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Subject: Geography

  • PM CARES Fund is a “public charitable trust”: SC

    The Supreme Court has endorsed the PM CARES Fund as a “public charitable trust” to which donors contribute voluntarily.

    Try this question:

    Q. The creation of PM CARES fund is violative of the provision of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Analyse.

    What is the case?

    • The petition had argued that the PM-CARES Fund was not subject to CAG audit.
    • It was not under “public scrutiny”. Contributions to it were “100% tax-free”.
    • It was accused that there was statutory fund already in existence under the Disaster Management Act of 2005 to receive contributions to finance the fight against a calamity.

    About PM CARES Fund

    • The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) were created on 28 March 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
    • The fund will be used for combat, containment and relief efforts against the coronavirus outbreak and similar pandemic like situations in the future.
    • The PM is the chairman of the trust. Members will include the defence, home and finance ministers.
    • The fund will also enable micro-donations. The minimum donation accepted for the PM CARES Fund is ₹10 (14¢ US).
    • The donations will be tax-exempt and fall under corporate social responsibility.

    What did the Court rule?

    • There is “no occasion” for the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to audit a public charitable trust independent of budgetary support or government money.
    • The court said that PM-CARES is “not open” for a PIL petitioner to question the “wisdom” that created the fund in an hour of need.
    • The court dismissed the idea that the PM CARES was constituted to “circumvent” the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
    • The Bench also refused to direct the transfer of funds from the PM CARES Fund to the NDRF. It said they were two separate entities.

    Also read:

    PM-CARES Fund

  • Tornado’s dynamics and its India connection

    Babu ChunderSikur Chatterjee’s paper was the earliest record of a tornado’s dynamics in the history of meteorology, according to a study.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q. In the South Atlantic and South-Eastern Pacific regions in tropical latitudes, cyclone does not originate. What is the reason? (CSP 2015)

    (a) Sea surface temperatures are low

    (b) Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone seldom occurs

    (c) Coriolis force is too weak

    (d) Absence of land in those regions

    What is a Tornado?

    • A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud.
    • The windstorm is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone winds blow counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern.
    • Tornadoes come in many shapes and sizes, and they are often visible in the form of a condensation funnel originating from the base of a cumulonimbus cloud, with a cloud of rotating debris and dust beneath it.
    • It is generally accompanied by extreme weather such as heavy downpours, hail storms, and lightning.

    Who was Babu ChunderSikur Chatterjee?

    • Chatterjee was an Indian scientist employed with the Surveyor General of India during the British colonial era.
    • He was likely the first person to scientifically document a tornado’s path in 1865, a study from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, has claimed.
    • Chatterjee had published his findings in a journal named Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, in a paper titled ‘Note on a whirlwind at Pundooah’, near Hooghly.
    • The paper described a tornado’s dynamics in meticulous detail and was accompanied by a sketch that mathematically depicted its scale, track and rotation.

    His work

     

    • Chatterjee quantitatively mapped the entire trail of á tornado’s destruction.
    • He benefited from the rare opportunity to observe a tornado passing through a railway track where there were conveniently placed markers at predefined locations.
    • This enabled him to observe and make clear measurements of the tornado’s direction, dynamics and path.

    Back2Basics

  • In news: Mauritius Oil Spill

    A Japanese ship recently struck a coral reef resulting in an oil spill of over 1,000 tonnes into the Indian Ocean near Mauritius.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Recently, “oil zapper’’ was in the news. What is it? (CSP 2011)

    (a) It is an eco-friendly technology for the remediation of oily sludge and oil spills.

    (b) It is the latest technology developed for undersea oil exploration.

    (c) It is a genetically engineered high biofuel-yielding maize variety.

    (d) It is the latest technology to control the accidentally caused flames from oil wells.

    What caused the Mauritius oil spill?

    • A Japanese vessel struck a coral reef resulting in an oil spill of over 1,000 tonnes into the Indian Ocean.
    • The ship was carrying an estimated 4,000 tonnes of oil.
    • The accident had taken place near two environmentally protected marine ecosystems and the Blue Bay Marine Park Reserve, which is a wetland of international importance.

    How dangerous are oil spills?

    • Oil spills affect marine life by exposing them to harsh elements and destroying their sources of food and habitat.
    • Further, both birds and mammals can die from hypothermia as a result of oil spills.
    • For instance, oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, such as sea otters.
    • It also decreases the water repellency of birds’ feathers, without which they lose their ability to repel cold water.

    Some major incidents

    • Some of the world’s largest oil spills include the Persian Gulf War oil spill of 1991 when more than 380 million gallons of oil was poured into the northern Persian Gulf by Iraq’s forces.
    • The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is also considered to be among the largest known accidental oil spills in history.
    • Starting April 20, 2010, over 4 million barrels of oil flowed over a period of 87 days into the Gulf of Mexico.

    How is the oil spill cleaned?

    • There are a few ways to clean up oil spills including skimming, in situ burning and by releasing chemical dispersants.
    • Skimming involves removing oil from the sea surface before it is able to reach the sensitive areas along the coastline.
    • In situ burning means burning a particular patch of oil after it has concentrated in one area.
    • Releasing chemical dispersants helps break down oil into smaller droplets, making it easier for microbes to consume, and further break it down into less harmful compounds.
    • Natural actions in aquatic environments such as weathering, evaporation, emulsification, biodegradation and oxidation can also accelerate the recovery of an affected area. But these occur differently in freshwater and marine environments.

  • [pib] Himalayan Geothermal Springs release huge amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

    The Himalayas, which hosts about 600 geothermal springs needs to be considered while estimating emissions to the carbon cycle and thereby to global warming says, Indian researchers.

    Note the following hot springs in India:

    1) Panamik in Nubra valley

    2) Kheer Ganga in Kullu, Himachal

    3) Manikaran Sahib, Himachal

    4) Tattapani, Chhattisgarh

    5) Gaurikund, Uttarakhand

    6) Yumthang, Sikkim

    7) Reshi, Sikkim

    Geothermal springs

    • Geothermal or Hot springs are heated by shallow intrusions of magma (molten rock) in volcanic areas. Some thermal springs, however, are not related to volcanic activity.
    • The water is heated by convective circulation: groundwater percolates downward & reaches depths of a kilometre or more where the temperature of rocks is high because of the normal temperature gradient of the Earth’s crust.

    Why consider the Himalayas?

    • The Himalayan geothermal springs which cover about 10,000 square km in the Garhwal region of Himalaya show a significant discharge of CO2 rich water.
    • The estimated carbon dioxide degassing (removal of dissolved gases from liquids, especially water or aqueous solutions) flux is nearly 7.2 ×106 mol/year to the atmosphere.
    • Such CO2 degassing should be taken into account to assess global carbon outflux in the earth’s atmosphere.

    Where does this CO2 come from?

    • Carbon outflux from Earth’s interior to the exosphere through volcanic eruptions, fault zones, and geothermal systems contribute to the global carbon cycle that effects short and long term climate of the Earth.
    • The CO2 in the thermal springs are sourced from metamorphic decarbonation of carbonate rocks present deep in the Himalayan core along with magmatism and oxidation of graphite.
    • Most of the geothermal water is dominated by evaporation followed by weathering of silicate rocks.
    • Isotopic analyses further point towards a meteoric source for geothermal water.

  • In news: Mount Sinabung

    The Mount Sinabung volcano in Indonesia has erupted spouting ash at least 5,000 metres high into the sky.

    In the Philippines, a volcano called Taal on the island of Luzon; 50 km from Manila has recently erupted in January. Note all such recent eruption in news.

    Also, try this PYQ:

    Consider the following statements:

    1. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian Territory.
    2. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar
    3. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (CSP 2018)

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 3 only

    (d) 1 and 3

    Mount Sinabung

    • It is a Pleistocene-to-Holocene stratovolcano in the Karo plateau of Karo Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia.
    • It is created by the subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate under the Eurasian Plate.
    • It erupted in 2010 after a 400-year-long hiatus and has been continuously active since September 2013.

  • Boreal Summer Intra-Seasonal Oscillation (BSISO)

    Researchers at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad have reportedly found a way to better forecast the Boreal Summer Intra-Seasonal Oscillation (BSISO).

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)’ sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct? (CSP 2017)

    1. IOD phenomenon is characterized by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean.
    2. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino’s impact on the monsoon.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    What is BSISO?

    • The BSISO of the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) is one of the most prominent sources of short-term climate variability in the global monsoon system.
    • It is the movement of convection (heat) from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean roughly every 10-50 days during the monsoon (June-September).
    • Compared with the related Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) it is more complex in nature, with prominent northward propagation and variability extending much further from the equator.
    • It represents the monsoon’s ‘active’ and ‘break’ periods, in which weeks of heavy rainfall give way to brilliant sunshine before starting all over again.
    • The active phase also enhances monsoon winds and hence the surface waves.

    Why predict BSISO behaviour?

    • Some phases of boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation or BSISO induce high wave activity in the north Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, the researchers claimed.
    • Wave forecast advisories based on the BSISO would be more useful for efficient coastal and marine management.
    • This finding has a great significance in developing seasonal and climate forecast service for waves and coastal erosion for India.

  • Ammonium Nitrate:  Behind the massive explosion in Beirut

    The catastrophic explosion at Beirut port, Lebanon caused by the blast of over 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, has rocked the world.

    Practice question:

    Q. Despite a robust policy framework governing the hazardous chemicals in India, the recent gas leakage incident in Vizag highlights India’s unaddressed vulnerability to chemical disasters. Critically comment.

    What is Ammonium Nitrate?

    • In its pure form, ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is a white, crystalline chemical which is soluble in water.
    • A common chemical ingredient of agricultural fertilizers, the nitrogen-rich compound is also the main component of the explosive composition known as ANFO — ammonium nitrate fuel oil.
    • It is the main ingredient in the manufacture of commercial explosives used in mining and construction.
    • Many Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used by terrorists around the world have ANFO as the main explosive, triggered by primary explosives like RDX or TNT.
    • In the majority of terror attacks in India, ammonium nitrate has been used along with initiator explosives like RDX.

    Ammonium nitrate as an explosive

    • Pure ammonium nitrate is not an explosive on its own.
    • It is classified as an oxidiser (Grade 5.1) under the UN classification of dangerous goods.
    • If mixed with ingredients like fuel or some other contaminants, or because of some other external factors, it can be very explosive.

    Stored ammonium nitrate is a major fire hazard

    • Large quantities of stored ammonium nitrate are regarded as a major fire hazard, with multiple reported cases across the world.
    • The explosion of large storage can happen primarily in two ways.
    • One is by some type of detonation or initiation because the storage comes in contact with the explosive mixture.
    • Second, the blast can result due to a fire which starts in the ammonium nitrate store because of the heat generated due to the oxidation process at large scale.

    Regulations in India about ammonium nitrate

    • Because it is used as an ingredient for the production of explosives, anaesthetic gases, fertilizers, cold packs and has a possibility of misuse, it is highly regulated in India.
    • There exists the Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012, under The Explosives Act, 1884.
    • It defines ammonium nitrate as the compound with formula NH4NO3 including any mixture or compound having more than 45 per cent ammonium nitrate by weight.
    • The manufacture, conversion, bagging, import, export, transport, possession for sale or use of ammonium nitrate is covered under The Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012.
    • The rules also make storage of ammonium nitrate in large quantities in populated areas illegal in India.
    • For the manufacture of ammonium nitrate, an Industrial licence is required under the Industrial Development and Regulation Act, 1951.

  • In news: Galapagos Islands

    Chinese ships are frequently entering Ecuador’s waters for commercial fishing near the Galapagos Islands.

    Try this question from CSP 2018:

    Q.Which one of the following can one comes across if one travels through the Strait of Malacca?

    (a) Bali

    (b) Brunei

    (c) Java

    (d) Singapore

    The Galapagos Islands

    • Renowned worldwide for its unique species, the islands host a wide array of aquatic wildlife, including marine iguanas, fur seals, and waved albatrosses.
    • The giant tortoises found here – ‘Galápagos’ in old Spanish– give the islands its name.
    • Ecuador made a part of the Galapagos a wildlife sanctuary in 1935, and the sanctuary became the Galapagos National Park in 1959.
    • In 1978, the islands became UNESCO’s first World Heritage Site.
    • It was here that the British naturalist Charles Darwin made key observations in 1835 that shaped his theory of evolution. Darwin described the islands as a “world in itself”.

  • [pib] Tuting-Tidding Suture Zone (TTSZ)

    Earthquake prone zones in India:

  • What is Seismic Noise?

    The seismic noise level has dropped by as much as 50 per cent between March and May due to lockdowns this year, according to researchers.

    Ever heard of space-based monitoring of seismic activities?  This topic creates a scope for potential prelims question…

    What is Seismic Noise?

    • Seismic noise refers to vibrations within the Earth, which are triggered by natural and man-made phenomena like earthquakes, volcanoes and bombs.
    • Seismometers, specialised devices that record ground motions, also capture seismic noise.
    • Everyday human activity — such as road traffic, manufacturing in factories, the sound produced by planes roaring overhead, or simply people walking down the street.
    • The sound signals created by human beings are often referred to as anthropogenic seismic noise.
    • Seismic noise acts almost like background sound for seismologists — it is the unwanted component of signals recorded by a seismometer.

    Variations in noise levels

    • The level of anthropogenic seismic noise recorded varies based on a number of factors.
    • Highly-populated urban areas will generate more vibrations from human activity than less densely populated regions.
    • Timing too plays an important role. The degree of seismic noise is found to be much lower during public holidays.

    Why is this important to record this noise?

    • Due to this, scientists will be able to spot weaker signals.
    • Such small signals tell us about a geological fault making seismic hazard assessment more accurate.
    • This means that scientists will have a better shot at monitoring a whole range of seismogenic behaviour, including the smallest earthquakes or the early signs of a volcanic eruption.