Abstract A detailed lithostratigraphic, bulk organic geochemical and palynofacies analyses were performed on organic-rich shale and coal samples from the Hettangian Datta Formation in the western Salt Range, southern Potwar Basin, Pakistan, to evaluate its hydrocarbon generation potential. Organic matter (OM) in the formation is mainly dominated by gas-prone Type III kerogen and oil- and gas-prone

Abstract Kerala, located in the southwest part of India experienced heavy flooding during 2018. A post-flood field survey was conducted by National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Chennai to study the flood. The survey was conducted using in-situ measurement and fed to NCCR-Geo surveyor app. The app is indigenous and transfers the data including flood depth and geo-tagged photos to NCCR server

The perturbation produced in the atmosphere/ionosphere associated with earthquake precursors during seismic activity of two major earthquakes which occurred on (1) 24 June 2019 in Indonesia (M = 7.3) and (2) on 19 August 2018 at Ndoi, Fiji (M = 8.2), are studied. Based on statistical analysis of total electron content (TEC) data, the presence of ionospheric perturbations 5 days before and after the

This study presents a recent estimate (for year 2017) of ice thickness and volume of a small glacier called Patsio Glacier located in Western Himalayas. Also, the present study aims to examine whether the improvement in GlabTop2 based estimates obtained for Chhota Shigri Glacier through the use of relatively accurate and high-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and glacier specific model parameterisation

The N–S trending Neoarchaean to Palaeoproterozoic Dongargarh–Kotri belt in the Bastar Craton in central India exposes bimodal volcanics and volcaniclastics of the Nandgaon Group. In this contribution, lithofacies analysis of the Nandgaon Group has been attempted mainly based on distribution of rhyolites, basalts and pyroclastics in this ancient volcanic terrain, their field characteristics and petrography

Extraordinary multi-seasonal episodes like El Niños of 1982–1983 and 1997–1998 and their widespread teleconnection effects have spurred varied investigations on the changes in sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the post-WWII period. Most of them have been region-specific. We investigate here change in the variance of SST anomaly (SSTA) in the world oceans from 1951–1980 to 1981–2010. Our

Knowledge of relations among ocean biogeochemical and cloud properties will help to plan experiments necessary to understand the mechanisms and processes underlying the links between ocean and atmosphere interactions. Here, we explored the associations between ocean biogeochemical and cloud properties in a region that seasonally experiences polluted and pristine atmospheric conditions in winter and

Abstract The rocks of Raialo Group in the Alwar sub-basin of North Delhi Fold Belt were investigated with a focus on meta-basic lava flows of the Tehla Formation. The basaltic rocks, now occurring as amphibolites, are medium- to fine-grained and show evidence of greenschist to lower amphibolite facies metamorphism, characterized by dominant plagioclase, hornblende, actinolite, chlorite, and minor,

Abstract A protocol is presented to perform bulk magnetic susceptibility (BMS) analysis of simulated seawater/saline water using MFK2-FA Multi-Function Kappabridge instrument at Laboratory for Analyses of Magnetic and Petrofabric (LAMP), BHU to obtain a correlation between BMS and hydrogeological data such as salinity and conductivity. This LAMP-BHU Protocol involves the preparation of simulated saline

Shunkalpa Glacier, union of two glaciers namely Kalabaland (10 km long) and Yankchar glaciers (9 km long), is one of the largest glaciers in the Central Indian Himalaya with snout records available since 1886. We aimed to provide a comprehensive status of the glaciological characteristics of the glacier from satellite-based observations by providing the status of the snout fluctuation, surface velocity

The mineralized (U bearing) rocks, near Bangurdih area, in the western part of the Singhbhum shear zone (SSZ) are strongly deformed and metamorphosed. The host and country rocks are mylonitic in nature with strong linear and planar fabrics. Surface studies indicate that the mineralized bodies are discontinuous in nature and occur sporadically. The thickness of the individual mineralized bodies is also

