The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation in twentieth century climate simulations: uneven progress from CMIP3 to CMIP5

Decadal variability in the climate system from the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) is one of the major sources of variability at this temporal scale that climate models must properly incorporate because of its climate impact. The current analysis of historical simulations of the twentieth century climate from models participating in the CMIP3 and CMIP5 projects assesses how these models portray the observed spatiotemporal features of the sea surface temperature (SST) and precipitation anomalies associated with the AMO. A short sample of the models is analyzed in detail by using all ensembles available of the models CCSM3, GFDL-CM2.1, UKMO-HadCM3, and ECHAM5/MPI-OM from the CMIP3 project, and the models CCSM4, GFDL-CM3, UKMO-HadGEM2-ES, and MPI-ESM-LR from the CMIP5 project. The structure and evolution of the SST anomalies of the AMO have not progressed consistently from the CMIP3 to the CMIP5 models. While the characteristic period of the AMO (smoothed with a binomial filter applied fifty times) is underestimated by the three of the models, the e-folding time of the autocorrelations shows that all models underestimate the 44-year value from observations by almost 50 %. Variability of the AMO in the 10–20/70–80 year ranges is overestimated/underestimated in the models and the variability in the 10–20 year range increases in three of the models from the CMIP3 to the CMIP5 versions. Spatial variability and correlation of the AMO regressed precipitation and SST anomalies in summer and fall indicate that models are not up to the task of simulating the AMO impact on the hydroclimate over the neighboring continents. This is in spite of the fact that the spatial variability and correlations in the SST anomalies improve from CMIP3 to CMIP5 versions in two of the models. However, a multi-model mean from a sample of 14 models whose first ensemble was analyzed indicated there were no improvements in the structure of the SST anomalies of the AMO or associated regional precipitation anomalies in summer and fall from CMIP3 to CMIP5 projects.     

Stress induced time dependent behavior of clayey soils

It is shown that time compression curve obtained from one-dimensional consolidation curve in the laboratory may include six phases. These are initial compression, first primary compression, transition from first primary compression to second primary compression, second primary compression, and transition from second primary compression to creep and lastly creep. This paper attempts to identify the quantitative beginnings and characteristics of these phases. A mathematical characteristic of all the soils that follow primary consolidation as per Terzaghi’s one dimensional consolidation theory is derived. It is known as the constant of primary consolidation. It is used to study the beginning of secondary consolidation and its effects on primary consolidation. Another characteristic of soils for creep and total absence of primary compression is derived. Methods are suggested for the determination of coefficients of Primary and Secondary consolidations and the compression index.     

Impact of Indian ocean dipole on the coastal upwelling features off the southwest coast of India

A three-dimensional regional ocean model is used to examine the impact of positive Indian ocean dipole (pIOD) events on the coastal upwelling features at the southwest coast of India (SWCI). Two model experiments are carried out with different surface boundary conditions that prevailed in the normal and pIOD years from 1982 to 2010. Model experiments demonstrate the weakening of coastal upwelling at the SWCI in the pIOD years. The reduced southward meridional wind stress off the SWCI leads to comparatively lower offshore Ekman transport during August–October in the pIOD years to that in normal years. The suppressed coastal upwelling results in warmer sea surface temperature and deeper thermocline in the pIOD years during June–September. The offshore spatial extent of upwelled colder (<?22 °C) water was up to 75.5° E in August–September in normal years that was limited up to 76.2° E in pIOD years. The heat budget analysis reveals the decreased contribution of vertical entrainment process to the mixed layer cooling in pIOD years which is almost half of that of normal years in October. The net heat flux term shows warming tendency during May–November with a higher magnitude (+?0.4 °C day^?1) in normal years than pIOD years (+?0.28 °C day^?1). The biological productivity is found to reduce during the pIOD years as the concentration of phytoplankton and zooplankton decreases over the region of coastal upwelling at SWCI. Nitrate concentration in the pIOD years dropped by half during August–September and dropped by an order of magnitude in October as compared to its ambient concentration of 13 μmol L^?1 in normal years.     

Landscape transform and spatial metrics for mapping spatiotemporal land cover dynamics using Earth Observation data-sets

Analysis of Earth observation (EO) data, often combined with geographical information systems (GIS), allows monitoring of land cover dynamics over different ecosystems, including protected or conservation sites. The aim of this study is to use contemporary technologies such as EO and GIS in synergy with fragmentation analysis, to quantify the changes in the landscape of the Rajaji National Park (RNP) during the period of 19 years (1990–2009). Several statistics such as principal component analysis (PCA) and spatial metrics are used to understand the results. PCA analysis has produced two principal components (PC) and explained 84.1% of the total variance, first component (PC1) accounted for the 57.8% of the total variance while the second component (PC2) has accounted for the 26.3% of the total variance calculated from the core area metrics, distance metrics and shape metrics. Our results suggested that notable changes happened in the RNP landscape, evidencing the requirement of taking appropriate measures to conserve this natural ecosystem.     

