Studies on VLF atmospherics during the tropical cyclone “AILA” and several monsoon period thunderstorms over north-east India

bl 'kks/k i= esa vizSy 2009 ls vDrwcj 2009 dh vof/k ds nkSjku HkkSfrdh foHkkx] f=iqjk fo’ofo|ky; }kjk oh- ,y- ,Q- ok;qeaMyh; vFkok LQsfjDl dh vfHkyk{kf.kd fofo/krk dks pkj vyx & vyx vko`fr;ksa esa ntZ fd;k x;k gSA bl 'kks/k i= esa mRrj iwoZ Hkkjr ds 76 lfØ; xtZ ds lkFk rwQku okys vf/kdk¡’k fnuksa ds vk¡dMs+ iz;qDr fd, x,A buls izkIr ifj.kkeksa esa ekulwu ds nkSjku LQsfjDl ifjorZu esa dbZ izdkj dh fo’ks"krk,¡ n’kkZbZ xbZ gSaA bu Øfed fxjkoV] Øfed o`f) ¼th- ,Q- th- vkj-½] Øfed o`f) vpkud fxjkoV ¼th- vkj- ,l- ,Q-½] Øfed o`f) Øfed fxjkoV ¼th- vkj th- ,Q-½] Øfed fxjkoV vpkud o`f) ¼th- ,Q-,l- vkj-½] vkdfLed o`f) Øfed fxjkoV ¼,l- vkj- th- ,Q-½] vpkud fxjkoV vpkud o`f) ¼,l- vkj- ,l- ,Q-½ vpkud fxjkoV vpkud o`f) ¼,l- ,Q- ,l- vkj-½ vpkud fxjkoV Øfed o`f) ¼,l- ,Q- th- vkj-½ rFkk dBksj ¼Spiky½ Lo:i esa n’kkZ;k x;k gSA ekulwuh lfØ; xtZ ds lkFk rwQkuksa okys vf/kdka’k fnuksa esa lHkh izdkj ds iSVuksaZ esa ¼th- vkj th- ,Q-½ dh vko`fr vf/kdrj izdj.kksa esa ntZ gqbZ gS ¼izR;sd vko`fr esa vkSlru yxHkx 37 izfr’kr ?kVuk,¡ ntZ gqbZ gSa½ gekjh izs{k.kkRed vof/k ds nkSjku 23&26 ebZ dh vof/k esa caxky dh [kkM+h esa ‘vkbZyk’ uked ,d rhoz m".kdfVca/kh; pØokr vkj-,l-,e-lh- inuke% ch- vks- ch- vks-2] ts- Vh- MCY;w- lh- inuke% vks- Vw- ch- vk;k FkkA 25 ebZ 2009 ds m".k ds m".kdfVca/kh; pØokr ds nkSjku lHkh izdkj ds lkekU; ekulwuh vof/k dh vfHkyk{kf.kd fo’ks"krkvksa esa ,l-vkj-,l-,Q- ¼izR;sd vko`fr esa 86 izfr’kr ds vkSlru nj ls ?kfVr½ vko`fr vf/kdrj izdj.kksa esa ns[kh xbZ gSA tc pØokr caxky dh [kkM+h ds rVksa ls Vdjk;k ml fnu ds LQsfjDl ds vyx&vyx vko`fr forj.kksa ds vuqlkj o`f) vkSj fxjkoV dk xaHkhjrk ls fo’ys"k.k fd;k x;kA ekulwuh fnuksa vkSj ‘vkbyk’ pØokr lfØ; fnol ds lHkh ds lHkh izdkj ds iSVuksaZ dk rqyukRed v/;;u fd;k x;kA gekjs fu"d"kZ ds vuqlkj izpaM pØokr ‘vkbyk’ vkSj vU; xtZ Hkjs rwQku okys ekulwuh fnuksa ds nkSjku mRrj iwoZ Hkkjr esa cknyksa dh lw{e lajpuk esa dkQh varj fn[kkA pØokrh xfrfof/k ds nkSjku LQSfjDl ds ns[ks x, cnyko dh laHkkfor O;k[;k dks xtZ Hkjs rwQku okys cknyksa dh rfM+r xfrfof/k ds vk/kkj ij le>k;k x;k gSA The present work reports the characteristic variations in VLF atmospherics or sferics at four discrete frequencies recorded at the Department of Physics, Tripura University, during the period from April 2009 to October 2009. Data from 76 active thunder days over North-East India is considered for the present investigation. Results show several types of features in the variation of sferics during the monsoon period. These are termed as gradual fall gradual rise (GFGR), gradual rise sudden fall (GRSF), gradual rise gradual fall (GRGF), gradual fall sudden rise (GFSR), sudden rise gradual fall (SRGF), sudden rise sudden fall (SRSF), sudden fall sudden rise (SFSR), sudden fall gradual rise (SFGR) and spiky. During the Monsoon thunder active days, amongst all the patterns, GRGF occurred in most of the cases in all frequencies (average occurrence rate around 37% in each frequency). During our observational period, a severe tropical cyclonic storm named “AILA” (RSMC Designation BOB02, JTWC Designation 02B) occurred over the Bay of Bengal during 23-26 May 2009. Among several characteristic features during normal Monsoon period, SRSF (average occurrence rate around 86 % in each frequency) dominated the sferics on the 25 May, 2009, when the cyclone struck the coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal. The sferics of that day has been analyzed critically with respect to discrete frequency distribution of rise rate and fall rate of the intensity of the sferics. A comparison is made for all the patterns for the Monsoon days and the AILA cyclone active day. Our findings show substantial difference in the microstructure of clouds producing severe cyclonic storms like AILA and other thunderstorms during Monsoon seasons over North-East India. The possible interpretation of the observed variations in sferics is explained on the basis of the electrical activity that occurs inside a thunder-cloud especially during cyclonic activity.

