Annual Report 2011-2012 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

EBIRBAL SAHNI INSTITUT
1946
OF PALAEOBOTANY
Annual Report 2011-2012
Project 12.2:
Developing and combining physical, geophysical and geochemical methods to make a
comparative study of Late Quaternary climate recorded in lake sediments/ deposits
from Himalayan regions
Use has been made of radiocarbon dating in
studying a number of sediment and charcoal samples of
several Himalayan areas. The data bank on dates for
sediments from Himalayan region, including north-east
(Phubla, Loktak, Manipur; Manipur- Nagaland border),
Nachiketa and Mardunga in Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) has
been further enhanced, supplemented with more C/N data
for palaeoclimatic studies and analysed. Published on the
applicability of the radiocarbon method to samples from
high altitude areas of Spituk-Leh section in Ladakh along
the river Indus and Seko-Nasung section in the Spiti River
Valley. The study highlighted the care needed in sample
selection and interpretation while dealing with samples
from carbonate-rich surroundings. Based on radiocarbon
dates on Indian materials of archaeological significance,
an analysis and overview of ancient cultures in the
northern India is carried out and finalized. The analysis
reflects the emerging opinion regarding greater antiquity
for Indian cultural sites than usually believed. The
radiocarbon dating is also carried out on a number of other
samples of archaeological/ palaeoclimatic significance
from Himalayan region along with background and
standard measurements. Procurement of various essential
chemicals, materials and parts is processed.
C.M. Nautiyal
Thrust Area:
POLAR AND MAJOR PLANETARY EVENTS (Polar research and record of
events such as Tsunamis, Earthquakes and Volcanism)
Arctic-Antarctic Research Cell
Project 13.1:
Quaternary climatic history of Schirmacher and Larsemann Oasis (East Antarctica),
Ny Alesund Area (Svalbard, Norway) and surrounding ocean: A multi-proxy approach
based on polar lake sediments
Visited Ny-Alesund, Arctic region for field related
studies during mid July- early August. Three broad
categories were identified for the present work: i)
aeropalynological studies, ii) collection of sub-surface
sediments from new profiles, and iii) collection of pollen
from the flowers. For aeropalynological studies, as in the
previous years, the dispersed air-borne palynomorphs
have been monitored to develop the pollen calendar and
to have an idea about the deposition of pollen in the modern
sediments. The data for the previous expeditions are also
being compared.
Sub-surface sediment samples have been collected
from two new localities identified during the previous visits.
Pit No. 5 (150 cm depth) is dug till the permafrost layer
within the moraines near the Stybekken glacial stream.
The trial trench is very interesting having varied lithological
intercalations such as sand, silt, clay, peat and shells after
90 cm depth. Samples are collected at 5cm intervals for
palynological studies and dating ( 14 C & OSL). Pit No. 6
(95 cm depth) is dug on the moraine deposit north of
Vestrebrogger Glacier near the Italian weather station
and NERC research plot. The trench mostly has sand
and clay intercalations with accompanying grits. Beyond
95 cm it was not possible to dig as coarse grained morainic
boulders are encountered. Samples are collected at 5 cm
intervals for palynological studies and dating.
One major aspect of the work involves the collection
of polleniferous material from the flowers to prepare the
pollen atlas of Svalbard region. Last year we had visited
during July, and were just in time to observe the flowers
and by mid July most of the plants began to dry up.
Therefore, we wanted to update our data and had asked
for a June slot. But since we were given a mid July-early
August slot instead, so by the time we reached there most
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