Auswahl der wissenschaftlichen Literatur zum Thema „Teesta river system“

Abstract Amblyceps mangois or the “Indian torrent catfish” is a tropical, freshwater, hill-stream species that has ornamental-commercial value and has been included within the “Endangered” category in the list of threatened freshwater fishes of India. A total fourteen populations from the Terai and Dooars region of northern West Bengal, India were analyzed to study the genetic architecture of this species with the help of RAPD and ISSR markers. The observed number of alleles (S), Nei’s gene diversity (H) and Shannon’s information index (H´ or I) showed the highest values in the Teesta river system and the lowest values in the Mahananda river system. The UPGMA-based dendrogram and PCoA, based on RAPD and ISSR fingerprints, showed that the Mahananda and the Teesta river populations formed a group distinct from the remaining Jaldhaka river population. We further considered the fourteen riverine populations into nine groups according to the continuity of the water flow for SHE analysis. It was found that the three components, i.e. the pattern of diversity (H´), richness (S) and evenness (E), have varied and fluctuated across all fourteen populations from higher to lower altitude as the river flows downstream. AMOVA, PhiPT and genetic hierarchical analyses showed that a distinct hierarchical structure is present in Amblyceps populations in the study region. Low levels of genetic diversity/variation and genetic hierarchical structure with high genetic divergence were found in the present study as an indicator of the recent picture of threatened status of this species. This study is the initial attempt to characterize and evaluate the genetic architecture of the species from this region and there is a scope to manage the evolutionary significant units (ESU) for conservation purpose.

Abrupt and powerful downpours known as "cloudbursts" can cause disastrous flash floods, landslides, and damage to infrastructure. Twenty-three army troops were washed away and five people killed as a result of the recent flood in Sikkim triggered by a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim, which overflowed and raised the water levels in the Teesta River. Researchers have created a system based on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), weather forecasting, and data mining approaches for weather prediction by modeling meteorological data in order to address the urgent challenge of anticipating and managing cloudburst incidents. The suggested approach in this research describes a real-time cloudburst prediction system that makes use of sophisticated anomaly detection techniques and is based on a machine learning model.

Desilting basins play an important role in run-of-river hydro power projects on Himalayan Rivers. These rivers carry huge amount of sediment with them, due to steep slopes and fragile geology of the region. The suspended sediment enters through the power intake and ultimately the power house. This causes heavy damage to the turbines and other under water parts. Therefore, desilting basins are provided to eliminate suspended sediment from the water conductor system. The design of desilting basin is verified on a physical model for 90% removal of suspended sediment coarser than 0.2 or 0.3 mm and efficacy of flushing tunnel below in transporting the settled sediment. Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune has conducted physical model studies for desilting basin for various hydro power projects in India and neighbouring countries. One such study, Hydraulic model studies for desilting basin for 500 MW Teesta-VI Hydro Electric Project, Sikkim is presented in this paper. Various design parameters such as length of desilting basin, length and bed slope of inlet transition, outlet transition, size of silt flushing tunnel, size and spacing of openings connecting main basin with silt flushing tunnel etc. were tested during the model studies. The results in terms of settling efficiency for 0.3 mm size particles were obtained.

Abstract Here, a regional climate model (RCM) RegCM4 and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) global climate models (GCMs) such as Coupled Physical Model (CM3), Coupled Climate Model phase 1 (CM2P1) and Earth System Model (ESM-2M) with their representative concentration pathway (RCP) datasets were utilized in projecting hydro-climatological variables such as precipitation, temperature, and streamflow in Teesta River basin in north Sikkim, eastern Himalaya, India. For downscaling, a ‘predictor selection analysis’ was performed utilizing a statistical downscaling model. The precision and applicability of RCM and GCM datasets were assessed using several statistical evaluation functions. The downscaled temperature and precipitation datasets were used in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model for projecting the water yield and streamflow. A Sequential Uncertainty Parameter Fitting 2 optimization algorithm was used for optimizing the coefficient parameter values. The Mann–Kendall test results showed increasing trend in projected temperature and precipitation for future time. A significant increase in minimum temperature was found for the projected scenarios. The SWAT model-based projected outcomes showed a substantial increase in the streamflow and water yield. The results provide an understanding about the hydro-climatological data uncertainties and future changes associated with hydrological components that could be expected because of climate change.

