Center for Environmental Sciences & Engineering

<p>Shiv Nadar University is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, research-focused, and student-centric University offering a full range of academic programs at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level. With state-of-the-art infrastructure, the University comprises of academic wings, sophisticated labs, international standard sports facilities, amphitheaters, auditorium, conference rooms and smart classrooms. The University&rsquo;s goal is to become internationally recognized for the quality of its research and creative endeavors and their applicability to improving quality of life, generating new insights and expanding the boundaries of human knowledge creativity. Committed to excellence in teaching, research and service, the University aims to serve the higher education needs of India and the world beyond.</p>

Shiv Nadar University

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Indian Journal of Agroforestry

Comparative growth performance of some multipurpose tree species of North Western Himalayas.

The applicability of Lacey's equations is tested for the river Brahmaputra. It is found that the river follows the structure of Lacey's regime equations. The perimeter and the area coefficients found in the modified regime equations are much higher than the corresponding coefficients in Lacey's original equations. Similarly, the velocity coefficient for the river Brahmaputra is considerably smaller than the coefficient in Lacey's corresponding velocity equation, whereas the coefficients of the equations for the hydraulic radius are of the same order. © 2008 International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research.

Journal of Hydraulic Research

Lacey regime equations for river Brahmaputra

This paper presents the results of a trialling of the use of Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite imagery for mapping the geomorphology and physical habitat of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India. The study was undertaken on a 110 km reach as the river emerges out of the Himalayas; a reach with a complex braid pattern and high levels of channel instability. Image analysis on four sets of IRS data encompassing a period of 13 years (1990-2002) was undertaken to detect basic changes in the extent and pattern of low flow channels, vegetated islands, exposed sand bars and floodplain vegetation. Simple unsupervised classification techniques were applied to the images. The water surface of the low flow braided channel network, however was mapped more accurately using the GROW facility within ENVI 4.1; a technique based upon mapping areas within a given number of standard deviations in terms of pixel values within a training area. Subsequent to this unsupervised classification of the water surface area allowed classification of the water in to three water types based on depth and separation of isolated pools and backwaters from the channels conveying flow. Overall classification accuracies of 82.5% were achieved in relation to mapping physical habitat; varying between 86 and 95% for the four different dates. Analysis of the nature of channel planform and habitat change showed that there has been a 3.7% increase in the active channel area consisting of exposed sediment and water within the river corridor. This substantiated a general awareness of an increase in the width and reduction in depth of the Brahmaputra River over the last few decades. The analysis also depicts the occurrence of a major avulsion and the highly dynamic nature of the braided channel network and sand bars. Overall the study demonstrated that simple classification methods when applied to satellite data, capturing imagery in the visible and near infra-red, can be used to measure important changes in the geomorphology and physical habitats that make up the fluvial system of the Brahmaputra River. The approach may also be more widely applicable to large river systems comprising a mosaic of water, exposed sediment and spectrally different vegetation communities. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

River Research and Applications

Quantifying channel planform and physical habitat dynamics on a large braided river using satellite data - The Brahmaputra, India

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different nutrients on canola (Brassica napus L.) growth parameters, nutrient uptake and ultimately on seed yield. For this purpose a split plot experimental design, with 10 treatments in 4 replications was carried out in 2004-2005, in silt-clay soil at Baiecola Agricultural Research Station, Mazandaran Iran. Canola seed yield, growth parameters (CGR, LAI, RGR and NAR), dry matter accumulation and HI and nutrient content of the leaf were examined. N P K fertilizers together with S and Zn, singly or in combination were applied. The results showed that at treatments T5 (NP), T8 (NPK), T9 (NPKS) and T10 (NPKZn) the higher seed yield (> 2600 kg ha-1) coincided with TDM>880 g m-2, the peak CGR ≥ 13.9 g m -2 day-1 and the maximum LAI ≥ 4.1. The higher seed yield at T5, T8, T9 and T10 coincided with higher concentrations of nutrients: N, P, K, S and Zn in leaf at flowering having ≥ 3.40%, ≥ 0.25%, ≥ 1.53%, ≥ 110 ppm and ≥ 22.7 ppm, indicating substantial levels of translocation of nutrients at various stages of plant growth and higher number of pods per plant (≥ 179). Combined application of NPKZn at T10 resulted in maximum seed yield (3090 kg ha-1), coinciding with the maximum number of pods per plant (230), maximum TDM (1043 kg ha-1), maximum CGR (20.09 g m-2 day-1) and maximum LAI (4.69). {\textcopyright} 2008 Asian Network for Scientific Information.

Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences

Relationship of growth parameters and nutrients uptake with canola (Brassica napus L.) yield and yield contribution at different nutrients availability

Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, a three host tick vector transmitting the causative agent of bovine tropical theileriosis, is widely distributedthroughout India. As acomponent of integratedcontrol measures against the tick vector, attempts have been made to identify candidate protein molecules for development of an anti-tick vaccine in the different stages of this tick species. By strategic methods of isolation of the targeted molecules using affinity purification of proteins showing reactivity with immunoglobulins of animals previously immunized with different sources of tick antigen, six proteins were isolated in a significantly pure form. The recovery percentage of the candidate proteins was very low in the range of 1.8-8.0%. The protective potentiality of the antigens was tested in immunization and challenge trials and maximum potentialwas observed in the proteins isolated from total larval extracts, nymphal extracts and in larval glycoprotein. One of the antigens with a molecular weight of 37 kDa isolated from larvae of H. a. anatolicumwas found to have some adverse effect on development of Theileria annulata in the vector tick. The progress in the development of immunoprophylactic measures against H. a. anatolicum is discussed. {\textcopyright} 2008 Elsevier Ltd.

Vaccine

Progress in development of vaccine against Hyalomma anatolicum: Anatolicum-Indian scenario

Inis.Iaea.Org

Cordierite-supported platinum catalyst for hydrogen-oxygen recombination for use in nuclear reactors under LOCA

Interior Design

MARKET

Tapered submerged vanes are installed in Wapsipinicon river bend in the USA and outside a new water intake in Nepal. Taper angle is the angle made by leading edge of vane with horizontal in vertical plane. A tapered vane also induces something called the vortex lift (at high angles of attack) which is a secondary lift caused by a reattachment of the flow due to a spanwise leading edge vortex. The aptitude of the vane/ foil to form this leading edge vortex is highly dependent on the shape of the leading edge, generally a sharp leading edge will form a strong vortex whilst a rounded leading edge will form a weaker vortex (with the vortex centre further downstream). In this paper, the effect of taper angle variation within a range 33.7° to 45° on moment of momentum (MOM) has been investigated and it is observed that for a given optimal angle of attack as 40°, MOM can be further increased by keeping the taper angle as 33.7°. © 2007 International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research.

Performance evaluation of tapered vane

Free-flow spillways are simpler and safer than gated ones, but the low specific flow of their traditional shapes requires high spilling nappe depths and thus huge losses of storage (100 × 109m3 worldwide). A newly evolved shape of free-flow spillway (the "Piano Key weir") has the potential to increase the specific flow as high as fourfold at lower discharges. It could substantially increase, at low cost, the safety and the storage and/or the flood control efficiency of many existing as well as new dams. It is thus very advantageous to increase the specific flow as much as possible. Some tens of existing spillways have been designed accordingly as vertical walls on a flat bottom, with a trapezoidal labyrinth layout which is much longer than the spillway length (often four times). They usually double the specific flow of an Ogee Spillway. Piano-Key Weir derives its name from its plan-form shape which looks like a 'piano-key'. It is configured as polygonal walls such as to provide a much longer crest length than the conventional ogee spillways. This paper presents experimental data analysis on this new (not patented) solution in order that: Increasing the storage of many irrigation dams is justified by the increased needs or due to the sedimentation of reservoirs. Increasing the spillage capacity is often justified by a better knowledge of hydrology. Improving flood mitigation by existing dams may be very cost effective. Positive outcome of this study will be very much relevant for dam safety concerns worldwide in the context of adverse hydrological consequences due to ongoing global warming phenomenon.

Civil Engineering

(SoE) School of Engineering

Association of State Dam Safety Officials - Dam Safety 2007

The piano key weir: A new dam safety solution for enhanced spillway capacity

An exploratory pollen and carbon isotopic study carried out from a 1 m deep sediment profile at the Paradise Lake (4176 m amsl) near Sela Pass has revealed vegetation vis-{\`{a}}-vis climatic changes during Late Holocene. Around 1800 yrs BP (around AD 240), conifer-broadleaved forest used to grow in the vicinity of the study site under warm and moist climate, similar to the prevailing present-day conditions which turned out to be comparatively more warmer 1100 yrs BP (around AD 985) corresponding to the Medieval Warm Period. The glaciers seem to have receded and tree line might have been closer to the site. Around 550 yrs BP (around AD 1400) decrease in Tsuga, Juniperus and Quercus suggests a trend towards comparatively cooler and less moist climate corresponding to the Little Ice Age. This is followed by an amelioration of climate more or less equivalent to the present day. Carbon isotopic analyses in sediments at different intervals reveal fluctuation of C-3 taxa dominantly throughout under variable moist climatic regime.