An XFEM Model for Seismic Activity in Indian Plate

Empirical approaches based on the available earthquake catalog are popular among engineers to estimate seismic hazard. The seismic activity on individual faults inferred from these approaches is associated with a large number of uncertainties, especially due to lack of data. This article proposes a mechanistic approach to quantify seismic and fault activity, thereby overcoming the difficulties in the existing empirical procedure. A finite element (FE) model for Indian Plate, with the geological ‘cratons’ is developed and subject to plate driving forces namely, the ridge push and the slab pull forces. The material properties and the thickness of both plate and cratons are obtained through inversion using the recently available Global Positioning System (GPS) data. The tectonic faults are modeled using the well-known ‘extended FE method (XFEM)’. The simulated strains at fault level are compared with the computed strain rates from the earthquake catalog. Further, the procedure to quantify fault activity is demonstrated for Gujarat, India.     

Custom and the Courts: Ensuring Women's Rights to Land,Jharkhand, India

Based on field research in Dumka district, Jharkhand, this article examines the mechanisms through which women operationalize their rights to land. It questions the polarization of legitimation systems into statutory codes and customary practices, as operating independent of each other, and demonstrates the political and temporal situatedness of ‘law’, and the processes of hybridization that allow for the actualization of a legal right, by providing it social recognition and validity. The article explores the choice of different arenas by women for making their claims, with the choice of a particular arena depending not just on access and resource availability, but also on the women's social positionality.     

An Early Historic Assemblage Offshore of Godawaya,Sri Lanka: Evidence for Early Regional Seafaring in South Asia

Investigations in 2010 by an international team of maritime archaeologists yielded a concentration of artefacts identified here by the authors as the remains of a shipwreck off the southern coastal village of Godawaya, Sri Lanka. The major findings from this site include many quern stones, various types of ceramics, and glass ingots. The comparative study of the artefacts from the Godawaya site and terrestrial sites of Sri Lanka and India suggest that the ship might have originated from the southern part of the Indian subcontinent. Based on analysis of the artefacts and radiocarbon dating of wood fragments from the site, a broad date of 2nd BCE to 2nd centuries CE is assigned to the assemblage, placing it within the early historical period. Thus, this is the earliest known and as-yet investigated shipwreck in South Asia. The survey findings are discussed and the assemblage is contextualised within the present lack of evidence for early vessels and seafaring in the region.     

THE RETURN OF THE TIBETAN RED DEER

The Tibetan Red Deer(Cervus canadensis wallichi) is also called the Sikkim red deer and is pronounced "xiawa" in the Tibetan language.It is a special member of the red deer family and a unique species to the Tibet Autonomous Region.The Tibetan red deer was first discovered by scientists about 150 years ago.Because of its status in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora as being endangered,the Tibetan red deer was listed before the white-lipped deer,which is under first-level key     

第二轮修志要重视艺文志--兼评《惠州志·艺文卷》

《惠州志·艺文卷》是广东省出版的新编县市志中的第一本艺文志。关于艺文入志情况 ,笔者查阅了广东新编 1 8部县 (市 )志 ,① 艺文的内容主要见于文化编的文学艺术章节 (少数亦见科技章节 )和附录部分 ,书目所列大多是清以前的诗词和该县当代获奖的文艺 (或科技 )作品 ,仅有几