•Floral assessments of the late Artinskian- Kungurian sediments.•Palyno-geochemical analysis to evaluate the hydrocarbon-generation potential.•The gradient of South Karanpura has a significant role ...for generating hydrocarbons.•Comparative analysis of two collieries from South Karanpura Coalfield.
Permian deposits in the Indian Peninsula have long been a significant source of coal and have great potential for hydrocarbon exploration. Here we present results of megafloral, palynological, and geochemical analysis of the Late Artinskian-Kungurian sediments in the South Karanpura coalfield to assess hydrocarbon generation potential, kerogen types, depositional settings, and thermal maturation. The results suggest anoxic to oxic depositional environments with fluctuating water levels, influenced by terrestrial inputs. The Sirka colliery is considered to be most favorable for hydrocarbon generation due to the palaeodepositional setting dominated by flooded palaeomires. The dominance of degraded organic matter and the rarity of opaque phytoclasts suggest type II/III to type III kerogen material in the palaeomire of the Srika succession, characterized by low-energy dysoxic to anoxic conditions. The thermal maturation values (Tmax 429℃) and the production index (0.01–0.02) indicate that the Sirka area has immature kerogen, but the Giddi colliery has a relatively higher Tmax (average 435℃) placing the studied sample within the mature zone. However, due to deposition in the oxidized swamp, Giddi C has poor potential for hydrocarbon generation, showing that type III/IV material has charcoal input into the sediments. Our findings contribute to global knowledge of coal formations’ oil and gas storage capacity, which has implications for energy resource assessment and exploration strategies.
The present study deals with the application of statistical methods like correlation, factor, cluster and multiple regression analyses to interpret the controlling processes influencing the ...hydrogeochemisty of a river-dominated area. The groundwater is alkaline and hard but suitable for drinking. Most of the parameters show significant positive correlations with each other. The first three factors explain 83.884% of the variance and can be used to assess the dominant hydrochemical processes in operation. The first factor with strong loadings on total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, HCO3− and F− is the salinity factor. It is geogenic in nature and constituent ions are derived from weathering of basement rocks. The second factor with strong loadings on K+, NO3−, SO42− and Cl− is anthropogenic as the first three ions are present in fertilizers used by people to increase crop production and the fourth is derived from domestic wastes. The third factor strongly loaded on pH and total alkalinity (TA) is the alkalinity factor. The cluster analysis replicates the results of the factor analysis. The multiple regression analysis suggests that Ca2+, Mg2+, HCO3− and SO42− contribute significantly to the bulk chemical composition of the groundwater. The chemical constituents of the groundwater may be attributed to the effects of weathering, mineral dissolution, drainage wastes, septic tank leakage, irrigation-return-flows, chemical fertilizers and/or increase or decrease of chemical variables due to dissolution, precipitation, ion exchange, etc. The study illustrates the usefulness of statistical methods as an effective tool for interpretation of the controlling processes of groundwater chemistry.
Palynofloral study along with palynofacies analysis has been undertaken in Nandira colliery, Talcher basin, Odisha, India. Recovered palynoassemblage is characterized by the dominance of monosaccate ...pollen grains viz.,
Parasaccites
spp. (25%),
Plicatipollenites
spp. (5%),
Potonieisporites
sp. (1%) and
Diavarisaccus lelei
(1%) along with nonstriate bisaccate
Scheuringipollenites maximus
(35%). The recovered palynoflora shows its affinity towards the Upper Karharbari palynoflora of the early Artinskian age. The organic matter studied from the palynofacies investigation includes palynomorphs (SP), structured phytoclasts/translucent phytoclasts (ST), opaque phytoclasts/charcoal (CH), degraded organic matter (DOM), and amorphous organic matter (AOM). The carbonaceous shale (Sample Na) is dominated by SP (34.67%) and sub-dominated by ST (22%) along with CH (13.34%), DOM (19%), and AOM (11%). Coal samples (Nb to Ne) are completely devoid of palynomorphs. They are mainly dominated by CH (24.87–62.34%) and ST (20.20–73.38%) with presence of DOM (0.7–8.7%) and AOM (0.4–8.7%). Deposition of the sediments in a lower carbonaceous shale bed (Na) might have occurred in a dysoxic forest swamp in low-energy settings. The coal beds (Nb to Ne) have been deposited in the oxidized swamps in the proximal setting. The predominant occurrence of the opaque phytoclasts associated with the coal sediments may indicate a regular occurrence of palaeofires during the Artinskian.
