This study aims to identify subsurface fault structures and sedimentary basin configurations in Northwestern Java using gradient-derivative analysis and gravity inversion of Global Gravity Model Plus (GGMPlus) satellite data, supplemented by terrain correction from SRTM2Gravity. Disturbance data are corrected by modern terrain correction to obtain complete Bouguer anomalies, which are subsequently separated into regional and residual components. Total horizontal derivative (THDR), vertical derivative (VDR), and tilt derivative (TDR) analyses are used to define edge boundaries that represent the presence of fault structures. Furthermore, 3D inversion modeling is performed using a regularized least-squares approach to obtain the distribution of the rock density contrast. The results of the complete Bouguer anomaly calculation range from −22 to 111 mGal. Low anomalies are observed in the north-eastern part of the study area, covering Karawang, Bekasi, and Jakarta, which correlate with the presence of sedimentary basins. In contrast, higher gravity anomalies dominate the southern part, particularly within the Bogor Zone, which is characterized by mountainous and plateau morphology. Edge-detection analysis combined with 3D inversion of residual gravity anomalies delineates a structural fault interpreted as the Baribis Fault beneath Karawang and Jakarta. The Baribis Fault exhibits a northwest–southeast orientation in Karawang and a southwest–northeast orientation in Jakarta, extending across densely populated areas and providing geophysical evidence for its lateral continuity, thereby highlighting its importance for regional seismic hazard assessment.
Climate change poses a serious threat to urban environments worldwide, particularly in the arid plateau regions. Thus, it is essential to investigate the effect of urban heat islands (UHIs) and prepare a heat mitigation plan for these sensitive regions. In this study, the InVEST-urban cooling model (UCM) was employed to prepare an urban heat mitigation plan using green space augmentation in Jhansi, a city in the Bundelkhand Plateau of India. The InVEST-UCM comprehensively estimates urban cooling capacity based on variables such as tree shade, evapotranspiration, and albedo. Furthermore, the scenario analyses were incorporated based on the land use/land cover (LULC) modifications at 5% and 10% augmentations. The mean air temperature exhibits marginal variation; the mean cooling capacity (CC) notably increased from 0.266 in 2022 to 0.304 in 2028. The approach could assist researchers and policymakers in forming appropriate measures to tackle the UHI effect in growing cities in arid plateau regions.
In this study, natural clay deposits from the localities of Gassa and Zokok (northern Cameroon) were collected and studied to determine their physical, chemical, mineralogical and thermal characteristics, with the aim of assessing their potential suitability as raw materials in various ceramic applications. Fifteen samples were taken from stratigraphic layers in six wells, then mixed proportionally by well for laboratory analysis. The physical properties were identified by particle size distribution, Atterberg limits, methylene blue and free swelling index. The chemical, mineralogical and thermal properties were determined by XRF, XRD, SEM and TG/DTA techniques, respectively. In order to evaluate their ceramic behavior, the samples were fired at temperatures between 750 and 1000°C. Firing characteristics were determined by water absorption, bulk density, flexural strength and compressive strength. The results show that the soils studied are plastic to highly plastic with a high swelling rate and are classified as A-7-6 soils according to the AASHTO classification. The main oxides present in the samples are SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃, while other oxides are present only in small quantities. The mineral phases present are: illite, smectite, kaolinite, quartz, calcite, hematite, goethite and feldspars. Based on the results of the properties after firing, the characteristics of the bricks are varied: water absorption (11.7–14.2%), flexural strength (1.3–20.9 Mpa) and compressive strength (8.6 and 17.6 MPa). In both locations, firing temperatures of 900 and 1000°C produce clay bricks with acceptable properties (water absorption rate below 25%, flexural strength above 7 MPa, and compressive strength above 2.5 MPa). However, increasing the temperature to 1000°C results in greater densification of the ceramic products. The results indicate that these clay materials are suitable for manufacturing ceramic products that meet key performance thresholds for structural applications. Fired bricks appear to be an alternative that could solve the problem of the durability of local materials (unfired bricks) and the high cost of imported products (cement, tiles, etc.).
