ID: 61251
Title: Application of biomimicry in textiles
Author: S.Das, M.Bhowmick, S.K.Chattopdhyay and S.Basak
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (5) 893-901 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Biomimicry, fibres, spinning, textiles, weaving.
Abstract: Nature has created technologies around us, and as such, it is the mentor to humans on creativity and technology development. Nature uses fibre as building block-natural structures like wood, bamboo, bone, muscle, etc. all have fibrous structure. Fibre spinning and weaving technologies are available in nature since time immemorial. Nature has also demonstrated sophisticated technologies useful in the development of technical textiles like functional surfaces, camouflage, structural colour, thermal insulation, dry-adhesion, etc. Thus, biomimicry can be an inspiration to develop innovative textiles. This article reviews some of the important technologies of nature relating to textiles.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/history_of _the earth (accessed on 13 January 2014.)
Eadie, L.and Ghosh, T.K., Biomimicry in textiles: past, present and potential. An overview.J.R.Soc.Interface, 2011, 8, 761-775.
Literature cited 2: Goss, J.M.A., Biomimicry: Looking to Nature for Design Solutions, Master ' s thesis, Columbian College of Arts and Science, Washington, DC, USA, 2009.
Czyzewski, A.M.and Barron, A.E, Protein and peptide biomimicry: gold-mining inspiration from nature ' s ingenuity.AlChE J., 2008, 54, 2-8.
ID: 61250
Title: Spinocerebellar ataxia 1: case and cohort-based studies in India.
Author: Dhanya Kumaran and Gaiti Hasan
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (5) 889-892 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Cohort studies, clinical variability, heterogeneity, genetic factors, neurodegenerative disease.
Abstract: Spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA 1) is a late-onset neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG (coding for glutamine) repeat expansions or polyglutamine (poly Q) aggregates in the ATXN1 gene. Apart from the causative CAG repeat expansions in the ATXN1 locus, environment and ethnicity have been hypothesized to affect clinical variability. This review brings together studies on SCA 1 conducted in India and explores disease heterogeneity within the Indian and explores disease heterogeneity within the Indian population in general and within a cohort of SCA 1 individuals in a South Indian village. The studies support existence of genetic factors in addition to CAG repeat sizes that are likely to influence SCA1 progression.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: Durr, A., Autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias: polyglutamine expansions and beyond. Lancet Neurol., 2010, 9, 885-894.
Zoghbi, H.Y. and Orr, H.T., Glutamine repeats and neurodegeneration.Annu.Rev.Neurosci, 2000, 23, 217-247.
Literature cited 2: Banfi, S., Identification and characterization of the gene causing type 1 spinocerebellar ataxia. Nature Genet, 1994, 7,513-520.
Menon, R.P., The role of interruptions in polyQ in the pathology of SCA1.PLoS Genet., 2013, 9, e 1003648.
ID: 61249
Title: Anomalous REE concentration in carbonate-phosphate bearing phases from Narasimharajapuram area, Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh.
Author: Niroj K. Panda, A.Yugandhara Rao, K.Ramesh Kumar, R.Mohanty, P.S.Parihar
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (5) 860-862 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Anomalous REE concentration, carbonate-phosphate bearing phases, Narasimharajapuram area, Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh.
Abstract: Apatite-magnetite veins of varying dimensions along with vermiculite, biotite, calcite and other minerals occur as fracture fillings hosted within Precambrian Eastern Ghat Group of rocks in Kasipatnam area and are well known since the early forties. These steeply dipping veins (NW-SE trend; dipping southwest) occur within charnockites, exhibit sharp contact and are almost perpendicular to the regional strike of the area. These veins are observed in an enchelon pattern with pinch and swell structure with widths varying from a few centimeters to 2.50 m. Six phases of mineral association as phosphate (apatite), oxides (magnetite, ilmenite, martite, spinel), silicate (salite, biotite, vermicultite, zircon, allanite, actinolite, chert), sulphate (barite), sulphide (pyrite, chalcopyrite, pyrhotite, chalcocite, covellite, galena) and carbonate (calcite, malachite) have been reported from these apatite-magnetite veins.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: Krishnan, M.S., Rec.Geol.Surv.India, 1941, 76 (4), 1-43.
Rao, A.T., Tschermaks Min.Petr.Mitt., 1976, 23, 87-103.
