Neotectonic study of Ganga and Yamuna tear faults,NW Himalaya,using remote sensing and GIS

The Ganga and Yamuna rivers emerge from the Himalayas along two major faults known as the Ganga and Yamuna Tear Faults respectively. The two major strike-slip faults transverse to the Siwalik range are clearly seen in satellite imagery of the Dehradun area. Earthquake records, landslide and recent changes in geomorphological features indicate that the area between the Main Boundary Thrust and the Main Frontal Thrust is tectonically active. An effort has been made to study the tectonic evolution and neotectonism of the Ganga and Yamuna tear faults. Spectral and spatial enhancement techniques have been employed to the digital data of IRS-1B LISS-I to delineate the lineaments and major faults of the area. Based on Mohr's theory, failure criteria and statistical analysis of remotely sensed lineament data, horizontal compressive stress values (S_Hmax) have been estimated at various sites of the study area. These data are found to be consistent with the published S_Hmax orientation determined from earthquake focal mechanism solutions. Active faults and lineaments have been extracted from the remotely sensed lineament data. Past earthquake data and depth to basement contour data have been used in an integrated approach with available Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques to reconstruct a present-day regional geodynamic model. Attempts have been made to investigate the genesis of Ganga and Yamuna Tear Faults and possible causes of recent tectonic activities of the area with the help of the proposed geodynamic model.     

A multi-sensor climatological view of double ITCZs over the Indian Ocean

We characterize the climatological features of the double inter-tropical convergence zones (DITCZs) over the western Indian Ocean during November–December by a synergistic analysis of the Hamburg Ocean Atmosphere Parameters and Fluxes from Satellite (HOAPS III) data (1988–2005) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) A-Train data (2002–2009). We investigate rainfall, freshwater flux and cloud liquid water, cloud fraction and relative humidity over the DITCZs. In addition, the daily rainfall data from the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) are used to document the DITCZs during the El Niño southern oscillation (ENSO) events. An analysis of the GPCP data shows that the DITCZs are clearly discernible during strong ENSO events (1997, 2002 and 2006), in sharp contrast to the DITCZs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, where they are absent during ENSOs. Further, these convergence zones on either side of the equator are of short duration, approximately 3–6 pentads during November and December. All satellite sensor data sets consistently capture the major features of DITCZs. As an accurate simulation of DITCZs in coupled global climate models remains a challenge, the results from the present study would provide a platform for evaluating these models.     

SELECTIVE OXIDATION OF ALCOHOLS BY REDOX MOLECULAR SIEVES

High-throughput synthesis and screening of libraries consisting of redox zeolites and molecular sieves have been developed for the selective oxidation of 2-butyl-5-hydroxymethyl-imidazole to the corresponding aldehyde in the liquid phase. Libraries consisting of 96 catalysts were prepared and screened for catalytic activity using high-throughput software, robotics, reactor, and screening technologies. The integrated synthesis and screening workflow allowed ～5000 samples to be screened in less than one month. Promising hits identified in the high-throughput primary screens were successfully scaled up and optimized in conventional laboratory test units. Best results have been obtained with doubly or triply doped mesoporous sieves containing both an impregnated and framework-substituted metal. PtBi-doped framework-substituted V-MCM-41 redox mesoporous sieves were found to be efficient catalysts for aerobic oxidation under relatively mild reaction conditions (100–150°C, 15–400 psi air, 4–10 h reaction time). MIBK/H₂O/t-BuOH mixtures were identified as efficient solvent systems for this reaction. Isolated yields confirm high selectivities of more than 90% with quantitative conversions. Spent catalysts were shown to be fully regenerable by high temperature calcination in air.     

Observation of polytypism among the hydroxysalts of Ni(II) and Co(II)

Layered hydroxysalts derive their crystal structure from mineral brucite. Nickel and cobalt based hydroxysalts with the composition M₃(OH)₄(NO₃)₂ crystallize in trigonal crystal system. On careful examination of the PXRD patterns, it is found that Ni₃(OH)₄(NO₃)₂ crystallizes in hexagonal crystal system while Co₃(OH)₄(NO₃)₂ crystallizes in rhombohedral crystal system. This clearly demonstrates that the crystal structures in layered hydroxysalts are mainly dictated by the nature of the cation occupying the preferential site within the layer.     

