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Northwest India (northwest + india)
Selected AbstractsAn attenuation model for distant earthquakesEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 2 2004Adrian Chandler Abstract Large magnitude earthquakes generated at source,site distances exceeding 100km are typified by low-frequency (long-period) seismic waves. Such induced ground shaking can be disproportionately destructive due to its high displacement, and possibly high velocity, shaking characteristics. Distant earthquakes represent a potentially significant safety hazard in certain low and moderate seismic regions where seismic activity is governed by major distant sources as opposed to nearby (regional) background sources. Examples are parts of the Indian sub-continent, Eastern China and Indo-China. The majority of ground motion attenuation relationships currently available for applications in active seismic regions may not be suitable for handling long-distance attenuation, since the significance of distant earthquakes is mainly confined to certain low to moderate seismicity regions. Thus, the effects of distant earthquakes are often not accurately represented by conventional empirical models which were typically developed from curve-fitting earthquake strong-motion data from active seismic regions. Numerous well-known existing attenuation relationships are evaluated in this paper, to highlight their limitations in long-distance applications. In contrast, basic seismological parameters such as the Quality factor (Q -factor) could provide a far more accurate representation for the distant attenuation behaviour of a region, but such information is seldom used by engineers in any direct manner. The aim of this paper is to develop a set of relationships that provide a convenient link between the seismological Q -factor (amongst other factors) and response spectrum attenuation. The use of Q as an input parameter to the proposed model enables valuable local seismological information to be incorporated directly into response spectrum predictions. The application of this new modelling approach is demonstrated by examples based on the Chi-Chi earthquake (Taiwan and South China), Gujarat earthquake (Northwest India), Nisqually earthquake (region surrounding Seattle) and Sumatran-fault earthquake (recorded in Singapore). Field recordings have been obtained from these events for comparison with the proposed model. The accuracy of the stochastic simulations and the regression analysis have been confirmed by comparisons between the model calculations and the actual field observations. It is emphasized that obtaining representative estimates for Q for input into the model is equally important.Thus, this paper forms part of the long-term objective of the authors to develop more effective communications across the engineering and seismological disciplines. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Discovery of Jurassic ammonoids from the Shyok suture zone to the northeast of Chang La Pass, Ladakh, northwest India and its tectonic significanceISLAND ARC, Issue 1 2007Masayuki Ehiro Abstract Callovian (late Middle Jurassic) ammonoids Macrocephalites and Jeanneticeras were recovered from the Shyok suture zone, northeast of Chang La Pass, Ladakh, northwest India. They are the first reliable Jurassic fossils and the oldest chronologic data from the Shyok suture zone. The ammonoid-bearing Jurassic strata, newly defined as the Tsoltak Formation, consist largely of terrigenous mudstone with thin sandstone beds and were probably a part of the continental basement to the Cretaceous Ladakh Arc. [source] The use of coal fly ash in sodic soil reclamationLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2003D. Kumar Abstract An experiment was conducted for two years in northwest India to explore the feasibility of using coal fly ash for reclamation of waterlogged sodic soils and its resultant effects on plant growth in padi,wheat rotation. The initial pH, electrical conductivity, exchangeable sodium percentage and sodium adsorption ratio of the experimental soil were 9.07, 3.87,dS,m,1, 26.0 and 4.77 (me l),1/2, respectively. The fly ash obtained from electrostatic precipitators of thermal power plant had a pH of 5.89 and electrical conductivity of 0.88,dS,m,1. The treatments comprised of fly ash levels of 0.0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0 and 7.5 per cent, used alone as well as in combination with 100, 80, 60, 40, 20 and 10 per cent gypsum requirement of the soil, respectively. There was a slight reduction in soil pH while electrical conductivity of the soil decreased significantly with fly ash as measured after padi and wheat crops. The sodium adsorption ratio of the soil decreased with increasing fly ash levels, while gypsum treatments considerably added to its favourable effects. Fly ash application increased the available elemental status of N, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, B, Mo, Al, Pb, Ni, Co, but decreased Na, P and Zn in the soil. An application of fly ash to the soil also increased the concentrations of above elements except Na, P and Zn in the seeds and straw of padi and wheat crops. The available as well as elemental concentrations in the plants was maximum in the 0 per cent fly ash,+,100 per cent gypsum requirement treatment except Na and heavy elements like Ni, Co, Cr. The treatment effects were greater in the fly ash,+,gypsum requirement combinations as compared to fly ash alone. Saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil water retention generally improved with the addition of fly ash while bulk density decreased. Application of fly ash up to 4.5 per cent level increased the straw and grain yield of padi and wheat crops significantly in both years. The results indicated that for reclaiming sodic soils of the southwest Punjab, gypsum could possibly be substituted up to 40 per cent of the gypsum requirement with 3.0 per cent acidic fly ash. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Raised and sunken bed technique for agroforestry on alkali soils of northwest IndiaLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2001J. C. Dagar Abstract Many forest tree and fruit species can be raised on highly alkali soil (pH,>,10) but some of them such as pomegranate (Punica granatum) are unable to tolerate water stagnation. To avoid water stagnation problems during the monsoon the raised and sunken bed technique has been found suitable for agroforestry practices on highly alkali soil. One fruit-yielding pomegranate and one oil-yielding salvadora (Salvadora persica) plantation species were successfully grown on raised bunds to avoid water stagnation and rice,wheat and berseem,kallar grass rotation were grown on sunken-beds constructed for the purpose. The experiment was initiated in 1996 and the above two crop rotations were followed for two consecutive years starting in the summer season. Results of these experiments have also shown that good growth of plantations, on an average 4·3 to 4·9,t ha,1 rice (salt tolerant var. CSR-10) and 1·2 to 1·4,t ha,1 wheat (KRL 1,4), were obtained in sunken beds. In another rotation 21·3 to 36.8,t ha,1 fresh forage of kallar grass (Leptochloa fusca) and 44·9 to 47·8,t ha,1 fresh forage of berseem (Trifolium alexandrium) were obtained. After two years of the experiment, soil amelioration in terms of reduction in soil pH was significant. The effect of plantation in reducing soil pH showed that the pomegranate and salvadora both helped in reduction of soil pH, but the latter due to its well-developed lateral root system was more efficient in lowering the soil pH even at lower depths. The reduction in soil pH by the berseem,kallar grass rotation was better than under rice,wheat rotation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Impact of horizontal model resolution and orography on the simulation of a western disturbance and its associated precipitationMETEOROLOGICAL APPLICATIONS, Issue 2 2004A. P. Dimri A nonhydrostatic version of Pennsylvania State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU/NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) is used to study the effects of the horizontal model resolution and orography while simulating an active western disturbance (WD) that affected northwest India from 21 to 25 January 1999. Two numerical experiments are conducted with six combinations of two factors: horizontal model resolution and topography. National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysed data are used for the initial and boundary conditions. Simulation results indicate that the distribution and the rate of simulated precipitation due to a WD over northwest India is highly sensitive to the horizontal model resolution and topography. The model with finer resolution (30 km) is better able to estimate effects of mesoscale forcing on precipitation over the selected domain. The amount of precipitation simulated over the coarse domain is much less than the observed precipitation owing to the model's unrealistic representation of orographic effects and mesoscale forcing. Simulated terrain, vertical velocity, wind and streamline at different horizontal model resolutions are presented. The detailed structure and distribution of wind speed are simulated in the finer domain. Simulated vertical velocity and precipitation are less in the second experiment when a flat topography is used across the domain, which indicates that topography plays a significant role in modulating the WD. Sensitivity of the horizontal model resolution for precipitation is assessed and it is found that the finer domain of the model simulation gives better results. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] Models to improve winter minimum surface temperature forecasts, Delhi, IndiaMETEOROLOGICAL APPLICATIONS, Issue 2 2004A. P. Dimri Accurate forecasts of minimum surface temperature during winter help in the prediction of cold-wave conditions over northwest India. Statistical models for forecasting the minimum surface temperature at Delhi during winter (December, January and February) are developed by using the classical method and the perfect prognostic method (PPM), and the results are compared. Surface and upper air data are used for the classical method, whereas for PPM additional reanalysis data from the National Center of Environmental Prediction (NCEP) US are incorporated in the model development. Minimum surface temperature forecast models are developed by using data for the winter period 1985,89. The models are validated using an independent dataset (winter 1994,96). It is seen that by applying PPM, rather than the classical method, the model's forecast accuracy is improved by about 10% (correct to within ± 2 °C). Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] | ||||||||||