Thick Blanket Research Articles

DELINEATION OF GEOMETRY AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF BASIC BODIES USING MAGNETIC AND RESISTIVITY METHODS IN SOHAGPUR COAL FIELD AREA, MADHYA PRADESH

The state of Madhya Pradesh in Central India is known to bear ‘A’ grade coal seams within Gondwana basin. An alluvium-covered area to the north-east of Shahdol was considered to be prospective for the exploration of coal. A number of basic intrusive are encountered in the area and these appear to have played an important role for enhancement of the rank of coal seams. Delineation of the geometry and spatial distribution of these basic bodies has therefore become necessary for exploration of high rank coal seams. Magnetic and resistivity surveys were mainly carried out. Geologically, the alluvium covered area was known to be composed of rocks of different ages such as Precambrian, Gondwana Triassic, Cretaceous (trap) and older alluvium in succession. Gondwana basins are formed over basement depressions or in the downthrown side of the faulted Precambrian. Gondwana sediments lying over such basement sub-basins are prospective areas for the exploration of coal. The magnetic map was vitiated through the presence of high amplitude and small wavelength anomalies due to a thick blanket of basic bodies lying above the Gondwana sediments. Fluctuations in magnetic responses are observed at a few locations which may be due to the presence of basement faults? Low intensity but distinct anomaly patterns are observed in the south-western part of the area possibly indicating subsurface basic intrusive. 2D modeling of the magnetic data has effectively brought out the basement depth varying between 680 m to 1460 m an increasing trend from west to east. Selected resistivity soundings confirm that the overlying high resistivity layer (107-390 Ohm-m) and of thickness (0.7-386.3 m) may possibly indicate the geometry of basic bodies from the surface to depth of 547.5 m. The basement could not be picked up.

SUBMISSION OF ALLEGED AND UNLIVED SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE HEAT TRANSFER EFFICIENCY

The study presented is based on two automotive fin and non-fin heads made of cast aluminum that were subjected to an indirect heating called conduction and convection by means of a rectangular equipment constructed of 2mm 1020 carbon steel plate, isolated in its bases. and side by means of a 10mm thick ceramic fiber blanket sandwich, subjected to an internal heat source, a 3,000 watt finned heater, which conducted conductive and convective heat to the top cover where the heads were housed, the fin side and the non fin side. The heating was controlled by thermostat, which when it reached its highest value, was turned off and the calibration made using fans until reaching the ambient temperature. Temperature data were collected by a PICO TECH-TC-08 data entry plate, viewed on the computer through the card software and compared between both fin and non-fin heads by means of “K” thermocouples glued to each silicon block and their respective instrumentation, so that the temperature sensors were strategically positioned to prove the study. After analyzing and discussing the results, it is observed that finned bodies under this operating condition and constructive aspects allowed a better thermal exchange with the medium, producing a higher efficiency between 5 and 12%.

A Death, A Funeral, A Repast.

A Death, A Funeral, A Repast.

Amorphous Mixtures of Ice and C60 Fullerene.

Carbon and ice make up a substantial proportion of our universe. Recent space exploration has shown that these two chemical species often coexist such as on comets and asteroids and in the interstellar medium. Here, we prepare mixtures of C60 fullerene and H2O by vapor codeposition at 90 K with molar C60/H2O ratios ranging from 1:1254 to 1:5. The C60 percolation threshold is found between the 1:132 and 1:48 samples, corresponding to a transition from matrix-isolated C60 molecules to percolating C60 domains that confine H2O. Below this threshold, the crystallization and thermal desorption properties of H2O are not significantly affected by C60, whereas the crystallization temperature of H2O is shifted toward higher temperatures for the C60-rich samples. These C60-rich samples also display exotherms corresponding to the crystallization of C60 as the two components undergo phase separation. More than 60 vol % C60 is required to significantly affect the desorption properties of H2O. A thick blanket of C60 on top of pure amorphous ice is found to display large cracks due to water desorption. These findings may help us to understand the recently observed unusual surface features and the H2O weather cycle on the 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko comet.

