2835 research outputs found
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Tectonics of the Northwestern, Sikkim and Eastern Himalaya
No full textDuring the period 2020–2024, scientific investigations in the Himalaya incorporated various geological, geochemical and geochronological aspects of evolution of this mountain, including large-scale configuration and evolutionary models, determining of major unconformities in the Lesser Himalaya, integrated structure and geochronology of major tectonic boundaries, geochemistry and U–Pb dating of the Abor Volcanics, exhumation patterns using fission track zircon and apatite. Many Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic magmatic bodies were dated using U–Pb zircon methods from the Lesser Himalayan Jutogh Group metamorphics and Greater Himalayan Sequence. Active tectonic patterns from the frontal Sub-Himalaya belt are also worked out
Design to Printathon and Workshop on Reminiscing Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam’s Inspiration to Nation-Building
No full textHuman-animal interactions: Camera traps as research agents
Get PDFThis article explores the use of camera traps as novel research agents in studying human-animal interactions and animal behaviour. Drawing on case studies from ecological research in India and ritual practices in Thailand, the authors examine how camera traps transform methodologies across the natural and social sciences and ask what these technologies reveal about animal responses to human presence and the cognitive underpinnings of their behaviours. Using Actor-Network-Theory frameworks and more-than-human philosophy, the authors argue that camera traps are not passive recording devices but active participants that shape the multispecies realities they observe. The case studies illustrate how animals learn to recognize and respond to camera traps, demonstrating situational awareness, evaluative cognition and adaptive learning. The authors advocate for an interdisciplinary approach to studying human-animal interactions that accounts for the agentive capacities of both humans and nonhumans, including technological agents like camera traps. This article contributes to ongoing discussions in ethology, anthropology and cognitive science about the use of remote imaging in field research and the conceptual and ethical implications of technological interventions in more-than-human lifeworlds
How natural are the forests in Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarhole) Tiger Reserve? A multi-source data approach
No full textThis study aimed to monitor long-term land use dynamics for understanding the natural forest integrity and intactness of the Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarhole) Tiger Reserve (RTR) pre- and post-declarations as TR. We employed multi-source data from Survey of India Toposheets (1:50 k), Landsat-7, and Sentinel-2A along with Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) vegetation canopy height (10 m) data, a high-spatial resolution CORONA (1970) images and temporal Google Earth Pro images for mapping and validation. To map vegetation type, land use and land cover (LULC) transitions, and fragmentation (1980–2022) we employed a hybrid classification approach. This study also analyzed decadal forest dynamics within TRs using India’s State of Forest Reports (ISFR). Findings reveal significant forest fragmentation and habitat loss due to anthropogenic activities in the TR. Mono-plantations (teak and eucalyptus) were found inside TR, while the buffer (1 km) was occupied mainly with coffee and orange plantations which indicates the prevalence of human footprint. The overall accuracy of the current period (2022) is 92.0% with a kappa coefficient value of 0.90. These plantations were established during the British colonial period (early 1900s) for commercial purposes by clearing natural forests. The present study highlights that mono-plantations have not transitioned into natural forests even after a century. This lack of transformation could potentially compromise the integrity of the native forest. Despite its ecological significance, RTR has experienced disturbance due to human footprint. Hence, there is a need for an action plan to protect this vital landscape by replacing mono-plantations with suitable species to preserve the integrity of the forest. These issues extend beyond the protected areas, impacting surrounding regions and require regular monitoring. The proposed methods can be applied to other protected areas facing similar problems in the country and world
A Novel Backdoor Detection Approach Using Entropy-Based Measures