Literature cited 2: Choudhuri, R.and Banerji, K.C., Proc.Indian Natl.Sci.Acad., 1976, 42, 387-406.
Sriramadas, A., Magnetite Ore Deposits of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari District, Mahadevan Volume, Osmania University, 1961, pp.130-137.
ID: 61248
Title: An usual roosting behaviour of Schneider ' s leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros speoris at a cave temple roost in Tamil Nadu.
Author: V.Mahandran, C.M.Murugan, P.Thiruchenthil Nathan
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (5) 858-859 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Usual roosting behaviour, Schneider ' s leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros speoris, cave temple roost, Tamil Nadu.
Abstract: Bats are involved in the essential ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal and insect control. However, a multitude of factors like anthropogenic disturbance, climate change, habitat loss and emerging diseases have greatly affected bat communities across the globe with many species facing population contraction and local extinction. Such drastic decline in ecologically important communities may result in unpredictable and often irreparable changes in the ecosystem structure and function.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 61247
Title: Double-humped camels of Ladakh: prospects and constraints to sustained survival.
Author: Rakesh Ranjan, Shirish D.Narnaware, Kashi Nath, Rajesh K Sawal, N.V.Patil
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (5) 857-858 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Double-humped camels, Ladakh, prospects, constraints, sustained survival.
Abstract: The Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) is a large, even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of Central Asia. They are mainly found in cold deserts of China, Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kazakhstan. A small population of C.bactrinus also exists in India, distributed largely in the Nubra valley of Ladakh region (a cold arid desert in Trans-Himalayas), Jammu and Kashmir. It was introduced as a draught animal in Ladakh by travellers of Yark-land in the 19th century. However, after closure of the silk route in 1950, few Bactrian camels were left behind with local traders in the Nubra valley.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 61246
Title: Development and commercialization of kunitz trypsin inhibitor-free Indian soybean (Glycine max L) genotypes.
Author: Anita Rani and Vineet Kumar
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (5) 855-856 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Development, commercialization, kunitz, trypsin inhibitor-free, Indian soybean (Glycine max L) genotypes.
Abstract: Soybean is one of the most economical sources of basic nutrients like protein, vitamins, minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acids, etc. for ensuring nutritional security. More importantly, soybean seeds are rich in nutraceutical components like isoflavones, tocopherols an lunasin that keep the major killer diseases like breast cancer, diabetes, antherosclerosis and osteoporosis at bay. Despite these virtues, barely 5-7 % of the total soybean produced in the country is processed for preparing soy products. One of the major deterrents in the utilization of the bean as food is the presence of antinutritional factor, trypsin inhibitor, 80 % activity of which is ascribed to kunitz trypsin inhibitor polypeptide, which is controlled by a single dominant gene.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India, Report. In A Meeting held for the constitution of the National Soya Food Processing Board at Ministry of Food Processing. New Delhi, 23 September 2010.
Kim, M.S., Park, M.J., Jeong, W.H., Nam, Nam, K.C. and Chung, J., Euphytica, 2006, 152, 361-366.
Literature cited 2: Moraes et al., Euphytica, 2006, 149, 221-226.
Rani, A., Kumar, V., Mourya, V., Singh, R.and Husain, S.M., J.Biochem.Biotechnol, 2011, 20 (2), 258-261.
ID: 61245
Title: Climate Science
Author: G. Bala and J.Srinivasan
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (5) 847-848 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Climate, Science
Abstract: The first National Climate Science Conference was held recently In Bengaluru. The main goal of the conference was to facilitate interaction and collaborations among Indian scientists working in the area of climate science in various Indian institutions. Scientists, research scholars and students from various institutions across the country were invited to participate in this conference.
About 250 abstracts were submitted on range of topics in climate sciences: atmospheric physics and dynamics, ocean dynamics, monsoon dynamics, global and regional carbon cycle, land-use change, hydrological cycle, aerosols, Himalayan glaciers, palaeoclimate, detection and attribution of climate change and geoengineering. About 135 abstracts were selected for poster presentations and close applicants attended the conference.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 61244
Title: Indian national agenda for landslide disaster mitigation: challenges and recommendations.
Author: R.K.Bhandari
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (5) 845-846 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Indian, National, agenda, landslide, disaster, mitigation, challenges, recommendations.
