Daily Current Affairs 01 August 2023 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 01 August 2023 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

MoU between India and New Zealand

Source: PIB
GS II: International Relation

Overview

1. About MoU
2. India-New Zealand Relations

Why in News?

The Government of India and the Government of New Zealand have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation in civil aviation. This will cover the scheduling of new routes, code share services, traffic rights and capacity entitlement.

About MoU

• The MoU will cover the scheduling of new routes, code share services, traffic rights and capacity entitlement.
• It will boost the bilateral ties in civil aviation between the two countries.
• An Air Services Agreement was signed between New Zealand and India in 2016.
• The designated airline(s) of New Zealand may operate any number of services with any type of aircraft, with third and fourth freedom traffic rights to/from six points in India.
• The third freedom is the right to carry passengers or cargo from one’s own country to another.
• The right to carry passengers or cargo from another country to one’s own is the fourth freedom.
• Both parties may operate any number of all-cargo services with any type of aircraft with 3rd, 4th and 5th freedom traffic rights to/from any points in the territory of the other party via any intermediate point(s) and to any beyond point regardless of its mention in the Route Schedule.
• The 5th freedom is the right to carry passengers from one’s own country to a second country, and from that country onward to a third country (and so on).

India-New Zealand Relations

Trade and Economic Ties

• Trade between India and New Zealand has been growing steadily.
• Both countries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which has facilitated trade.
• Key trade items include agricultural products, machinery, textiles, and information technology services

Sports

• Cricket is a shared passion between the two countries.
• India and New Zealand have competitive cricket teams, and matches between them often generate excitement among fans.

Indian Community

• 175,000-strong Indian Diaspora about 140,000 persons are estimated to be of Indian origin, while 35,000 persons are estimated to be of Indian descent.
• They mainly hail from Gujarat and Punjab.
• They are concentrated in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch.
• Most of them are engaged in grocery business and dairy farming.
• There are also several professionals including doctors,  professors, engineers, chartered accountants and computer experts.
• Most people of Indian origin have acquired New Zealand citizenship.
• There are Indian Associations in ten major towns, which help the community nurture its cultural heritage.

Cooperation in education sector

• The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi signed a MoU with NZ universities to establish a NZ Centre at the Institute, which was inaugurated by the then DPM and Foreign Minister of NZ Winston Peters.
• The Centre will be a hub of collaboration between the academic institutions of two countries in areas such as cancer, waste management, cyber security, robotics, autonomous vehicles and medical technology.

Aditya-L1 Mission

Source: Live Mint
GS II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Overview

1. About Aditya-L1 Mission
2. About Sun

Why in the News?

Aditya L1, ISRO’s ambitious spacecraft successfully launched from Sriharikota.

• With this, India has taken the first step towards the completion of its Solar mission.

Source: ISRO

News in Brief

• Four months from now, the spacecraft will be successfully placed in its Halo orbit, L1, near the Sun.
• Soon after that, its seven payloads will come into action to find out answers to some of the most intriguing questions about the Sun.
• The primary goal is to understand why the Sun’s corona is astonishingly hot, reaching temperatures of up to 2 million degrees, in stark contrast to the relatively cooler surface of the Sun at around 5,000 degrees.
• Continuously observe the Sun for 24 hours a day, a feat not possible from Earth’s orbit, as the planet frequently obstructs the view.

About Aditya-L1 Mission

• Aditya-L1 is a satellite dedicated to the comprehensive study of the Sun.
  • Aditya in Sanskrit means the Sun.
• It has 7 distinct payloads developed, all developed indigenously.
• Five by ISRO and two by Indian academic institutes in collaboration with ISRO.

What is L1 Lagrange Point 1?

• L1 here refers to Lagrange Point 1 of the Sun-Earth system.
• For common understanding, L1 is a location in space where the gravitational forces of two celestial bodies, such as the Sun and Earth, are in equilibrium.
• This allows an object placed there to remain relatively stable with respect to both celestial bodies.

Schedule

• Aditya-L1 stays Earth-bound orbits for 16 days, during which it undergoes 5 maneuvres to gain the necessary velocity for its journey.
• Subsequently, Aditya-L1 undergoes a Trans-Lagrangian1 insertion maneuvre, marking the beginning of its 110-day trajectory to the destination around the L1 Lagrange point.
• Upon arrival at the L1 point, another maneuvre binds Aditya-L1 to an orbit around L1, a balanced gravitational location between the Earth and the Sun.
• The satellite spends its whole mission life orbiting around L1 in an irregularly shaped orbit in a plane roughly perpendicular to the line joining the Earth and the Sun.

