Neutrino and astroparticle physics : Working group report

The contributions made to the Working Group activities on neutrino and astroparticle physics are summarised in this article. The topics discussed were leptogenesis in Left-Right symmetric model, inflationary models in Raman-Sundrum scenarios, ultra high energy cosmic rays and neutrino oscillations in 4 flavour and decaying neutrino models.Comment: 11 pages; arXiv copy of contribution to WHEPP-6 proceeding

Spatial variability of daily rainfall over Orissa, India, during the southwest summer monsoon season

Southwest summer monsoon rainfall over Orissa, a state of eastern India, shows characteristic spatial and temporal variability, due to the interaction of basic westerly flow with orography and the synoptic-scale monsoon disturbances developing over the northern Bay of Bengal and moving west-northwestwards along the monsoon trough. The aim of this study is to find out the main features of the spatial variability of daily monsoon rainfall over Orissa and associated synoptic systems. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis is a good tool to filter out the main components from any noise, and this was applied to daily monsoon rainfall (June-September) data of 31 uniformly distributed stations over a period of 20 years (1980-1999). The association of synoptic systems with significant EOFs has been confirmed by analysing daily synoptic systems over Orissa and its neighbourhood during the same period. The first three EOFs in S-mode may be attributed to good monsoon rainfall in association with low-pressure systems/cyclonic circulation (LPSC), like lows, depressions, cyclonic storms and cyclonic circulation extending up to the mid-tropospheric level over the northwest (NW) Bay/NW and the adjoining northeast (NE) Bay, over Gangetic West Bengal (GWB) and over Orissa/NW and the adjoining west central (WC) Bay. The fourth and fifth EOFs may be attributed to a weak monsoon condition being associated only with a monsoon trough without any embedded system and LPSC over the NE and the adjoining NW Bay respectively. Based on rotation of significant EOFs in T-mode, which gives better regionalization, Orissa consists of five homogeneous regions of daily monsoon rainfall: (i) eastern Orissa, (ii) western Orissa, (iii) northwest Orissa, (iv) north Orissa and (v) northeast Orissa. Eastern Orissa gets higher rainfall than the other regions, due to LPSC over NW Bay/NW and the adjoining NE Bay, western Orissa rainfall is due to LPSC over Orissa/NW and the adjoining WC Bay; likewise, northwest Orissa rainfall is due to LPSC over GWB, north Orissa rainfall is due to LPSC over the NE and the adjoining NW Bay, and northeast Orissa rainfall is due only to a monsoon trough without any significant embedded system over Orissa and adjoining land/sea areas

Numerical investigation of the Somali jet interaction with the Western Ghat Mountains

Several major features of the interaction of the Somali jet with the Western Ghat Mountains have been observed. These include a pressure ridge, strong vertical motions, and occurrences of highly reflective cloud and heavy rainfall rates along the west coast of India. A triple nested regional weather prediction model has been used to investigate the dynamic interaction between the Somali jet and the Western Ghat Mountains. Two numerical experiments were conducted; one with the topography of western India and the other without. In the experiment without topography, the Western Ghat Mountains were removed from the innermost domain. The results for the innermost domain in the two experiments were analyzed and compared. The results from the simulation with topography captured several of the observed features of the Somali jet interaction with the Western Ghat Mountains. The simulation without topography failed to reveal these features. The results suggest that the blocking effect of the Western Ghats plays an important role in the prediction of the rainfall over the west coast of India

Novel HLA Class I Alleles Associated with Indian Leprosy Patients

Convincing results on HLA Class II associations have been reported, however data on HLA class I association are limited and inconsistent from studies in Leprosy. We present here the HLA A, B, and C allele distribution by molecular high resolution PCR-SSOP technique in 32 leprosy patients compared with the 67 controls, from the same ethnic background. The significant results from the present study were a significant increase in frequency of HLA A*0206, A*1102, B*4016, B*5110, Cw*0407, and Cw*0703 was observed when compared to controls. A striking decrease in the frequency of HLA A*0101, Cw*04011, and Cw*0602 leprosy patients was observed when compared to the controls. Further haplotype A*1102-B*4006-Cw*1502 was significantly increased among the lepromatous leprosy patients when compared to the controls. It seems that HLA class I alleles play vital roles in disease association/pathogenesis with leprosy among Indians

Interannual variability of onset of the summer monsoon over India and its prediction

