Source apportionment of major ions and trace metals in the lacustrine systems of Schirmacher Hills, East Antarctica.

The fabric of the Antarctic lacustrine system has a crucial role in assimilating the anthropogenic inputs and mitigating their long time impacts on climate change. Here, we present the changes in the concentrations of major ions and trace metals in the surface water of the lacustrine system to understand the extent of anthropogenic impacts from the adjacent Schirmacher Hills, East Antarctica. The results show that the land-locked lakes (closed-basin lakes surrounded by topographical barriers such as mountains or bedrock formations) in the region have a moderate enrichment in elemental concentrations compared to the pro-glacial lakes (marginal freshwater bodies that form at the terminus of a glacier or ice sheet).

Hydrograph apportionment of the Chandra River draining from a semi-arid region of the Upper Indus Basin, western Himalaya.

Melting of snow and glaciers from the high-altitude Himalayan region is a significant water source to the major Himalayan rivers, especially in the upper Indus Basin (UIB), which contributes up to 70% of river discharge. Considering Indus Basin as a largest irrigation system dependent on snow and glacier melt runoff, it is imperative to study the rivers' current status and water budget. In this study we have performed a tracer-based hydrograph separation to quantify the contribution of seasonal snow, glacier melt, and groundwater to the Chandra River draining from a semi-arid region of the upper Indus basin, western Himalaya.

Export fluxes of geochemical solutes in the meltwater stream of Sutri Dhaka Glacier, Chandra basin, Western Himalaya.

The hydrochemistry of meltwater from the Sutri Dhaka Glacier, Western Himalaya, has been studied to understand the influence of the factors controlling the weathering processes of the glaciers during the peak ablation period. The high solar irradiance prompted intense melting, which has raised the stream flow of the glacier. The meltwater has been observed as slightly alkaline (mean pH 8.

Variation of phytoplankton assemblages of Kongsfjorden in early autumn 2012: a microscopic and pigment ratio-based assessment.

Phytoplankton species distribution and composition were determined by using microscopy and pigment ratios in the Kongsfjorden during early autumn 2012. Variation in sea surface temperature (SST) was minimal and matched well with satellite-derived SST. Nutrients were generally limited.

Diversity and physiology of culturable bacteria associated with a coastal Antarctic ice core.

Microbiological studies of polar ice at different depths may provide important comparisons, as they preserve records of microbial cells and past climate. In this study, we examined bacterial abundance, diversity and glaciochemical composition from three depths of an ice core from coastal Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. Higher bacterial abundance corresponded with high in situ sea-salt Na(+) and dust concentration, suggesting that bacteria might have been transported and deposited into ice along with dust particles and marine aerosols.

Origin and characterisation of microparticles in an ice core from the Central Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica.

The scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopic (SEM-EDS) study of selected samples from an ice core collected from Central Dronning Maud Land (CDML), East Antarctica, revealed several microparticles. They are mainly siliceous and carbonaceous particles and have distinct variations in their shape and composition. The morphology and major element chemistry of the particles suggest their origin from either volcanic eruptions or continental dust.

Nutrient environment of red tide- infested waters off south-west coast of India.

The bloom-infested waters along the southwest coast of India were assessed to bring about the probable cause related to the excessive algal production. Low nitrate and silicate concentrations were concomitant with slightly higher levels of phosphate. The silicate depletion in the bloom area is possibly an indication of community succession (diatom to dinoflagellate), since it was completely utilized by the preceding diatom blooms.

Step-up multiple regression model to compute chlorophyll a in the coastal waters off Cochin, southwest coast of India.

The interaction effects of abiotic processes in the production of phytoplankton in a coastal marine region off Cochin are evaluated using multiple regression models. The study shows that chlorophyll production is not limited by nutrients, but their physiological regulations (responses to nutrients, pH, temperature and salinity) are mainly responsible for the increased biological production. The model explaining 77% of variability for chlorophyll a production is indicative of preconditioning of the coastal waters.

Geochemical index of trace metals in the surficial sediments from the western continental shelf of India, Arabian Sea.

The present study focuses on the determination and abundance of trace metals (viz. Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Co, Cd, Mn and Fe) in the surficial sediments of west coast of Arabian Sea along the Indian subcontinent. Sediment samples were collected from three transects along the western continental shelf of Arabian Sea.

Assessment on seasonal variation of groundwater quality of phreatic aquifers - a river basin system.

Spatial distribution of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), fluoride and total iron content of ground water samples collected from the muvattupuzha river basin, Kerala, India, has been studied for pre monsoon and post monsoon periods of year 2001. Results showed the groundwater of the basin is acidic for which the pH values ranged between 5.5 and 8.

Recovery of an estuary in the southwest coast of India from tsunami impacts.

Water quality in the Cochin Estuary, southwest coast of India during the tsunami attack was assessed and compared with the pre and post tsunami characteristics. From the results obtained, it is evident that a drastic change in hydrography has been inflicted by the energy transferred through the tsunami, which disturbed the entire estuarine embayment. However, the post tsunami water quality showed normal levels indicating that the region has recovered from the tsunami impacts.