Get PDFAmidst the recent technological breakthroughs and increased integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies across various domains, it is imperative to consider the myriad security threats posed by AI. One of the significant attack vectors on AI models is the backdoor attack, which involves maliciously manipulating the model’s behaviour by inserting hidden patterns or triggers into training datasets. In this paper our primary focus is on the defenses for the backdoor attacks mounted via poisoned training datasets. While many backdoor defense mechanisms have been proposed in the context of text, image, and audio domains, a majority of these defense mechanisms focus on training a specific model to detect backdoor triggers. Our current work proposes a novel model agnostic backdoor detection approach that utilizes complexity/entropy-based measures. In this study, we demonstrate the limitations of currently existing entropy measures – Sample Entropy and Approximate Entropy in detecting backdoor triggers in poisoned datasets. Consequently, we propose a novel modification of the Manhattan metric in the Entropy calculation and incorporate it in the complexity measures. This modified approach is shown to successfully detect backdoor triggers in datasets from not only the Natural Language Processing (NLP) domain, but also from the Financial and Geological domains. The effectiveness of the proposed approach was further substantiated with the high F1 scores in the range of 0.92 to 1.00 across the datasets, and with zero false negatives for the real-world datasets from the Financial and the Geological domains
Interplay Between Tidal Range and Dam-Induced Flooding in Sustaining the Islands and Livelihoods in Narmada Estuarine Zone, India
No full textDevelopment of channel cut-off estuarine islands is a complex phenomenon influenced by various factors. This study focuses on understanding the interplay between channel discharge and tidal surge in causing morphological variations in lower fractal peninsular rivers. Using the case study of Taria Island in the Narmada Estuary, we investigate the temporal development of the island and river bank line changes. This study underscores the importance of considering multiple factors, including tidal energy and sediment dynamics, in understanding the formation and evolution of estuarine islands. The integration of remote sensing techniques and field observations allows for a comprehensive analysis of the complex processes driving morphological changes in estuarine environments. Multispectral and RADAR-based remote sensing data at 30 m resolution are utilized to assess the role of tidal influx in facilitating the convergence of suspended sediment load. The Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) is employed to illustrate the seasonal mechanism of sediment stabilization in the channels. Our findings reveal an inverse relationship between stream discharge during non-monsoon months and sediment accumulation attenuated by tidal pivoting. Through the interpretation of remotely sensed data, we conclude that the large amplitude of the tide in the Gulf of Khambhat region provides the necessary energy for sediment accretion in the channels south of the island, resulting in a raised riverbed on one side and contributing to the enhancement of the island area. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the interactions between hydrological and geomorphological processes in estuaries, highlighting the significance of tidal energy in shaping estuarine landforms and promoting sediment deposition
Paleoenvironmental shifts across Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary: insights from multi-proxy chemo stratigraphy of the Mahadeo–Cherrapunji section, Meghalaya, India
No full textCreating constellations of coexistence through connections between people in human–wildlife conflict areas
Get PDFHuman–wildlife conflict (HWC) is a critical challenge to human development and well-being and threatens biodiversity conservation. Ideally, HWC mitigation should benefit both wildlife and communities and limit the costs associated with living alongside wildlife. However, place- and context-dependent realizations of conflict are often overlooked in HWC mitigation. Social and systemic dimensions of human–wildlife relationships often receive limited consideration in HWC as a concept and in mitigation strategies implemented globally. In recognizing our collective symmetries as a diverse group of researchers, we pose the idea of constellations of coexistence, based on Atallah et al.’s “constellation of co-resistance.” Building on literature and our interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral experiences of working with diverse species inhabiting different sociocultural, sociopolitical, and socioeconomic landscapes, we considered evidence of cultural nuances (e.g., sociocultural dimensions of human–elephant and human–lion interactions in East Africa and India) in HWC mitigation and argue that failing to incorporate them in mainstream practices poses a myriad of ethical and practical consequences. Locally situated but globally relevant, participation of local and Indigenous communities in HWC mitigation activities produces better conservation outcomes. Centering communities in the ideation, implementation, and evaluation of HWC mitigation promotes more equitable and sustainable management strategies for long-term human–wildlife coexistence
A Hyperbola Framework for Scalar Diffraction Theory with Applications
No full textA complete geometrization of the Huygens–Fresnel principle by means of a highly versatile hyperbola theorem is presented, alongside its applications. The unitary framework so developed can concurrently apprehend both optical interference and diffraction phenomena