DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 4th April 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – Geography

Context: Nine people died and more than 800 got injured in Taiwan after the island was hit by its biggest earthquake in at least 25 years

Background:-

• Notably, Taiwan is prone to earthquakes as it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” — where 90% of the world’s earthquakes take place. The island and its surrounding waters have registered about 2,000 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.0 or greater since 1980, and more than 100 earthquakes with a magnitude above 5.5.

Ring of Fire

• The Ring of Fire is essentially a string of hundreds of volcanoes and earthquake-sites which runs along the Pacific Ocean.
• It is a semicircle or horse shoe in shape and stretches nearly 40,250 kilometres.
• The Ring of Fire traces the meeting points of numerous tectonic plates, including the Eurasian, North American, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Caribbean, Nazca, Antarctic, Indian, Australian, Philippine, and other smaller plates, which all encircle the large Pacific Plate.
• It runs through 15 more countries including the USA, Indonesia, Mexico, Japan, Canada, Guatemala, Russia, Chile, Peru, and the Philippines.

Why is the Ring of Fire vulnerable to earthquakes?

• The Ring of Fire witnesses so many earthquakes due to constant sliding past, colliding into, or moving above or below each other of the tectonic plates.
• As the edges of these plates are quite rough, they get stuck with one another while the rest of the plate keeps moving. An earthquake occurs when the plate has moved far enough and the edges unstick on one of the faults.
• Taiwan experiences earthquakes due to the interactions of two tectonic plates — the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate.

Why are there so many volcanoes in the Ring of Fire?

• The existence of volcanoes in the Ring of Fire is also due to the movement of tectonic plates.
• Many of the volcanoes have been formed through a process known as subduction. It takes place when two plates collide with each other and the heavier plate is shoved under another, creating a deep trench.
• When a ‘downgoing’ oceanic plate [like the Pacific Plate] is shoved into a hotter mantle plate, it heats up, volatile elements mix, and this produces the magma. The magma then rises up through the overlying plate and spurts out at the surface, which leads to the formation of volcanoes.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Prelims – Environment

Context: In an unusual occurrence, a bloom of venomous jellyfish was reported by marine researchers across the Visakhapatnam coast on April 3 (Wednesday) morning.

Background:

• Rarely seen in the East coast of India, scores of the venomous jellyfish species, with three to five centimetres long diameter of bell, were spotted across RK Beach and other parts of the coast, which are frequented by tourists and visitors.

About Pelagia noctiluca:

• Pelagia noctiluca is a venomous species of jellyfish.
• It is also known as the mauve stinger or purple-striped jellyfish.
• These are bioluminescent, having an ability to produce light in the dark.
• It has a painful sting and it can cause different degrees of illnesses such as diarrhoea, vomiting and anaphylactic shock(a severe allergic reaction that can develop quickly and be life-threatening).
• Pelagia noctiluca is found worldwide in tropical and warm-temperature seas. Unlike other jellyfish species, it has stingers not just on the tentacles, but on the bell too.
• A jellyfish bloom is when the population of the species increases dramatically within a short period of time, usually due to a higher reproduction rate.
• According to marine biologists, jellyfish blooms are reported frequently as a result of rising ocean temperatures, one of the main causes of substantial population growths.
• Venomous jellyfish blooms have in the past been known to have caused massive damage to the fishing industry and impacted tourism.In the past, a bloom of Pelagia noctiluca had damaged penned salmon at a fish farm in Ireland.

Source: The Hindu

Previous Year Question

Q1.)Why is a plant called Prosopis juliflora often mentioned in the news?

1. Its extract is widely used in cosmetics.
2. It tends to reduce the biodiversity in the area in which it grows.
3. Its extract is used in the synthesis of pesticides.
4. None of the above

Syllabus

• Prelims – Science

Context: Recently,India is taking a significant step by deploying atomic clocks across the nation to synchronize all digital devices with Indian Standard Time (IST).

Background:

• This initiative aims for “one nation, one time,” enhancing uniformity and national security.

About ATOMIC CLOCKS

• An atomic clock is a highly accurate timekeeping device that combines a quartz crystal oscillator with an atom (typically caesium or hydrogen).
• It uses the consistent frequency of atoms to maintain accurate time, making it more stable than conventional quartz clocks.
• These clocks were invented in 1955 by Louise Essen.

How Do Atomic Clocks Work?

• Atomic clocks use atoms, specifically the electronic transition from one state to another, as their “pendulum.”
• The vibrations of atoms (such as caesium or rubidium) serve as the basis for precise time measurement.
• By sending microwaves to these atoms, we can make them vibrate even more regularly. We then compare these vibrations with the vibrations of a quartz crystal in a regular clock.

Types of Atomic Clocks:

• Caesium Atomic Clocks: These are widely used and serve as the primary standard for defining the SI second.
• Hydrogen Maser Atomic Clocks: Even more accurate than caesium clocks, hydrogen maser clocks find applications in scientific research.

Atomic Clocks in India:

• The Council of Industrial and Scientific Research (CSIR)-National Physical Laboratories (NPL) in New Delhi maintains Indian Standard Time (IST) using caesium and hydrogen maser clocks.
• To enhance uniformity and national security, India is deploying atomic clocks nationwide.
• New atomic clocks are being set up in Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, and Hyderabad, in addition to existing ones in Faridabad and Ahmedabad.
• By June, these new clocks will be installed, and the government will require all device manufacturers to sync with Indian Standard Time.
• The goal is to connect all atomic clocks using optical cables for enhanced security.