The Mishan Formation (Aquitanian–Burdigalian) of the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt is critical for understanding Miocene carbonate platform evolution and hydrocarbon prospectivity, yet previous age models carried uncertainties of ±1.0 Ma, insufficient for correlation to short-lived climatic events such as the Mi-1b glaciation. This study integrates gastropod biostratigraphy, redox geochemistry, and high-precision ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr chronostratigraphy from the Kuh-e Khush section. Analysis of gastropod specimens yielded two assemblage zones: a lower Ampullina-Natica zone and an upper Strombus-Ampullina zone, correlating to Operculina–Rotalia viennoti and Borelis melo curdica foraminiferal biozones (Wynd's zones 64–65). XRF-derived redox proxies reveal pronounced dysoxia–anoxia during transgressive systems tracts, coincident with maximum flooding surfaces. SEM-EDS confirmed primary aragonite in gastropod shells, validating Sr-isotope dating. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios from pristine shells produce ages of 20.1 ± 0.3 Ma at the base to 17.2 ± 0.3 Ma at the top, reducing age uncertainty by 70% (±1.0 Ma to ±0.3 Ma). The Aquitanian–Burdigalian boundary is placed at 18.7 ± 0.2 Ma, marked by a Sr-isotope shift and faunal turnover. Multiple sequence boundaries correlate with global eustatic curves. This integrated framework demonstrates that gastropod biostratigraphy, when validated by rigorous diagenetic screening, provides a reliable complement to foraminiferal zonations. The redox-constrained sequence stratigraphy establishes a causal link between transgressive systems tracts and oxygen depletion in carbonate ramp settings, with implications for predicting organic-rich source intervals. The methodological template is reproducible and applicable to other poorly constrained Tethyan carbonate successions. This refined chronostratigraphic framework enables robust correlation with global Miocene events and has direct applications to hydrocarbon exploration in the Zagros Basin.
Rapid urban expansion and associated anthropogenic pressures in Lagos State have intensified concerns about deteriorating air quality in recent decades. However, the long-term spatiotemporal behaviour of atmospheric trace gases and the extent to which meteorological conditions regulate their variability remain insufficiently understood. This study examined the spatiotemporal dynamics of CO, CH₄, and NO₂ using Sentinel-5P TROPOMI Level-3 observations spanning 2018 to 2025, and quantified their relationships with temperature, precipitation, and wind speed. Temporal trends and pollutant–meteorological linkages were assessed using the Mann–Kendall test, multiple linear regression, and Granger causality to evaluate atmospheric dynamics and meteorological controls. The results showed that mean tropospheric NO₂ column burden ranged from approximately 1.4 × 10³ to 3.4 × 10⁴ mol·m⁻², with persistently high levels observed in Apapa, Amuwo Odofin, and Alimosho LGAs, corresponding to areas of intense industrial and transport activity. CO column burden showed a similar pattern, with mean values ranging from 8.7 × 10⁵ to 6.1 × 10⁷ mol/m², while CH₄ mixing ratios varied between 1,900 and 1,960 mol/mol¹, indicating a weak upward trend in the northern and central LGAs. Regression analyses indicated that temperature exerted a strong positive influence on NO₂ (β ≈ 869.3; p < 0.001) and CO (β ≈ 5.12 × 10⁵; p < 0.001), whereas precipitation (β ≈ –0.24 to –195.6; p < 0.001) and wind speed (β ≈ –3.5 × 10³ to –2.9 × 10⁵; p < 0.05) had significant negative effects. Granger causality tests confirmed that wind speed was found to Granger-cause CO and NO₂ (p < 0.001), indicating statistically significant predictive influence rather than direct physical causation. The findings of this study suggest the need for strengthened air quality management and sustainable urban planning strategies to mitigate pollution risks and protect public health.