Abstract. The Himalayan region are home to the world’s youngest and largest mountains, and origins of major rivers systems of South Asia. The present work highlight the importance of remote sensing (RS) data based precipitation and terrain products such as digital elevation models, glacier lakes, drainage morphology along with limited ground data for improving the accuracy of hydrological and hydrodynamic (HD) models in various Himalayan river basins such as Upper Ganga, Beas, Sutlej, Teesta, Koshi etc. The satellite based rainfall have mostly shown under prediction in the study area and few places have are also showing over estimation of rainfall. Hydrological modeling results were most accurate for Beas basin, followed by Upper Ganga basin and were least matching for Sutlej basin. Limited ground truth using GNSS measurements showed that digital elevation model (DEM) for carto version 3.1 is most accurate, followed by ALOS-PALSAR 12.5 DEM as compared to other open source DEMs. Major erosion and deposition was found in Rivers Bhagirathi, Alakhnanda, Gori Ganga and Yamuna in Uttarakhand state and Beas and Sutlej Rivers in Himachal Pradesh using pre and post flood DEM datasets. The terrain data and river cross section data showed that river cross sections and water carrying capacity before and after 2013 floods have changed drastically in many river stretches of upper Ganga and parts of Sutlej river basins. The spatio-temporal variation and evolution of glacier lakes was for lakes along with GLOF modeling few lakes of Upper Chenab, Upper Ganga, Upper Teesta and Koshi river basin was done using time series of RS data from Landsat, Sentinel-1 and Google earth images.

Heavy rainfall (HRF) forecasting in hilly region is always a challenge to the operational forecasters. Synoptic Analogue Model (SAM) is considered as one of the useful tools for HRF forecasting in topographically influenced hilly regions. In every monsoon season, the Teesta river catchment and its adjoining areas in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim (SHWB-S) generally receive several events of HRF. With the primary objective to find the method to issue HRF warning over Teesta river catchment and adjoining areas in SHWB-S, a SAM has been developed by analyzing 18 years (1998-2015) data comprising prevailing synoptic situations affecting the area and daily rainfall data of subsequent day of HRF. In addition, impact of different synoptic systems on the distribution of HRF has also been studied. The results revealed that there exists a good agreement between daily HRF warnings issued with the corresponding HRF event observed over this region on the next day.