A case study for cyclone ‘Aila’ for forecasting rainfall using satellite derived rain rate data

caxky dh [kkM+h esa cuus ,oa tehu ls Vdjkus okys pØokrh; rwQkuksa ds ifj.kkeLo:i Hkkjh o"kkZ dh otg ls if’pe caxky ds rV lesr Hkkjr ds iwohZ rV ds yksxksa dh tku eky dks dkQh [krjk jgrk gSA tehu ls Vdjkus okys m".kdfVca/kh; pØokrh rwQkuksa dh otg ls gksus okyh o"kkZ dh ek=k dk iwokZuqeku djuk cgqr dfBu gSA m".kdfVca/kh; pØokrh; rwQkuksa ds nk;js esa vkus okys o"kkZ okys {ks=ksa esa laHkkfor pØokrh; rwQku ls gksus okys o"kkZ lap;u dk iwokZuqeku djus ds fy, mixzg ls izkIr o"kkZ njksa dk mi;ksx fd;k tk ldrk gSA bl 'kks/k i= esa ‘vkbyk’ ds m".kdfVca/kh; o"kkZ ekiu fe’ku ¼Vh- vkj- ,e- ,e-½] mixzg o"kkZ nj vk¡dM+ksa rFkk rwQku ds ns[ks x, ekxZ dk mi;ksx djrs gq, m".kdfVca/kh; pØokr ‘vkbyk’ ds tehu ls Vdjkus ls 24 ?kVsa igys rVh; LVs’kuksa ij o"kkZ dk vkdyu djus dk iz;kl fd;k x;k gSA la;qDr jkT; vesfjdk esa fodflr lqifjfpr rduhd ds vk/kkj ij m".kdfVca/kh; pØokr ‘vkbyk’ ds tehu ls Vdjkus ds 24 ?kaVs igys m".kdfVca/kh; o"kkZ foHko ¼Vh- vkj- ,- ih-½ iwokZuqeku fo’ks"k :i ls rwQku dh fn’kk ds lkeus vkus okys rVh; {ks=ksa ds fy, vPNh o"kkZ dk iwokZuqeku miyC/k djkrk gSA Major threat to the life and property of people on the east coast of India, including West Bengal Coast, is due to very heavy rainfall from landfalling tropical cyclones originated over Bay of Bengal. Forecasting magnitude of rainfall from landfalling tropical cyclones is very difficult. Satellite derived rain rates over the raining areas of tropical cyclones can be used to forecast potential tropical cyclone rainfall accumulations. In the present study, an attempt has been made to estimate 24 hours rainfall over coastal stations before landfall of tropical Cyclone ‘Aila’ using Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite rain rates data and observed storm track of Aila. Forecast Tropical Rainfall Potential (TRaP), 24 hours prior to landfall for the tropical cyclone ‘Aila’ based on well known technique developed in USA, provides a good rainfall forecast especially for the coastal areas lying at the head of direction of the storm.