Abstract: Apropos highlighting the challenges of the devastating Indian landslides, the next logical step was to evolve Indian national agenda for landslide disaster mitigation and arrive at a set of concrete recommendations based on collective wisdom, at the highest level of expertise. The Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) took suo moto cognizance of the sad ground reality that at a time when India is on the fast track of development, disasters due to landslides, among others, are frustrating the progress especially because our track record of managing landslides is disappointing, the associated engineering practices are unremarkable, the existing institutional mechanisms appear dysfunctional, the culture of safety is on the decline, and worst of all, the frequency, intensity, damage potential and the devastating impact of landslides are on the increase, accentuated by extreme weather events, unregulated urbanization and non-engineered construction.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 61243
Title: Patterns of dominance relationships among the females of a captive female-only group of lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus) during the course of the introduction of a new adult male.
Author: Pia Zaunmair, Madhur Mangalam, Werner Kaumanns, Mewa Singh and Leopold Slotta-Bachmayr.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (3) 803-807 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Captive management, dominance, hierarchy, lion-tailed macaque, rank instability.
Abstract: Lion-tailed macaques are generally considered to have more despotic than egalitarian dominance relationships; however, research lacks any conclusive evidence. In the present study, we examined dominance relationships among the females (of which the genealogical relationships were known) of a captive female-only group of lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus) during the course of introduction of a new adult male to the group at Wels Zoo, Wels, Austria. We determined the structure of dominance hierarchy and the corresponding changes in dominance relationships, possibly mediated by an increase in sexual competition among the females. When the females were housed together without any adult male for over months following the death of the former breeding male, the dominance hierarchy almost followed the principle of youngest ascendency. When a new male was housed for 26 days in an enclosure adjacent to that of the females (such that the females and the new male could interact with each other through a wire mesh between their enclosures), changes in dominance hierarchy were observed. During this phase, there was a temporary change in the dominance hierarchy, leading to a higher degree of aggression of the nursing female and an increase in its dominance rank. This is corroborated by the fact that when the new male was housed together with the females in the same enclosure, it resulted in infanticide and subsequently, the nursing mother lost the high rank. We consider the implications of the present study in the captive management and breeding of long-tailed macaque.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: Thierry, B., Singh, M.and Kaumanns, W. (eds), Macaque Societies, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2004.
Wrangham, R.W., An ecological model of female-bonded primate groups.Behaviour, 1980, 75, 262-300.
Literature cited 2: Van Schaik, C.P., The ecology of social relationships amongst female primates. In The Behavioral Ecology of Humans and Other Mammals (ed.Standen, V.F.)., Blackwell, Oxford, 1989, pp.195-218.
Sterck, E.H.M., Watts, D.P. and van Schaik, C.P., The evolution of female social relationships in nonhuman primates.Behav.Ecol.Sociobiol, 1997, 41, 291-309.
ID: 61242
Title: Physico-chemical properties along soil profiles of two dominant forest types in Western Himalaya.
Author: Gunjan Joshi and J.C.S.Negi
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (3) 790-798 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Nutrient concentration, Oak and Pine forests, soil depth, soil physico-chemical properties
Abstract: Physico-chemical properties of soil of two dominant forest types in Western Himalaya, viz.oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) and pine (Pinus roxburghii) across three soil depths, and winter and rainy seasons were analysed. In general, all the soil parameters, viz. soil moisture, water-holding capacity, organic carbon and total nitrogen decreased significantly with increasing soil depth in both the forests. However, pH did not show any trend with soil depth. All the soil physico-chemical parameters were found significantly higher for oak forests compared to pine forests. The topsoil layer (0-30 cm depth) of both the forests had high concentration of soil organic carbon (SOC) an total N.Shallower distribution of the most limiting nutrients for plants such as N was in agreement with earlier reports. A declining nutrient concentration with increasing soil depth may explain that the zone of accumulation of nutrients is not well established in the forest soils of this mountainous region due to strong leaching effect. With regard to nutrient extraction from deeper soil layers, the deep-rooted oak forest has competitive advantage over the shallow-rooted pine forest. Considering that SOC stored in the surface layer is more vulnerable and less stable than that in the deeper layers, the topsoil of these forests should be protected to minimize the risk of large carbon release. The oak forests should be given priority over the pine forests in afforestation and conservation programmes to sequester and stock high amounts of carbon in the soil pool and contribute towards mitigation of climate change impacts.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: Zinke, P.J., The pattern of influence of individual forest trees on soil properties. Ecology, 1962, 43, 130-133.