Early Permian paleogeography within the Gondwana Basins remains debated, particularly with respect to paleoclimatic and paleodepositional aspects. The Barakar Formation (lower Permian) of the West Bokaro Basin, India, represents a key Lower Gondwana succession, preserving an important record of sedimentation during post-glacial warm paleoclimatic evolution. Marine influences during deposition of the Barakar Formation, as evident from the sedimentary facies (tide-wave influences) and marine fossils, various geochemical proxies are used in this paper to confirm the potential marine influence. The present study involves geochemical analysis of the siliciclastic rocks (sandstone, shale and sandstone-mudstone heterolith; total 33 samples) of the Barakar Formation to assess provenance, paleoclimate, paleoredox conditions, and the paleodepositional environment within the prevalent tectono-sedimentary framework.Based on geochemical signatures (ratios of different trace elements), the rocks point to a predominantly felsic provenance; most likely derived from granite–granodiorite sources of the Proterozoic Chhotanagpur Gneissic Complex within the adjacent Singhbhum cratonic block. High values for Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and the ratios of various major element oxides and trace elements point to intense chemical weathering under a predominant warm and humid climatic condition, which is further supported by proxies such as WIP, A-CN-K and MWRF plots. Redox-sensitive trace element systematics (e.g., V/Ni, V/(V + Ni), Cu/Zn, Ce/Ce*, etc.) indicate oxic–dysoxic conditions for sandstones and dysoxic–anoxic conditions for shales, suggesting fluctuating bottom-water oxygenation during deposition. The values of V/(V + Ni) and the ratios of the major element oxides indicate a continental–marine transitional setting, affirming the events of episodic marine incursions. Tectonic discrimination diagrams further suggest sedimentation in a passive riftogenic setting, characterisitic of the Gondwana basins.Collectively, these findings provide revised constraints on sediment source, paleoweathering intensity, and basin evolution, with supportive evidence for marine influence, which contribute to a better understanding of the Early Permian post-glacial paleogeographic transition within the Gondwana supercontinent.
This study investigates the chemical interactions between irrigation water quality and adjacent soils across five agricultural zones in Northern Ghana: Bolgatanga, Duru, Gotinga, Libga, and Pong Tamale, over 20 years from 2000 to 2025. A total of 23 physicochemical parameters, including pH, EC, NO₃⁻, Na⁺, heavy metals, and salinity indices, were analyzed in soil and water samples using standardized laboratory protocols. Statistical analyses, such as Spearman correlation, Welch’s t-test, delta and volcano plots, were employed alongside Linear Mixed Effects Models (LMM) to assess temporal and spatial dynamics. Results show progressive accumulation of EC, NO₃⁻, and Na⁺ in soils, driven by irrigation practices and fertiliser use. EC and Na⁺ demonstrated strong water-soil linkages, while nutrients like PO₄³⁻ and Mg²⁺ showed weak correlations due to complex soil retention dynamics. LMMs revealed significant effects of water quality and time on soil parameters, with EC, NO₃⁻, and Pb emerging as key indicators of degradation. The findings underscore the need for site-specific irrigation management, improved drainage, and continuous monitoring to sustain soil health. This study offers a robust, multivariate framework for understanding soil-water interactions under long-term irrigation, providing valuable insights for sustainable agricultural practices in semi-arid regions.
Intracratonic seismicity is often focused along inherited Precambrian structures, where the slip rates are generally low (<1 mm/yr) but sufficient to generate significant seismic hazard with recurrence intervals of 10³ to 10⁵ years. The Central Indian Craton and its vicinity are characterized by slow tectonic readjustments occurring within a mechanically heterogeneous cratonic crust. Recent studies observed morphometric anomalies, structural reactivation, and regional seismicity imply possible neotectonic rejuvenation in the region. We investigate the present-day landscape evolution within 5 sub-basins of Ken River Basin of Central Indian Craton using RIAT and InSAR techniques. Morphometric analysis reveals spatial variability in basin asymmetry, transverse topographic symmetry, and hypsometric characteristics, indicating differential geomorphic maturity and localized disequilibrium across the study region. Longitudinal river profiles, together with stream-length gradient (SL) and steepness (ksn) indices, identify knickpoints and anomalous steepness zones that correspond with mapped faults and lithological boundaries, suggesting structural control on channel incision. InSAR-derived deformation patterns show heterogeneous surface movement, with localized uplift and subsidence aligned along structural trends, supporting ongoing crustal adjustment. Field observations further validate these results. The combined evidence indicates localized neotectonic activity influencing drainage evolution and landscape development in the Ken River Basin.