The palaeofloristic study of Gondwana sediments recovered from Religara area, South Karanpura Basin illustrates the macrofloral diversity in the area. Three distinct megafloral assemblages I, II, III ...are reported from freshly exposed coaly shale and carbonaceous shale layers of lower Barakar, upper Barakar and Raniganj formations of the basin. The assemblage comprises 72 species and thirteen genera of which 28 are newly reported species, which clearly exemplifies the macrofloral diversity over Permian Period in the studied area. The retrieved floral assemblages justified the existence of two interrelated ecosystems i.e., terrestrial and marshy. A gradual shifting of leaf morphology in reticulate leaves of order Glossopteridales illustrates biostratigraphic age as well as the shifting of climate during the deposition of sediments. The dominance of narrow mesh
Glossopteris
flora with the presence of typical Karharbari flora in the lowermost fossil horizon, illustrating the biostratigraphic age as late Artinskian (lower Barakar Formation). Likewise, the middle and upper floristic zones are dominated by
Glossopteris
of intermediate mesh form and broad mesh form suggesting biostratigraphic age as Kungurian (upper Barakar) and Wordian-Changhsingian (Raniganj) respectively. Deposition of in- situ
Vertebraria
depicts the autochthonous coal deposits and existence of some patches of palaeosol in the investigated location. The present investigation aims to infer the biostratigraphy, palaeoclimate, palaeoenvironment, palaeovegetational reconstruction of the basin during late Artinskian–Kungurian and Wordian- Changhsingian times.
The tropical cyclones are very destructive during landfall, generating high wind speeds, heavy intensive rainfall, and severe storm surges with huge coastal inundations that have massive ...socioeconomic and ecological catastrophic effects on human beings and the economic well-being. The sizable ecological effects of cyclonic storms cannot be ignored because of the uncertainty of impact, intensity induced by a warming ocean, and sea level rise. The Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan which falls under the category five classifications under the scheme of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), on the basis the maximum sustained wind speeds gusting up to 168 km/h affected parts of West Bengal and Odisha in India, and south-west Bangladesh between May 16 and 20, 2020. In this work, we have focused on the coastal districts of Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Balasore in Odisha, Purba Medinipur, and South Twenty-Four Parganas in West Bengal, India and, Khulna, Barisal division of Bangladesh that have been seriously affected by the Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan. The objective of the study is to analyze the eco-physical assessment of tropical cyclone Amphan using geospatial technology. Therefore, shoreline change detection and enhance vegetation index have been used in this research work to systematically analyze the eco-physical impact parameters of Cyclonic Storm Amphan using ortho-rectified Landsat 8/OLI imagery and MODIS dataset of USGS with high spatial resolutions of 30–500 m. The result highlights that about 60.33% of the total transects of the study area was eroded, but only 24.99% of the total transects experienced accretion, and 14.68% of the total transects depicted stability. The scientific study will benefit coastal managers and policymakers in formulating action plans for coastal zone management, natural resilience, and sustainable future development.
The Himgir sub-basin is the southwestern part of the Ib River Basin, Odisha, India. A Lower Gondwana fossil horizon was explored along the road section near Himgir Village, Sundargarh District, ...Odisha and plant megafossils (1002 specimens) comprising both pteridophytes and gymnosperms, four plant groups, ten genera and fifty-five species were reported. Pteridophytes (Equisetales, Sphenophyllales and Filicales) are represented by
Schizoneura gondwanensis
Feistmantel, 1876, equisetaceous stems,
Trizygia speciosa
Royle, 1839 and
Neomariopteris talchirensis
Maithy, 1974. Gymnosperms are represented by one plant group namely Glossopteridales (46 species
Glossopteris
) along with stem casts, fructifications and scale leaves. The occurrence of Late Permian floras, the lack of distinctive
Dicroidium
flora of the Triassic period in this assemblage, and the red bed facies (ferruginous red sandstone and ferruginous red shale) of the investigated locality reveal that the exposure belongs to Lower Kamthi Formation of Wuchiapingian to Changhsingian age. The macrofloral assemblage demonstrates a warm-humid climate with flashing rainfall and moderate light intensity. Vegetation of the studied sub-basin has also been studied to portray the palaeobiodiversity of the area.
An integrated work on palynofloral and palynofacies studies along with megafloral analysis has been carried out with the samples recovered from Balaram Opencast Coal Project (N20°56′58″ latitude and ...E85°05′31″ longitude), Talcher Basin, Odisha, India. The analyzed samples are characterized by the dominance of degraded organic matter (39–49.5%, avg. 44.2%) and sub-dominance of palynomorphs (13.7–41.2%, avg. 27.45%). Recovered palynoassemblage along with the lithology (carbonaceous shale, dark gray shale, sandstone, silty shale, and coal seams) of the studied area explicitly depicts that the investigated sediments belong to the Barakar Formation of late Early Permian (late Artinskian to Kungurian) age. For the first time, an exclusive record of
Vertebraria
is made from this location, demonstrating the presence of a deciduous Glossopterids forest during the deposition of Barakar sediments. In addition, the present study also reveals a warm, humid, temperate climate with abundant rainfall during this period. The palynofacies analysis demonstrates a flooded palaeomires/marshy condition in the distal dysoxic-oxic low energy settings during late Artinskian to Kungurian.