Effects of horse blankets on the physiological and motion parameters of geriatric horses

This study analyzed the rectal and surface temperature of the horse's body, its heart rate variability parameters, and the step length when walking and trotting geriatric horses using blankets with various thermoinsulating properties. Twenty-four hot-blooded geldings were included in the study. The experiment was conducted in winter over a period of 30 consecutive days. The horses in the study were kept under three types of blankets (light, medium, thick). The control group was kept without blankets. The rectal and surface body temperature and the HRV parameters were measured before the experiment, immediately after the blankets were removed and an hour later. The step length when walking and trotting was measured before the experiment and the day before it was finished. The use of horse blankets in winter was found to have a positive effect on increasing the surface temperature of geriatric horses and thicker blankets produced more significant effects. For thick winter blankets, since one would expect an increase in the rectal temperature and elongation of the trotting step, it is recommended that they should be used at all times for geriatric horses prone to hypothermia and horses with painful muscles in the hind legs and the shoulder as the most common cause of reducing the length of the trotting step. The use of blankets should also result in a general body vitality improvement, which is demonstrated by a general increase in the activity of the autonomic nervous system, especially the sympathetic system.

Newly developed soft blanket reverse-offset (SBR) printing technology for forming widely patterned layers on curved surfaces

We have been employing novel printing technologies in three-dimensional printed electronics applications, to form electronic devices on curved or three-dimensional object surfaces. In this paper, we report on a newly developed printing technology named ‘soft blanket reverse-offset’ (SBR) printing, which was developed to create wide and flat patterned layers with uniform thicknesses on curved surfaces. SBR printing is an extension of conventional reverse-offset printing and uses an extremely thick and soft blanket (referred to as a “soft blanket”) as an offset roller. We also created a new thick stencil printing plate and a two-layered soft blanket construction that avoids the formation of contact-defects. In addition, we have also succeeded in printing wide and flat patterned layers onto curved surfaces using commercially available silver nanoparticle inks. The printed layers are also characterized by uniform thicknesses and low resistivities, equivalent to those of layers printed on planar substrates.

Geochronology of an Apollo 16 Clast Provides Evidence for a Basin-Forming Impact 4.3 Billion Years Ago.

We examined lithic breccias from the Apollo sample collection in order to identify ferroan anorthosite samples suitable for geochronology, and better define the age relationships between rocks of the lunar highlands. Clast 3A is a previously unstudied noritic anorthosite from Apollo 16 lithic breccia 60016 with textural evidence of slow subsolidus recrystallization. We estimate a cooling rate of ~10 °C/Myr and calculate a pyroxene solvus temperature of 1,100–1,000 °C. Pyroxene exsolution lamellae (1–3 μm) indicate that the last stage of cooling was rapid at ~0.2 °C/year, typical of rates observed in thick ejecta blankets. We calculate concordant ages from the 147Sm‐143Nd, 146Sm‐142Nd, Rb‐Sr, and Ar‐Ar isotopic systems of 4,302 ± 28, 4,296 + 39/−53, 4,275 ± 38, and 4,311 ± 31 Ma, respectively, with a weighted average of 4,304 ± 12 Ma. The closure temperature of the Sm‐Nd system is ~855 ± 14 °C, whereas the closure temperature of the Ar‐Ar system is 275 ± 25 °C. Cooling from 855 to 275 °C at 10 °C/Myr should result in an age difference between the two isotopic systems of ~60 Myr. The concordant Sm‐Nd, Rb‐Sr, and Ar‐Ar ages imply that they record the time the rock was excavated by a large impact from the midcrust. The ages clearly predate various late accretion scenarios in which an uptick in impacts at 3.8 Ga is preceded by a period of relative quiescence between 4.4 and ~4.1 Ga, and instead are consistent with decreasing accretion rates following the formation of the Moon.

