stage is characterized by ultrahigh temperatures of ～900–950 °C and pressures of ～9 kbar, deduced from GASP equilibria and feldspar thermometry. In proximity to charnockite bodies, garnet‐sillimanite‐bearing metapelites contain aluminous orthopyroxene (max. 8.0 wt% Al₂O₃) pointing to even higher temperatures of ～970 °C. Peak metamorphism is followed by near‐isothermal decompression to pressures of 5–7 kbar and subsequent near‐isobaric cooling, which is demonstrated by the extensive late‐stage formation of cordierite around garnet. Internal textures and differences in chemistry of metapelitic monazite point to a polyphasic growth history. Monazite with magmatically zoned cores is rarely preserved, and gives an age of c. 737 ± 19 Ma, interpreted as the maximum age of sedimentation. Two metamorphic stages are dated: M1 monazite cores range from 563 ± 28 Ma to 532 ± 23 Ma, representing the collisional event, and M2 monazite rims (521 ± 25 Ma to 513 ± 14 Ma), interpreted as grown during peak metamorphic temperatures. These are among the youngest ages reported for high‐grade metamorphism in Madagascar, and are supposed to reflect the Pan‐African attachment of the Bemarivo Belt to the Gondwana supercontinent during its final amalgamation stage. In the course of this, the southern Bemarivo Belt was buried to a depth of >25 km. Approximately 25–30 Myr later, the rocks underwent heating, interpreted to be due to magmatic underplating, and uplift. Presumably, the northern part of the belt was also affected by this tectonism, but buried to a lower depth, and therefore metamorphosed to lower grades.     

Simulating the effect of Nitrogen application on Wheat Yield by linking remotely sensed measurements with wtgrows simulation model

A field experiment was conducted on wheat at New Delhi with five treatments of Nitrogen (N) fertilizer application (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kgha^-1). Relationship has been established between observed leaf area index (LAI) and remotely sensed vegetation indices. These relationships are inverted and used for predicting LAI from vegetation indices on different days after sowing. The “re-initialization” strategy is implemented in model WTGROWS in which initial conditions of model are changed so that the model simulated LAI match remote sensing predicted LAI. The model performance with re-initialization has been evaluated by comparing the simulated grain yield and total above-ground dry matter (TDM) values with the actual observations. The results show that in-season re-initialization is effective in model course correction by improving the simulated results of yield and TDM for different N treatments even though the model was run with no N stress condition. Model re-initialization at different days shows that the closer is the day of re-initialization to crop anthesis the more effective is model course correction. Also, the treatment showing maximum error in yield simulation without re-initialization shows maximum reduction in error by re-initialization. The approach shows that the remote sensing inputs can substitute for some of the inputs or errors in inputs required by crop models for yield prediction.     

Protection of marine birds and turtles at St Brandon’s Rock,Indian Ocean,requires conservation of the entire atoll

A survey of seabirds and turtles at St Brandon’s Rock, 400 km north of Mauritius, was undertaken in 2010. We estimated that 1 084 191 seabirds comprising seven breeding species and excluding non-breeders were present at the archipelago and we counted 279 turtle tracks and nesting pits of green turtles Chelonia mydas. Hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata were also present. Analyses of 30 different islets that make up the atoll showed that the seabird species mostly partitioned their use of islets based on islet size, with four species preferring larger islets and two species preferring smaller islets. Alien species introduced historically are still present and other threats, such as shipwrecks, remain. We propose conservation and other measures that should adequately protect the birds, turtles and coral reef by treating the atoll as a system.     

A technique to assess dispersion

A technique to arrive at conditions congenial to maintaining a stable suspension of fine particles has been described. The technique involves continuous monitoring of apparent loss of weight of a body suspended in settling slurries. Such a technique is useful in fixing the best conditions for gravity separation of fine particles involving Bartles-Mozley concentrators or hydrocyclones.     

Solar cycle and seasonal variations in F-region vertical drifts over Kodaikanal,India

Measurements of the changes in phase path of F-region reflections at normal incidence at Kodaikanal (77° 28′E, 10° 14′N, dip 3°N) from February 1991 to February 1993 are used to determine the variation of the equatorial evening F-region vertical drifts (V_z) with season, solar and magnetic activity. It is found that on average, at Kodaikanal, the post-sunset peak in V_z(V_zp) is higher in equinox and local winter months than in local summer. The day-to-day variability in V_zp is highest in summer and lowest in winter. This seasonal trend persists even on magnetically quiet days (A_p\leq14). V_zp is found to increase with 10.7 cm solar flux in all three seasons but tends to saturate for large flux values (>230 units) during local summer and winter months. Magnetic activity [represented by A_p as well as the time-weighted accumulations of a_p and a_p ()] does not seem to have any statistically significant effect on V_zp, except during equinoctial months of moderate solar activity, when V_zp decreases as magnetic activity increases.     

Lunar modulation on the occurrence frequency of the afternoon counter-electrojet events at Trivandrum

Distribution, over the lunar age, of the frequency of occurrence of the afternoon counter-electrojet events at Trivandrum during the period 1959–1978 is examined in each of the calendar months. A strong lunar modulation on the occurrence frequency is seen in January; this may be related to the global enhancement of the lunar tide during January. The modulation is also prominent in April, although 62% of the events in that month occur irrespective of the lunar age. The occurrence frequency at Trivandrum appears to be least influenced by the Moon in the northern summer months.     

Contributions from oceanic and ionospheric dynamos to the lunar daily variation at Alibag

Summary. The contributions from the oceanic and ionospheric dynamos, L_o and L_I respectively, to the geomagnetic lunar daily variation, L , at Alibag, a coastal station in the Indian equatorial region, are calculated from the L harmonics derived from a 41–yr long series of observations. The analysis in the calendar months shows a steady and significant ocean dynamo contribution in the vertical component, Z, in all the months except April. Examination, by an analysis of the data year by year, of the association of L_o and L_I with varying solar and magnetic activities reveals, surprisingly, a stable correlation between the magnetic activity index A _P and the oceanic part in the horizontal and vertical components but not in declination, which probably indicates the influence of induced currents, along the latitudes, on L _o.