Coastal regions worldwide urgently require robust strategies to strengthen resilience against climate change. This study introduces an innovative framework that integrates the composite vulnerability index (CVI) with a strength-weakness-opportunity-threat (SWOT) analysis, effectively bridging the gap between quantitative vulnerability assessment and actionable planning. The framework systematically translates multi-dimensional vulnerability scores into prioritized SWOT components, supported by observational data, enabling evidence-based stakeholder engagement in decision-making under climate uncertainty. We apply the framework on the north coast of Bekasi Regency, Indonesia, a low-lying coastal area severely threatened by sea-level rise (SLR), land subsidence, and rapid urbanization. The analysis quantified coastal vulnerability under multiple SLR scenarios and derived a strategic profile highlighting significant threats and weaknesses. The analysis revealed slightly higher threats (T = –0.03) and strong weaknesses (W = –0.63), suggesting a defensive and survival-oriented strategic approach. Priorities include reducing weaknesses, such as high-density settlements in hazard-prone zones, and mitigating threats like uncontrolled land-use change through adaptive and defensive measures. This replicable CVI–SWOT framework provides a clear way to transform complex vulnerability data into actionable strategies, offering practical guidance for coastal management and stakeholders.
Confined aquifers in Semarang City, hosted within the Quaternary Formation and faulted zones, are exposed to significant hydraulic pressure, resulting in notable ground deformation. This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms of land subsidence and assess the geological factors influencing its progression. Multi-temporal ground deformation data between 2015 and 2025 were retrieved from Sentinel-1 imagery using the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) technique, employing an integrated processing workflow based on HyP3 and MintPy platforms. The findings revealed pronounced land subsidence, with rates that reached up to 15 cm/year, particularly in the northern coastal area of Semarang and extended toward Demak. Higher subsidence rates can be observed in horst zones compared to graben zones. Further, burial structures trending NEE–SWW may delineate both land subsidence zones. Thus, faulting of deep aquifers can control land subsidence as a feature shaped by back-arc basin tectonics in Java, Indonesia.
This paper assesses the possibility of in-situ CO2 mineralization in the Oligocene-Holocene basalt lava fields in the Arabian Peninsula. We consider the application of two methods: the injection of CO2 dissolved in water (Carbfix method) and the injection of supercritical CO2. Both methods require thick water-saturated basalt aquifers exceeding 400 m and 800 m in thickness, respectively. A total of 23 basalt fields were mapped and evaluated for CO2 disposal by either method. The basalt fields are distinguished into an older (30-14 Ma) generation of dissected fields, forming mesas above the Arabian Plateau, and a younger (14-0 Ma) generation of relatively uneroded fields. Most consist of unaltered basalts, which locally exhibit natural carbonation by calcite precipitation in fractures. The volcanic fields were fed by monogenetic volcanoes along four major trends, which vary from NNW to ENE. The thickness of each lava field and its groundwater aquifer height were estimated based on its geologic and topographic setting using a digital elevation model.This study found that most of the lava fields are not suitable for CO2 disposal because the basalts are either too thin or are located higher than the groundwater table. However, there are areas in Harrat Rahat and the Yemen Traps that contain sufficient basalt thickness and groundwater aquifers for CO2 mineralization.This study presents an approach for evaluating CO2 disposal potential on basalt fields in desert regions. Results are expected to facilitate industrial-scale CO2 disposal in the volcanic fields of the Arabian Peninsula and elsewhere.
This article examines the natural and human-induced activities behind coastal erosion and land submersion. It critically evaluates their environmental and socioeconomic impacts, discusses mitigation approaches, and identifies future research directions. Coastal erosion results from a complex interplay of natural, anthropogenic, and combined factors. Natural drivers such as wave dynamics, storm surges, and sea level rise, along with anthropogenic factors like urbanization, sand mining, and dam construction, significantly disrupt the sediment balance. In addition, the combined impact of reduced sediment supply and rising sea levels resulting from climate change further intensifies the rate of coastal degradation. Land subsidence is the gradual or sudden sinking of the Earth’s surface resulting from anthropogenic activities such as excessive groundwater pumping and hydrocarbon exploitation, along with natural/geological processes. Coastal subsidence increases the risk of land submersion by allowing water to more easily inundate the lowered terrain. Monitoring and surveying techniques are diagnostic tools used to identify coastal erosion and land submersion, and to determine mitigation strategies, such as engineering design. Coastal erosion and land submersion processes severely threaten the natural environment (biodiversity and livelihoods) and human populations by degrading coastal ecosystems and infrastructure. These changes lead to ecosystem loss, a decline in marine biodiversity, and significant socioeconomic impacts on local communities. Engineering structures, environmental solutions, and policy-based approaches can be powerful defenses against coastal erosion and land submersion. Through adaptive design and sustainable practices, these approaches reduce erosion impacts while ensuring lasting protection and readiness for future coastal transformations. Advancements in geospatial technologies, predictive models, and innovative coastal defenses enhance the monitoring and provide information to direct coastal management practices. Interdisciplinary collaboration and nature-based solutions are crucial for addressing knowledge gaps and ensuring sustainable, adaptive coastal management strategies.
