Massive eruption from Sun hits Earth, sparks geomagnetic storm

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

• CMEs are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun’s corona that propagate outward into interplanetary space.
• During a CME, the Sun releases a colossal amount of material, including electrons, protons, and heavier ions, as well as magnetic fields. This ejected material travels at high speeds into space.
• Causes:
  • CMEs are typically triggered by the destabilisation of the Sun''s magnetic fields.
  • The exact mechanisms are complex, but they often involve the reconfiguration or disruption of magnetic loops on the Sun''s surface.
• CMEs are distinct from solar flares, although they often occur together. Solar flares are sudden and intense bursts of energy and radiation, whereas CMEs involve the expulsion of solar material.
• Impact on Earth:
  • Geomagnetic Storms: The interaction between the CME''s magnetic fields and Earth''s magnetosphere can lead to geomagnetic storms. These can disrupt satellite communications, navigation systems, and even power grids.
  • Auroras: CMEs can cause spectacular displays of the Northern and Southern Lights, also known as auroras, by energising particles in Earth''s atmosphere.
  • Radiation Hazards: Astronauts in space or passengers on high-altitude flights can be exposed to elevated levels of radiation during a CME event.

Solar Flare

• A solar flare is an intense burst of radiation coming from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots.
• Flares are our solar system’s largest explosive events.
• They are seen as bright areas in the sun, and they can last from minutes to hours.
• In a matter of just a few minutes, they heat the material to many millions of degrees and produce a burst of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, including from radio waves to x-rays and gamma rays.
• Although solar flares can be visible in white light, they are often more readily noticed via their bright X-ray and ultraviolet emissions.
• Effect of Solar Flare on Earth:
  • The intense radiation emitted during a solar flare can affect satellite communications, disrupt radio signals, and even pose a risk to astronauts in space.
  • Additionally, the increased solar radiation can lead to geomagnetic storms, which may impact power grids and cause auroras (northern and southern lights) at lower latitudes.

Geomagnetic Storm

• A geomagnetic storm is a major disturbance of Earth''s magnetosphere.
• These storms result from variations in the solar wind that produce significant changes in the currents, plasmas, and fields in Earth’s magnetosphere.
• The solar wind conditions that are effective for creating geomagnetic storms are sustained (for several hours) periods of the high-speed solar wind and a southward-directed solar wind magnetic field (opposite the direction of Earth’s field) at the dayside of the magnetosphere.
• The largest such storms are associated with solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs), where a billion tons or so of plasma from the sun, with its embedded magnetic field, arrives at Earth.

In San Francisco Bay, ecologists work to protect sevengill sharks

Broadnose Sevengill Shark

• It is a large seven-gilled with a wide head and short, blunt snout shark.
• It is related to sharks that lived in the Jurassic Period about 300 million years ago.
• They prefer tropical, temperate, shallow waters
• Distribution:
  • It is found in all oceans except the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea.
  • In the eastern Pacific Ocean, they are found from southeastern Alaska to southern Baja California, Mexico and from Colombia to Chile.
• Biology and Behaviour
  • They can grow to a maximum length of 2.9 m. Females grow longer than their male counterparts.
  • They feed on anything, such as other sharks, rays, chimaeras, bony fish, hagfish, dolphins and porpoise meat, seals, shark egg cases and sea snails.
• Conservation status
• IUCN: Vulnerable

Shore bird from Arctic region makes a stopover in urban water body in Coimbatore

Red-necked phalarope

• It is a fairly small shorebird known for spinning frantically on water to stir up small invertebrates.
• It has a circumpolar distribution and is found in both boreal and tundra zones between 60 and 70 degrees latitude.
• These phalaropes can be found in coastal regions of the Arctic Ocean, south to the Aleutians and Northwest to Britain.
• In the winter, it spends most of its time on the ocean.
• During this non-breeding season, phalaropes can be found off central-west South America, in the Arabian Sea and from central Indonesia to western Melanesia.
• Appearance and behaviour:
  • The bird mainly feeds on small aquatic invertebrates and plankton.
  • It exhibits a typical feeding behaviour of spinning on the surface of the water.
  • This rapid circling is believed to bring the prey to its feeding range.
  • Unlike in other species, female Red-necked phalaropes are brighter than males.
  • During the breeding period, the species have chestnut-red plumage from behind the ear to the downsides of the neck.
  • Females are observed to be polyandrous, that is, mating with more than one male.
  • The males brood chicks and feed them.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Least concern

Defence ministry clears proposal to buy Pralay ballistic missiles for Army

Pralay ballistic missiles

• It is a quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile.
• Range: It can hit targets 150-500 km away.
• Capacity: The missile can carry 350-700 kg of high-grade explosives.
• It is developed by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO)
• It is powered by a solid propellant rocket motor and other new technologies.
• The missile guidance system includes state-of-the-art navigation and integrated avionics.
• It can change its path after covering a certain range in mid-air.

