Engineering Geophysical Study of Unconsolidated Top Soil Using Shallow Seismic Refraction and Electrical Resistivity Techniques

A near-surface geophysical study was conducted at University of Peshawar (UOP), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, using an integrated approach including seismic refraction and electrical resistivity survey (ERS) techniques in order  to image the shallow subsurface in terms of main geological and geophysical properties covering the study area. Seismic longitudinal wave velocities (Vp) were determined within four meters beneath ground surface which indirectly provided us with critical subsurface information about depth of layers, morphology and stratigraphic sequence without borehole information. The results of the seismic refraction survey along profile AB, showed two-layers separated by a refractor having gentle slope and P-wave velocity values (223m/sec & 316 m/sec) for overlying and underlying layers respectively indicating loose soil filled in top four meters underneath the surveyed seismic profile. Seismic refraction data demonstrated shallow subsurface structure characterized by longitudinal wave velocities less than 330 m/s.Apparant resistivity data was acquired along two profiles  (CD & DE) using four shlumberger vertical electrical soundings with maximum spread length of 10m. Electrical resistivity survey validated the results obtained from seismic refraction data analysis by detecting bi-layer near-surface geologic model at all VES stations with distinct characteristics. These geoelectric layers included top soil/dry unconsolidated surface material ranging in thickness from 1.11m to 1.3m with true resistivity values (38.08 - 52.70 ?m) and less resistive (13.13-18.38 ?m) clayey layer. Integrated geophysical approach showed that overburden terrain in the target zone is characterized by a relatively thin superficial layer (dry unconsolidated sediments) underlain by a clay layer having high porosity and saturation. Based on seismic velocities (223m/sec & 316 m/sec) and resistivity values (13.13 - 52.70 ?m), it is derived that sub surface soil conditions within studied depth interval are poor and should be considered seriously as this may put the high rise buildings at risk. Keywords: Shallow seismic refraction, Compressional wave velocity (Vp), time-term inversion, electrical resistivity survey (ERS), top soil

Feasibility, Architecture and Cost Considerations of Using TVWS for Rural Internet Access in 5G

The cellular technology is mostly an urban technology that has been unable to serve rural areas well. This is because the traditional cellular models are not economical for areas with low user density and lesser revenues. In 5G cellular networks, the coverage dilemma is likely to remain the same, thus widening the rural-urban digital divide further. It is about time to identify the root cause that has hindered the rural technology growth and analyse the possible options in 5G architecture to address this issue. We advocate that it can only be accomplished in two phases by sequentially addressing economic viability followed by performance progression. We deliberate how various works in literature focus on the later stage of this ‘two-phase’ problem and are not feasible to implement in the first place. We propose the concept of TV band white space (TVWS) dovetailed with 5G infrastructure for rural coverage and show that it can yield cost-effectiveness from a service provider’s perspective

Sustainable Development: Economic, Social, and Environmental Sustainability in Asian Economies

The study analyzes the relationship between social, economic, and environmental sustainability in a paradigm of sustainable development. Panel analysis is carried out for nineteen Asian economies, these are divided into three sub-groups; South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central & East Asia. Results divulge a trade-off between economic and environmental sustainability when all countries are considered. Whilst, in the case of sub-regions no such trade-off is apparent. Furthermore, interactions between economic, social, and environmental sustainability with each other are found to be statistically significant, thus proving that these factors affect each other. It implies that, regarding the allocation of scarce financial resources, policymakers should be cautious while prioritizing among economic, social, or environmental sustainability and it should be done with discretion and prudence, nevertheless, ultimately these three pillars should converge to culminate in sustainable development. Some of the important factors, such as institutional quality, technological change, globalization, and social inclusiveness need to be the focus of sustainable development policies in Asia. These factors may act as transmission channels to achieve sustainable development in the region

