GS Paper: GS3-17.Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.

Why in the News?

A 500-kg piece of a Soviet spacecraft, part of the Kosmos 482 mission launched in 1972, is expected to crash back to Earth.

About Kosmos 482 Mission:

• Kosmos 482 was a Soviet space probe launched on March 31, 1972 as part of the Venera Program, aimed at exploring Venus.
• It was launched just four days after its twin mission, Venera 8, which successfully landed on Venus 117 days later.
• The mission’s goal was to:
  • Study Venus’s atmosphere and surface
  • Demonstrate technological and scientific superiority during the Cold War
• Kosmos 482 was equipped with instruments to measure:
  • Temperature, pressure, and wind speed
  • Atmospheric gases and rock composition
  • Capable of transmitting data back to Earth
• Venus was a target due to:
  • Speculation about life beneath its thick clouds
  • Its strategic importance in space exploration rivalry
• Under the broader Venera Program (1961–1984):
  • 28 missions were launched toward Venus
  • 13 probes entered the atmosphere
  • 10 probes landed, but could only function for 23 minutes to 2 hours due to harsh surface conditions

Why in the News?

New research suggests that understanding the “clumpiness” of matter, measured by Sigma-8 (S8) Tension, could unlock key insights into the universe’s structure and complexity.

What is S8?

• S8 is a measure used by scientists to understand the distribution of matter across the universe, indicating how “clumpy” or evenly spread out the matter (like galaxies, stars, and dark matter) is.
• High S8 tension means matter is clumped together in certain regions, while low S8 means it’s evenly distributed.
• Scientists use S8 to study matter, including dark matter, which is invisible but makes up most of the universe.
• The measurement of S8 helps explain how the universe fits together and has evolved since the Big Bang.
• Recently, conflicting measurements of S8 have caused confusion, raising questions about our understanding of the universe.

Implications for the ΛCDM Model:

• The ΛCDM model (Lambda Cold Dark Matter) is the standard model explaining the universe’s structure, suggesting it’s mainly composed of dark matter and dark energy.
• This model assumes that dark energy is causing the universe’s accelerating expansion.
• S8 discrepancies may challenge the ΛCDM model, indicating a potential gap in our understanding of dark energy or dark matter.
• Possible Implications:
  • Revised Theories: Scientists may need to adjust their model of the universe due to conflicting S8 values.
  • Re-thinking Dark Energy: If S8 measurements don’t align with predictions, dark energy might not behave as expected.
  • New Discoveries: The S8 tension could suggest undiscovered forces or particles influencing matter behavior.
  • Better Observations: Improved telescopes and surveys, like the Rubin Legacy Survey, may help clarify why S8 measurements conflict with predictions.

Why in the News?

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have successfully estimated the abundance of Helium in the Sun’s photosphere with precision for the first time.

About Helium in the Sun’s Photosphere:

• Helium is the second most abundant element in the Sun after Hydrogen and plays a key role in understanding solar composition, opacity, and energy transport.
• However, measuring its precise abundance in the Sun’s photosphere has been challenging due to the absence of observable Helium spectral lines in visible light.
• Traditionally, Helium abundance was estimated using indirect methods like extrapolating data from hotter stars, solar wind observations, and seismological studies of the Sun’s interior.
• These methods lacked direct photospheric observations, making the estimates less accurate.
• Accurate measurements of Helium are essential for modelling the Sun’s opacity and energy transport. This also has broader implications for understanding the composition of other stars.

Novel Method Recently Discovered:

• Researchers from the IIA introduced a novel method to directly estimate Helium abundance in the Sun’s photosphere.
• This technique uses spectral features from Magnesium (Mg) and Carbon (C), overcoming the challenge of no direct Helium spectral lines.
• Spectral lines from Mg, C, and hydrogenated molecules (MgH, CH, C2) were used to infer Helium abundance.
• Equivalent Width analyses and spectrum synthesis techniques helped model the behavior of these elements in varying Helium-to-Hydrogen ratios.
• The Helium-to-Hydrogen ratio in the Sun’s photosphere was found to be 0.1, consistent with previous studies. This confirms the validity of the new method.

Why in the News?

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope recently discovered the Bullseye Galaxy (LEDA 1313424), which contains 9 rings, an unprecedented number.