The proportion of blue carbon contribution by benthic fauna with regard to climate change issue is a relevant topic recent times. The present study is focusing on the carbon potential and blue carbon contribution of meiobenthic nematodes in the intermediate zone of Arctic Kongsfjord during 2015–2017 and the study is the first of its kind from this region. Foraminifera and Nematoda were the dominant

Abstract Analyses of the marine geophysical data collected in four oceanographic cruises during 1974–2008 inside the Gulf of Kachchh, northwest India was done, and geology and crustal structure were interpreted for the first time. Seabed topography deduced from satellite-derived bathymetry and bathymetric investigations has revealed the tide-dominated Gulf (> 6 m high) has ~50 m maximum depth along

Abstract An inverse modelling study on the interpretation of magnetic anomalies caused by 2D dyke-shaped bodies was carried out using the differential search algorithm (DSA), a novel metaheuristic inspired by the migration of super-organisms. We aimed at estimating dyke parameters that include amplitude coefficient, depth, half-width, origin and dip angle. First, the resolvability of these parameters

The Oligocene Barail sandstones in parts of Cachar Fold Belt, northeast India have been studied to understand their tectonic provenance, paleoweathering and the depositional settings employing petrographic and geochemical attributes. Predominantly, arenaceous Barail succession is mainly composed of very fine (3.53 Ø) to medium (1.50 Ø) grained sandstone, silty-shale and carbonaceous shale with minor

Abstract The Detection of Electromagnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER) microsatellite-monitored data (IAP and ISL) were employed in investigating pre- (30 days) and post- (10 days) perturbations in ionospheric parameters associated with the M6.8 Eastern Honshu (Japan) earthquake (EQ) of July 23, 2008. The results constrained by synchronously monitoring geomagnetic indices

Modification of local stress orientation is an interesting issue for fluid migration and seal integrity at the faulted region of Assam Gap holding major oil/gas fields of India. Main objective is to scrutinize the stress pattern at the faulted blocks in this seismic gap. Geomechanical characterization of the study area has been carried out by integrating seismic and well log data through velocity model

The present study emphasises occurrence, mineral assemblages and mineral chemistry of the Neoproterozoic Degana Peraluminous Granite (DPG) around Rewat Hill and its fertility. Based on field evidences and nature of occurrences of wolframite, the tungsten mineralization of the Rewat Hill has been classified into five types; Type-I: quartz–wolframite vein, Type-II: quartz–muscovite–wolframite–polymetallic

Abstract Tibetan Plateau (TP), a high elevation region in the Asian subcontinent, play an influential role in the Indian summer monsoon. In this numerical model study, sensitivity to the local changes in the microphysics over Tibet on the model forecast of circulation and precipitation over Indian monsoon regions is assessed. The local modification of the cloud microphysical parameters, riming, over

Abstract Biologically rich rock-pools (RPs) are prominent component of rocky intertidal habitat and this study elucidates the factors affecting the phytoplankton distribution from high-tide (HT), mid-tide (MT) and low-tide (LT) RPs (Anjuna rocky shores, Goa, India), during the summer season. Results revealed that the RP location determines the nature of phytoplankton assemblage. MT-RPs and LT-RPs supported

Abstract Based on Poisson’s relation, a generalized equation to realize forward modelling of magnetic anomalies due to arbitrarily magnetized 2D listric fault sources in any component is derived in the space domain. The non-planar fault plane of a listric fault structure is described with a generalized polynomial equation. The estimated coefficients of a prescribed polynomial are used to construct

Abstract Land and sea breezes are formed due to differential heating between land and sea surfaces and are prominent local circulation in the tropical region. We present the first observational analysis of the overview of sea-breeze characteristics based on Automatic Weather Station (AWS) data and radiosonde ascends at Bachok Marine Research Station in peninsular Malaysia. Onset criteria for sea breeze

The world's 40% of the population lives in coastal areas (<150 km from the sea), and this is set to increase in upcoming years. This urban sprawl leads to the proliferation of artificial coastal defence structures along the coasts to save the populace from coastal erosion, storms, and hurricanes. Deployment of artificial coastal defence structures has direct or indirect impacts on the local and global