Vesterdal, L., Schmidt, I.K., Callesen, I., Nilsson, L.O. and Gundersen, P., Carbon and nitrogen in forest floor and mineral soil under six common European tree species.For.Ecol.Manage., 2008, 255, 35-48.
Literature cited 2: Yang, Y.H., Fang, J.Y., Guo, D.Ji, C.J.and Ma, W.H., Vertical patterns of soil carbon, nitrogen and carbon: nitrogen stoichiometry in Tibetan Grasslands.Biogeosci.Discuss, 2010, 7, 1-24.
Kirby, M.J., A basis for soil profile modeling in a geomorphic context.J.SoilSci, 1985, 36, 97-121.
ID: 61241
Title: Schumann resonances observed at Maitri, Antarctica: diurnal variation and its interpretation in terms of global thunderstorm activity.
Author: S.Manu, R.Rawat, A.K.Sinha, S.Gurubaran and K.Jeeva
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (3) 784-790 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Diurnal variations, global electric circuit, lightning, Schumann resonances.
Abstract: Schumann resonances (SRs) are the AC components of the global electric circuit and are excited by the lightning activity within the Earth-ionosphere wave-guide. An induction magnetometer, which was operated from the Indian Antarctic station, Maitri (70.8? S, 11.7?E), served to examine the SR parameters, namely the amplitude and frequency, in the north-south (HNS) and east-west (HEW) magnetic components. The analysis for the first resonant mode presented in this work reveals a strong UT variation in its amplitude in seasonal as well as yearly timescales. The NS amplitude reveals a semi-diurnal variation with peaks at ~1000 and ~2100 UT, whereas the EW amplitude exhibits a strong diurnal variation with a pronounced peak at 1600 UT. The diurnal curves for the frequency for both components are similar in nature to those for the amplitude, but for a time shift. The diurnal trend in the amplitude is retained irrespective of seasons, whereas significant differences are noticed in the frequency behaviour between the summer and winter seasons, especially in the EW component. The observed diurnal variation in the SR intensity is explained in terms of the dominant thunderstorm activity centered over the three convectively active regions: Asia/Maritime Continent (Indonesia), South America and Africa. The diurnal variation infrequency depends not only on the location of the thunderstorm region with respect to the observer, but also on the ionospheric day/night conditions and the Earth-ionosphere cavity thickness.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: Heckman, S.J., Williams, E.and Boldi, B., Total lighting inferred from Schumann resonance measurements.J.Geophys.Res, 1998, 103, 31775-31779.
Sentman, D.D. and Fraser, B.J., Simultaneous observations of Schumann modulation by the local height of the D region.J.Geophys.Res, 1991, 96, 15793-15984.
Literature cited 2: Fullekrug, M.and Fraser-Smith, A.C., Further evidence for a global correlation of the earth-ionosphere cavity resonances.Geo-phys.Res.Lett., 1996, 23, 2773-2776.
Price, C., Evidence for a link between global lightning activity and upper tropospheric water vapour. Nature, 2000, 406, 290-293.
ID: 61240
Title: Studies on emission potentiality of nitrous oxide from wheat field under changed climate.
Author: G.Saha, S.Karmakar, B.Kar, R.Bhattacharya and G.Singh
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (3) 768-774 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Emission potentiality, nitrous oxide, soil environment, wheat yield.
Abstract: Emission of nitrous oxide (N2O) from wheat field under various management practices was measured over two years. The experimental design consisted of two winter wheat (Triticum austivum L) varieties with three nutritional treatments and two dates of sowing. The results revealed that soil moisture and soil temperature at different depths are the key parameters influencing N2O emission. A positive increase of N20 flux was noticed with increasing soil moisture along with decreasing soil temperature at specific wheat phenophases. Maximum N2O was emitted at the flowering stage. Individual factors, viz. nutrient, date of sowing and variety, and an interactive combination of these factors significantly influenced N2O emission rates. It was also found that there was no significant association between wheat grain yield and seasonal N2O flux.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: Smith, K.A., Ball, T., Conen, FG, Dobbie, K.E., Massheder, J.and Rey, A., Exchange of greenhouse gases between soil and atmosphere: interactions of soil physical factors and biological processes.Eur.J.Soil Sci., 2003, 54, 779-791.
