Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: MACE Telescope
Why in the News?
The Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) telescope was inaugurated on October 4th in Hanle, Ladakh.
About MACE Telescope:
| Details | |
| Details and Working | • World’s highest imaging Cherenkov telescope, located in Hanle, Ladakh, at 4.3 km above sea level. • It has a 21-meter-wide mirror-dish, the largest in Asia. • Developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL), and Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA). • Cherenkov radiation is captured using mirrors and analyzed with photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). Cherenkov radiation is the blue glow emitted when charged particles travel faster than light in a medium. • Equipped with a high-resolution camera and movable base. |
| Aims and Objectives of MACE | • Detects high-energy gamma rays (greater than 20 giga-electron volts) emitted by cosmic phenomena. • Detect Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) for dark matter research. • Contribute to multi-messenger astronomy by complementing data from other telescopes. |
| How Do Gamma Rays Work in DNA Mutation? | • Cause ionization, which can break chemical bonds in DNA, leading to mutations. • Mutations may result in cancers or genetic disorders if not repaired. • DNA damage from gamma rays can lead to chromosomal aberrations and contribute to carcinogenesis. |
PYQ:[2015] In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about ‘IceCube’, a particle detector located at South Pole, which was recently in the news:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 |
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