How it will work?

• The strategic placement at the L1 Lagrange point ensures that Aditya-L1 can maintain a constant, uninterrupted view of the Sun.
• This location also allows the satellite to access solar radiation and magnetic storms before they are influenced by Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere.
• Additionally, the L1 point’s gravitational stability minimizes the need for frequent orbital maintenance efforts, optimizing the satellite’s operational efficiency.
• Aditya-L1 will stay approximately 1.5 million km away from Earth, directed towards the Sun, which is about 1% of the Earth-Sun distance.
• The Sun is a giant sphere of gas and Aditya-L1 would study the outer atmosphere of the Sun.
• Aditya-L1 will neither land on the Sun nor approach the Sun any closer.

About Sun

The Sun is the star at the center of our solar system, and it plays a fundamental role in the existence and sustenance of life on Earth.

Key facts about the Sun

• Composition
  • The Sun primarily consists of hydrogen (about 74% by mass) and helium (about 24% by mass).
  • Trace amounts of other elements are also present.
• Size
  • The Sun is enormous.
  • Its diameter is approximately 109 times that of Earth, and it could fit about 1.3 million Earths inside it.
  • It has a volume that could hold more than 1.3 million Earths.
• Structure
  • The Sun consists of several layers, including the core, radiative zone, convective zone, photosphere, chromosphere, and corona.
  • The core is where nuclear fusion reactions occur, generating immense heat and energy.
• Energy Source
  • The primary source of the Sun’s energy is nuclear fusion.
  • In the core, hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium through a process known as the proton-proton chain reaction.
  • This releases an enormous amount of energy in the form of light and heat.
• Energy Output
  • The Sun radiates energy in all directions, and the energy output is immense.
  • It produces about 386 billion billion megawatts of power.
• Light Travel Time
  • It takes approximately 8 minutes and 20 seconds for light from the Sun to reach Earth.
  • This means that when we look at the Sun, we are seeing it as it appeared over 8 minutes ago.
• Solar Activity
  • The Sun undergoes an 11-year cycle of solar activity known as the solar cycle.
  • During this cycle, the number of sunspots, solar flares, and solar radiation varies.
  • These variations can affect Earth’s climate and communication systems.
• Solar Eclipses
  • Solar eclipses occur when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking all or part of the Sun’s light.
  • Observing a solar eclipse requires special eye protection to prevent damage to the eyes.
• Importance to Earth
  • The Sun is vital to Earth’s climate, weather, and ecosystem.
  • It provides the energy necessary for photosynthesis in plants, which is the foundation of the food chain.
  • It also drives weather patterns and ocean currents.
• Future Evolution
  •  The Sun is about 4.6 billion years old and is currently a middle-aged star.
  • It is expected to continue burning hydrogen for several billion more years before eventually evolving into a red giant and later a white dwarf.

6th Census Report on Minor Irrigation (MI) Schemes

Source: PIB
GS II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

Overview

1. About the Minor Irrigation (MI) schemes
2. About the survey
3. Key Facts in the Survey

Why in the News?

The Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation recently released the report on the 6th census on Minor Irrigation (MI) schemes.

About the Minor Irrigation (MI) schemes

• MI schemes are those structures either in ground water or in surface water category that have Culturable Command Area (CCA) of up to 2,000 Hectares.
• Minor irrigation schemes are classified into two major categories and six sub-categories.
  • Ground Water (GW) schemes encompass dugwells, shallow tube wells, medium tube wells, and deep tube wells.
  • Surface Water (SW) schemes consist of surface flow and surface lift schemes.

About the survey

• A Census of MI schemes is being conducted for effective planning and policy-making in this sector.
• Five censuses were conducted in 1986-87, 1993-94, 2000-01, 2006-07 and 2013-14 respectively.
• The census was conducted under the centrally sponsored scheme “Irrigation Census”.
• Parameters collected: irrigation sources, irrigation potential created (IPC), potential utilized, ownership, holding size of land by owner, devices used for lifting water, sources of energy, energy conserving devices, use of non-conventional energy sources.
• Irrigation sources included- dug wells, shallow tube well, medium tube well, deep tube well, surface flow, and surface lift schemes.