Abstract. Bioapatite in mammalian teeth is readily preserved in continental sediments and represents a very important archive for reconstructions of environment and climate evolution. This project intends to provide a detailed data base of major, minor and trace element and isotope tracers for tooth apatite using a variety of microanalytical techniques. The aim is to identify specific sedimentary environments and to improve our understanding on the interaction between internal metabolic processes during tooth formation and external nutritional control and secondary alteration effects. Here, we use the electron microprobe, to determine the major and minor element contents of fossil and modern molar enamel, cement and dentin from hippopotamids. Most of the studied specimens are from different ecosystems in Eastern Africa, representing modern and fossil lakustrine (Lake Kikorongo, Lake Albert, and Lake Malawi) and modern fluvial environments of the Nile River system. Secondary alteration effects in particular FeO, MnO, SO3 and F concentrations, which are 2 to 10 times higher in fossil than in modern enamel; secondary enrichments in fossil dentin and cement are even higher. In modern and fossil enamel, along sections perpendicular to the enamel-dentin junction (EDJ) or along cervix-apex profiles, P2O5 and CaO contents and the CaO/P2O5 ratios are very constant (StdDev ~1 %). Linear regression analysis reveals very tight control of the MgO (R2∼0.6), Na2O and Cl variation (for both R2>0.84) along EDJ-outer enamel rim profiles, despite large concentration variations (40 % to 300 %) across the enamel. These minor elements show well defined distribution patterns in enamel, similar in all specimens regardless of their age and origin, as the concentration of MgO and Na2O decrease from the enamel-dentin junction (EDJ) towards the outer rim, whereas Cl displays the opposite variation. Fossil enamel from hippopotamids which lived in the saline Lake Kikorongo have a much higher MgO/Na2O ratio (∼1.11) than those from the Neogene fossils of Lake Albert (MgO/Na2O∼0.4), which was a large fresh water lake like those in the western Branch of the East African Rift System today. Similarly, the MgO/Na2O ratio in modern enamel from the White Nile River (∼0.36), which has a Precambrian catchment of dominantly granite and gneisses and passes through several saline zones, is higher than that from the Blue Nile River, whose catchment is the Neogene volcanic Ethiopian Highland (MgO/Na2O∼0.22). Thus, particularly MgO/Na2O might be a sensitive fingerprint for environments where river and lake water have suffered strong evaporation. Enamel formation in mammals takes place at successive mineralization fronts within a confined chamber where ion and molecule transport is controlled by the surrounding enamel organ. During the secretion and maturation phases the epithelium generates different fluid composition, which in principle, should determine the final composition of enamel apatite. This is supported by co-linear relationships between MgO, Cl and Na2O which can be interpreted as binary mixing lines. However, if maturation starts after secretion is completed the observed element distribution can only be explained by recrystallization of existing and addition of new apatite during maturation. Perhaps the initial enamel crystallites precipitating during secretion and the newly formed bioapatite crystals during maturation equilibrate with a continuously evolving fluid. During crystallization of bioapatite the enamel fluid becomes continuously depleted in MgO and Na2O, but enriched in Cl which results in the formation of MgO, and Na2O-rich, but Cl-poor bioapatite near the EDJ and MgO- and Na2O-poor, but Cl-rich bioapatite at the outer enamel rim. The linkage between lake and river water composition, bioavailability of elements for plants, animal nutrition and tooth formation is complex and multifaceted. The quality and limits of the MgO/Na2O and other proxies have to be established with systematic investigations relating chemical distribution patterns to sedimentary environment and to growth structures developing as secretion and maturation proceed during tooth formation.