Ruser, R., Flessa, H., Russow, R., Buuegger, G.S.F. and Munch, J.C., Emission of N2O, N2 and CO2 from soil fertilized with nitrate: effect of compaction, soil moisture and rewetting. Soil Biol.Biochem, 2006, 38, 263-274.
Literature cited 2: Huang, Y., Zou, J., Zheng, X., Wang, Y., and Xu, X., Nitrous oxide emissions as influenced by amendment of plant residues with different C: N ratios. Soil Biol.Biochem, 2004, 36, 973-981.
Chen, S., Huang, Y. and Zou, J., Relationship between nitrous oxide emission and winter wheat production.Biol.Fertil.Soils, 2008, 44, 985-989.
ID: 61239
Title: Influence of canopy architecture on stemflow in agroforestry trees in Western Himalayas.
Author: Akram Ahmed, J.M.S.Tomar, Harsh Mehta, N.M.Alam and O.P.Chaturvedi.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (3) 759-764 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Canopy architecture, interception loss, rainfall, stemflow, throughfall.
Abstract: Rainfall event on a tree can be portioned into through fall, interception loss and stemflow. In this study, stemflow was measured for 39 rainfall events in 5-year-old plantations of 3 trees each, belonging to Morus alba and Grewia optiva in Dehradun, India. Diameter of selected Morus and Grewia trees varies from 7 to 9.3 and 8.12 t o10 cm respectively, where as height varies from 4 to 4.5 and 5.5 to 6.5 m respectively. The minimum and maximum rainfall events recorded during the study period were 1.01 and 121.70 mm per day respectively. When the rainfall magnitude was less than or equal to 50 mm and more than 50 mm, stemflow volume from Morus was approximately, compared to Grewia. Maximum stemflow volume recorded for Morus and Grewia was 48, 065 and 30, 633 ml with respect to rainfall magnitude of 109.58 and 121.70 mm respectively. The generation of higher stemflow volume in case of Morus is due to concave orientation of branches and leaves. Results showed that a significant amount of nutrients leached from Grewia and Morus through stemflow process.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: Ahmedi, M.T., Attarod, P., Marvi, R.M.M., RTahmani, R.and FathiJ., Portioning rainfall into throughfall, stemfow, and interception loss in an oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forest during the growing season. Turk.J.Agric.For, 2009, 33, 557-568.
Carlyle-Moses, D.E.and Price, A.G., Growing-season stemflow production within a deciduous forest of southern Ontario.Hydrol.Process, 2003, 20, 3651-3663.
Literature cited 2: Bryant, M.L., Bhat, S.and Jacobs, J.M., Measurements and modeling of throughfall variability for five forest communities in the southeastern U.S.J.Hydrol., 2005, 312, 95-108.
Crockford, R.H.and Richardson, D.P., Partioning of rainfall into throughfall, stemflow and interception: effect of forest type, ground cover and climate.Hydrol.Process, 2000, 14, 2903-2920.
ID: 61238
Title: Tidal analysis and prediction for the Gangra location, Hooghly estuary in the Bay of Bengal.
Author: Linta Rose, Prasad K.Bhaskaran and Selvin P.Kani
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (3) 745-758 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Estuary, numerical models, tide prediction and analysis, water-level elevation.
Abstract: The Hooghly estuary located in the head Bay of Bengal region is a part of the highly dynamic deltaic environment. Tidal variations are pre-dominant in this estuary, and tides propagate considerable distance through a complex network of various riverine systems, inlets, bays and creeks having vital implications on water mass exchange, reworking of deltaic sediments and the mixing process. The Hooghly River houses two major ports of national importance, viz. Kolkata Dock system and Haldia Dock Complex. Tidal forcing is primarily semi-diurnal in nature and with the presence of complex riverine morphology, the tidal characteristics are substantially modified causing various tidal constituents of compound tides. The present study performs location-specific tidal analysis and prediction utilizing one-hourly tide data with SLPR2 harmonic tidal analysis tool for Gangra situated upstream of the Hooghly River. In a geomorphologic perspective, the water-level elevation at Gangra results from natural tidal flow, as well as refracted effects from cross-flow due to presence of two natural island barriers, namely sagar Island situated southward off Gangra and Nayachara in the east. The Hooghly channel comprises of complex bathymetric features and tidal analysis at Gangra reveals the presence of Msf (luni-solar synodic fortnightly) tidal constituent. Very few locations in India have reported on the existence of the Msf tides, and Gangra is one among them. This study also performs a comprehensive validation between the computed monthly tidal prediction from SLPR2 and measured water level at Gangra. The skill level of prediction exhibits a good match. This study also investigates the influence of atmospheric effects on sea-level pressure variations and the resultant water-level elevation from extreme weather events such as depressions and severe cyclonic storms that occurred during 2013.The study signifies the importance of tidal analysis and prediction for operational needs.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: Chen, J.L., Shum, C.K., Wilson, C.R., Chambers, D.P. and Tapley, B.D., Seasonal sea level change from TOPEX/Poseidon observation and thermal contribution.J.Geodesy, 2000, 73(2), 638-647.
