Contents
of April 2002 - Vol. XXIII No.2
GEOPHYSICS IN
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
FOR SELECTION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL SITES
APPLICATION OF
GEOPHYSICAL TECHNIQUES TO TRACE GROUNDWATER POLLUTION DUE TO
INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS IN THE HARD ROCK TERRAIN
INTEGRATING GROUND
BASED MEASUREMENTS, REMOTE SENSING AND GIS FOR AEROSOLS
AND TRACE GASES - A CASE STUDY FROM HYDERABAD AND ITS ENVIRONS
GEOPHYSICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT
N.
Venkat Rao and N.S.Patangay
Centre
of Exploration Geophysics, Osmania University, Hyderabad
Abstract
Geophysics deals with the study of the
earth and its environment through the measurement and analysis of physical
fields. Exploration geophysics, traditionally concerned with the application
of physical techniques to the investigation of the shallow part of the
crust with the main objective of exploration for oil and natural gas,
minerals and groundwater, has a great role to play in understanding the
environment in the near-surface section of the earth, including soil and
atmosphere in some cases. A number of geophysical methods are finding
new and exciting applications in several environmental problems such as
groundwater pollution, location of hazardous waste material, delineation
of safe disposal sites, land reclamation, artificial recharge, detection
of zones of natural hazards such as landslides, subsurface cavities, etc.
Thus a new branch of geophysics called environmental geophysics has come
into existence. This paper presents a brief discussion on the various
environmental problems and the scope of their investigation by geophysical
methods.
Back to Contents of this issue
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS FOR
SELECTION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL SITES
K.R.Ramanuja
Chary, P.Pandu Ranga Rao and N.V.Subbarao
Integrated
Geo Instruments & Services Private Limited, Hyderabad.
Abstract
Environmental pollution is a major concern
with rapid industrialization, urbanization and rise in living standards,
as wastes are the products of growth. Inappropriate management of these
wastes, whether hazardous or non hazardous, leads to environmental problems.
The management of hazardous waste requires treatment and disposal facility.
Geophysical techniques can play a vital role in the selection of suitable
sites for waste disposal and also to identify the areas affected by the
pollution (Dieter Vogelsang, 1995).
This paper describes the investigations
carried for identifying a suitable landfill site for hazardous waste disposal.
Back to Contents of this issue
APPLICATION OF GEOPHYSICAL
TECHNIQUES TO TRACE GROUNDWATER POLLUTION DUE TO INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS
IN THE HARD ROCK TERRAIN
N.
S. Patangay, I. B. Ramaprasada Rao, M. Venkata Chary, Ram Raj Mathur,
A.Siva Keshavulu and S. R. P. Srinivas
Department of Geophysics, Osmania University,
Hyderabad.
Abstract
Industrial effluents, when released untreated into storage ponds contaminate groundwater regime through weak zones. Electromagnetic, electrical resistivity (profiling and sounding) and induced polarization methods were utilized to study the groundwater pollution due to industrial effluents in the hard rock terrain near Hyderabad.
EM surveys bring out an increase in
electrical conductivity near the Solar Evaporation Ponds which coincides
well with the fractured zone and a basement depression earlier detected
by drilling and hydrogeological studies. The electrical resistivity data
indicated a substantial lowering of electrical resistivity broadly demarcating
the zone of contaminated groundwater. Induced Polarization method appears
to be responding to individual zones of contamination within a broad depression
in the basement and may form one of the promising tools in this type of
application for environmental studies.
Back to Contents of this issue
INTEGRATING GROUND BASED
MEASUREMENTS, REMOTE SENSING AND GIS FOR AEROSOLS AND TRACE GASES - A
CASE STUDY FROM HYDERABAD AND ITS ENVIRONS
M.Lata,
C. Sankar Rao*, V. Krishna Prasad and K.V.S. Badarinath
National
Remote Sensing Agency, (Dept. of Space-Govt. of India) Balanagar, Hyderabad.
*
Dept.
of Geo-Engineering and Resource Development Technology,Andhra University,
Visakhapatnam.
Abstract
Aerosols and trace gas emissions in
Hyderabad and its environs has been studied by integrating data obtained
from ground-based measurements , Remote sensing and GIS. Pollution data
with respect to NOx,SO2,TSPM and RSPM for eight stations has been obtained
from APPCB and analyzed for statistical autocorrelation. UV measurements
with respect to UV-A and SUV have been done using Solar UV-A meter (320-400
nanometers) instruments. In addition,pollution measurements with respect
to CO, CO2 and O3 have been measured using online instruments. TOMS satellite
data from 1996 and 2000 has been used to study the columnar ozone characteristics
for the Hyderabad region. Results from the Aerosol studies for different
wavelengths suggested a typical pattern of increase in aerosol optical
thickness with decreasing wavelength, i.e.,maximum AOT was observed in
the 380-wavelength region. Further, detailed analysis from the diurnal
measurements of aerosols suggested that the values in all the wavelengths
are particularly higher during the afternoon hours (12:00) and also during
early evening (15:00hrs.). Analysis of the results with respect to TOMS
columnar ozone over a period of years from 1997 to 2000 suggested a range
of 230-285.9 DU with a clear gaussian pattern with a minimum value in
the months of January and December and maximum in the month of July. The
observed trends of trace gases and Aerosols Optical Depth have been discussed
in the paper.