Buckling analysis of Laminated Composite plates

Laminated composites have been used in many engineering structures from early time the recent advancements in material technology has led to the creation of a new composite with enhanced properties. Composite materials are generally used in many fields of engineering like buildings, bridges, boat hulls, swimming pool panels, race car bodies, shower stalls, bathtubs and storage tanks. In addition to that industries where weight reduction is of prime concern (aviation and spacecraft etc.). Composites are capable enough to take different types of loading both tensile and compressive based on the requirement. It is well known that the structural elements under compressive loads and/or due to thin built up they may be prone to buckle. In order to evaluate the buckling strength of laminated structures many studies has already been completed numerically and experimentally. A lab scale buckling test rig has been developed to obtain the critical load. In addition to that a simulation study has been done in ANSYS using ANSYS parametric design language. Some new results have been obtained for different parameter and discussed in detai

Socio-economic analysis of open pollinated improved and hybrid maize production in Sindhupalchok district of Nepal

The study was conducted from April to June, 2020 for comparative analysis of socioeconomic factors and profitability between Open Pollinated Improved (OPI) varieties and Hybrid varieties on maize production in Sindhupalchok district of Nepal. A structured questionnaire was administered to 80 randomly selected households i.e. 48 HHs cultivated OPI and 32 HHs cultivated hybrid maize varieties.  Descriptive statistics, unpaired t-test, multiple linear regressions and indexing were used for data analysis using statistical tools- SPSS version 25 and MS-Excel. Linear regression model revealed that area under maize (5% level), education (5% level), age of household head (1% level), training (1% level), access to credit (5% level) and choice of seed (1 % level) significantly influenced maize production. In addition, unpaired t-test revealed that the productivity of hybrid maize varieties was significantly higher (1% level) than OPI varieties. Fall Armyworm infestation was found to more severe in OPI varieties (5% level) than hybrid. Furthermore, B: C ratio of hybrid varieties (1.59) indicated hybrid maize to be more profitable than OPI (1% level). However, the total cost of cultivation along with the cost of seed per hectare of OPI was found to be lower than hybrid varieties (1% level) thereby significantly increasing the area under maize production for OPI varieties (1% level).  Indexing identified- lack of availability of quality seeds and fertilizers (I= 0.78) as the major problem associated with maize production. Ensuring access to quality seeds and fertilizer at subsidy, mechanization and efficient extension services focused on development of affordable hybrid maize varieties or high yielding OPI and its adoption among the farmers in order to increase maize productivity is recommended

Seasonal Variation of Atmospheric Aerosols over Prominent Hotspot Regions in South India by Employing MODIS Data

Mounting the amount of aerosols in the atmosphere is a subject of deep concern all over the globe. This elevated level of aerosol concentrations has proven direct impact on the radiative forcing (Gadhavi and Jayaraman A, 2004) and subsequent climate change. Thus it becomes imperative to study the inter-annual and seasonal variations of aerosols with the aid of remote sensing method by employing MODIS data. This paper pertains to the study of seasonal variations of Aerosol Optical Depths over three different locations which are lying along the same latitude in South India. The five year (2005-2009) observation is presented and it reveals that aerosol abundance has strong dependence on the geography, environment and local climate at a specific region. The variation of aerosol abundance is found to be higher at the coastal region than the region surrounded by land mass

Variation of CO Column over North Kerala by Exploring MOPITT Data

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is one of the prominent pollutant species mainly produced from of fossil fuel burning and motor vehicles. Being a toxic trace gas, it can considerably affect human health. The rapid increase in CO enhances the production of surface ozone which contributes to global warming. This is the first attempt to retrieve the increase in CO over a column of atmosphere up to 100 mb pressure from the surface using MOPITT version 3 of level 2 data. The increase in column abundance of CO observed is correlated with the increase in vehicles in this region and it gives a positive correlation for the four years of observation from 2004. The prominence of this location of north Kerala is that no major industries are sited within this region and the increase in pollution is solely due to anthropogenic activities.ÂÂ

The Significant Role of CO and NOx in the Tropospheric Ozone Chemistry

Ozone being a greenhouse gas, the chemistry of ozone in the troposphere is considered as an emerging area of investigation after global warming became a reality. The potential role of ozone and its dynamics that changes the atmospheric composition can be retrieved only with the aid of photochemical processes involved in the atmosphere. The various possible chemical reactions that take place at different locations in the atmosphere can significantly change the weather pattern. This is an attempt to review some of the prominent features of the photochemistry of the troposphere and stratosphere

The Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity in Nepal: Current Knowledge, Lacunae, and Opportunities

Nepal has an extreme altitudinal range from 60–8850m with heterogeneous topography and distinct climatic zones. The country is considered a biodiversity hotspot, with nearly a quarter of the land area located in protected areas. Nepal and the surrounding Himalayan region are particularly vulnerable to climate change because of their abrupt ecological and climatic transitions. Tens of millions of people rely on the region’s ecosystem services, and observed and modeled warming trends predict increased climate extremes in the Himalayas. To study the ecological impacts of climate change in Nepal and inform adaptation planning, we review the literature on past, present, and predicted future climatic changes and their impacts on ecological diversity in Nepal. We found few studies focusing on organisms, while research on species and communities was more common. Most studies document or predict species range shifts and changes in community composition. Results of these few investigations highlight major lacunae in research regarding the effects of changing climate on species comprising the Himalayan biota. Further empirical work is needed at all levels of biological organization to build on information regarding direct ecological impacts of climatic changes in the region. Countries face an ever-increasing threat of climate change, and Nepal has strong physiographic, elevational, and climatic gradients that could provide a useful model for studying the effects of climate change on a mountainous, and highly biodiverse, area