Douglas, B.C., Sea level change in the era of the recording tide gauge. In Sea Level Rise (eds Douglas, B.C., Kearney, M.S. and Leatherman, S.P.), International Geophysical Series, Academic Press, 2001, vol.75, pp.37-64.
Literature cited 2: Thain, R.H., Priestley, A.D. and Davidson, M.A., The formation of a tidal intrusion front at the mouth of a macrotidal, partially mixed estuary: a field study of the Dart estuary, UK.Estuarine Coastal shelf Sci., 2004, 61, 161-172.
Verghese, B.G. and Iyer, R.R., Harnessing the Eastern Himalayan Rivers: Regional Cooperation in South Asia, Konark Publishers Pvt Ltd, Delhi, 1993.
ID: 61237
Title: Spatio-temporal dynamics of surface melting over Antarctica using OSCAT and QuikSCAT scatterometer data (2001-2014)
Author: Rajashree V.Bothale, P.V.N.Rao, C.B.S.Dutt, V.K.Dadhwal and Devesh Maurya.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2015
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 109 (3) 733-744 (2015)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Ice shelves, scatterometer data, spatio-temporal dynamics, snowmelt.
Abstract: In this article, spatio-temporal dynamics of snowmelt in Antarctica from2001 to 2014 using OSCAT and QuikSCAT scatterometer data is presented. Melting over Antarctic ice sheet can influence shelf dynamics and stability. Here, we have utilized the sensitivity of scatterometer data to detect the presence of liquid water in the snow caused due to melt conditions. After analysing decadal data, a spatial and temporal variation in the average backscatter coefficient was observed over the shelf areas. An adaptive threshold based classification using austral winter mean and standard deviation of HH polarization is used which takes into account the spatial and temporal variability in backscatter from snow/ice. Significant spatiotemporal variability in melt area, duration and melt index was observed. Around 9.5 % of the continent experienced melt over the study period. Larsen C and George VI shelves had maximum melt duration. The high correlation between melt duration obtained from satellite data and the positive degree day validates the efficacy of the melt algorithm used in the analysis and sensitivity of OSCAT data in detecting presence of water due to melt. There is seasonal and spatial variation in melt onset. Based on MI, 2004-05 was the warmest summer over the continent with 2011-12 being the coldest summer. Consistent and intensive melting was observed over Amery, Larsen C, George VI, Lazarev and Fimbul shelves. Melting of sporadic nature was observed over Ronne-Filchner, Ross and Riiser-Larsen shelves. The East Antarctic shelves experienced large melt during the study period. This article presents the suitability of OSCAT in melt identification and status of melt over the continent.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building.
Literature cited 1: Wen, J.,WAang, Y., Wang, W., Jezek, K.C., Liu, H.and Allison, I., Basal melting and freezing under the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, J.Glaciol, 2010, 56, 195.
Scambos, T. et al., Ice shelf disintegration by plate bending and hydro-fracture: satellite observations and model results of the 2008 Wilkins ice shelf break-ups. Earth Planet.Sci.Lett, 2009, 280, 51-60.
Literature cited 2: Trusel, L.D, Frey, K.E. and Das, S.B., Antarctic surface melting dynamics: enhanced perspective from radar scatterometer data.J.Geophys, 2012, 117, F02023; doi: 10.1029/2011JF002126.
Kunz, L.B.and Long, D., Melt detection in Antarctic ice-shelves using scatterometers and microwave radiometers.IEEE Trans, Geosci.Remote Sensing, 2006, 44, 2461-2469