Growth during times of fear and emotional stress

Twenty-one scientists met for this year’s virtual conference on Auxology held at the University Potsdam, Germany, to discuss child and adolescent growth during times of fear and emotional stress. Growth within the broad range of normal for age and sex is considered a sign of good general health whereas fear and emotional stress can lead to growth faltering. Stunting is a sign of social disadvantage and poor parental education. Adverse childhood experiences affect child development, particularly in families with low parental education and low socioeconomic status. Negative effects were also shown in Indian children exposed prenatally and in early postnatal life to the cyclone Aila in 2009. Distrust, fears and fake news regarding the current Corona pandemic received particular attention though the effects generally appeared weak. Mean birth weight was higher; rates of low, very and extremely low birth weight were lower. Other topics discussed by the participants, were the influences of economic crises on birth weight, the measurement of self-confidence and its impact on growth, the associations between obesity, peer relationship, and behavior among Turkish adolescents, height trends in Indonesia, physiological neonatal weight loss, methods for assessing biological maturation in sportsmen, and a new method for skeletal age determination. The participants also discussed the association between acute myocardial infarction and somatotype in Estonia, rural-urban growth differences in Mongolian children, socio-environmental conditions and sexual dimorphism, biological mortality bias, and new statistical techniques for describing inhomogeneity in the association of bivariate variables, and for detecting and visualizing extensive interactions among variables.

Cyclone Aila and Post-Disaster Housing Assistance in Bangladesh

This paper examines the processes and outcomes of a post-disaster housing assistance program delivered by an NGO, Islamic Relief Bangladesh (ISRB), in one of the villages worst affected by Cyclone Aila in Bangladesh in 2009. The findings, based on both qualitative and quantitative data collected in the field, reveal that the selection of the most suitable beneficiaries for housing aid was subject to undue influence from both elected and unelected leaders. A broad tendency on the part of ISRB to deliver houses through a top-down approach left little room for meaningful consultation with local people. The recipients thus felt excluded and became passive recipients. Although ISRB adopted a ‘build back better’ principle in the delivery of the housing assistance, the capacity of the new houses to withstand a severe cyclone remains limited. Despite some unhappiness with the process through which the housing was delivered, and dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the houses, most recipients were satisfied overall as they would have been unable to build houses of the same quality by themselves due to their poverty. These findings should be of direct value for relevant government agencies, NGOs, and donor agencies in the future delivery of more successful outcomes in post-disaster contexts in Bangladesh and elsewhere.

The effect of a natural disaster on handgrip strength in prepubertal Indian children exposed to a severe cyclone during the prenatal and early postnatal growth

Natural disasters (NDs) experienced by women and their children during prenatal and infant growth may have long-lasting effects on offspring’s development. Handgrip strength (HGS) is one of the measures of muscular strength and an indicator of health status. This study compared HGS in children exposed to cyclone Aila in India during their prenatal and infant growth compared to a control group from a non-affected, adjacent area. The total sample involved 444 boys and 423 girls aged 7–9 years, categorised into 3 groups: prenatally exposed to Aila, exposed to Aila in infancy, and the control group, non-exposed to Aila. Results revealed that prenatally exposed children of both sexes had significantly lower HGS than the controls (at least, p < 0.001 in boys; p < 0.05 in girls). On the other hand, the postnatally exposed boys, but not the girls, showed lower HGS than the controls. A significant effect of a group factor (ND exposure) on HGS was observed even after controlling for confounding variables (age, height, BMI, birth weight, gestational age; at least, p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that prenatal or early postnatal experience of a ND may have association with impaired HGS in prepubertal children.