Abstract. Bioapatite in mammalian teeth is readily preserved in continental sediments and represents a very important archive for reconstructions of environment and climate evolution. This project provides a comprehensive data base of major, minor and trace element and isotope tracers for tooth apatite using a variety of microanalytical techniques. The aim is to identify specific sedimentary environments and to improve our understanding on the interaction between internal metabolic processes during tooth formation and external nutritional control and secondary alteration effects. Here, we use the electron microprobe to determine the major and minor element contents of fossil and modern molar enamel, cement and dentin from Hippopotamids. Most of the studied specimens are from different ecosystems in Eastern Africa, representing modern and fossil lacustrine (Lake Kikorongo, Lake Albert, and Lake Malawi) and modern fluvial environments of the Nile River system. Secondary alteration effects - in particular FeO, MnO, SO3 and F concentrations – are 2 to 10 times higher in fossil than in modern enamel; the secondary enrichment of these components in fossil dentin and cement is even higher. In modern and fossil enamel, along sections perpendicular to the enamel-dentin junction (EDJ) or along cervix-apex profiles, P2O5 and CaO contents and the CaO/P2O5 ratios are very constant (StdDev ∼1%). Linear regression analysis reveals tight control of the MgO (R2∼0.6), Na2O and Cl variation (for both R2>0.84) along EDJ-outer enamel rim profiles, despite large concentration variations (40% to 300%) across the enamel. These minor elements show well defined distribution patterns in enamel, similar in all specimens regardless of their age and origin, as the concentration of MgO and Na2O decrease from the enamel-dentin junction (EDJ) towards the outer rim, whereas Cl displays the opposite trend. Fossil enamel from Hippopotamids which lived in the saline Lake Kikorongo have a much higher MgO/Na2O ratio (∼1.11) than those from the Neogene fossils of Lake Albert (MgO/Na2O∼0.4), which was a large fresh water lake like those in the western Branch of the East African Rift System today. Similarly, the MgO/Na2O ratio in modern enamel from the White Nile River (∼0.36), which has a Precambrian catchment of dominantly granites and gneisses and passes through several saline zones, is higher than that from the Blue Nile River, whose catchment is the Neogene volcanic Ethiopian Highland (MgO/Na2O∼0.22). Thus, particularly MgO/Na2O might be a sensitive fingerprint for environments where river and lake water have suffered strong evaporation. Enamel formation in mammals takes place at successive mineralization fronts within a confined chamber where ion and molecule transport is controlled by the surrounding enamel organ. During the secretion and maturation phases the epithelium generates different fluid composition, which in principle, should determine the final composition of enamel apatite. This is supported by co-linear relationships between MgO, Cl and Na2O which can be interpreted as binary mixing lines. However, if maturation starts after secretion is completed, the observed element distribution can only be explained by equilibration of existing and addition of new apatite during maturation. It appears the initial enamel crystallites precipitating during secretion and the newly formed bioapatite crystals during maturation equilibrate with a continuously evolving fluid. During crystallization of bioapatite the enamel fluid becomes continuously depleted in MgO and Na2O, but enriched in Cl which results in the formation of MgO, and Na2O-rich, but Cl-poor bioapatite near the EDJ and MgO- and Na2O-poor, but Cl-rich bioapatite at the outer enamel rim. The linkage between lake and river water compositions, bioavailability of elements for plants, animal nutrition and tooth formation is complex and multifaceted. The quality and limits of the MgO/Na2O and other proxies have to be established with systematic investigations relating chemical distribution patterns to sedimentary environment and to growth structures developing as secretion and maturation proceed during tooth formation.

Abstract. For reconstructing environmental change in terrestrial realms the geochemistry of fossil bioapatite in bones and teeth is among the most promising applications. This study demonstrates that alkaline earth elements in enamel of Hippopotamids, in particular Ba and Sr are tracers for water provenance and hydrochemistry. The studied specimens are molar teeth from Hippopotamids found in modern and fossil lacustrine settings of the Western Branch of the East African Rift system (Lake Kikorongo, Lake Albert, and Lake Malawi) and from modern fluvial environments of the Nile River. Concentrations in enamel vary by ca. two orders of magnitude for Ba (120–9336 μg g−1) as well as for Sr (9–2150 μg g−1). Concentration variations in enamel are partly induced during post-mortem alteration and during amelogenesis, but the major contribution originates from the variable water chemistry in the habitats of the Hippopotamids which is dominated by the lithologies and weathering processes in the watershed areas. Amelogenesis causes a distinct distribution of Ba and Sr in modern and fossil enamel, in that element concentrations increase along profiles from the outer rim towards the enamel-dentin junction by a factor of 1.3–1.5. These elements are well correlated with MgO and Na2O in single specimens, thus suggesting that their distribution is determined by a common, single process. Presuming that the shape of the tooth is established at the end of the secretion process and apatite composition is in equilibrium with the enamel fluid, the maturation process can be modeled by closed system Rayleigh crystallization. Enamel from many Hippopotamid specimens has Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca which are typical for herbivores, but the compositions extend well into the levels of plants and carnivores. Within enamel from single specimens these element ratios covary and provide a specific fingerprint of the Hippopotamid habitat. All specimens together, however, define subparallel trends with different Ba/Sr ranging from 0.1 to 3. This ratio varies on spatial and temporal scales and traces provenance signals as well as the fractionation of the elements in the hydrological cycle. Thus, Sr concentrations and Ba/Sr in enamel differentiate between habitats having basaltic or Archean crustal rocks as the ultimate sources of Sr and Ba. The provenance signal is modulated by climate change. In Miocene to Pleistocene enamel from the Lake Albert region, Ba/Sr decreases systematically with time from about 2 to 0.5. This trend can be correlated with changes in climate from humid to arid in vegetation from C3 to C4 biomass as well as with increasing evaporation of the lake water. The most plausible explanation is that with time, Ba mobility decreased relative to that of Sr. This can arise if preferential adsorption of Ba to clay and Fe-oxide-hydroxide is related to increasing aridification. Additionally, weathering solutions and lake water can become increasingly alkaline and barite becomes stable. In this case, Ba will be preferentially deposited on the watershed of Lake Albert and rivers with low Ba/Sr will feed the habitats of the Hippopotamids.

Water scarcity is both natural and man-made phenomenon. Water control and uneven distribution of upstream TeestaRiver water makes artificial scarcity in downstream areas which can be minimized at least to the water stress level by balancing distribution and sustainable water use. Tasseled Cap transformation and NDVI methods were used in this study in order to find the magnitude of water scarcity in the downstream areas. NDVI and Tasseled Cap Greenness methods were applied to get proxy for soil moisture values in the form of biomass content and Tasseled Cap Wetness method were used to detect change in soil moisture content from Landsat TM and ETM+ data (1989-2010). System dynamic analysis method was applied to identify temporal and spatial differences between supply and demand of water in the TeestaRiver catchments area in the northwestern part of Bangladesh. It was found that, the vegetation cover and soil moisture content changed and shifted over time. Overall vegetation declined between 1989 and 2010 and soil moisture content also turned down. Moreover, TeestaRiver water is playing an important role for maintaining the balance between water supply and water scarcity in this region. There is a correlation between water scarcity in the downstream and availability of water in the TeestaRiver during dry seasons.
Master's Thesis

The United States Department of Energy is building a Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) at the DOE Hanford Site in the state of Washington to process stored radioactive wastes for long-term storage and disposal. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is helping resolve technical concerns with the WTP, which are related to piping erosion/corrosion (wear). SRNL is assisting in the design of a flow loop to obtain long term wear that will use prototypic simulant chemistry, operating conditions, and materials for total wear rate. The challenge is to accurately measure slurry wear to a pipe wall thickness tolerance of ∼47 microns/year anywhere in the test flow loop in a timely manner. To help in the design of the flow loop a test was performed with a smaller loop, which contained many of the pipe fittings expected in WTP to determine where high wear locations exist. One aspect of this test was to understand the rate of wear to straight pipe and to protrusions from the surface of the pipe. Initially, wear to straight pipe was studied because wear in other flow loop situations, e.g., around bends, through tees, etc. will be higher. To measure such low wear rates requires sensitive measurement techniques. To that end, twelve wear coupons were placed in one section of the pipe system and at different protrusion heights into the flow stream. They were made of 316L stainless steel, which is the expected material of pipe to be utilized. From the wear coupons, an estimate of wear rate was obtained, as well as illustrating when a protrusion above a pipe surface no longer disturbs the flow streams with respect to slurry wear. It appears when a surface is just above the laminar sublayer it produces a wear rate equivalent to a surface with no protrusions. The slurry was a mixture of water and 30 wt% of sand, d50 ∼ 200 microns. The test flow conditions were a velocity of 4 m/s in a 0.07793-m inside diameter (3-inch, Schedule 40) pipe system, resulting in Reynolds number just above 3 × 105, i.e., turbulent flow at a temperature of 25°C. The wear was to a vertically oriented straight section of pipe that was 1.86 meter long. The twelve wear coupons were located on the inside surface starting from 10 diameters from the pipe entrance to 21 diameters, with a separation of 1-pipe diameter between each successive coupon. Furthermore, each set of two adjacent coupons were rotated 180 degrees apart which were then rotated 30 degrees from the next set to minimize disturbance to the flow for the downstream coupon. This paper describes the wear rates obtained, the effect of increasing a wear coupon’s protrusion into the flow stream, and the overall operation of the test apparatus.