Efficiency analysis of seepage of Baz Ali small dam, Kurram Agency using clay blanket and cut-off wall with sand filter

Seepage always eventuates through the foundation of all dams. The flow of water through the dam body generate seepage forces and endanger the dam stability due to piping. Controlling seepage after construction is quite difficult and an expensive job, hence proper practices should be adopted for seepage remediation in the designing stage. In order to investigate the more effective techniques among downstream (D/S) sand filter with upstream (U/S) clay blanket and cut-off wall, the Baz Ali small dam was analyzed using finite element approach SEEP/W 2D. The seepage behaviour through the dam was intuited by employing 1 m thick clay blankets on the upstream side with extending lengths of 50 m, 100 m, 150 m, 200 m, 250 m and 300 m. Furthermore, 5 m, 7.5 m and 10 m deep cut-off walls having 0.5 m and 1 m thickness were embedded for seepage mitigation. The seepage values obtained from SEEP/W 2D models were compared with each other. The SEEP/W 2D results and cost analysis show that clay blanket is more effective and an economical technique than a cut-off wall for tackling seepage issue. Hence, an upstream blanket of 100 m length is more efficient to diminish the seepage up to 58.65% in contrast to the base case without the remedial system.

Seismic imaging of Deccan-related lava flows at the K-T boundary, deepwater west India

Continuous improvements in geophysical technology have enabled seismic imaging of Mesozoic strata under the K-T transition boundary — a thick lava blanket spread along the continental margin of India's west coast. The new images reveal features of the subbasalt geology of this large offshore region. The relationship of the offshore lava flows with the equally vast lava flows of the onshore Deccan Traps adds a parameter of comparison to the whole Mesozoic stratigraphy of the south, west, and northwest coasts of India. The lava flows are part of the deepwater margin that embraces several basins, the largest being the southernmost underexplored Kerala-Konkan Basin. Newly acquired and processed regional seismic data sets were integrated with new data sets of potential field data to better uncover the Mesozoic stratigraphy. The 3D seismic data, acquired with long spreads and broadband processing through time and depth migration, enabled imaging of the complex structure of layers under basalt. India detached from Madagascar during Cretaceous time; the northward path to its present position was affected by Reunion hotspot activity that melted the west coast near the K-T transition time. The volcanic lithology observed at the K-T boundary is related to episodic emplacement of intrusive dykes and extrusive sills. A possible cause-effect event in that span of time is the Chicxulub meteorite impact that may have increased the volume of Deccan lava flows. The deepwater lava volumes estimated from interpretation of seismic data from the offshore region at the end of Cretaceous time are comparable to, or perhaps much greater than, the volumes estimated for the precisely age-dated Deccan Traps basalts exposed onshore. This suggests an enormous outpouring of flood basalts (onshore and offshore) at K-T time that was comparable to other major flood basalt events, such as the Siberian traps, and associated with mass extinctions.

On the optimal radial build of a normal aspect ratio tokamak fusion system

The optimal radial build and the system parameters of a tokamak fusion system with a normal aspect ratio were found utilizing a tokamak systems analysis coupled with the neutron transport calculation. The optimum build was determined by the requirements on the shielding, the tritium breeding, and the magnetic flux density at the toroidal field (TF) coil. It was shown that for the given fusion power, a thick outboard blanket with a thin inboard blanket allowed for smaller system size. The case with a smaller aspect ratio allowed for a smaller major radius, R0 and a smaller system size than the case with a larger aspect ratio. With a confinement enhancement factor, H = 1.3, Q >30 was possible for a fusion power larger than 2200 MW for the case with the aspect ratio, A = 3.0; however, Q > 30 was impossible for the case with A = 4.0. The tritium breeding capabilities of the five blanket concepts to be tested as test blanket modules (TBMs) in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) were evaluated by varying the blanket thickness and the lithium-6 (Li-6) enrichment. A helium-cooled solid breeder (HCSB) concept showed the best tritium breeding capability while the shielding effect of Pb was noticeable for a helium-cooled lithium lead (HCLL) concept.

Impact of standby losses and isotherm blanket contributions on the hot water cylinders of various heating technologies

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is fourfold: to experimentally determine the standby thermal energy losses in various hot water cylinders in both scenarios, without isotherm blanket installation and with isotherm blanket installation; to analytically evaluate the performance of either the geyser, split- or integrated-type ASHP water heaters based on the number of heating up cycles and total electrical energy consumptions over a 24-h period without isotherm blankets and with isotherm blankets installed; to demonstrate the impact of the electrical energy factors of the split- and integrated-type ASHP water heaters under both the scenarios (without and with the isotherm blankets installed); and to use statistical tests (one way ANOVA and multiple comparison procedure tests) to verify whether any significant difference in the standby thermal energy losses occurred for each of the heating devices under both the scenarios.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology was divided into monitoring of the performance of the electrical energy consumptions and ambient conditions of the hot water heating technologies without isotherm blanket installation and with isotherm blanket installation.FindingsThe results reveal that the average standby thermal energy loss of the geyser without the installation of an isotherm blanket was 2.5 kWh. And this standby loss can be reduced to over 18.5 per cent by just installing a 40-mm thick isotherm blanket on the tank. The statistical tests show a significant mean difference in the group electrical energy consumed to compensate for the standby losses under both scenarios. In contrast, the average standby thermal energy losses for the split- and integrated-type ASHP water heaters were 1.33 kWh and 0.92 kWh, respectively. There was a reduction of 15.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent in the electrical energy consumed in compensating for standby losses for both the split and integrated types, respectively, but there was no significant mean difference in the standby losses under both scenarios for the two systems. Again, without any loss of generality, the electrical energy factor of both the ASHP water heaters decreased upon installation of the isotherm blanks.Research limitations/implicationsThe experiments were conducted only for a 150-L geyser and 150-L split- and integrated-type ASHP water heaters. The category of the different types of ASHP water heaters was limited to one because of the cost implication.Practical implicationsThe experiments were not conducted with various hot water storage tanks installed in different positions (roof, inside or outside of a building wall, etc.) so that actual real-life observations could be obtained. The challenges of easy disassembling and deployment of systems and DAS to different positions were also a real concern.Social implicationsThe findings can help homeowners and ESCO in deciding whether to install isotherm blankets on storage tanks of ASHP water heaters on the basis of the impact of standby losses and its potential viability.Originality/valueThe experimental design and methodology are the first of its kind to be conducted in South Africa. The results and interpretation were obtained from original data collected from a set of experiments conducted. The findings also show that the installation of isotherm blanket on an electric geyser can result in a significant mean reduction in the standby losses. In contrast, an installation of the isotherm blankets on the storage tanks of ASHP water heaters can reduce the standby losses, but there exists no significant mean difference.

Method for controlling stress gradients in PVD aluminum nitride

In this paper we describe a method for controlling both the residual stress and the through-thickness stress gradient of aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films using a multi-step deposition process that varies the applied radio frequency (RF) substrate bias. The relationship between the applied RF substrate bias and the AlN residual stress is characterized using AlN films grown on oxidized silicon substrates is determined using 100 nm–1.5 μm thick blanket AlN films that are deposited with 60–100 W applied RF biases; the stress-bias relationship is found to be well described using a power law relationship. Using this relationship, we develop a model for varying the RF bias in a series of discrete deposition steps such that each deposition step has zero average stress. The applied RF bias power in these steps is tailored to produce AlN films that have minimized both the residual stress and the film stress gradient. AlN cantilevers were patterned from films deposited using this technique, which show reduced curvature compared to those deposited using a single RF bias setting, indicating a reduction of the stress gradient in the films.

