Water quality assessment of Upper Ganga and Yamuna river systems during COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown: imprints of river rejuvenation.

Clean river water is an essential and life-sustaining asset for all living organisms. The upper Ganga and Yamuna river system has shown signs of rejuvenation and tremendous improvement in the water quality following the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. All the industrial and commercial activity was shut down, and there was negligible wastewater discharge from the industries.

Geoelectric characterisation of the junction of seismically active Delhi Hardwar Ridge and Delhi Sargodha Ridge.

A magnetotelluric (MT) geophysical survey for the first time has been conducted for the geoelectric characterization of the junction of the contact zone of NNE-SSW striking Delhi Hardwar Ridge (DHR) and NW-SE trending Delhi Sargodha Ridge (DSR) in the Rohtak area, Haryana which has experienced 15 earthquakes of M2.0-M4.4 from April to August 2020.

Comparative analysis of discharge and sediment flux from two contiguous glacierized basins of Central Himalaya, India.

In the present study, suspended sediment load (SSL), sediment yield and erosion rates in Pindari Glacier basin (PGB) and Kafni Glacier basin (KGB) have been estimated using daily discharge and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) data for three ablation seasons (2017-2019). For this, one meteorological observatory and two gauging sites have been established at Dwali (confluence point), and water samples have been collected twice in a day for high flow period (July to September) and daily for lean period (May, June and October). An area-velocity method and stage-discharge relationship has been established to convert water level into discharge (m s).

Heterogeneity in glacier thinning and slowdown of ice movement in the Garhwal Himalaya, India.

Limited ground-based surveys and extensive remote sensing analyses have confirmed glacier thinning in the Garhwal Himalaya. More detailed studies on specific glaciers and the drivers of reported changes are essential to comprehend small-scale differences in the effects of climatic warming on Himalayan glaciers. We computed elevation changes and surface flow distribution for 205 (≥0.

Emission of greenhouse gases due to anthropogenic activities: an environmental assessment from paddy rice fields.

Paddy rice fields (PRFs) are a potent source of global atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs), particularly CH and CO. Despite socio-environmental importance, the emission of GHGs has rarely been measured from Haryana agricultural fields. We have used new technology to track ambient concentration and soil flux of GHGs (CH, CO, and HO) near Karnal's Kuchpura agricultural fields, India.

Explicating the amino acid effects for methane storage in hydrate form.

Methane emissions increase day by day into the atmosphere and influence global temperatures. The necessity to capture these emissions at the source point is a primary concern. Several methods/techniques are being adopted to capture these emissions.

Potential seismic precursors and surficial dynamics of a deadly Himalayan disaster: an early warning approach.

On 7 February 2021, Chamoli district (Uttarakhand, India) was devastated by a deadly rock-ice avalanche that led to a large causality of more than 200 people and a huge economic loss. We found noteworthy sequence of precursory signals of main failure/detachment preceded by a dynamic nucleation phase. The rock-ice avalanche appears to have been initiated by seismic precursors which were continuously active for 2:30 h prior to main detachment.

Submarine canyon systems focusing sub-surface fluid in the Canterbury Basin, South Island, New Zealand.

This work uses a high-quality 3D seismic volume from offshore Canterbury Basin, New Zealand, to investigate how submarine canyon systems can focus sub-surface fluid. The seismic volume was structurally conditioned to improve the contrast in seismic reflections, preserving their lateral continuity. It reveals multiple pockmarks, eroded gullies and intra-slope lobe complexes occurring in association with the Waitaki Submarine Canyon.

A machine learning tool for interpretation of Mass Transport Deposits from seismic data.

Machine learning is a tool that allows machines or intelligent systems to learn and get equipped to solve complex problems in predicting reliable outcome. The learning process consists of a set of computer algorithms that are employed to a small segment of data with a view to speed up realistic interpretation from entire data without extensive human intervention. Here we present an approach of supervised learning based on artificial neural network to automate the process of delineating structural distribution of Mass Transport Deposit (MTD) from 3D reflection seismic data.

Acoustic reflections in the water column of Krishna-Godavari offshore basin, Bay of Bengal.

Seismic oceanographic studies from various oceans worldwide have indicated that the acoustic reflections are mostly observed along thermal boundaries within the water column. However, the authors present a case study of seismic data from Krishna-Godavari Basin which shows that salinity variations also play an important role in the occurrence of water column reflections. The observed reflection is modeled using the reflectivity series derived from the salinity and temperature profiles from a nearby Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) location.