尼泊尔低喜马拉雅推覆带油源对比及油气成藏

尼泊尔低喜马拉雅推覆带油气苗来源不清极大地影响了该区油气勘探.在地质-地球物理综合调查的基础上,利用油气地球化学、碳同位素及生烃史模拟对尼泊尔代莱克地区油源和成藏过程进行了研究.结果表明:①尼泊尔代莱克地区油苗产于Padukasthan断裂,可分两期,第一期呈含油断层泥产出,氯仿沥青\"A\"为149～231 μg/g,RR.为0.81％,氯仿沥青\"A\"的δ13C相对较重(-26.24‰～-27.10‰),族组分具有正碳同位素序列,发黄绿色荧光,为典型的低熟煤成油,第二期呈液态油产出并遭受微生物降解,金刚烷IMD指数为0.33～0.45,R.为1.24％～1.53％,3,4-DMD含量46％～47％,全油δ13C为-29.50‰～-29.45‰,族组分碳同位素趋于一致,发蓝色荧光,为海相成因高熟油;②第一期油来源于Surkhet群的Melpani组和Gondwana群煤系烃源岩,为Ⅲ型有机质低熟阶段的产物,第二期来源于Surkhet群的Swat组浅海陆棚相黑色页岩,为Ⅱ1型有机质生油高峰的产物,两期油与Lakharpata群过成熟黑色泥岩和Siwalik群未熟泥岩没有亲缘关系;③尼泊尔低喜马拉雅推覆带具有\"多源多期、推覆增熟、砂体控储、披覆控聚\"的油气成藏模式,油气成藏过程可划分为沉积浅埋、构造圈闭形成、深埋油藏形成、气藏形成和晚期改造定型5个演化阶段;④尼泊尔低喜马拉雅推覆有利于Gondwana群、Surkhet群深埋增温、持续快速生烃和晚期成藏,对比邻区巴基斯坦的含油气盆地,尼泊尔低喜马拉雅推覆带及相邻类似地区具备良好的油气成藏条件.     

Analysis of buried pipelines subjected to reverse fault motion

Presently available simplified analytical methods and semi-empirical methods for the analysis of buried pipelines subjected to fault motion are suitable only for the strike-slip and the normal-slip type fault motions, and cannot be used for the reverse fault crossing case. A simple finite element model, which uses beam elements for the pipeline and discrete nonlinear springs for the soil, has been proposed to analyse buried pipeline subjected to reverse fault motion. The material nonlinearities associated with pipe-material and soil, and geometric nonlinearity associated with large deformations were incorporated in the analysis. Complex reverse fault motion was simulated using suitable constraints between pipe-nodes and ground ends of the soil spring. Results of the parametric study suggest that the pipeline's capacity to accommodate reverse fault offset can be increased significantly by choosing a near-parallel orientation in plan with respect to the fault line. Further improvement in the response of the pipeline is possible by adopting loose backfill, smooth and hard surface coating, and shallow burial depth in the fault crossing region. For normal or near normal orientations, pipeline is expected to fail due to beam buckling at very small fault offsets.     

Benthic foraminiferal response to changes in mining pattern: a case study from the Zuari estuary,Goa, India

Being sensitive to environmental changes, foraminifera have been extensively used to monitor pollution level in the marine environment, including the effect of mining in coastal areas. In the Goa state of India, the rejects from opencast mining on land largely find their way to the estuaries, as washout during monsoon. Additionally, the Mormugao Port at the mouth of the Zuari estuary is the hub of activities due to the transport of ore from hinterland areas by barges and its subsequent loading for export. On the directive of the Supreme Court of India, all the mining-related activities abruptly stopped throughout India, including that in Goa in 2012, and got reinstated in 2015. Therefore, it provided a fit case to test the effectiveness of benthic foraminifera as an indicator of environmental impact due to mining activities. A total of ten surface sediment samples from five locations in Zuari estuary were collected from a depth range of 4.5–8.5 m in the years of 2013 and 2016 and were analyzed for both the living (stained) and dead benthic foraminifera. The year 2013 represents a time interval immediately after the closure of extensive mining activity, and the sampling during 2016 represents minimal mining. The living benthic foraminiferal abundance was higher (19–54/g sediment) during 2013 and decreased substantially during 2016 (3–22/g sediment), suggesting an adverse effect of activities associated with mine closure on benthic foraminifera. Additionally, the relative abundance of Ammonia was also significantly low during the year 2016. The temporal variation in dead foraminifera was, however, different than that of the living foraminifera. The differential response was attributed to the terrigenous dilution as a result of change in sedimentation rate. Therefore, we conclude that living foraminifera correctly incorporate the changes in mining pattern and may be used as an effective tool to monitor the impact of mining. We further suggest that the potential counter effect of terrigenous dilution on total and living benthic foraminiferal population should be considered while interpreting temporal variations in foraminiferal abundance in marginal marine settings.     

Analysis of earth dams affected by the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake

An earthquake of magnitude of 7.6 (M_w 7.6) occurred in Bhuj, India on January 26, 2001. This event inflicted damages of varying extents to a large number of small to moderate size multi-zone earth dams in the vicinity of the epicenter. Some of the distress was due to the liquefaction of saturated alluvium in foundation. Liquefaction was relatively localized for the majority of these dams because the earthquake struck in the middle of a prolonged dry season when the reservoirs behind these dams were nearly empty and shallow alluvium soils underneath the downstream portions of the dams were partly dry. Otherwise, liquefaction of foundation soils would have been more extensive and damage to these dams more significant. Six such dams have been examined in this paper. Four of these facilities, Chang, Shivlakha, Suvi, and Tapar were within the 50 km of epicenter region. These dams underwent free-field ground motion with peak ground accelerations between 0.28g to 0.52g. Of these Chang Dam underwent severe slumping, whereas Shivlakha, Suvi, and Tapar Dams were affected severely especially over the upstream sections. Fatehgadh Dam and Kaswati Dam were affected relatively less severely. Foundation conditions underneath these dams were first examined for assessing liquefaction potential. A limited amount of subsurface information available from investigations undertaken prior to the earthquake indicates that, although the foundation soils within the top 2.0 to 2.5 m underneath these dams were susceptible to liquefaction, Bhuj Earthquake did not trigger liquefaction because of lack of saturation of these layers underneath the downstream portions of these dams. These dams were then analyzed using a simple sliding block procedure using appropriate estimates of undrained soil strength parameters. The results of this analysis for these structures were found to be in general agreement with the observed deformation patterns.