Characterizing complex carbonate reservoirs in tectonically active regions like the Kirkuk oilfield, Iraq, is challenging due to pronounced heterogeneity driven by both depositional facies and structural deformation. This study develops an integrated geostatistical-fractal workflow to enhance reservoir characterization, leveraging data from 76 wells. To overcome the smoothing effect of Ordinary Kriging and inadequate fracture modeling in conventional approaches, Sequential Gaussian Simulation (SGS) was implemented with anisotropic variograms. These anisotropic variograms yielded principal spatial correlation ranges: 1280 m for porosity (NW-SE), 2774 m for thickness (NW-SE), and 1097 m for water saturation (NW-SE), with shorter perpendicular ranges reflecting structural control, and anisotropy ratios of 1.2:1, 1.8:1, and 1.2:1 respectively. Fractal number-size analysis identified power-law scaling behavior and established critical reservoir quality thresholds at 20% porosity and 37% water saturation. Results quantify the northern sector's superior quality, with porosity reaching 18.2% and thickness peaking at 12 m, contrasting with elevated water saturation (47%) in the south. A lithology-informed multiplicative index delineated the pay-zone with 80% confidence, reducing reservoir volume by 12% while increasing average hydrocarbon saturation to 65%. Volumetric calculations confirmed 50.4 million m³ of reservoir rock and 24.3 million barrels of in-place oil. SGS demonstrated superior performance, reducing porosity RMSE from 1.9% to 1.5% and better preserving thickness extremes. The framework provides a replicable approach for optimizing development in complex carbonate reservoirs.
The hinterland of Bandar Abbas within the Zagros orogenic belt is investigated as a natural laboratory for exploring the interplay between folding styles, hydrocarbon trap evolution, and geoenvironmental hazards. A GeoCognitive workflow, integrating high-resolution isopach mapping, seismic attribute fusion, unsupervised machine learning, and sandbox analogue modeling, has been developed to quantify how salt-related deformation and basement fault reactivation govern trap geometry, compartmentalization, and sealing integrity. Unlike most previous regional studies that relied on qualitative seismic interpretation or basic thickness contouring, the present approach captures subtle depocenters, accommodation zones, and stratigraphic compartmentalization with unprecedented resolution. Furthermore, where earlier research has often depicted salt tectonics as a passive background process, the results demonstrate its proactive role through halokinetic pulsation, mini-basin formation, and syn-depositional folding, which dynamically shape both reservoir distribution and environmental vulnerability. This study shows that the same tectonic processes responsible for hydrocarbon accumulation simultaneously create geoenvironmental risks, including fluid leakage along reactivated faults, groundwater contamination through hydraulically connected aquifers, and localized induced seismicity during production. While machine learning and sandbox models have been applied in global analogs such as the North Sea and the Santos Basin, no integrated, uncertainty-aware GeoCognitive framework has previously been implemented for the Zagros. By harmonizing digital analytics with analogue validation, this research not only advances predictive accuracy in hydrocarbon assessment but also embeds hazard awareness, establishing a transferable, hazard-aware paradigm for sustainable subsurface management in salt-influenced fold-and-thrust belts worldwide.
Retrogressive landslides develop through progressive upslope retreat and long-term deformation, producing hazards to infrastructure, communities, and river systems. Vegetation is widely recognized as a stabilizing factor in shallow landslides, but its influence on deep-seated retrogressive landslides remains unclear due to limited empirical evidence. Multi-temporal UAV-LiDAR monitoring was applied to the Kalisari landslide, Central Java, Indonesia, which comprises a non-vegetated southern sector and a vegetated northern sector. Annual LiDAR surveys from 2020 to 2025 were analysed to quantify displacement, volumetric change, and displacement direction. Results show that both sectors remained active and vegetation had little influence on deformation behaviour. Volumetric analysis showed lower net material loss in the vegetated sector, suggesting that vegetation reduced sediment export by retaining displaced debris. These findings indicate that vegetation cannot prevent retrogressive landslide deformation but may help to moderate downstream consequences such as channel infilling or reservoir siltation. For hazard management, the results highlight the importance of integrating vegetation management with engineering measures to mitigate landslide risk.
