Showing papers in "Current Science in 2014"

Observed Changes in Himalayan Glaciers

Abstract: In the Himalaya, large areas are covered by glaciers and seasonal snow. They are an important source of water for the Himalayan rivers. In this article, observed changes in glacial extent and mass balance have been discussed. Various studies suggest that most of the Himalayan glaciers are retreating though the rate of retreat varies from glacier to glacier, ranging from a few meters to almost 61 m/year, depending upon the terrain and meteorological parameters. In addition, mapping of almost 11,000 out of 40,000 sq. km of glaciated area, distributed in all major climatic zones of the Himalaya, suggests an almost 13% loss in area in the last 4-5 decades. The glacier mass balance observations and estimates made using methods like field, AAR, ELA and geodetic measurements, suggest a significant increase in mass wastage of Himalayan glaciers in the last 3-4 decades. In the last four decades loss in glacial ice has been estimated at 19 +/- 7 m. This suggests loss of 443 +/- 136 Gt of glacial mass out of a total 3600-4400 Gt of glacial stored water in the Indian Himalaya. This study has also shown that mean loss in glacier mass in the Indian Himalaya is accelerated from -9 +/- 4 to -20 +/- 4 Gt/year between the periods 1975-85 and 2000-2010. The estimate of glacial stored water in the Indian Himalaya is based on glacier inventory on a 1 : 250,000 scale and scaling methods; therefore, we assume uncertainties to be large.

Adsorption-Desorption of Heavy Metal Ions

Abstract: Adsorption and desorption studies on different types of adsorbents, including natural materials such as teak tree bark powder, rice husk, natural bentonite, different algae like Ecklonia maxima, Escherichia coli, Ascophyllum nodasum, Rhizopus nigricans, Cladophora fascicularis, goethite and soils of three nuclear power plant and artificial materials such as Fe oxide-coated sand, goethite pretreated with phosphate, dithizonemodified sodium trititanate whisker, modified nanometre sized TiO 2 , Chromosorb 102 resins and poly(m-phenylenediamine) are summarized. The kinetics, thermodynamics, sorption/desorption mechanism of different metal ions on different adsorbents under different experimental conditions are discussed. It is found that desorbing agent is greatly dependent on the adsorbate used. All the metal ions are desorbed using acids like HCl, HNO 3 and H 2 SO 4 in most of the cases, except Cr(VI). EDTA can be used to remove Pb 2+ and Zn 2+ in addition to acids. Since Cr(VI) is present in anionic form; it can be eliminated from the loaded adsorbents using bases like NaOH, Na 2 CO 3 or NaHCO 3 .

Are the Himalayan glaciers retreating

Abstract: The Himalayan mountain system to the north of the Indian land mass with arcuate strike of NW-SE for about 2400 km holds one of the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar regions in its high-altitude regions. Perennial snow and ice-melt from these frozen reservoirs is used in catchments and alluvial plains of the three major Himalayan river systems, i.e. the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra for irrigation, hydropower generation, production of bio-resources and fulfilling the domestic water demand. Also, variations in the extent of these glaciers are understood to be a sensitive indicator of climatic variations of the earth system and might have implications on the availability of water resources in the river systems. Therefore, mapping and monitoring of these freshwater resources is required for the planning of water resources and understanding the impact of climatic variations. Thus a study has been carried out to find the change in the extent of Himalayan glaciers during the last decade using IRS LISS III images of 2000/01/02 and 2010/11. Two thousand and eighteen glaciers representing climatically diverse terrains in the Himalaya were mapped and monitored. It includes glaciers of Karakoram, Himachal, Zanskar, Uttarakhand, Nepal and Sikkim regions. Among these, 1752 glaciers (86.8%) were observed having stable fronts (no change in the snout position and area of ablation zone), 248 (12.3%) exhibited retreat and 18 (0.9%) of them exhibited advancement of snout. The net loss in 10,250.68 sq. km area of the 2018 glaciers put together was found to be 20.94 sq. km or 0.2% (±2.5% of 20.94 sq. km).

Assessment of Vulnerability to Cyclones and Floods in Odisha, India: A District-Level Analysis

Abstract: Most of the districts in Odisha, India are prone to both cyclones and floods However, the existing studies have assessed vulnerability mainly for the coastal districts, and are largely focused on the biophysical components Therefore, a comprehensive vulnerability assessment will help unravel the scale of vulnerability across the districts of Odisha, and provide a better understanding of the adaptive capacity of households towards these extreme events An 'integrated approach' was adopted to assess vulnerability which is viewed as a function of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity A number of proxy indicators were considered to represent these components, and a normalization procedure was adopted in order to aggregate them into a single value Three key observations emerged First, components like sensitivity and adaptive capacity were found to act as the major determinants of vulnerability Secondly, eight districts were found to have a higher vulnerability score, and surprisingly, some of the districts are non-coastal Thirdly, factors like demography, agriculture and economic capacity emerged as the major cause for increasing vulnerability These results have policy implications in the context of prioritizing limited resources among the vulnerable districts and determinants through the disaster risk management programme at state and district levels

The Uncertainty Relations in Quantum Mechanics

Abstract: The notion of uncertainty in the description of a physical system has assumed prodigious importance in the development of quantum theory. Overcoming the early misunderstanding and confusion, the concept grew continuously and still remains an active and fertile research field. Curious new insights and correlations are gained and developed in the process with the introduction of new 'measures' of uncertainty or indeterminacy and the development of quantum measurement theory. In this article we intend to reach a fairly uptodate status report of this yet unfurling concept and its interrelation with some distinctive quantum features like nonlocality, steering and entanglement/ inseparability. Some recent controversies are discussed and the grey areas are mentioned.

Nutritional properties of minor millets: neglected cereals with potentials to combat malnutrition

Abstract: Millet is a general term for a wide range of cereals. Minor millets are a group of grassy plants with short slender culm and small grains possessing remarkable ability to survive under adverse conditions like limited rainfall, poor soil fertility and land terrain. Minor millets categorized as coarse cereals are staple food for the tribal people where cultivation of major cereals like rice, wheat and maize is either not popular or fail to produce substantial yield1. Millets differ from one another by their appearances, and morphological features, maturity, grain type, etc. (Figure 1). India is considered as hub for these minor crops, according to the latest data, the world total production of millet grains at last count was 762,712 metric tonnes and the top producer was India with an annual production of 334,500 tonnes contributing 43.85% (ref. 2). In Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, which is one of the largest congregations of tribal population (67.4%), inhabitants mainly grow millets and form major component of their daily food consumption. In addition to be nutritionally rich, the advantage of growing minor millets is that it is a rainfed crop which forms part of a multi-cropping system, in the sense that it is mostly grown along with legumes and oilseeds3,4. On the darker side, these are underutilized and neglected crops owing to their lower preference driven by affluence, longer time and efforts involved in processing of the millets and the lower cooking quality. If these problems could be solved, their high nutritional value can make them doubly valuable as food for farming families and a potential source of income.

When did India-Asia Collide and Make the Himalaya?

Abstract: Critical evaluation and comparison of the available geological and geochronological data from the northern parts of the Himalaya and Trans-Himalaya mountains highlight that these mountains did not initially evolve by the collision of continents of the Indian and Asian plates. Instead, subducted Tethyan oceanic lithosphere in front of the Indian continent melted to produce the calc-alkaline suite of the Shyok-Dras volcanic arc and the Ladakh batholith. Hence, the Indian plate initially subducted beneath and started building up the then existing intra-oceanic island arc. Timing of the first impingement of the Indian and Asia plates has been better constrained at around 57.5 Ma by comparing (i) the bulk ages from the Ladakh batholith (product of partial melting of the Tethyan oceanic lithosphere) with (ii) the subducted continental lithospheric and UHP metamorphosed Indian crust in the Tso Morari, and (iii) biostratigraphy of the youngest marine sedimentation in Zanskar. Thus, the Himalaya witnessed its first rise and emergence from deeply exhumed terrain in the Tso Morari after around 53 Ma, followed by sequential imbrication of the Indian continental lithosphere and associated exhumation during rise of the Himalayan mountains from north to the south since 45 Ma.

Membrane Lipid Peroxidation and its Conflict of Interest: The Two Faces of Oxidative Stress

Abstract: Membranes are the most vital structure for all organisms which not only control molecular trafficking but also perceive environmental cues and transduce it in response. Membrane lipid peroxidation, which is normally associated with natural course of ageing, senescence and environmental stresses, is mechanistically important as it is one of the very few examples of carbon-centered radical production in cell. Chemically, it involves the formation and propagation of lipid radicals, the uptake of molecular oxygen and arrangement of double bonds in the unsaturated lipids and eventually their destruction, with subsequent production of a variety of breakdown products, including alcohol, ketones, alkanes, aldehydes and ethers. The process is considered as the main event involved in oxidative damage to cell, which may eventually cause cell death. A significant proportion of oxidized lipids are electrophilic in nature. Recent studies suggest that reactive lipid species formed through lipid peroxidation can benefit cells in a number of ways. There are strong evidences in support of the view that reactive lipid species-mediated signalling participates in several physiological pathways including apoptosis, induction of antioxidative defence, membrane repair, proteosomal pathway, etc. The activation of cell signalling pathways by reactive lipid species is hierarchical and largely depends on intrinsic chemical reactivity of electrophiles, thiol-containing signalling domains and the subsequent signalling cascades. An effort has been made to provide an update on membrane lipid peroxidation while addressing the conflicting roles of membrane lipid peroxidation in deteriorative oxidative damage and adaptive cell signalling.

Strength Improvement Studies Using New Type Wild Strain Bacillus cereus on Cement Mortar

Abstract: This article presents details of the experimental studies carried out on cement mortar using Bacillus cereus and Bacillus pasteurii in different cell concentrations. Test results showed that the addition of bacterial cultures of both species, enhanced the compressive strength of cement mortar due to the bio-mineralization of calcium carbonate in the cement mortar matrix. The test results revealed 38% increase in compressive strength using B. cereus and 29% increase in the case of B. pasteurii over the control cement mortar. The chloride ingress capacity of B. cereus incorporated concrete found through rapid chloride permeability test confirms the reduction of chloride penetration compared to control sample. Characterization studies have been performed to confirm the calcite precipitation through different experimental techniques, viz. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy.

Precise Pb–Pb Baddeleyite Ages of 1765 Ma for a Singhbhum 'Newer Dolerite' Dyke Swarm

Abstract: The Singhbhum craton in eastern India hosts a number of mafic dyke swarms popularly called 'newer dolerites'. Previous attempts to obtain emplacement ages of these rocks were limited to a few poor-precision K-Ar whole-rock and Rb-Sr isochron ages. Here, two prominent dykes from the WNW-ESE trending swarm in the south central region of the craton were dated using Pb-Pb baddeleyite thermal extraction-thermal ionization mass spectrometer method. These dykes yielded identical baddeleyite Pb-Pb ages of 1766.2 ± 1.1 Ma (SKJ-10) and 1764.5 ± 0.9 Ma (SKJ-15) respectively, which are interpreted as the time of emplacement of the WNW-ESE trending 'newer dolerite' dyke swarm. The predominantly parallel dyke trend in this swarm for over 100 km along strike indicates these dyke fractures were formed due to horizontal compressive stresses in a region that may have been associated with a palaeo compressional system. Coeval ∼1770 Ma magmatism in the Singhbhum craton and in China, Australia, Brazil and Uruguay confirms this event was globally widely dispersed. The timing of this event also coincides with orogenic activity in majority of continents that may have formed during the assembly of supercontinent Columbia.

Catastrophic Heavy Rainfall Episode over Uttarakhand during 16-18 June 2013 - Observational Aspects

Abstract: Widespread very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall occurred over Uttarakhand and its neighbouring states during 16-18 June 2013, which caused flash floods, landslides, large-scale loss of lives and damage to property The present study analyses the dynamical and thermodynamical features associated with this torrential rainfall episode The analysis suggests that due to strong interaction between an oncoming midtropospheric trough in the westerlies and the strong lower-tropospheric southeasterly monsoon wind flow in association with a monsoon low-pressure system over the North Indian region, a lower tropospheric wind convergence zone developed over Uttarakhand and its neighbouring regions A strong Bay of Bengal current of air with wind speed of 40 kts in the northern periphery of the monsoon low, pumped a lot of moisture into the region Supported by strong orographic effect due to high terrain and strong moisture feeding from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, a large-scale quasistationary regenerative mesoscale convective system (MCS) developed over the zone of convergence The episode was comparable to the 2010 Leh flash flood episode, in that the synoptic conditions were similar in both cases However, while the Leh episode resulted from repeated surges of westward travelling MCS across the Tibetan Plateau, the present case was due to quasistationary regenerative MCS over the region

Seismotectonic Implications of Strike-Slip Earthquakes in the Darjiling-Sikkim Himalaya

Abstract: The Darjiling-Sikkim Himalaya (DSH) is located over the Dharan-Gorubathan salient-recess pair and moderate thrust and strike-slip earthquake occur here. The hypocentres cluster not only near the location of the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) or the basal decollement of the Himalayan wedge, but also well above and below it. The epicentres cluster over the mapped location of the Lesser Himalayan Duplex (LHD), suggesting that both MHT and LHD are active structures in DSH. The earthquakes below MHT can be related to transverse strike-slip faulting in DSH associated with salient-recess transition on both flanks of the Dharan salient. The 18 September 2011 (Mw 6.9) strike-slip event suggests that the western flank of the Dharan salient is also likely to contain an active transverse strike-slip fault like the Gish Transverse Fault (GTF) on its eastern flank. High-precision Global Positioning System measurements (1997-2006) indicate that a maximum of ∼4 mm/year convergence is being accommodated in the Tista Half-Window or LHD west of the surface trace of GTF and DSH is locked south of 27°N both east and west of GTF about 10 km north of the Himalayan mountain front. About 3-4 mm/year sinistral strike-slip is postulated on GTF north of 27°N. Dislocation based forward modelling using two thrust dislocations with oblique slip and a sinistral strike-slip dislocation generated velocities that were closest to the measured back-slip velocity field in DSH.

Biochar production from agro-food industry residues: A sustainable approach for soil and environmental management

Abstract: Advance biochar production technique, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC, wet pyrolysis) offers an option to tap the benefits of biomass residues of food industry characterized by high moisture and low calorific value. HTC is more energy efficient due to its low temperature operations and higher biochar recovery rates (up to 90%). Biochar offers multitude of benefits in terms of agronomical and environmental management. It can contribute to climate change mitigation, increase plant productivity and crop yield and remediation of contaminated sites. Limitations and knowledge gaps in the current understanding of biochar along with its properties have been identified. Major hurdles recognized in commercialization of biochar application are permanency, diversity and economic viability.

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Children in Muzaffarpur: Hypothesis of Toxic Origin

Abstract: One among three long-standing mystery diseases listed in Wikipedia is acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. This disease has remained for over two decades without determining a cause for it; hence it is called mystery disease. It occurs as annual seasonal outbreaks during the months of April– July, affecting hundreds of children with 40–60% mortality, according to local physicians. It was thought that Muzaffarpur AES is Japanese encephalitis (JE), which is widely prevalent in India; however, JE was ruled out in a recent study by Samuel et al.. Another study explored several possibilities of causation of the disease and again excluded JE. These studies documented that cases coincided spatially and temporally with lychee cultivation. The investigators noted colonies of fruit-eating bats and the tendency of children eating fruits fallen to the ground and suggested the possibility of a bat virus (through saliva contamination on fruits) as a cause of the disease. Other studies concluded that the disease was not due to infection, but was due to heat stroke. One of us (T.J.J.) visited Muzaffarpur in the 2013 season, examined children with AES and held extensive conversations with healthcare personnel, parents, family members and neighbours of the affected children. Thereafter, we searched the literature and after mutual discussions developed a hypothesis about the cause of the disease, which is presented below. Clinical features in patients are stereotype – sudden onset without prodromal phase, inconsistent presence of fever, brain oedema, absence of inflammatory cell response in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and hypoglycaemia. These clinical features and preliminary epidemiological findings of tightly restricted seasonality and geographic distribution as well as sparing of children below 2 years support the diagnosis of acute non-infectious encephalopathy as against viral encephalitis. Children are quite well until evening, but early next morning they are found seriously ill with brain function derangement and seizures. Undernutrition (short and underweight for age) has been observed as a consistent associated factor. Association of AES with lychee is important, interesting and challenging. In Vietnam and Bangladesh, outbreaks of AES have been reported in lychee cultivation areas and during lychee harvesting season. Investigators in Vietnam believed that the disease was caused by some unknown virus, while in Bangladesh the disease was not thought to be infectious but was attributed to pesticides used in the orchards. Curiously, both these studies and the one from Muzaffarpur showed positive correlation between number of cases and amount of lychee harvest. Lychee (Litchi sinensis) belongs to the family Sapindaceae (soapberry). Another soapberry member, ackee (Blighia sapida), commonly cultivated in Jamaica, is the cause of a childhood (under 15 years) acute encephalopathy disease called Jamaican vomiting sickness (JVS), also referred to as toxic hypoglycaemic syndrome. The clinical features of ackee poisoning and Muzaffarpur AES have many close similarities, including early morning onset, encephalopathy, hypoglycaemia and high case fatality. A toxic substance methylenecyclopropylalanine (MCPA), also called hypoglycin A, is present in ackee unripe fruits. Ripe ackee has a small concentration (0.1 ppm), which is less by a factor of 10,000 compared to unripe fruit. Studies related to

Graphene-Based Hybrid Materials: Synthetic Approaches and Properties

Abstract: Carbon has a unique chemistry reflected in its wide presence in the inorganic and organic world - benzene, diamond, graphite, fullerene, carbon nanotubes and now graphene - carbon seems to be at the centre of action in the playground of scientific research. In this review, synthesis and unique properties of graphene and graphene-based composites have been discussed with particular emphasis on the environmentally benign (green) synthetic methods and their wide applications, especially in energy conversion, energy storage, electronics, biomedical and biosensing applications.

Use of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash as Brick Material

Abstract: Application of bio-fuel by-product sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA) as a principal raw material for the manufacturing of bricks was studied. The bricks were developed using the quarry dust (QD) as a replacement to natural river sand and lime (L) as a binder. SBA as a principal raw material was characterized using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRF confirms SBA as a cementitious material. TGA confirms thermal stability till 650°C, whereas SEM monograph shows individual ash with a rough surface and numerous fine pores. Elemental analysis of quarry dust and lime was also carried out using XRF and classic wet test. The physical properties of quarry dust and lime were determined using the laboratory test methods. SBA-QD-L combination bricks were designed and developed in different mix proportions. Physico-mechanical properties of the developed bricks were studied according to recommended standards. The results of the SBA-QD-L bricks were compared with physico-mechanical properties of commercially available burnt clay-and-flyash bricks. It was observed that SBA-QD-L bricks are lighter in weight, energy efficient and meet compressive strength requirements of IS 1077:1992. The bricks also serve the purpose of solid waste management and innovative sustainable construction material. The bricks can be used in local construction especially for non-load-bearing walls.

Monitoring of Glacier Changes and Response Time in Chorabari Glacier, Central Himalaya, Garhwal, India

Abstract: Chorabari Glacier (6.6 sq. km) in the Mandakini River basin, a tributary of the River Alaknanda, Central Himalaya, Garhwal (India) has been monitored in terms of its length and frontal area (snout) changes for the period between 1962 and 2012. Global Positioning System, Survey of India toposheet (1 : 50,000) and ground-based measurements were used to obtain the changes in morphology and size of the glacier. The result shows that the frontal area of the glacier has shrunk by 1% and 344 ± 24 m length loss, with an average rate of 6.8 ± 0.5 m a -1 from 1962 to 2012. The observed terminus records of Chorabari Glacier indicate that the positive mass balance can cause terminus advance in about a 17-year timescale. The lag time of glacier signal transferred from accumulation area to the snout by glacier flow is about 562 years. These observations as well as other studies carried out in the region show a significant reduction in glacier area. The increased retreat rate of the glacier snout is probably a direct consequence of global warming.

Signatures of very Severe Cyclonic Storm Phailin in Met-Ocean Parameters Observed by Moored Buoy Network in the Bay of Bengal

Abstract: The moored buoy network deployed in the Bay of Bengal played a critical role in the collection and transmission of surface meteorological and oceanographic conditions in real time through satellite telemetry, enabling constant monitoring of the cyclone Phailin. It is the first report of in situ timeseries measurement of a very low pressure taken during cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean. The BD10 buoy recorded a minimum atmospheric pressure of 920 hPa, which happened to be within the eye of the cyclone. This article presents an account of important changes that were observed in the surface meteorological and oceanographic parameters under the influence of the very severe cyclonic storm Phailin. An attempt has been made to understand the role of stratification in intensifying the cyclone Phailin in comparison with the cyclone Lehar which weakened in the ocean itself, based on subsurface data from the moored buoys which were on the track of the respective cyclones. Both the cyclones traversed across the Bay of Bengal in a similar way and the buoys were very close to the cyclone track withstood the rough sea conditions during the storms with their specially designed body. The BD09 buoy which happened to be on the right side of the track of cyclone Phailin moved in a circular path as a result of the inertial oscillation forced by the strong cyclonic winds.

Preservation and Protection of Traditional Knowledge – Diverse Documentation Initiatives across the Globe

Abstract: Traditional knowledge (TK) is the knowledge that an indigenous community accumulates over generations of living. A part of this knowledge is recorded in local languages and a major portion is still not recorded and remains confined to local communities. In the light of the prevalent loss and threatened future of TK, it is important to preserve it in a contemporary format that would be familiar to the future generation. Preservation also empowers the community/country to protect its knowledge from misuse and utilize it for better development. This study highlights some major documentation initiatives across the globe at the community and country levels that aim at preserving and safeguarding TK.

Carbon sequestration in agroforestry and pasture systems in arid northwestern India

Abstract: Carbon sequestration has been suggested as a means to help mitigate the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Silvipastoral systems can better sequester carbon in soil and biomass and help to improve soil conditions. In the present study, carbon sequestration was quantified both in biomass and soil in two pasture systems (Cenchrus ciliaris and Cenchrus setegerus), two tree systems (Acacia tortilis and Azadirachta indica) and four silvipastoral system (combination of one tree and on grass) in arid northwestern India. The silvipastoral system sequestered 36.3% to 60.0% more total soil organic carbon stock compared to the tree system and 27.1–70.8% more in comparison to the pasture system. The soil organic carbon and net carbon sequestered were greater in the silvipastoral system. Thus, silvipastoral system involving trees and grasses can help in better sequestration of atmospheric system compared with systems containing only trees or pasture.

Evaluation of Hydro-Mechanical Properties and Root Architecture of Plants for Soil Reinforcement

Abstract: Plant helps to stabilize the masses of soil via hydrological and mechanical means. The effects of vegetation on soil depend on the overall root growth, architecture and its hydro-mechanical functions. Three leguminous plants, Leucaena leucocephala, Pterocarpus indicus and Peltophorum pterocarpum were evaluated in terms of their hydro-mechanical characteristics and root architecture for soil reinforcement. The results show that L. leucocephala exhibited the highest hydrological properties such as diurnal transpiration, water absorption capacity and soil matric suction (SMS). Regarding mechanical characteristics, L. leucocephala exhibited the highest root tensile strength and cellulosic components in the root. Interestingly, L. leucocephala also showed a higher root length, volume and tips than Pterocarpus indicus and Peltophorum pterocarpum . The SMS was strongly (r = 0.79) correlated with leaf area index (LAI), indicating that high LAI improved SMS. In conjunction with the cellulosic composition, root tensile strength of the species studied was highly correlated with the alpha-cellulose content (r = 0.9) and showed that high alpha-cellulose content of roots improved mechanical properties of plants to provide reinforcement in the soil. The highroot tensile strength, root cellulosic composition and VH-type root of L. leucocephala make the species special for growing as a soil reinforcing plant. In conclusion, L. leucocephala properties revealed that it possessed excellent hydro-mechanical properties and root architecture and can be planted on slopes for soil reinforcement.

Forest Area Estimation and Reporting: Implications for Conservation, Management and REDD+

Abstract: Periodic estimation, monitoring and reporting on area under forest and plantation types and afforestation rates are critical to forest and biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management and for meeting international commitments. This article is aimed at assessing the adequacy of the current monitoring and reporting approach adopted in India in the context of new challenges of conservation and reporting to international conventions and agencies. The analysis shows that the current mode of monitoring and reporting of forest area is inadequate to meet the national and international requirements. India could be potentially over-reporting the area under forests by including many non-forest tree categories such as commercial plantations of coconut, cashew, coffee and rubber, and fruit orchards. India may also be under-reporting deforestation by reporting only gross forest area at the state and national levels. There is a need for monitoring and reporting of forest cover, deforestation and afforestation rates according to categories such as (i) natural/primary forest, (ii) secondary/degraded forests, (iii) forest plantations, (iv) commercial plantations, (v) fruit orchards and (vi) scattered trees.

The Talya Conglomerate: an Archean (∼2.7 Ga) Glaciomarine formation, Western Dharwar Craton, Southern India

Abstract: The ∼2700 Ma Talya Conglomerate is Comprised of 15 Diamictites (i.e. Matrix-supported Conglomerates) Interbedded with Mudstone and Sandstone Units, and is Interpreted as a Glaciomarine Deposit. the Entire Thickness of This Conglomeratic Member within the Vanivilas formation, the Lowest formation of the Chitradurga Group of the Neoarchean Dharwar Supe Rgroup, is Exposed in a 543 M-thick Measured Section. it is in a Sub-vertical Attitude, is Highly Sheared, and has Undergone Greenschist Facies Metamorphism. the Diamictites had an Original Matrix of Laminated Mud/Silt and Fine Sand. while Including Diamictites Throughout, the Talya is a Fining-upward Sequence with Intercalated Sandstones Dominant in its Lower Portion and Mudstones Dominant in its Upper Portion. we Interpret that the Talya Conglomerate was Deposited in a Marine Environment, with Diamictites Composed of Ice-rafted Detritus (ird) Deposited from Icebergs Calved from Tidewater Glacier Tongues And/or possibly from Ice Shelves. in these 'rainout Diamictites' the Larger Clasts were Dropped into Finegrained Bottom Sediment Deposited by Sediment Plumes and Currents. the Source Ice Sheet was Located to the West and Southwest on a Land Mass that Included the Older than 2720 Ma Bababudan Group of Quartzites and Mafic Volcanics and Older than 3000 Ma Basement of Granitic/gneissic Rocks. Application of Walther's Law Indicates that the Mudstonebearing Portion of the Talya was Deposited upon the Sandstone-bearing Portion as the Sea further Inundated the Land Mass Due to Glacial Retreat and a Decrease in Glacial Mass, thereby Resulting in the Fining- upward Nature of the Talya Conglome Rate. we also Interpret the Lower Portion of the Kaldurga Conglomerate, Located 50-75 Km to the Southwest of the Talya, to be Equivalent with the Talya. the Kaldurga Contains mostly Granitic Basement Detritus, perhaps Exposed Due to Basement Uplift Related to Isostatic Rebound Caused by Glacial Melting or Due to Tectonism Related to Westward Subduction.

