Management of wetlands of non-prominence from the perspective of benefit-degradation relation

Wetlands of non-prominence discussed here are some water bodies in the lower-gangetic floodplains of India. People surrounding these wetlands earn their livelihood and derive many direct and indirect benefits from them. To acquire benefits, often stakeholders subject them to environmental degradation. This study tries to identify the socio-economic activities in and around these wetlands to estimate the value of the benefits derived out of these activities, to measure the degradation of physical component of the wetlands, and to estimate the benefit-degradation relations for these wetlands. For the purpose of this study, ten wetlands in Bardhaman district in West Bengal, India were surveyed. The benefit and degradation were measured, and then the benefit-degradation relations have been estimated using regression models. From the benefit-degradation relations some alternatives for uses of wetlands have been worked out in an eco-friendly manner to find the conflicts that might emerge among the stakeholders.Length: pp.267-281WetlandsEnvironmental degradationAssessmentEcosystemsFisheriesHouseholds

Mass Outflow Rate From Accretion Discs around Compact Objects

We compute mass outflow rates from accretion disks around compact objects, such as neutron stars and black holes. These computations are done using combinations of exact transonic inflow and outflow solutions which may or may not form standing shock waves. Assuming that the bulk of the outflow is from the effective boundary layers of these objects, we find that the ratio of the outflow rate and inflow rate varies anywhere from a few percent to even close to a hundred percent (i.e., close to disk evacuation case) depending on the initial parameters of the disk, the degree of compression of matter near the centrifugal barrier, and the polytropic index of the flow. Our result, in general, matches with the outflow rates obtained through a fully time-dependent numerical simulation. In some region of the parameter space when the standing shock does not form, our results indicate that the disk may be evacuated and may produce quiescence states.Comment: 30 Latex pages and 13 figures. crckapb.sty; Published in Class. Quantum Grav. Vol. 16. No. 12. Pg. 387

Muon anomaly and a lower bound on higgs mass due to a light stabilized radion in the Randall-Sundrum model

We investigate the Randall-Sundrum model with a light stabilized radion (required to fix the size of the extra dimension) in the light of muon anomalous magnetic moment $a_\mu [= \frac{(g - 2)}{2}]$. Using the recent data (obtained from the E821 experiment of the BNL collaboration) which differs by $2.6 \sigma$ from the Standard Model result, we obtain constraints on radion mass \mphi and radion vev \vphi. In the presence of a radion the beta functions \beta(\l) and $\beta(g_t)$ of higgs quartic coupling (\l) and top-Yukawa coupling ($g_t$) gets modified. We find these modified beta functions. Using these beta functions together with the anomaly constrained \mphi and \vphi, we obtain lower bound on higgs mass $m_h$. We compare our result with the present LEP2 bound on $m_h$.Comment: Version to be appeared in IJMP

Ultimate intrinsic-coercivity samarium-cobalt magnet: An Earth-based feasibility study for space-shuttle missions

Techniques for containerless melting and solidification of the samarium-cobalt alloy without excessive oxidation were developed. The rationale for extending these experiments in a weightless environment is also discussed. The effect of oxygen content from 0.15 to 0.63 weight percent and grain size in the range of 2 to 10 micrometers has been examined on arc-plasma-sprayed SmCo5 magnets. Contrary to expectations, the larger grain sizes tended to improve the coercivities. This was attributed to an increase in homogeneity resulting from higher temperature treatments used to produce larger grain size. No significant differences in coercivity were observed on the basis of oxygen content in the range examined. It is expected that more meaningful data on the relationship between oxygen content and coercivity will be seen when the oxygen content can be lowered to less than 0.1 weight percent