In this article, the interannual variability of certain dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics of various sectors in the Asian summer monsoon domain was examined during the onset phase over the south Indian peninsula (Kerala Coast). Daily average (0000 and 1200 UTC) reanalysis data sets of the National Centre for Environmental Prediction/National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) for the period 1948-1999 were used. Based on 52 years onset date of the Indian summer monsoon, we categorized the pre-onset, onset, and post-onset periods (each an average of 5 days) to investigate the interannual variability of significant budget terms over the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and the Indian peninsula. A higher difference was noticed in low-level kinetic energy (850 hPa) and the vertically integrated generation of kinetic energy over the Arabian Sea from the pre-onset, onset, and post-onset periods. Also, significant changes were noticed in the net tropospheric moisture and diabatic heating over the Arabian Sea and Indian peninsula from the pre-onset to the post-onset period. It appears that attaining the magnitude of 40 m2 s-2 and then a sharp rise in kinetic energy at 850 hPa is an appropriate time to declare the onset of the summer monsoon over India. In addition to a sufficient level of net tropospheric moisture (40 mm), a minimum strength of low-level flow is needed to trigger convective activity over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. An attempt was also made to develop a location-specific prediction of onset dates of the summer monsoon over India based on energetics and basic meteorological parameters using multivariate statistical techniques. The regression technique was developed with the data of May and June for 42 years (1948-1989) and validated with 10 years NCEP reanalysis from 1990 to 1999. It was found that the predicted onset dates from the regression model are fairly in agreement with the observed onset dates obtained from the Indian Meteorology Department

Onset characteristics of the southwest monsoon over India

Dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics of the Asian summer monsoon during the onset phase over the Indian Peninsula (Kerala coast) and its variability are examined with reanalysis data sets. For this study, daily averaged (0000 and 1200 UTC) reanalysis data sets of National Centre for Environmental Prediction-National Centre for Atmospheric Research for the period 1948-99 are used. Based on 52 years of onset dates of the Indian summer monsoon, we categorized pre-onset, onset and post-onset periods (each averaged 5 days) to investigate the mean circulation characteristics and the large-scale energetics of the Asian summer monsoon. It is found that the strength of the low-level Somali jet and upper tropospheric tropical easterly jet increase rapidly during the time of evolution of the summer monsoon over India. Over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, predominant changes are noticed in the large-scale balances of kinetic energy, heat and moisture from the pre-onset to the post-onset periods. Prior to the onset of the summer monsoon over India, a zone of flux convergence of heat and moisture is noticed over the eastern sector of the Bay of Bengal and this intensifies in the onset and post-onset periods. During onset of the monsoon over India, the horizontal flux convergence of heat and moisture, as well as diabatic heating, are enhanced over the Arabian Sea. These subsequently increase with the evolution and advancement of the monsoon over India. Further, the dynamics of the evolution processes (15 days before and 30 days after the onset date of the monsoon over Kerala for each annual cycle) are studied over various sectors, such as the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Peninsula region. The study reveals that the low-level kinetic energy, vertically integrated generation of kinetic energy and net tropospheric moisture over Arabian Sea can be used as potential predictors for the prediction of the possible onset date of the summer monsoon over the Indian Peninsula

A study on climatological features of the Asian summer monsoon: dynamics, energetics and variability

A continuing goal in the diagnostic studies of the atmospheric general circulation is to estimate various quantities that cannot be directly observed. Evaluation of all the dynamical terms in the budget equations for kinetic energy, vorticity, heat and moisture provide estimates of kinetic energy and vorticity generation, diabatic heating and source/sinks of moisture. All these are important forcing factors to the climate system. In this paper, diagnostic aspects of the dynamics and energetics of the Asian summer monsoon and its spatial variability in terms of contrasting features of surplus and deficient summer monsoon seasons over India are studied with reanalysis data sets. The daily reanalysis data sets from the National Centre for Environmental Prediction/National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) are used for a fifty-two year (1948-1999) period to investigate the large-scale budget of kinetic energy, vorticity, heat and moisture. The primary objectives of the study are to comprehend the climate diagnostics of the Asian summer monsoon and the role of equatorial convection of the summer monsoon activity over India.It is observed that the entrance/exit regions of the Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ) are characterized by the production/destruction of the kinetic energy, which is essential to maintain outflow/inflow prevailing at the respective location of the TEJ. Both zonal and meridional components contribute to the production of kinetic energy over the monsoon domain, though the significant contribution to the adiabatic generation of kinetic energy originates from the meridional component over the Bay of Bengal in the upper level and over the Somali Coast in the low level. The results indicate that the entire Indian peninsula including the Bay of Bengal is quite unstable during the summer monsoon associated with the production of vorticity within the domain itself and maintain the circulation. The summer monsoon evinces strong convergence of heat and moisture over the monsoon domain. Also, considerable heat energy is generated through the action of the adiabatic process. The combined effect of these processes leads to the formation of a strong diabatic heat source in the region to maintain the monsoon circulation. The interesting aspect noted in this study is that the large-scale budgets of heat and moisture indicate excess magnitudes over the Arabian Sea and the western equatorial Indian Ocean during surplus monsoon. On the other hand, the east equatorial Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal region show stronger activity during deficient monsoon. This is reflected in various budget terms considered in this study