This finding offers new insights into galaxy evolution and the possibility of the galaxy evolving into a Giant Low Surface Brightness (GLSB) galaxy.

About the Bullseye Galaxy (LEDA 1313424):

• The Bullseye Galaxy is unique for containing 9 rings, an unprecedented number in the study of ringed galaxies.
• Most ringed galaxies typically have 2 or 3 rings, making this discovery significant.
• The rings are believed to have formed after a collision with a blue dwarf galaxy about 50 million years ago, causing ripples in the gas and creating star-forming regions that became the rings.
• While individual stars’ orbits stayed the same, groups of stars gathered, forming distinct rings over time.
• This discovery offers valuable insights into galaxy interactions and the rare formation of multiple rings.

Bullseye Galaxy and Its Possible Evolution into a GLSB Galaxy:

• It shares traits with GLSB galaxies, such as its extended disk and hydrogen content.
• Researchers suggest that the Bullseye Galaxy might evolve into a GLSB galaxy, providing insights into the formation of such galaxies and the distribution of dark matter in the universe.

Why in the News?

NASA scientists have proposed using quantum technology to study gravitational changes on Earth by deploying a quantum gravity gradiometer (QGG) on a satellite in low-Earth orbit.

About Gravity Gradiometer & Quantum Gravity Gradiometer (QGG):

• A gravity gradiometer measures small variations in gravitational force over short distances.
• How It Works: It detects differences in the acceleration of falling objects, indicating the density of materials below the surface, such as hydrocarbon deposits or geological structures.
• Applications:
  • Oil Exploration: Detects underground hydrocarbon deposits by measuring gravitational differences.
  • Geological Studies: Used to explore subterranean features like minerals and fault lines.

• A Quantum Gravity Gradiometer (QGG) uses quantum technology to achieve much higher precision than traditional gravity gradiometers.

• • How It Works: Atoms are cooled to near absolute zero and manipulated with lasers. The phase shifts of these atoms, proportional to gravitational force, detect tiny changes in gravitational acceleration.
  • It can detect changes as small as 10^-15 m/s² over just 1 meter, offering much finer measurements than traditional instruments.
• Specifications: Weighs 125 kg, has a volume like a 250-liter oil drum, and consumes 350 watts of power (comparable to an older Intel CPU).

Applications of QGG in Space:

• Studying Gravitational Variations: Measures small changes in Earth’s gravitational field, aiding climate change studies, such as melting ice caps and shifting water reserves.
• Earth’s Gravitational Field Mapping: Improves understanding of Earth’s internal structure and seismic activities.
• Dark Matter Research: Provides insights into dark matter by detecting gravitational anomalies.
• Satellite Navigation: Enhances space navigation and satellite positioning.
• Mapping Underground Features: Used to map structures like mineral deposits and fault lines.
• Security: Detects underground structures like military bunkers and natural disasters, offering valuable security information.

Why in the News?

The ISRO through its CROP remote sensing framework, has estimated that the total wheat production from eight major wheat-growing states will reach 122.724 million tonnes by March 31, 2025.

About CROP:

• CROP is a semi-automated and scalable framework developed by ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC).
• The primary goal of CROP is to provide a real-time view of the sowing, growth, and harvest progress of crops, especially wheat during the Rabi season.
• CROP utilizes data from multi-source remote sensing satellites to monitor agricultural areas across India.
• Technological Components of CROP:

1. 1. EOS-04 (RISAT-1A): Provides Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for crop monitoring, especially under varied weather conditions.
   2. EOS-06 (Oceansat-3): Offers optical remote sensing data for agricultural monitoring.
   3. Resourcesat-2A: Used for high-resolution optical imaging, focusing on agricultural areas for precise crop monitoring.

Key Features of the Study:

• The study used a combination of SAR and optical data to accurately assess crop progress during the 2024-25 Rabi season.
• The wheat sown area, as of March 31, 2025, stands at 330.8 lakh hectares, which is in line with the figures reported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (324.38 lakh hectares as of February 4, 2025).
• Wheat production in the eight major wheat-growing states is estimated to be 122.724 million tonnes by March 31, 2025, based on the data gathered through the remote sensing method.