Ballistic Missiles

• These are launched directly into the upper layers of the earth’s atmosphere.
• They travel outside the atmosphere, where the warhead detaches from the missile and falls towards a predetermined target.
• They are rocket-propelled, self-guided weapons systems which can carry conventional or nuclear munitions. They can be launched from aircraft, ships, submarines, and land.

Tagore’s home Santiniketan added to UNESCO World Heritage List

Santiniketan

• It is located in the state of West Bengal.
• It was established in 1901 by Rabindranath Tagore.
• It was a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions.
• In 1921, a ‘world university’ was established at Santiniketan, later recognised as ''Visva Bharati''.
• Visva-Bharati in Santiniketan is Bengal’s only central university whose chancellor is the Prime Minister.
• It is distinct from the prevailing British colonial architectural orientations of the early 20th century and of European modernism.
• It represents approaches toward pan-Asian modernity, drawing on ancient, medieval and folk traditions from across the region.

UNESCO World Heritage

• A World Heritage Site (WHS) is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by UNESCO under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.
• These sites are designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance.
• Categorisation of Sites – The sites are categorised in three types:
  • Cultural heritage sites– It includes historic buildings and town sites, important archaeological sites, and works of monumental sculpture or painting
  • Natural heritage sites– It includes those natural areas that have excellent ecological and evolutionary processes, endangered species etc.
  • Mixed heritage sites– It contain elements of both natural and cultural significance.
• India has 41 world heritage sites, including 33 cultural properties, 7 natural properties and 1 mixed site.

New ''string'' technology could revolutionise lithium production

String Technology

• A set of porous fibres twisted into strings and engineered to have a water-loving (hydrophilic) core and water-repelling surface.
• When one end is dipped in a salt-water solution, the water travels up the string because of capillary action.
• Then, the water evaporates quickly from the string’s surface. This leaves behind salt ions such as sodium and lithium.
• The water will continue to evaporate like this as the salts become increasingly concentrated, eventually forming sodium chloride and lithium chloride crystals.
• The strings don’t just concentrate on the salts. Since lithium and sodium have different physical properties, they crystallise at different locations on the strings.
• Sodium, with its low solubility, crystallises on the lower part, while the highly soluble lithium salts crystallise near the top.

The current method of production

• A large majority of the lithium produced in the world is extracted from “brine reservoirs” located in salt flats.
• Conventional methods of extraction rely on a series of massive evaporation ponds that concentrate lithium from saltwater reservoirs and salt flats of underground aquifers.
• This method of production can require hundreds of square kilometres, and it often takes months or even years to produce lithium that can be used in batteries.
• It is commercially viable in a few locations around the world.

Lithium

• It is a soft, silvery-white metal that belongs to the alkali metals group of the periodic table of the elements.
• Features
  • It has the lowest density of all metals.
  • It is the lightest of the solid elements.
  • It reacts vigorously with
• Occurrence:
  • It does not occur as a metal in nature but is found combined in small amounts in igneous rocks.
• Major Reserves: Its reserves are majorly concentrated in the lithium triangle in South America – Argentina, Bolivia & Chile, with 50% of the deposits concentrated in these regions.

Yashobhoomi: PM Modi inaugurates first phase of International Convention and Expo Centre

Yashobhoomi

• ''YashoBhoomi'' or India International Convention and Expo Centre (IICC) is a state-of-the-art modern convention centre located in Dwarka, New Delhi.
• It will be among the world’s largest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) destinations.
• It has a magnificent Convention Centre, multiple Exhibition halls and other facilities.
• Features:
  • The project covers a total area of over 8.9 lakh square metres with a total built-up area of more than 1.8 lakh square metres.
  • Cost: The project is developed around a cost of Rs 5400 crores.
  • The Convention Center, built across more than 73 thousand square metres of area, comprises 15 convention rooms, including the Main Auditorium, the Grand Ballroom and 13 meeting rooms with a total capacity of holding 11,000 delegates.
  • It has the largest LED media facade in the country.
  • The plenary hall in the Convention Center is equipped with a seating capacity of around 6,000 guests.
  • The exhibition halls are built across over 1.07 lakh square metres of area suitable for hosting exhibitions, trade fairs and business events.
  • It is equipped with a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment system boasting 100 per cent wastewater reuse and provisions of rainwater harvesting.

