O.P. Singh

Can India raise agricultural productivity while reducing groundwater and energy use

This paper provides empirical evidence that power tariff reform with pro rata pricing and higher unit rates for electricity not only would promote equity, efficiency and sustainability in groundwater use, but also would be socio-economically viable for small-holder farmers. It shows that the arguments of “high transaction cost” and “political infeasibility” used against metering are valid only in specific regional contexts and under increasingly outmoded power-pricing and agricultural-production regimes, if one considers the recent advancements in remote sensing and the facts that overexploited regions have a low density of wells and are mostly owned by farmers who constitute a small segment of the farming community.

Have diesel price hikes actually led to farmer distress in India

The current study shows that the recent diesel price hike had an insignificant impact on irrigation costs incurred by diesel well owners in eastern India. Further, analysis of the farming enterprises of diesel well owners and water buyers from both diesel and electric wells confronted with a differential cost of irrigation water showed that farmers would be able to cope with a very high rise in irrigation costs through irrigation efficiency improvements and allocating more area to crops that give higher returns per unit of land and water. By doing this, they are able to maintain the farm returns.

Study of Ionospheric precursors related to an earthquake (M=7.8) of 16April, 2013 using GPS-TEC measurements: Case study

In the present paper, we analyze the GPS-TEC data which observed at Agra station, India (27.2o N, 78o E) and also see the diurnal variations of global ionospheric maps (GIMs) TEC data over the epicenter of this earthquake (M=7.8) in Pakistan region for the month of April, 2013. We use a statistical technique for the analysis of data and identify the significant precursors using 3σ criterion. These precursors are found in form of enhancements on different days in the interval of 5-7 days prior to the earthquake. We also see the effect of geomagnetic storm and solar activity on TEC data and found no anomaly associated with them.

Anomalous Variations of Ionosphere Associated with the Strong Earthquake at Pakistan-Iran Border at a Low Latitude Station Agra, India

In this paper, we analyze the TEC data for April 2013 observed at Agra station, India (geogr. lat. 27.2° N, long. 78° E) to examine the effect of earthquake of magnitude M = 7.8 which occurred on 16 April 2013 at Pakistan–Iran border region. We process the TEC data using the s statistical criterion to find out anomalous variation in TEC data. We also study the VLF propagation signal from NPM, Hawaii (21.42° N, 158° W), which is monitored at the same station (Agra station) in the light of this earthquake as well as solar flares. The nighttime fluctuation method is used to analyze the VLF data for the period of ±5 days from the day of earthquake (11–21 April 2013). The anomalous enhancements and depletions are found in TEC data on 1–9 days before the occurrence of event.

D-region perturbation associated with the solar flares as observed at a low latitude station Agra, India

The results of solar flare induced D-region perturbation studies along a short great circle path (GCP = 6690 km) lying entirely in the low and equatorial latitude region are presented. We use softPAL receiver at Agra (Geograph. lat. 27.2°N, long. 78°E), India and monitor NWC signal (f = 19.8 kHz) transmitted from Australia. We analyze the data for the year 2011 and find that the results of amplitude and phase perturbations, time delay, zenith angle independence, and electron density variation in the lower ionosphere are consistent with those observed along similar paths at low and high latitudes. The new work in this paper includes the study of the distribution of X-ray flares responsible for clear and measurable sudden phase anomaly and their variation with hardening factor (ratio of the intensities in two channels 0.05 – 0.4 nm and 0.1 – 0.8 nm) in the mixed solar cycle period 2011. The results show that the distribution is different from that obtained during minimum solar periods. The phase anomalies are re-evaluated in terms of X-ray fluence (J/m2) and the results are compared with thereof earlier workers. Further, the perturbations due to X-class of flare are utilized to calculate the electron density in 70–60 km height range and compare the results with those obtained in the polar region where X-ray flare is followed by solar proton events. The results show that the electron densities calculated by us are lower by 60–80 % in the polar region. The increase in electron density at the lower height in the polar region is due to additional ionization due to solar proton event.

Sub-ionospheric vlf propagation anomalies associated with the earthquake ON 25 March 2013

Ionospheric perturbations in possible association with the earthquake occurred on 25 March 2013 in India-Oceania region (magnitudes ≈ 6.0) is investigated on the basis of subionospheric propagation data from the NWC transmitter(19.8 kHz) on the North West Cape, Australia to a VLF receiving station at Agra, India. The local nighttime VLF amplitude data are extensively investigated during the period, ±15 days of the earthquake, in which the trend (nighttime average amplitude), dispersion and nighttime fluctuation are analyzed. It is found that a clear precursory ionosphere perturbation is detected, about 12 days before the main shock, which is characterised by the simultaneous decrease in the trend and increase in nighttime fluctuation. Possible seismo-ionospheric mechanisms to demonstrate the physics that how ionosphere starts to feel these earthquakes are discussed.

A study of sub-ionospheric early VLF perturbations observed at Agra (L=1.15), India

In this paper, we present the results of sub-ionospheric VLF perturbations observed on NWC (19.8 kHz) ransmitter signal propagating in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide, monitored at Agra (Geomag. Lat 27°E, long. 78°N) using SoftPAL receiver. During the period of observation (June, 2011 to December, 2011), we found 75 cases of abrupt amplitude/phase perturbations showing early character. Most of the early events observed show an amplitude change lying between 0.16-4.5 dB, only few cases having >4.5 dB and phase change lying between 01-17 degree respectively. The onset duration of these early perturbations is up to ~ 5 sec, showing early slow character. The World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) data and the broadband VLF data is analysed to find the location of causative lightning associated with these early VLF perturbations. During the period of our study majority of the events are observed at nighttimes and only few cases are observed at daytimes most likely due to the occurrence of red sprite or elves in the daytime. The lightning discharge and associated processes that leads to the changes in the waveguide characteristics and hence VLF transmission have been discussed.