A Study on Channel Migration of the Subansiri River in Assam Using Remote Sensing and GIS Technology

Abstract: The Subansiri is a major Trans Himalayan tributary of the River Brahmaputra, characterized by its extremely dynamic and unstable alluvial channel in Assam. In this study, the pattern of channel shifting as well as various other changes of the Subansiri river have been studied for the period from 1828 to 2011. Five different types of channel shift have been observed in the Subansiri river. They are (i) alternate barinduced shifting, (ii) neck cut-off, (iii) chute cut-off, (iv) meander shift and (v) avulsion or rapid diversion. The channel pattern of the Subansiri river in Assam changes continuously with large number of channels being abandoned and new channels developed in the course of a few years. Large discharge and heavy sediment load during floods cause the river to be extremely unstable, because of which it consistently migrates laterally from the eastern side to the western side of the basin abandoning the earlier channels.

Active Fault Study along Foothill Zone of Kumaun Sub-Himalaya: Influence on Landscape Shaping and Drainage Evolution

Abstract: The Kumaun Sub-Himalaya region is one of the most active regions falling into Seismic Zone V along the Himalaya The geomorphology and drainage patterns in the area of active faulting and related growing fold provide significant information on the ongoing tectonic activity The Kaladungi Fault (KF), an imbricated thrust fault of the Himalayan Frontal Thrust system provides an excellent example of forward and lateral propagation of fault and related folding in both directions along the strike of the fault The KF has displaced the distal part of the Kaladungi fan surface resulting into formation of south-facing active fault scarp with variable heights along the front In the east, the uplifted fan surface is ∼60 m, is comparatively higher in the central part with height of ∼200 m and ∼80 m high in the west The variation in heights along the fault is attributed to lateral propagation of fault and associated fold in both directions (ie east and west) from the centre These clearly testify displacement starting at nucleation in the centre and propagating laterally in an elliptical manner The northwest and southeast propagation of KF has resulted into diversion of the Dabka and Baur rivers respectively A marked diversion of the modern Dabka river along its present course from east to west can be traced between Shivlalpur and Karampur towns, covering a distance of about 10-12 km Similarly, the Baur river is shifted from west to east by about 5-6 km between Kamola and Kaladungi towns The diversion of Dabka and Baur rivers can well be justified by the existence of palaeo-wind-gaps through which these rivers flowed earlier during the recent past The wind-gaps are characterized by about 05-10 km wide incised valley extending in NE-SW direction between Kaladungi and Karampur along the frontal zone

Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds from Biomass Burning Sources and their Ozone Formation Potential over India

Abstract: Thousands of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the Earth's atmosphere exist which play an important role in various photochemical processes. However, the global model simulations of tropospheric chemistry deal with limited data of speciated VOCs. In the present study, we have used the Global Fire Emissions Database inventory of VOCs emitted from biomass burning in India during the period from 1997 to 2009. We have also analysed data of some VOCs measured in the upper troposphere over India for the year 2008. In this study, the major species analysed are C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 4 O, C 2 H 6 , C 2 H 6 S, C 3 H 6 , C 3 H 6 S, C 3 H 8 , C 5 H 8 , CH 3 OH, higher alkanes, higher alkenes, terpenes and toluene lumps. The biomass burning emissions of VOCs show large inter-annual variation. For example, the annual emission estimates of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and CH3OH varied in the range 100-470 and 46-211 Gg yr -1 respectively. The major biomass sources were broadly categorized as deforestation, fuel-wood, forest and agricultural residues. The agricultural residue burning is the most dominant among the several biomass burning sources contributing to the emissions of CH 3 OH (59%), isoprene (80%) and toluene (72%). On the other hand, the major sources for NMHCs emission were agricultural residues and deforestation during all the years. The fire count data detected using the satellite-based Along Track Scanning Radiometer have been used to directly refer to the seasonal and inter-annual variations of biomass burning activities. We have estimated the propylene-equivalent concentrations of different light NMHCs measured in the upper troposphere over India. Role of stratospheric intrusion in the distribution of NMHCs has been analysed using the potential vorticity data.