Biofilm forming and heavy metal resistant marine bacterial strain Pseudomonas chengduensis PPSS-4 was isolated from the contaminated marine sediment of Paradip Port, Odisha, India. The strain showed biofilm formation up to 100 mg/L of multi-metal [Pb(II), Cr(VI), and Cd(II)] supplementation in the culture medium. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed aggregation of rod-shaped cells in the extracellular

Titli was the cataclysmic storm to afflict Indian coast during 2018. Tropical cyclones may inflate nutrients on the surface layer of the ocean by entrainment and mixing, as a result, the upper oligotrophic and euphotic layers may be recharged with rich nutrients resulting in triggering phytoplankton blooms and significant increase in primary production. The biological response using the chlorophyll

Sea farm cages attract a range of wild fish species by providing shelter and food. The fish aggregation study was carried out around the open sea cages deployed at (9°20′03.95″N; 79°19′53.05″E) Olaikuda, Rameshwaram. A total of 2515 fish representing 51 species from 26 families and 9 orders were recorded by Underwater Visual Census (UVC) method from both sea-cage farm and control site. The genus Siganus

Abstract This study provides an evaluation of the past, present, and future spatiotemporal variability of droughts in the Bundelkhand region of central India. The assessment has been made by analyzing the existing (1951–2018) drought dynamics with gridded observational and reanalysis datasets. The future projection is presented using a multi-model ensemble from 21 simulations of regional climate model

Abstract Agriculture in hill and mountain ecosystems is predominantly rainfed with common occurrence of moisture stress. It is a natural disaster which evolves in time and its impacts last for a long time. In the present investigation, long-term monthly precipitation data for 40 years (1980–2019) were used for characterizing agricultural drought in Almora and Nainital districts of Uttarakhand in India

The Sonapahar sillimanite-corundum deposit of Meghalaya, Northeast India occurs within high-grade metapelites and exhibits an unusual association of sillimanite-quartz, corundum-quartz, sapphirine-phlogopite-corundum-sillimanite rock. Pockets of sillimanite and corundum occur within the host quartz sillimanite schist with contrasting chemical signature, where the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio is 2.5–3 for the host

The eastern margin of the Chitradurga Schist Belt is widely believed as the dividing line of Dharwar Craton (DC) into Western Dharwar Craton (WDC) and Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC). This study aims at re-defining the division of DC based on pronounced gravity high encompassing Chitradurga Schist Belt of WDC and Closepet granite to Ramgiri–Penackacherla Schist Belt of EDC. The newly acquired high-resolution

Abstract Granitoids from Pindwara–Abu Road Belt (PARB) are studied to characterize their tectonostratigraphic status in relation to the associated metasediments. The PARB lies along the southern swathes of the Mesoproterozoic Delhi Supergroup (DSG) in the Aravalli Delhi Mobile Belt (ADMB) of the northwestern Indian Shield. The outcrop scale granitoids of the study area are categorized into massive

Once an important accessory for petrographic microscope and a valuable tool in mineralogical and petrofabric work, the Universal Stage (U-stage) has been dubbed obsolete with the advent of electron microprobe and XRD, and subsequent phasing out of the production of the optical equipment. Modern-day fabric analysis also relies more on far more expensive texture goniometers, neutron activation analysis

Many previous studies have documented the changes in rainfall patterns along the Western coast of India. The Western Ghats of India comprising of coastal regions of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala regions are facing the worst floods and droughts in recent years. Changes in low-level horizontal wind circulation due to the change in sea surface temperature over the northern Arabian Sea have been reported

The present study summarizes the existing chronometric data of fossil dunes preserved in the southern Thar Desert margin (STM). The objective is to understand the episodes of dune accretion and causes of their spatial and temporal variability along the precipitation gradient. Based on the published ages, the study identifies three major phases of dune accretion. The oldest phase-I is dated between

The aim of this study is to assess and forecast spatial pattern changes of dust and wind speed in Hamun-e Helmand basin, Sistan region. This region has the most dust events and the strongest winds, including 120-day winds. Wind speed and dust data of seven synoptic stations were therefore extracted from the Iran Meteorological Organization during 1990–2018. Wind and dust speed were predicted for 2020–2030