Urbanization is a developing process at the cost of the environment. Many fertile agricultural and forest land are concealed under the belt of urban growth. In this study, we integrate the ...statistical method (Relative Shannon's entropy) with remote sensing and GIS to quantify the urban growth pattern of Cuttack City of Odisha. Satellite images of Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper and Resourcesat-1 (IRS-P6) LISS-III were downloaded from USGS and Bhuvan sites of ISRO. The study area is clipped from images with AOI (area of interest) using masking tool and is classified using maximum likelihood classification tool of ArcGIS 10.3 software to prepare LULC (Land use/Land cover) map of the investigated area for the years 1990, 2000, 2010, 2018. The Cuttack City spreads over about 45.205 sq. Km. It has been observed that 46.75% growth of built-up has been made from 1990 to 2018. Similarly, vegetation cover and water bodies have been reduced by 35.71% and 68.60%, respectively, from 1990 to 2018. Relative Shannon’s entropy method was used to quantify the pattern of urban growth of Cuttack City. The entire study area is classified into 37 zones to depict the growth pattern of every nook and corner of the city from 1990 to 2018.
Megafloristics and palynology of a fossiliferous section near Kumunda Village, Angul district, Talcher Basin, Odisha have been studied. The exposure is located at 20°58
′
32
″
N latitude and 85°01
′
...45
″
E longitude. The megafloral assemblage of the investigated section comprises
Glossopteris
,
Vertebraria indica
(Glossopteridales);
Trizygia speciosa
(Sphenophyllales);
Schizoneura gondwanensis
, Equicetaceous stems (Equisetales) and
Neomariopteris hughesii
(Filicales) along with stem casts. The genus
Glossopteris
dominates the assemblage with 20 different species and more than 60% in occurrence. The specimens are preserved as both impressions and compressions on compact, fine-grained carbonaceous shales. In addition, two distinct palynofloral assemblages have been recognized in this section. Palynoassemblage-I is characterized by the predominance of
Striatopodocarpites
spp. and
Faunipollenites
spp., while Palynoassemblage-II is dominated by
Striatopodocarpites
spp. and
Faunipollenites
spp. along with
Densipollenites
spp. The Palynoassemblages I and II correlate with
Striatopodocarpites
-
Faunipollenites
assemblage zone and
Striatopodocarpites
-
Densipollenites
assemblage zone respectively of the Late Permian Raniganj Formation in the Damodar Basin. The presence of key species viz.,
Densipollenites magnicorpus
,
Falcisporites nuthallensis
,
Strotersporites
spp.,
Lunatisporites pellucidus
,
Guttulapollenites hannonicus
,
Corisaccites alutus
,
Weylandites lucifer
and
Hamiapollenites bifurcates
in these palynoassemblages assign their affinity to the Late Permian. The present palynological investigations have identified the presence of Raniganj/Lower Kamthi (Late Permian) sediments exposed near Kumunda village, which is lithologically designated as Barakar Formation (Early Permian). Hence a precise and more thorough sampling for palynological studies and detailed geological mapping of this area should be attempted to delimit more accurately the distribution of the different Lower Gondwana formations in this investigated area of this basin. The rich diversity of
Glossopteris
leaves in the fine sediments infers seasonal falling and favourable conditions for plant growth with warm, humid (very high), temperate climate with intermittent rainfall during this period in Talcher Basin.
The Ib River Basin, situated in the south-eastern part of the Mahanadi Master Basin, has always been in focus for its record of well-diversified Lower Gondwana plant mega fossils. A good number of ...plant mega fossils has been collected from a newly constructed road section near Himgir Village, Sundargarh District, Ib River Basin, Odisha, India (21°45′ 47″ N Latitude and 83° 42′ 28″ E Longitude). The collection of plant fossils from this locality represents the dominance of highly diversified
Glossopteris
genus (46 taxa) during the Late Permian time (Lopingian epoch). Altogether 46 species of genus
Glossopteris
were reported from two fossiliferous layers of the same ferruginous red shale bed. The majority of broad mesh form
Glossopteris
species along with few narrow and medium mesh forms, petiolate leaves and
Glossopteris
with thick midrib were reported from the upper floral zone, while the lower floral zone was dominated by narrow and medium mesh form species and leaves with thin midrib. A marked floral change has been noticed in these two fossiliferous horizons of this section, demonstrating the existence of two different floral zones in the rocks of Lower Kamthi Formation. The upper floral zone is assigned to the Changhsingian age, while the lower floral zone is of Wuchiapingian age. The existence of Late Permian floras, the absence of typical Triassic flora (
Dicroidium
flora) in the present fossil assemblage and the lithology of the area (covered by fossiliferous ferruginous red shale, ferruginous red sandstone, yellowish shale and pebbly conglomerate) demonstrate that the exposure belongs to the Lower Kamthi Formation. The presence of well-diversified fossil assemblage represents a thick swampy dense and deciduous forest of
Glossopteris
. The different morphological characteristics of plant fossils depict a warm, humid and temperate climate with intermittent rainfall and adequate light intensity at the time of deposition.
