Laboratories

Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA – CAMECA – SX-100) for quantification of element concentrations in minerals, WD spectra of minerals, and image profiling of elements of mineral.
X-ray Diffractometer (PANanlytical, X-Pert PRO) – for identification of different phases of minerals and compounds.
Inductively Coupled Plasma and Atomic Emission Spectrophotometer (ICP-AES-JOBIN YVON JY-70 Plus) – For determination of major, trace and rare earth elements.
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ELAN – DRC – E) for determination of major, trace and rare earth elements.
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS- Varian-880) with flame and graphite furnace- for determining of major and trace elements.
X-Ray Fluorescence Sequential Spectrometer (XRF- Siemens SRS – 3000) – for determination of major and trace elements in rocks/materials.
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM- Zeiss EVO 40 with EDAX attachment) – to study the surface morphology of microfossils, minerals and ore minerals.
Laser Raman Micro Probe – (Horiba Jobin Yvan – High Resolution) for identification polyatomic species in solid, liquid and gas phases, and for mineral and fluid studies.

 Seismological Laboratory

Central seismic laboratory of WIHG is at Dehradun where real time seismic data is collected from the remote seismic stations of NW Himalaya. The laboratory is well equipped with the computational facilities to achieve, process and interpret the seismic data in real time mode.

Seismic stations

Presently three seismic networks are in operation in NW Himalaya

Garhwal seismic Network
Kangara-Chamba Seismic network
Kinnaur Seismic network

GPS stations

There are several permanent GPS stations in the NW Himalaya to monitor geodynamic deformations.

Microzonation

Earthquake risk mitigation is performed for different cities by local site conditions using two methods

Multi channel analysis of the shear wave (MASW)
Nakamura technique. Microzonation studies have been carried out at Dehradun, Delhi, Chandigarh and Jammu cities.

MPGO

The MPGO is designed to study the earthquake precursors in an integrated manner. The MPGO is equipped with Overhauser magnetometer, tri-axial fluxgate magnetometer, magnetotelluric, SG, ULF-band induction coil magnetometer, radon data-logger, water-level recorders and is backed by the dense network of broad-band seismometers (BBS) and Global Positioning System (GPS).

Magnetotelluric (MT)

Magnetotellurics (MT) is a natural-source, electromagnetic geophysical method of imaging structures below the earth’s surface. These naturally occurring electromagnetic signals induce currents inside the Earth. Simultaneous measurement of electric field and magnetic field time variation at the surface of earth allow estimation of resistivity with depth. Depth of penetration of EM signal is inversely related with the frequency of EM. WIHG is having two broad band MT for imaging lower and upper crustal structures and four LMT (Long period magnetotelluric) for imaging full thickness of lithosphere.

HIMSELP

Himalaya School Earthquake Laboratory program (HIMSELP) has been carried out in 58 schools of northern India to provide awareness and training for school children.

GPS LABORATORY


Microscopy and Image Processing Lab

Various Stereo- Binocular Microscopes
Image Analysis Systems

Micropaleontology Lab

Acid Digestion Chamber
Wet Sieving and Oven drying facility

Palynology Lab

Distillation plant
Palynological Microscopes with image analysis system attachments

Vertebrate Paleontology Lab

Air blast and Pneumatic tools

Microscopes and Instrumentation laboratory

Polarizing Microscopes
Laser Particle Size Analyzer

Wet Processing Laboratory

Vibratory sieve shakers
Clay mineral slide preparation
Loss on ignition and insoluble residue determination, Centrifuge unit
Distilled water plant
Fume chamber 

Thermo-luminescence and OSL Dating Laboratory

Dark Room for sample preparation
Three Riso TL-OSL DA-20 systems for luminescence dating

Palaeomagnetism Laboratory

Alternating Field Demagnetizer (AFD)
KLY/3S Magnetic Susceptibility Bridge
JR6/A Spinner Magnetometer
Mospin Mini Spinner Magnetometer
Isodynamic Separator

Remote Sensing Laboratory

The laboratory is equipped with the following:

Mirror Stereoscopes (for Air Photo interpretation)
Large Format Tracing facilities
Digital Image Processing facilities

Geotechnical Laboratory

Geotechnical Laboratory is equipped with basic instruments needed for the characterization of Index properties of soil and rocks required for the landslide studies, like Direct Shear Test Apparatus, Atterberg Limit Apparatus, Unconfined Compressive Strength Test Apparatus, Slake Durability Apparatus, Schmidt Hammer, Total Station and Apparatus for the measurement of P and S- wave velocity (ultrasonic velocity) of rocks in the laboratory under normal pressure and temperature.


Glaciology Laboratory

The lab is well equipped with instruments required for the glaciological studies and analysis of field data, particularly for mass balance, hydrology, glacial sediments snow/ice chemistry, ice flow and ice thickness measurements, etc. There is a field station at an altitude of 3800 m and data on various aspects of glacier studies is being collected round the year. The laboratory at WIHG is equipped with the following.

Electronic Distance Meter (EDM): used for topographic survey, stakes measurement for mass-balance studies and snout fluctuation.
Ground Penetrating Radar Survey (GPR): used for estimating the ice thickness of the glacier, bed rock topography and total snow accumulation/ablation in a budget year.
Sieve Shaker: used for grain size analyses of suspended sediments, moraines and supra, sub and englacial sediments.
Automatic Weather Station (AWS): Installed on the Chorabari glacier to collect meteorological data round the year.
Steam Drill Machine: used for stake networking ( drill duo to 12m) for mass balance and flow measurement.

Water Chemistry Lab

The Water Chemistry Laboratory is dedicated to snow and water chemistry for environmental studies, chemical weathering of rocks and water quality of surface and groundwater. The lab is equipped with the following instruments.

Ion chromatograph (Model Dx 500 of Dionex Corporation, USA) for the analysis of major ions in water
Ultrapure Water Purification System (Millipore)
Clean Bench
Spectrophotometer (LaMotte, USA)
Portable Water Analysis Kit for physical parameter such as temp., pH, Conductivity, TDS and DO (LaMotte, USA)
Instruments for Bacteriological Analysis (Total Coliform, E. Coli and S.Coli) from IDEXX, USA using Colilert

Structural Lab : Various Polarized Microscopes
Experimental Structural Lab : Biaxial-Uniaxial Press