A proximal record of caldera-forming eruptions: the stratigraphy, eruptive history and collapse of the Palaeogene Arran caldera, western Scotland

Caldera-forming volcanic eruptions are among the most dangerous, and can generate extensive pyroclastic deposits and deliver ash into global atmospheric circulation systems. As calderas collapse, the eruptions can deposit thick proximal ignimbrite sequences and thinner ignimbrites more distally. However, the proximal record of caldera collapse is often obscured by later intrusions, volcanism, faults, alteration, water and sediments, which significantly limits our understanding of these eruptions. A Palaeogene caldera system in central Arran, western Scotland, preserves a rare proximal caldera-fill succession, the Arran Volcanic Formation. This caldera largely comprises highly heterogeneous ignimbrites and minor intra-caldera sedimentary rocks. The current level of erosion, and the general absence of faults, intrusions and sediments, allows a complex stratigraphy and collapse history to be determined, which can be linked to changing eruptive styles at a constantly evolving volcano. The first recorded phase was eruption of a homogeneous rhyolitic lava-like tuff, deposited from high temperature, high mass-flux pyroclastic density currents generated from low fountaining columns that retained heat. A succeeding phase of highly explosive Plinian eruptions, marked by a thick blanket of massive lapilli tuffs, was then followed by piston-like caldera collapse and erosion of steep caldera walls. Volcanism then became generally less explosive, with predominantly lava-like and eutaxitic tuffs and cognate spatter-rich agglomerates interbedded with non-homogenous lapilli tuffs. High topographic relief between distinct units indicate long periods of volcanic quiescence, during which erosive processes dominated. These periods are, in several places, marked by sedimentary rocks and evidence for surface water, which includes a localised basaltic-andesitic phreatomagmatic tuff. The caldera-forming eruptions recorded by the Arran Volcanic Formation provide an important insight into caldera collapse processes and proximal ignimbrite successions. The lack of thick autobreccias and lithic-rich lapilli- and block-layers indicates that subsidence was relatively gradual and incremental in this caldera, and not accompanied by catastrophic wall collapse during eruption. The relatively horizontal nature of the caldera-fill units and paucity of intra-caldera faulting indicate that piston subsidence was the dominant method of collapse, with a relatively coherent caldera floor bounded by a steeply dipping ring fault. Possible resurgence may have caused later doming of the floor and radial distribution of subsequent ignimbrites and sedimentary rocks. Our work emphasises the continued need for field studies of caldera volcanoes.

P169] Can lead shielding during paediatric brain radiotherapy reduce the risk of secondary cancer?

Purpose Radiotherapy of paediatric patients comes at the expense of increased secondary cancer risk. This study examines whether the use of a 1 mm lead shielding during volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for paediatric brain cancer can reduce the secondary cancer risk for the thyroid and breast. Methods Coplanar 6 MV VMAT plans were prepared for two anthropomorphic phantoms resembling a 1-year and 5-year old girl, for two different PTV sizes (2 cm and 5 cm diameter), simulating post-operative radiotherapy of an ependymoma in the posterior fossa. Out-of-field doses to the thyroid and breast were measured using thermoluminescence dosimeters. The phantoms were subject to three fractions (1,8 Gy each), with and without 1 mm lead shielding of the torso. The measured doses were used to calculate lifetime attributable risks for cancer incidence, for the total treatment dose of 54 Gy, in accordance with the BEIR VII report. 1 Results Applying lead shielding yielded dose reductions of 8–18% for the thyroid and 12–18% for the breast. The results were statistically significant (Student’s t-test, significance level p Conclusions Lead shielding of the phantoms resulted in a systematic decrease in the measured doses to the thyroid and breast, reducing the lifetime attributable risks for cancer incidence. The results hereby suggest that a 1 mm thick lead rubber blanket might be a clinically feasible solution for reducing the risk of secondary cancer in paediatric radiotherapy patients.