Why Indigenous Atomic Clocks?

• Ensures national security and independence in timekeeping.
• During the Kargil War in 1999, the US turned off GPS for the Indian Army, causing location inaccuracies. This incident prompted India to develop its own precise clock.
• Currently, most software operating modules rely on US-based Network Time Protocol servers.
• Only four countries—the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea—have developed their atomic clocks.

Indian Standard Time (IST):

• IST was adopted on September 1, 1947, with only one time zone for the entire country.
• It is calculated from 82.5 degrees East longitude, near Mirzapur (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh.
• IST is 5.30 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) .

Source: Livemint

Syllabus

• Prelims – Geography

Context: Recently, Swell waves have inundated coastal areas in central and southern districts of Kerala, causing concern for coastal communities and prompting district-level disaster management authorities to be on high alert.

Background:

• These swell waves flooded beaches along the coastal regions in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Thrissur districts.

About Swell waves:

• Swell waves refer to ocean waves that have travelled over long distances from their area of origin, usually generated by distant weather systems or storms.
• These waves typically have a consistent and smooth appearance and can travel thousands of kilometers across the ocean’s surface without breaking.
• Swell waves are a significant factor in shaping coastal areas and can cause inundation and erosion when they reach shore.
• They are composed of a series of surface gravity waves.
• They occur not due to the local winds, but rather due to distant storms like hurricanes, or even long periods of fierce gale winds.
• During such storms, a huge energy transfer takes place from the air into the water, leading to the formation of very high waves.
• These waves can propagate in directions that differ from the direction of the wind, in contrast to a wind sea.
• Their wavelengths may rarely exceed more than 150 m.
• In India, early warning systems like the Swell Surge Forecast System launched by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in 2020 gives forewarning seven days in advance.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Prelims – Science

Context: The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO), an iconic institution, recently celebrated its 125th anniversary.

Background:

• Established by the British East India Company, the KSO has played a pivotal role in solar research and observation in India.

About Kodaikanal Solar Observatory:

• The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory was established in 1899.
• The idea of a Solar Physics Observatory was sanctioned by the Government of India in August 1893.
• The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory is located on the southern tip of the Palani Hills in Southern India.

Key Contributions and Discoveries:

• Evershed Effect: In 1909, the KSO confirmed the Evershed effect, which describes the radial motion in sunspots.
• Data Repository: Over a century of solar imaging has enriched the KSO’s data repository. This historical data helps reconstruct the Sun’s past behaviour and predict its future impact on Earth and space weather.
• Solar Observation: The KSO diligently observes and records the Sun’s characteristics, including daily white light photography.
• Equatorial Electrojet Monitoring: Located in the Palani Hills of southern India, the KSO plays a central role in observing changes to the equatorial electrojet, an electric current in Earth’s ionosphere.
• Public Outreach: The KSO actively engages in public outreach through workshops and educational initiatives.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 3

Context: The External Affairs Minister of India suggested focusing on the nexus between separatism and organized crime.

Background:

• In discussing whether a diplomatic falling out between New Delhi and Canada, following the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June last year, would have global impact, including the U.K., External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar focused on what he called a heightened awareness of the nexus between separatism and organised crime.

Separatism:

• It is a political phenomenon where political actors from one or more sub-systems shift their loyalties, expectations, and political activities away from a central jurisdiction and towards their own center.

Factors responsible for the rise of separatist tendencies:

• Regional imbalance in economic development, for example, regional aspirations from Northeast India were mainly because the region suffered neglect in developmental terms after independence.
• Cultural identity that led to the demand for Nagalim which is based on the preservation of their different culture and social practices.
• Historical reasons like after independence one of the reasons for the movement for secession in Mizoram was that some Mizos believed that they were never a part of British India and therefore did not belong to the Indian union.
• Loss of public confidence in the capacity of the state to protect their life and property. For example, the demand for separate states in the West African states of Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso.
• Many secessionist movements have support from the international community in the form of ideological and financial support.

India’s approach to separatist movements and other regional aspirations:

• India has responded to regional aspirations through democratic negotiations rather than through suppression for example signing the Mizo accord to bring peace in Mizoram.
• Groups and parties from the region are given a share in power so that they have a say in their development.
• Special attention and planning to ensure sustainable development of areas with inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to resources by programs like the Aspirational District Programme.
• There are special provisions for some states and regions to have autonomy. The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution allows different tribes complete autonomy in preserving their practices and customary laws.
• Force is used against groups such as the United Liberation Front of Assam for maintaining peace in the region.

Source: The Hindu

Q1.) Consider the following statements:

1. The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO) is located on the Palani Hills in Southern India.
2. The KSO observes and records the Sun’s characteristics, including daily white light photography.
3. KSO plays a central role in observing changes to the equatorial electrojet, an electric current in Earth’s ionosphere.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 2 and 3
4. All of the above

Q2.) Consider the following statements about the Swell waves:

1. Swell waves are usually generated by distant weather systems or storms.
2. These waves can propagate in directions that differ from the direction of the wind.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q3.) Consider the following countries:

1. The United States of America
2. The United Kingdom
3. Japan
4. South Korea

How many of the above-mentioned countries have developed their atomic clocks?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  4th April  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – d

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – d