Feature Article

Because of difficulties in creating a radiocarbon calibration that covers the end of the last glaciation, defining the timing and duration of the Younger Dryas cold event has been a challenge. Linking related cosmogenic isotopes in tree rings and ice cores may provide new insights into abrupt climate changes.

In an era of unabated and unplanned development, there is greatest possibility of the environment being irreversibly affected. One such crisis which has created a worldwide impact in global warming. With a sudden rise in temperatures throughout the world, climates have changed drastically, endangering the existence of each and every life form on earth. Here we look into climate change issues related to India.

Satluj River is a major river of the Indus system and originates from Mansarovar lake in Tibet. The total catchment area of the Satluj upto Bhakra Dam is about 56875 sq km out of which about 36900 sq km lies in Tibet. The total catchment area upto Nathpa dam site is about 49820 sq km.

Out of the estimated hydro power potential of 20000 MW in Himachal Pradesh, projects to the tune of about 6370 MW are under operation, 5744 MW are under execution allotted for execution during 11th plan, 5615 MW are allotted/under process of allotment and expected to yield benefit during 12th plan and the proposals for 1528 MW are under various stages of processing.

The 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Project was planned on the basis of survey of India Topo sheets of scale of 1:50,000. The survey of the project area and various project components was got done on a scale of 1: 10,000 for the preparation of DPR drawings. Further survey as per requirement of Design Department was also got done to freeze the layout of the project and its components.

During July 1986, hydrological studies were carried out in consultation with Central Water Commission (CWC) to estimate the Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) based on snowmelt flood peak and the Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) in the catchment area of the Nathpa dam.

Black carbon in soot is the dominant absorber of visible solar radiation in the atmosphere. Anthropogenic sources of black carbon, although distributed globally, are most concentrated in the tropics where solar irradiance is highest. Black carbon is often transported over long distances, mixing with other aerosols along the way. The aerosol mix can form transcontinental plumes of atmospheric brown clouds, with vertical extents of 3 to 5 km.

A beautiful, dense Sal forest, invitingly snuggled in north-east Uttar Pradesh bordering with Nepal, Dudhwa National Park is surely a sight for sore eyes, yet, like, most Protected Areas today, there's more to it than meets the eye. Amidst all its glory, it has its share of rather inglorious problems.

The global motor vehicle population has grown very rapidly in the past half century and is expected to continue to grow rapidly for the next several decades, especially in developing countries. As a result, vehicles are a major source of urban air pollution in many cities and are the fastest-growing source of greenhouse emissions. Strategies exist to reduce both problems, but many countries emphasize one over the other rather than pursuing strategies that reduce both concerns.

What lessons for policy makers at national and international level can be drawn from the growing experiences of reconciling development and climate change?