Abstract Tidal hydrodynamics of the Gulf of Khambhat (GoK) were studied with the observed and simulated datasets. The flushing time of the Gulf was estimated using the 2D-model calibrated and validated with the tide and current speed observations. Model simulations were carried out with the influence of tide, wind, and tide and wind combinedly. Wind-driven flushing was found to be the least with the

Abstract Carbon isotopes of stalagmites are influenced by various factors operating in a cave, like evaporation, vegetation, drip rate and changes in partial pressure of carbon-di-oxide (pCO2) inside and around a cave system. Consequently, interpretation of δ13C record becomes a bit complicated. However, the vegetation changes at a given cave location are generally considered as the dominating factor

The present study describes the active role of met-ocean parameters on the heavy flooding that occurred during July 2018 in the Kuttanad region, Kerala. The model-derived data as well as observations showed a high anomaly of wave height in July 2018 off Kerala was not correlated with local wind anomaly and indicated possible connection of wave anomalies to swell waves. The high period and high amplitude

Uranium mineralization occurs adjacent to the unconformity between Paleoproterozoic granite and Meso- to Neoproterozoic cover sediments in Chitrial prospect of Cuddapah Basin in Indian shield. Hydrothermal activity in the granite is evident by the presence of hydrothermal veins and associated wallrock alteration in the unconformity zone (0–5 m below unconformity), shallow zone (5–100 m), and deep zone

Abstract Coupling of the geological processes in the arc-magmatic and back-arc provinces of accretionary orogens in Neoarchean plate tectonic setting is a subject of current research all over the world. The Dharwar Craton of southern India is an example of such an accretionary orogen, with an arc-magmatic province in the east and a back-arc province in the west, referred as the Eastern Dharwar Craton

Abstract Seawater incursion and freshwater discharges into the tropical Mandovi Zuari (MZ) estuary is investigated here using stable oxygen isotope data on monthly water samples from locations spatially separated within the estuary. Surface water samples were analysed for δ18O and salinity relationship, $$\delta^{18} O = 0.0843 \times S - 2.1,$$ where freshwater end member is designated as −2.1‰; similar

Abstract The nature and distribution of heavy minerals along beach placers have been studied along the coastal part of Podampata, Eastern Coast of Odisha, India. The primary objective of this study was to assess the heavy mineral placers along the NE–SW direction, the nature of the high background radiation area, and the geomorphic agents controlling the beach sediment distribution. In-situ total radiation

Abstract The human–environment interactions are entwined across different spatio-temporal scales. The prime focus of this study is to investigate the wide range of changes happening in seasonal maximum and minimum temperatures (Tmax and Tmin) during 1950–2012 over the island country Sri Lanka in the deep tropics and to analyse associated important drivers explaining these changes. Fingerprint-based

Abstract Absorption spectra of coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and their derived parameters such as, absorption coefficient and spectral slopes are useful to study the molecular weight distribution of DOM. Here CDOM absorption characteristics were assessed in two distributaries [Gautami (GGE) and Vasishta (VGE)] of the Godavari estuary to examine the differences in molecular weight characterization

Abstract A major portion of the coastline of Kerala is under erosion, primarily due to the action of wind-generated waves. Accurate assessment of the nearshore wave climate is essential for detailed apprehension of the sediment processes that lead to coastal erosion. Numerical wave transformation models set up incorporating high-resolution nearshore bathymetry and nearshore wind data, prove to be sufficient

Abstract Magnetotelluric (MT) data has been collected along 32 stations along E–W profile in northern part and eight LMT (long period MT) stations in north-central part of Saurashtra region. Dimensionality analysis is carried out prior to MT modelling for obtaining the subsurface dimension as well as the direction of the underlying substructures. To estimate the subsurface dimensionality from MT data

Fluoride (F–) pollution in groundwater of the Older Alluvial Plain (OAP) of Delhi has been reported as a major problem. About 34% of the groundwater samples collected for this study had F– level beyond the permissible limit; with F– concentration in the range of 0.14–3.15 mg/L (average 1.20 mg/L). In this context, this article for the first time attempts on the genesis of major ions chemistry and F–