Internet Authorship: Social and Political Implications Within Kyrgyzstan

This paper presents the results of our corroborated study of grassroots Internet sites and authors in the nation of Kyrgyzstan, exceptional in Central Asia for its deregulated Internet policy. The study presents a set of semistructured interviews with notable grassroots Internet authors and activists, including bloggers, forum participants, and journalists, and analyzes this data via a critical communication and media studies lens to point to significant implications on emergent social, cultural, and political movements in the nation.     

Stress oscillations in plane stress modelling of flexure—a field-consistency interpretation

Exactly integrated isoparametric plane stress elements behave poorly in flexure. The 4-noded element ‘locks’, with errors that progress indefinitely as element aspect ratio increases. Reduced integration of the shear strain energy eliminates this locking entirely. The 8-noded element does not lock, but improves in performance with reduced integration of shear strain energy. Both elements, with their original shape functions, show severe shear stress oscillations in flexure. In this paper we attribute these oscillations to the lack of ‘consistency’ of shear strain fields derived directly from independent field-variable interpolations. We derive error models for specific tractable examples which can confirm the accuracy of this conceptual scheme through digital computation using the finite element models. A field-consistent redistribution strategy for the shear strain field is offered as an elegant procedure to free the elements of spurious oscillations and give a ‘lock’-free performance.     

Evaluation of Thermocyclic Oxidation Behavior of HVOF-Sprayed NiCrFeSiB Coatings on Boiler Tube Steels

High velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spray process has grown into a well-accepted industrial technology for obtaining coatings resistant to significant surface degradation processes. In the present study, HVOF process was used to deposit Ni-based hardfacing NiCrFeSiB alloy powder on kinds of boiler tube steels designated as SA210 grade-A1, SA213-T11, and SA213-T22. The microstructures and several properties of the as-sprayed coatings have been investigated. Thermocyclic oxidation studies were performed in static air at 900 °C. NiCrFeSiB-coated steels showed slow oxidation kinetics and considerably lower weight gains than that of uncoated steels. The superior performance of NiCrFeSiB coatings can be attributed to continuous and protective thin oxide scale of amorphous SiO₂ and Cr₂O₃ formed on the surface of the oxidized coatings. The combined technique of x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, and electron probe microanalysis are used to characterize reaction products of the oxidized surfaces.     

Salacia mulbarica leaf extract mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles for antibacterial and ct‐DNA damage via releasing of reactive oxygen species

In this examination, we researched the advantages of DNA fragmentation and metallic nanoparticles well‐appointed with biomolecules. A novel interpretation of DNA damage by Silver Nano‐Clusters (AgNCs) which were developed by the utilization of green synthesis method was demonstrated. The green synthesis of AgNCs was accomplished by utilizing the leaf extract of Salacia mulbarica (SM). The preparation of SM‐AgNCs was developed by estimating surface plasmon resonance peak around 449 nm by using a UV–Visible spectrophotometer. The effect of phytochemicals in SM leaf extract on the development of stable SM‐AgNCs was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The size of the fabricated SM‐AgNCs was estimated by dynamic light scattering and zeta‐sizer analysis and the morphology of the SM‐AgNCs was examined by transmission electron microscopy. The presence of clusters of Ag particles in the prepared SM‐AgNCs was recognized by energy dispersion X‐ray analysis. The results show that saponins, phytosterols, and phenolic compounds present in plant extract may play a great part in developing the SM‐AgNCs in their specialized particles. The succeeded SM‐AgNCs shows incredible anti‐bacterial action towards Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. In‐light of the antibacterial study, these SM‐AgNCs were analyzed with calf thymus‐DNA and found significant damage to the strand of thymus‐DNA.Inspec keywords: visible spectra, surface plasmon resonance, transmission electron microscopy, DNA, nanofabrication, particle size, X‐ray chemical analysis, ultraviolet spectra, molecular biophysics, nanomedicine, microorganisms, nanoparticles, silver, X‐ray diffraction, antibacterial activity, Fourier transform infrared spectra, biomedical materialsOther keywords: stable SM‐AgNCs, silver nanoparticles, ct‐DNA damage, metallic nanoparticles, silver nanoclusters, Salacia mulbarica leaf extract, reactive oxygen species, DNA fragmentation, surface plasmon resonance, UV‐Visible spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, Zeta‐sizer analysis, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray analysis, saponins, phytosterols, phenolic compounds, plant extract, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Ag