This study examines the geoelectric properties of aquifer systems in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, to assess vulnerability and hydrological connectivity in a coastal environment challenged by saltwater intrusion and fluctuating recharge–discharge dynamics. The objective is to determine how resistivity inversion, subsurface variability, and geoelectric indices can be applied to quantify aquifer protection and exposure to surface water influence. vertical electrical sounding (VES) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) were combined with the VES attendant curve amplitude and percentage thickening analyses to characterize aquifer depth, thickness, and resistivity across different layers. Aquifer depths ranged from 0.6 to 104.3 m, while resistivity values in unconfined freshwater aquifers varied between 35.4 and 104.3 Ωm. Coastal areas such as Oron, Eket, and Ikot Abasi showed pronounced saltwater intrusion, reducing both resistivity and usable aquifer thickness. Recharge inflow accounted for 56% against 44% discharge outflow, highlighting the dynamic interaction between rivers and aquifers in maintaining hydrological balance, while additional parameters including formation factor, porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and transmissivity further emphasized the spatial variability of groundwater flow and extraction potential. A tuned extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model was applied to assess aquifer vulnerability, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve produced a perfect training AUC of 1.00 and a robust test AUC of 0.875, demonstrating high classification accuracy and generalization. The confusion matrix recorded six correct predictions out of eight (accuracy = 0.75), with precision, recall, specificity, and F1-score each attaining 0.75, thereby confirming consistent identification of vulnerable aquifers with minimal misclassification of protected ones. Hydrogeologically, high amplitude values corresponded to protective clay overburden, whereas reduced percentage thickening indicated weaker barriers, greater connectivity with surface channels, and increased contamination risk. The innovation of this work lies in the integration of geoelectric curve amplitude and percentage thickening indices with machine learning performance evaluation, and by validating these indices through statistical performance metrics rather than qualitative interpretation alone, the study establishes them as reliable proxies for aquifer vulnerability and hydrological connectivity. The findings provide a scientific foundation for groundwater protection, sustainable abstraction, and long-term aquifer management in hydrologically sensitive coastal regions.
Sediment yield is a key indicator of landscape evolution, soil degradation, and hydrological functioning, particularly in semiarid regions marked by climatic variability and environmental vulnerability. Despite advances in erosion and sediment transport studies, no global bibliometric synthesis dedicated to sediment yield in semiarid environments has been conducted. This study presents a systematic bibliometric analysis of 8257 peer-reviewed articles published between 1930 and 2024, retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. Using the Bibliometrix package in R, we examined publication trends, keyword co-occurrence, authorship and institutional networks, and the geographic distribution of research output. Results show exponential growth since 2010, with China, the United States, and Brazil as leading contributors, while low-income semiarid regions remain underrepresented. The main research fronts include sediment connectivity, land-use impacts, check-dam efficiency, reservoir siltation, and climate-driven sediment dynamics. Three conceptual advances are proposed: (i) a thematic framework linking hydroclimatic, methodological, ecological, and management domains; (ii) a geographic imbalance hypothesis, suggesting that productivity depends more on institutional capacity than environmental risk; and (iii) a thematic maturity index to identify emerging or neglected topics. These contributions provide a roadmap for inclusive, interdisciplinary research and sustainable watershed management in semiarid landscapes.