Estimation of soil moisture using multispectral and FTIR techniques

AbstractSoil moisture is a key capricious in hydrological process, the accessibility of moisture content in soil reins the mechanism amid the land surface and atmospheric progression. Precise soil moisture determination is influential in the weather forecast, drought monitoring, hydrological modeling, agriculture management and policy making. The aims of the study were to estimate soil moisture through remotely sensed data (FTIR & optical) and establishment of the results with field measured soil moisture data. The ground measurements were carried out in 0–15cm depth. Permutation of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST) were taken to derive temperature vegetation dryness index (TVDI) for assessment of surface soil moisture. Correlation and regression analysis was conceded to narrate the TVDI with in situ calculated soil moisture. The spatial pattern of TVDI shows that generally low moisture distribution over study area. A significant (p<0.05) negative correlation of r=0.79 was found between TVDI and in situ soil moisture. The TVDI was also found adequate in temporal variation of surface soil moisture. The triangle method (TVDI) confers consistent appraisal of moisture situation and consequently can be used to evaluate the wet conditions. Furthermore, the appraisal of soil moisture using the triangular method (TVDI) was possible at medium spatial resolutions because the relationship of soil moisture with LST and NDVI lends an eloquent number of representative pixels for developing a triangular scatter plot

Impact of external debt on stock market performance and economic growth: Moderating role of capital formation

The main objective of this study is to ascertain the effect of external debt on economic growth and stock market performance in SAARC countries that included Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India for the period spanning from 1992 to 2017. This study examines the effect of capital formation as a moderator. Using panel least square recreation analysis, we find a negative and significant association between economic growth and external debts. The inclusion of interaction tea reveals a positive moderation effect of capital formation on the relationship of external debt and economic growth. Our study suggest that the external debt is less favourable for the SAARC countries and that greater emphasis should be increased on capital formulation. Moreover, policies that enhance the national treasury base, increase exports, and make environment conducive for foreign direct investment should be introduced in SAARC countries. The governments of SAARC countries should look for the alternates of external debt for financing the fiscal deficit

Human resources in Pakistan 1951-2006

This thesis looks at the effect of socio-economic development on the size, composition and the proportion of population in the labour force. This analysis is mainly based on the decennial Population Censuses 1951-81 and the Housing, Economic and Demographic Survey-1973. It was found that the proportion of economically active population is gradually reducing as a result of advances in social and economic life in Pakistan. In the past many Pakistanis have sought employment in overseas countries which offers better opportunities. However, the international economic and political climate suggest limits to the absorption of Pakistani workers in the outside world. Education, urbanization and structural changes in the economy are the major determinants of participation in economic activities. These factors are also responsible for occupational mobility (from traditional to modern occupations) for both the males and females. Female participation in economic activities is believed to be understated in almost all the major censuses and surveys. There is a tendency for the female activity rates in Pakistan to shift from the late peak to the early peak pattern. Demographic variables suggest that rapid population growth would put more strain on limited national resources. This will adversely affect the economic growth and employment expansion programmes. Effective fertility control and employment expansion policies are needed to provide productive employment to the growing labour force

A Weighted Linear Combining Scheme for Cooperative Spectrum Sensing

AbstractCooperative spectrum sensing exploits spatial diversity of secondary-users (SUs), to reliably detect the availability of a spectrum. Soft energy combining schemes have optimal detection performance at the cost of high cooperation overhead, since actual sensed data is required at the fusion center. To reduce cooperation overhead, in hard combining only local decisions are shared; however the detection performance is suboptimal due to the loss of information. In this paper, a weighted linear combining scheme is proposed in which a SU performs a local sensing test based on two threshold levels. If local test result lies between the two thresholds then the SU report neither its local decision nor sequentially estimated unknown SNR parameter values, to the fusion center. Thereby, uncertain decisions about the presence/absence of the primary-user signal are suppressed. Simulation results suggest that the detection performance of the proposed scheme is close to optimal soft combining schemes yet its overhead is similar to hard combining techniques