Terrestrial deposition processes of Quaternary gibbsite nodules in the Yongjiang Basin, southeastern margin of Tibet, and implication for the genesis of ancient karst bauxite

The terrestrial deposition process for karst bauxite is difficult to constrain due to its allochthonous origin, multiple controls and the difficulty in geodynamic reconstruction. This ambiguity has been clarified from investigation of the provenance and geologic-geographic conditions for the formation of Quaternary gibbsite nodules in the Yongjiang Basin. This karst basin, located at the southeastern propagation front of the Tibet Plateau, was affected by the SE Asia monsoon climate developed since the Late Oligocene and a later Quaternary glaciation. A thick blanket of Quaternary laterite is located on Paleozoic carbonate bedrock, and covers an area about 1000 km2 along the east-flowing river systems in the basin. The laterite profiles are well layered, with a layer of iron-rich gibbsite nodules overlying on a basal clay zone and irregularly covered by a thin clayey topsoil. Gibbsite nodules from most localities yield detrital zircons with age peaks at ca. 1000 Ma, 450 Ma and 250 Ma, corresponding to those of the Mesozoic clastic and magmatic rocks exposed on the western and southern surrounding highlands; nevertheless, those from the Pingtianshan area produce an exclusive spike at ca. 100 Ma, consistent with the emplacement age of nearby granites. Apatite fission-track modeling for the Mesozoic clastic rocks and Darongshan granites shows a rapid cooling since the early Miocene, and that for the Pingtianshan Cretaceous granite reveals fast exhumation since the late Miocene. These data indicate differential erosion reshaped the topography and consequently a low-relief karst basin was developed, allowing a diverse material supply from the surrounding and local highlands via sheet flow and east-flowing rivers. Under a monsoon-influenced subtropical climate, aluminum and iron oxides/hydroxides were accumulated as nodules or concretions, which were cemented by and coated with Fe oxides due to variations in redox potential and alternating consolidation and swelling, while silica was leached. At greater depth, groundwater solutions preferentially removed and brought upward Fe under a reducing environment during the wet seasons, while an underlying clay layer occurred due to the reduced solubility of silica. Later, this bauxitization process was probably hindered by the Quaternary glaciation, which could have promoted the formation of the top clay layer. This terrestrial deposition process of Quaternary gibbsite nodules serves as one analogue for ancient karst bauxite, in which the following submergence would improve the quality via further precipitation of alumina hydroxide and leaching of extra Fe.

Studies of the plasma vertical instability and its stabilized concepts in JA and EU broader approach, DEMO design activity

Vertical instability of an elongated plasma and its stabilized concepts by in-vessel components and vacuum vessel (VV) design have been studied intensely in JA and EU Broader Approach, DEMO Design Activity. The vertical stabilization of the plasma represents one of the key issues for EU and JA DEMO, due to the large distance of the active control coils for the presence of thick breeding blanket system. A feasible DEMO reactor that maintains plasma vertical stability was proposed from an engineering viewpoint. The vertical stability performances are acceptable, without considering a passive stabilizer, if a maximum elongation of κ95 = 1.6 is chosen. For the higher-elongated plasmas (κ95 > 1.70), additional inboard passive stabilizer is effective.

Radiation shielding calculations for a 3D ITER benchmark model using TRIPOLI-4® Monte Carlo code

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is currently under construction in France. From the radiation shielding and radiation protection points of view, an intense and large neutron source with energy around 14.1 MeV will be generated from the D-T plasma zone during the ITER operation and diverse gamma-ray sources from neutron activation of the reactor structure materials and coolant should be considered for the reactor operation and maintenance. To decrease the radiation impacts caused by these neutron and gamma sources, iterative designs and nuclear analyses of ITER components are currently performed with three dimensional Monte Carlo radiation transport calculations. Due to the important dimensions of ITER, the thick tokamak blanket modules, and the diagnostic and functional port openings, variance reduction techniques are essential in these Monte Carlo neutron transport calculations. To verify the reactor components design models and to check the radiation transport calculation results, advanced graphic features of the calculation tool are also necessary. With the growing interest in using the TRIPOLI-4® Monte Carlo radiation transport code for ITER applications, the aim of this paper is to study the feasibility to use variance reduction features of TRIPOLI-4 code on a 3D ITER benchmark model which is a 40° toroidal segment including 5796 vol cells. The calculation results reported in this paper include the axial and radial profiles of the inboard TF coil heating and the neutron flux attenuation through the equatorial port plugs and shield. The performance of the TRIPOLI-4 graphic tool under its parallel computing mode was also evaluated.