Mineral prospectivity mapping is a critical tool for delineating exploration targets by identifying areas with a high probability of hosting mineral deposits. This study conducts a comparative analysis of two ensemble machine learning algorithms i.e. random forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) for gold prospectivity mapping in the eastern part of the Mahakoshal Fold Belt, a significant orogenic gold province in central India. A knowledge-guided feature engineering approach was employed, generating 24 integrated evidential layers from geological, geochemical, geophysical (aeromagnetic and ground gravity) and structural datasets. The results demonstrate that both models achieved high predictive performance, with XGBoost slightly outperforming RF in classification metrics (Area Under Curve of 0.9736 vs. 0.9673). However, feature importance analysis revealed critical differences in how the models leverage input data. The RF model effectively recognized the significance of diverse data types, assigning high importance to aeromagnetic analytical signals, gravity derivatives and geochemical factor scores, which aligns with the known geological controls on gold mineralization. In contrast, XGBoost prioritized aeromagnetic and structural features (e.g., quartz veins, lineaments) but underestimated the significance of the gravity and geochemical datasets. Consequently, despite its marginally superior metrics, the RF model is deemed more geologically reliable and interpretable for this specific case. The prospectivity map generated by RF successfully delineates known gold occurrences and identifies new high-probability zones in the eastern part of the area providing valuable targets for future exploration. This study underscores that model selection for the Mineral Prospectivity Map should not be based solely on predictive accuracy but must also consider the geological plausibility of the model's feature interpretation.
High concentration of particulate matters (PM) has a negative impact on human health. Many studies focus on quantification of road side personal exposure and daily inhalation doses of fine PM < 2.5 µm (PM2.5). However, personal exposure to roadside PM2.5 is poorly documented in developing countries like India. Present research measured roadside personal PM exposure at a typical human breathing height on three pre-planned routes (bus, car, and bike) using systematic mobile monitoring. Measurements were carried out during weekday morning peak (WDM), weekday evening peak (WDE), weekend morning peak (WEM), and weekend evening peak (WEE) hours in a typical Indian town as Midnapore, west Bengal. This study also seeks to determine the significance of the difference in PM concentration and respiratory deposition doses (RDD) between town centre (CT) and town's outskirts (OT). The mean concentration of PM2.5 on bus routes were 78 ± 10 μg/m3 and 74 ± 18 μg/m3 for morning and evening on weekdays. However, on weekend, the mean concentration of PM2.5 was 77 ± 8 μg/m3 and 69 ± 20 μg/m3 for morning and evening peak times. The average concentrations of PM2.5 trailed the following pattern: bus > car > bike during morning hours. Conversely, due to marketing rush hours, mean concentrations of PM2.5 on car routes was often higher than those on bus and bike routes. RDD for bus route was always higher during weekday morning (23.2 ±3 .0 µg/h) and weekend morning (22.9 ± 2.4 µg/h) than other routes. The post-hoc ANOVA test demonstrates that PM concentration and RDD values differ considerably from CT to OT on weekdays.
This study discusses the distribution of clay minerals and their origins. Fieldwork was conducted in the semi-arid zone of Cameroon. Fifty-six (56) soil samples were collected and were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (IR), simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), laser granulometry, Atterberg limits and organic matter. Statistical interpretations were used to evaluate the spatial and vertical variation and factors affecting the distribution of minerals. The studied clayey materials present moderate organic matter content (2.64 ± 0.97%), and are yellowish brown to brownish yellow dominated by a loamy texture. The soil structure is polyhedral but becomes massive at the base of soil profiles with mean proportions of clay, silt and sand fractions respectively of 8 ± 3%, 62 ± 15% and 29 ± 17%. Non-clay minerals as quartz (57 ± 19%), potassium feldspar (13 ± 10%) and plagioclase (10 ± 11%) dominate the mineralogical content. Kaolinite (13 ± 8%), illite (3 ± 2%) and smectite (3 ± 4%) are clay minerals identified. Kaolinite might be formed from the weathering of feldspars in a warm and humid climate toward the lower latitude. In the higher latitudes, higher temperatures favour the leaching of silica and the transformation of 2/1 clay minerals into kaolinite. The abundance of primary minerals, reflects a low degree of weathering specific to the climatic conditions of the study area, characterized by low precipitation and high temperatures. Regarding clay mineral contents, significant differences are noted between sites. The high spatial variability observed in the mineral contents is consistent with the variable weathering conditions. No significant difference with depth regarding the mineral content was observed, testifying a homogeneous weathering factor and pedogenetic mechanisms. Clay mineral content and particle size <63 µm significantly impact the plasticity of the studied clayey materials with a contribution of 21 and 30% respectively. The textural composition is good to produce building materials, but grinding will be better for different optimization uses.