The present study examines the tropical cyclones (TCs) activity over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) during post-monsoon season (October–December) for the period 1972–2015 (44 years period). The study has explored the active and inactive TC years on the basis of mean ±1 standard deviation, respectively. A total of nine active (when TCs frequency is ≥4 in a year) and 18 inactive (when TCs frequency is ≤1 in

We report the chemical composition of 176 glass spherules obtained from Antarctica blue ice and deep-sea sediments from the Central Indian Ocean Basin. This study compares the chemistry of glass spherules collected from various reservoirs, thereby allowing us to look into possible bias and efficiency of different collection techniques. Glass spherules have experienced extreme heating among the S-type

AbstractSection Abstract Molar-tooth structures (MTS) are enigmatic, micro-crystalline calcite-filled fissures, confined in Proterozoic carbonates. Here we present petrography, carbon isotope, total organic carbon (TOC) and morphological attributes in the context of interpreted palaeoenvironment to understand its development in the Mesoproterozoic carbonates of Lesser Himalaya. Lack of any detrital

Abstract The need for adequate planning and management of marine areas has been progressively realised due to the prevalent and ever-increasing ‘use-conflicts’ in time and space, amongst different maritime sectors. Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is an effective approach to ensure marine conservation and prevent over-exploitation of marine resources by sustainably utilizing its economic potential. Literature

Continuous measurements of absorbing carbonaceous aerosol termed as black carbon (BC) have been carried out during April 2017 to March 2018 over Solapur, a semi-arid, rain shadow location in Peninsular India using a multi-wavelength Aethalometer (AE-33). Statistically significant higher values of BC were observed during the dry period (December–May, mean BC 4.3±1.2 µg m–3) as compared to the wet period

Abstract Pan-African (ca. 620–390 Ma) granites (sensu lato) are exposed as small circular to elliptical intrusive bodies (stocks or plutons), viz., Karamadai (Kar), Sirumugai (Sir), Punjaipuliyampatti (Pun), Tiruchengodu (Tir), Sankari (San), and Idappadi (Ida) along the E–W trending Cauvery shear zone (CSZ) of Southern Granulite Terrain (SGT), central Tamil Nadu. Mineralogically all these plutons

Abstract The exposed granite gneissic complex to the west of Cuddapah basin in Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC) is studied to understand the magnetic character of various plutons in this region with more emphasis on a part of Closepet Granite (CG). The NW–SE trending plutons in this region show gradual decrease in magnetic intensities from southwest to northeast; CG in the southwest corner of the study

Abstract The rise of the Himalayas governed the Indian Summer Monsoon in Karewa basin during Plio-Pleistocene. A palynological study is presented to delineate the climate-vegetation relationship using an 8.5-m thick fluvio-lacustrine sequence of the Hirpur Formation (2.4–2.1 Ma). Our results suggest that the sediment sequence is mainly comprised of two units, namely, Unit 1 and Unit 2. Unit 1 shows

Abstract Southern Lower Indus basin is an oil and gas prone basin, which is important for producing hydrocarbon in Pakistan. Due to limited Rock-Eval pyrolysis data availability in the prospective shale gas basin, the organic facies geochemical characteristics study is a challenging task for researchers. The primary objective of this study is an evaluation of the Lower Goru Formation organic facies

Here, we report for the first time, the genus Lamellibrachia tubeworm and associated chemosynthetic ecosystem from a cold-seep site in the Indian Ocean. The discovery of cold-seep was made off the Cauvery–Mannar Basin onboard ORV Sindhu Sadhana (SSD-070; 13th to 22nd February 2020). The chemosymbiont bearing polychaete worm is also associated with squat lobsters (Munidposis sp.) and Gastropoda belonging

Wind observations are critical for the better atmospheric analysis for Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), particularly over the tropics. High-resolution direct wind observations are essential for defining smaller scales and deeper atmospheric structures. Recently launched Aeolus satellite delivers wind profiles that mostly satisfy these requirements, suitable for NWP assimilation. The main product