CA : 15 and 16 August 2023

Daily Current Affairs 15 and 16 August 2023

Aditya - L1 Mission:

Launch and Orbit: 

• The Aditya-L1 spacecraft will be launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Once in space, it will be placed in a halo orbit around the first Lagrange point (L1) of the Sun-Earth system. 

• This point is located about 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth. 

• The L1 point provides an advantageous position to observe the Sun continuously without being affected by Earth's shadow, occultation, or eclipses.

Objectives: 

• The primary objectives of the Aditya-L1 mission are to study various aspects of the Sun, including its corona, solar emissions, solar winds, flares, and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). 

• The spacecraft will also carry out round-the-clock imaging of the Sun, providing valuable data for research.

Scientific Significance: 

• The mission holds significant scientific value. By studying the Sun's corona and its various phenomena, such as solar flares and CMEs, scientists can gain a better understanding of the Sun's behaviour and its impact on space weather. 

• The mission aims to contribute to the understanding of phenomena like coronal heating, pre-flare and flare activities, space weather dynamics, and the propagation of particles and fields in the solar environment.

Other Missions: 

Other solar missions conducted by different space agencies around the world. 

• NASA's Parker Solar Probe aims to get closer to the Sun than any previous spacecraft, studying its outer atmosphere and solar wind. 

• The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), a joint project of NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), observes the Sun in various wavelengths. 

• China's Kuafu-1 solar probe is also focused on studying the Sun's activities.

Source: The Hindu

"Changing Patterns: ENSO's Varying Impact on Monsoons in Different Regions of India" : North India more affected by El Nino

El Nino and La Nina Effects on Monsoon:

• El Nino refers to a warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, while La Nina is its counterpart, characterised by cooler ocean temperatures in the same region.

• El Nino events are associated with diminished rainfall in India, while La Nina events are linked to increased rainfall.

ENSO Fluctuations and Regional Impact:

• A recent study suggests that the cyclical swings of ENSO affect various regions of India differently.

• Since 1981, monsoon rainfall over Central India (monsoon core zone) has been increasingly less associated with ENSO fluctuations, with only 10% of droughts or excess rains linked to ENSO.

• In contrast, North India shows a strengthening link with ENSO, with 70% of rainfall fluctuations linked to the ENSO cycle.

• The relationship between ENSO and monsoon has varied over time, with periods of strengthening, stability, and weakening since 1901.

Factors Influencing Monsoon Rainfall:

• Monsoon rainfall, which accounts for a significant portion of India's annual rainfall, is influenced by two main factors:

• External factor: ENSO's impact on trade winds and their ability to bring warm, moist air toward India during the monsoon season.

• Internal factor: The monsoon trough, a low-pressure area extending from Pakistan to the Bay of Bengal, which brings rain to active regions and is influenced by moisture from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.

Climate Change and Impact:

• Climate change has led to rising temperatures in the Indian Ocean, affecting the formation of depressions during the monsoon season and subsequently influencing rainfall over Central India.

• However, these depressions are not reaching North India as strongly as they did in the past, leaving the region more vulnerable to the impact of El Nino.

Future Predictions:

• The article mentions that an El Nino forming in the Pacific is likely to strengthen in the coming months and influence monsoon rainfall in August and September.

Importance of Regional Variation in Predictions:

• Understanding the regional variation in the effects of El Niño is important for improving the accuracy of monsoon forecasts.

• The dominance of ENSO over the core monsoon zone has weakened, making seasonal predictions over this region less predictable. Other factors like Indian Ocean warming should also be monitored.

    The article highlights the complex relationship between ENSO, monsoon patterns, and regional variations in India. It emphasises the need to consider multiple factors, including ENSO and Indian Ocean conditions, for more accurate monsoon forecasts, especially given the potential impacts of climate change.

For More Information Read : 

• El nino, La Nina and El Nino Modoki - Explained

• Indian Ocean Dipole- Explained

Source: The Hindu

Nutritional Support's Role in TB Prevention and Treatment: Findings from the RATIONS Trial

• A study supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has delivered pioneering evidence affirming that supplementary nutrition serves as an effective preventive measure against tuberculosis (TB) cases and fatalities in India. 

• The trial was conducted in Jharkhand, selected due to its substantial TB burden and its position as the second-most afflicted region with multi-dimensional poverty.

Key Achievements of the Reducing Activations Tuberculosis by Improvement of Nutritional status (RATIONS) Trial:

Significant accomplishments:

• Mortality Reduction in TB Patients: Nutritional support led to a notable decrease in mortality rates among TB patients, especially those severely underweight, with mortality dropping from 14% to 7%.

• BMI Impact: Nutritional intervention resulted in increased BMI, indicating better nutritional status. The proportion of patients achieving a normal BMI rose from 16.5% to 43.5% after six months.

• Survival in Extreme Undernutrition: Unexpectedly, over 85% of TB patients with severe undernutrition survived with proper nutritional support.