Application of three-dimensional triple nested mesoscale model for assessing the transport and boundary layer variability over the Indian Ocean during INDOEX

A three-dimensional triple nested domain version of MM5 was applied for INDOEX region (40.12°N- 32.04°S; 32.10°E-117.90°E) to study the regional flow patterns and associated transport using backward and forward trajectories. The model was integrated for 48- h period starting 00 UTC 5 March 1999. From the simulations a mapping of the temporal and spatial variations in the marine boundary layer (MBL) heights were obtained. The boundary layer heights were verified using actual ship-based sounding from RV Ronald H. Brown and a good agreement was found. The model simulated significant variability in the MBL heights both spatially and temporally. During the daytime, the continental boundary layer was ~ 1500 m deep while over the ocean, the MBL was shallow (~ 300 m) near the coast, and it increased steadily towards the ITCZ where MBL heights of ~ 1000 m were encountered. During night there was a reversal with the continental boundary layer heights averaging less than 500 m while over the ocean, particularly over the ITCZ, the MBL heights were ~ 1000 to 1500 m. This variability in the MBL heights significantly affected the transport pattern over the INDOEX region. Both the backward and forward trajectories showed distinct characteristics depending on the source region (eastern or western coastal landmass, equator, or near ITCZ). Near the coast, there was an evidence for localized circulation in which the air parcels were trapped along the coast. For the open oceans (both near the ITCZ as well as equator) the air parcel trajectories continued over a significant distance. Results suggest that MM5 can be successfully applied for diagnostic studies related to INDOEX, and that the boundary layer heights and the variations in the air parcel transport need to be considered for interpreting the surface measurements

Sensitivity of monsoon circulation and precipitation over India to model horizontal resolution and orographic effects

A triple-nested regional weather prediction model was used to investigate the effects of the model horizontal resolution and orography on southwest monsoon precipitation over India. Numerical experiments with different resolution topography and different horizontal resolution model domains were conducted. Simulation results indicate that both the distribution and intensity of simulated southwest monsoon precipitation over India is highly sensitive to model horizontal resolution and topography. The model with a finer resolution is able to predict mesoscale organization of rainfall over the land mass. Rainfall predicted over the coarse domain is much less than that observed owing to its unrealistic representation of orographic effects and mesoscale forcings. Simulated wind speed, surface pressure, and latent and sensible heat flux distributions are also sensitive to the model resolution. Larger values and more detailed structure of the distribution of the wind speed and latent and sensible heat fluxes are simulated in the finer domains

Numerical study of the role of land-air-sea interactions for the northeasterly monsoon circulations over Indian Ocean during INDOEX

One of the principal objectives of the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX) was to study the aerosol transport from the Indian subcontinent to the pristine oceanic environment. The underlying hypothesis for INDOEX is that, during the northeasterly monsoon, the intruding aerosols and other anthropogenic pollutants can entrain into the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the Equatorial Indian Ocean and finally into the clouds. The altered clouds influence the radiative transfer processes at the regional and possibly global scale. The driving mechanism for the regional transport was the boundary layer circulation. In this study, it was hypothesized that the circulation pattern, which affects the regional transport, was strongly influenced by the land-air-sea interactions. To test this, a zonally symmetric version of a primitive equation numerical weather prediction model, called the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS), was used. A number of numerical experiments were performed for a 2-D domain ranging from 14°N to 16°S centered over 76°E. In the experiments, the influence of land-sea interaction (differential heating), topography (Western Ghats), and the thermal gradients (SST and land surface temperature) on the coastal circulations over Equatorial Indian Ocean were studied. Results indicated a strong land-air-sea interaction and feedback teleconnection between the local and large scale features. Interestingly, the model generated land influence to the order of 1000 km offshore in the simulation domain, consistent with different observations. Results suggest that the oceanic environment in the northeast monsoon over Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean can display significant diurnal variability and heterogeneity due to topography and surface temperature gradients, and that the local features have interactive feedback on the large scale circulations and transport