MMRDA Achieves Breakthrough In Tungareshwar Tunnel To Cross Wildlife Sanctuary

Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary

• Location: It is located in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, 75 km away from Mumbai.
• It forms a corridor between Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Landscape: It is characterised by hilly terrain, dense forests, and small rivers or streams.
• Vegetation: There are three different types of forests – Dry Deciduous, Moist Deciduous and Semi Evergreen.
• Flora: It is home to several species of trees, including teak, bamboo, and mango.
• Fauna:
  • Some commonly spotted animals in the sanctuary include Leopard, Wild Boar, Barking Deer, Langur, Bonnet and Rhesus Macaque, and Black-naped Hare.
  • A multitude of birds, including the Crested Serpent-eagle, Jungle Owlet, White-eyed Buzzard, Oriental Honey-buzzard, Emerald Dove and Heart-spotted Woodpecker, can be found here.
• Several ancient temples are within its boundaries. The most famous of these temples is the Tungareshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change celebrates 29th World Ozone Day

World Ozone Day

• World Ozone Day, or International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, is observed annually on September 16.
• It is celebrated every year to spread awareness among people about the depletion of the Ozone Layer and the measures taken/ to be taken to preserve it.
• The theme for World Ozone Day 2023 is “Montreal Protocol: fixing the ozone layer and reducing climate change”.
• History:
  • In 1994, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 16 September the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date of the signing, in 1987, of the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone layer.
  • The protocol was signed on September 16, 1987, in Montreal, Canada, to address the depletion of the ozone layer.

Montreal Protocol

• It is an international treaty that aims to phase out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, primarily chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, and other chemicals.
• These substances were commonly used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and aerosol propellants.
• Kigali Agreement:
  • It is an amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
  • It was adopted on October 15, 2016, in Kigali, Rwanda, as an extension of the Montreal Protocol.
  • While the original Montreal Protocol focused on phasing out ozone-depleting substances, the Kigali Amendment addresses the phase-down of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are used as replacements for those ozone-depleting substances.
  • The primary goal of the Kigali Amendment is to reduce the production and consumption of HFCs, with the aim of mitigating their contribution to global warming.

Ozone

• Ozone is a gas made up of three oxygen atoms (O3).
• It is both a natural and a man-made product that occurs in the Earth''s upper atmosphere (the stratosphere) and lower atmosphere (the troposphere).
• Ozone in the stratosphere, known as the “ozone layer,” occurs naturally and forms a protective barrier that prevents ultraviolet sunlight (UV-B) radiation from the sun from reaching the Earth’s surface and harming plant and animal life. This is commonly referred to as “good ozone.”
• Tropospheric or ground-level ozone – what we breathe – is formed primarily from photochemical reactions between two major classes of air pollutants: volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
• At ground level, high concentrations of ozone are toxic to people and plants.

9,600 People Shifted To Safety After Heavy Rain Overflows Narmada, IMD Predicts Extreme Rainfall Till Tuesday

Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD)

• SSD is a concrete gravity dam built on the Narmada River at Kevadia in Gujarat’s Narmada district.
• The dam was named after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• Having a length of 1.2 km and a depth of 163 m, it is the third-highest concrete dam in India, the first two being Bhakra (226 metres) in Himachal Pradesh and Lakhwar (192 meters) in Uttar Pradesh.
• In terms of the volume of concrete involved in gravity dams, this dam will be ranked as the second largest in the world after the Grand Coulee Dam in the USA.
• It is a part of the Narmada Valley Project, a large hydraulic engineering project involving the construction of a series of large irrigation and hydroelectric multi-purpose dams on the Narmada River.
• The dam has two powerhouses – a canal head powerhouse and a river bed powerhouse with an installed capacity of 250 MW and 1,200 MW, respectively.
• Power benefits are shared among Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujaratin the ratio of 57:27:16, respectively.
• Reservoir: The dam forms a vast reservoir known as the "Sardar Sarovar Reservoir" or "Narmada Lake," which spans across several districts in Gujarat.

Narmada River

• It is the largest west-flowing river in peninsular India.
• Origin: It rises from Narmada Kund, located at Amarkantak, in the Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh, at an elevation of about 1057 m in the Maikala range.
• Course: The river flows through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat between Vindhya and Satpura hill ranges before falling into the Gulf of Cambay in the Arabian Sea about 10 km north of Bharuch, Gujarat.
• Length: The total length of the river from source to sea is 1312 kilometres (815 miles).
• The river has numerous waterfalls, notably the Dhuandhar Falls, southwest of Jabalpur.
• Tributaries: The Narmada has several tributaries, with the most significant ones being the Tawa, Barna, Hiran, and Orsang rivers.