• Weight Gain's Role: A 5% weight gain in the first two months of treatment correlated with a 60% lower risk of TB mortality.

• Household Contacts: Nutritional support for household contacts led to a substantial 39%-48% reduction in TB disease incidence.

Nutritional Support Provided:

• TB Patients: Received monthly nutritional aid, including rice, milk powder, roasted chickpea flour, oil, and micronutrient pills. This support spanned six to twelve months, depending on the TB drug susceptibility.

• Household Contacts: Monthly support consisted of rice, split pigeon peas (tur dal), and micronutrient pills for adults. Children under 10 years received 50% of the adult nutrition.

Significance of Addressing Undernutrition:

• Undernutrition is a critical risk factor for TB, accounting for significant disease burden and poor outcomes in India.

• It exacerbates disease severity, mortality rates, and treatment challenges, including multidrug resistance development.

• Studies highlight that severe undernutrition at diagnosis doubles the risk of death, and each BMI reduction by one unit increases TB risk by around 14%.

Steps Take By Government to Curb TB:

• Nikshay Poshan Yojana: A direct benefit transfer scheme providing financial incentives of ₹500 per month to TB patients for nutritional support.

• Nikshay Mitra: Facilitates the adoption of consented TB patients to receive nutritional support through the program.

• National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination 2017-2025 by MoHFW.

The RATIONS trial demonstrates that addressing undernutrition via nutritional support can significantly improve TB treatment outcomes, reduce mortality rates, and curb disease transmission among household contacts. 

Schemes in News:

Vishwakarma Yojana:

• The Vishwakarma Scheme seeks to uplift individuals with expertise in traditional craftsmanship, particularly from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community.

• This initiative aims to empower skilled artisans belonging to categories like weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, barbers, and more.

• This  scheme includes a range of components, including financial assistance, training in modern and eco-friendly technologies, promotion of their brands, enhanced access to markets, adoption of digital payment systems, and provision of social security benefits. 

• The scheme's initial funding is expected to be in the range of ₹13,000 crore to ₹15,000 crore. 

• Its launch is scheduled to coincide with Vishwakarma Jayanti, which falls on September 17th this year.

Terms In News: 

Lagrange Points:

Lagrangian points, also referred to as Lagrange points or libration points, represent distinct positions in space where the gravitational forces exerted by two significant celestial bodies, like a planet and its moon or a planet and the Sun, interact to create areas of enhanced gravitational balance.

Organic farming:

According to FSSAI,’organic farming’ is a system of farm design and management to create an ecosystem of agriculture production without the use of synthetic external inputs such as chemical fertilisers, pesticides and synthetic hormones or genetically modified organisms.

Anti Microbial resistance:

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a natural or acquired phenomenon that occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to become resistant to antimicrobial drugs such as antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics that were previously effective in treating infections caused by those microorganisms.

Personality In News:

Sant Ravidas :

• Sant Ravidas (1377 - 1540 CE) was not only a poet and philosopher but also a visionary social reformer who emerged during the 15th century. His profound contributions echo through history:

• At the heart of the North Indian Bhakti movement, he shines as a prominent saint. He conceptualized Begumpura City, an ideal realm free from sorrow, resonating with peace and humanity.

• Ravidas vehemently opposed the prevailing caste-based discrimination, working tirelessly to eradicate the blight of untouchability. His vision extended to advocating Hindu-Muslim unity, emphasizing shared values.

• His verses, devotional songs, and writings grace the pages of the revered Guru Granth Sahib. A spiritual mentor to Meera Bai, his influence knows no bounds.

• His teachings Includes ethics of compassion, social justice, egalitarianism, and humanism. 

Place in News :

1. Murmansk Port :

Why In news: India accounts maximum share of cargo handled this year by Murmansk Port.

• Murmansk port is situated on the Kola Peninsula, which is an expansive landmass in the far northwest of Russia. 

• This port holds the distinction of being one of Russia's primary ice-free ports and is positioned along the shores of the Barents Sea.

• Renowned for its significance, Murmansk port ranks fourth in the nation regarding cargo throughput and stands as the second-largest port in the northwest region of Russia, following the port of St. Petersburg.

• The Kola Peninsula, on the other hand, stands as one of the largest peninsulas in Europe. 

• It resides predominantly within the Arctic Circle and is flanked by the Barents Sea to its northern extent and by the White Sea to its eastern and southeastern reaches.

2. Libiya (Capital: Tripoli)

Political Boundaries:

• Nation situated in North Africa, Surrounded by by the 
• Mediterranean Sea to the north, 
• Egypt to the east, 
• Sudan to the southeast, 
• Niger and Chad to the south, and  
• Tunisia and Algeria to the west. 

Climate:

The climate is characterised by a Hot arid environment, further intensified by the presence of the Ghibli, a hot wind that originates from the south and sweeps across the entire expanse of the country.