Improved fine layer patterning using soft blanket gravure printing technology

We have developed a ‘soft blanket gravure’ (SBG) printing technology that can form patterns onto curved or three-dimensional solid surfaces using functional ink. In SBG printing, a soft and thick blanket (called a ‘soft blanket’) is employed in the similar process to conventional gravure offset printing processes. We found and reported that SBG printing could completely receive silver ink from printing plates and transfer it to target substrates more effectively than conventional gravure offset printing under various conditions. In this paper, we measured the swelling ratio of the soft blanket using two different organic solvents and performed SBG printing using printing plates with groove depths of 10–100 μm and two silver inks that contained the two different solvents. SBG printing formed patterns more than 11 μm thick and the same widths as the grooves on the printing plate (50 μm) using the optimal ink solvent. We also observed that the soft blanket could receive silver ink from the grooves without cobwebbing, in contrast to a conventional blanket. These results indicate that the SBG printing technology significantly improves the printing process because the soft blanket can absorb more solvent from silver ink.

Comment on: Coexistent pre-existing extensional and subsequent compressional tectonic deformation in the Kashmir basin, NW Himalaya by Akhtar et al., 2017 (article in press)

Kashmir basin is a piggyback basin that has developed at the last stage of the ongoing collision between India and Eurasia, and it is ~4 Ma old and contains 1300 m thick blanket of Plio-Pleistocene to Holocene deposits. These unconsolidated sediments are locally known as Karewas, which are deformed and displaced by a number of normal faults. These young normal faults are previously linked to the tectonic collision, however, here we question such consensus on the tectonic origin of the faults by demonstrating that the widely reported field evidence for active normal faulting in Kashmir is actually non-tectonic because the faults have formed by gravitational tectonics. This was achieved by reevaluation of all of the major studies that have reported the field data on active normal faulting in the region. We supplement our results with the structural, geological, geodetic and earthquakes centroid moment tensor data, which clearly consolidate our interpretations and demonstrate that active normal faults in Kashmir basin are not tectonically formed, and instead the lithological contrast between the Upper and Lower Karewas have created suitable conditions for structural failure. So, the faults are active, and would be expected to remain so as long as the vertical load favors the slip on the faults but these faults will not produce major earthquakes as are expected on the major Himalayan fault systems, and therefore the seismic hazard associated with such faults is minimum, which needs to be quantified and implemented in the future earthquake scenario maps.

Effect of the air motion on the heat transport behaviour of wall structures

The laboratory investigations of the heat transfer properties of wall structures are very significant from the point of view of designing the buildings. In this article measurements and calculations will be presented in order to manifest the effect of the forced and un-forced convection of air at the cold surface of the wall. A steady-state method for measuring the thermal resistance of wall structures with Hukseflux apparatus is presented in this article. The measurements were accomplished through, firstly on an un-insulated inbuilt plaster/brick/plaster wall construction and later it was covered with a 0.013 m thick aerogel layer blanket. Aerogels are nanoporous lightweight materials, were discovered more than 70 years ago. In these years their applications are truly spread over. During the investigations the wall structures were tested without forcing the air to motion, and then measurements were carried both on the insulated and un-insulated wall structures, where the movement of the air was forced by a ventilator from three different directions with the same 1 m/s velocity near the wall.