Key Facts in the Survey

• 23.14 million minor irrigation (MI) schemes are present in the country, out of which 94.8% are Ground Water (GW) and 5.2% are Surface Water (SW) schemes.
• The largest number of MI schemes: Uttar Pradesh > Maharashtra > Madhya Pradesh > Tamil Nadu.
• Dug wells have the highest share in MI schemes followed by shallow tube wells, medium tube wells, and deep tube wells.
• GW and SW schemes:
  • The GW schemes comprise dugwells, shallow tube wells, medium tube wells, and deep tube wells.
  • The SW schemes comprise surface flow and surface lift schemes.
  • Leading States in GW schemes are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
  • Leading States in SW schemes are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha, and Jharkhand.
  • Both GW and SW schemes have increased by 6.9% and 1.2%, in India respectively.
• Individually owned schemes
  • First time, the information about the gender of the owner of the MI scheme was collected in the case of individual ownership.
  • Out of all the individually owned schemes, 18.1% are owned by women.
• Finance of MI scheme:
  • Around 60.2% of schemes have a single source of finance whereas 39.8% of schemes have more than one source of finance, with a maximum (79.5%) of being financed by individual farmers.

Hurricane Idalia

Source: CNN
GS I:  Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,

Overview

1. Hurricane Idalia
2. Different Types of Storms
3. What is a Hurricane?

Why in News?

Hurricane Idalia struck Florida with the velocity of a fast-moving train, causing extensive damage.

Hurricane Idalia

• Hurricane Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 storm, with maximum sustained winds near 125 mph (205 kph).
• The hurricane split trees in half, tore off hotel roofs, and transformed small cars into makeshift boats.
• It continued its destructive path into Georgia, maintaining significant strength and causing flooding and chaos along its route.

Different Types of Storms

• Tropical Depression: Initial stage with low pressure, organized storms, wind < 39 mph, heavy rainfall, and flood risk.
• Tropical Storm: Follows depression, wind 39-73 mph, stronger circulation, heavy rainfall, and strong winds.
• Category 1 Hurricane: Lowest on the scale, wind 74-95 mph, power outages, tree damage, minor structural damage.
• Category 2 Hurricane: Wind 96-110 mph, roof/window damage, vegetation damage, storm surge, and flooding.
• Category 3 Hurricane (Major): Wind 111-129 mph, a major hurricane, devastating damage, storm surge, evacuation.
• Category 4 Hurricane (Major): Wind 130-156 mph, catastrophic damage, structural damage, power outages, surges.
• Category 5 Hurricane (Major): Most severe, wind > 157 mph, catastrophic destruction, storm surges, evacuation essential.

What is a Hurricane?

• A hurricane is a powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that forms over warm ocean waters.
• It is known by different names in different parts of the world, such as typhoon in the western North Pacific and cyclone in the Indian Ocean.
• Hurricanes are natural disasters characterized by strong winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges, and can cause significant damage to property and pose a threat to human lives.

Key features and characteristics of hurricanes

• Formation
  • Hurricanes typically form over warm ocean waters, where the sea surface temperature is at least 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher.
  • Warm ocean waters provide the heat and moisture needed to fuel the storm.
• Stages
  • A hurricane goes through several stages of development, including tropical depression, tropical storm, and hurricane.
  • The strength of a hurricane is often categorized on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which ranges from Category 1 (weakest) to Category 5 (strongest).
• Eye
  • In the center of a hurricane is the eye, a relatively calm and clear area with light winds.
  • The eye is surrounded by a circular wall of intense thunderstorms called the eyewall, where the strongest winds and heaviest rainfall are found.
• Wind Speed
  • Hurricanes are characterized by their powerful winds, which can exceed 74 miles per hour (119 kilometers per hour) for a storm to be classified as a hurricane.
• Rainfall
  • Hurricanes produce heavy rainfall, which can lead to flooding in coastal areas and inland regions.
  • The combination of strong winds and heavy rain can be especially destructive.
• Storm Surges
  • One of the most dangerous aspects of hurricanes is storm surges.
  • These are abnormally high coastal waters pushed ashore by the hurricane’s winds.
  • Storm surges can cause significant flooding in coastal areas, leading to damage and loss of life.
• Tracking and Prediction
  • Meteorological agencies and experts use advanced technology and computer models to track and predict the path and intensity of hurricanes.
  • This information is crucial for issuing warnings and evacuations to protect people and property.
• Impact
  • Hurricanes can cause a wide range of damage, including destruction of homes and infrastructure, power outages, disrupted transportation, and loss of life.
  • The aftermath of a hurricane often requires extensive recovery and relief efforts.
• Naming
  • Hurricanes are given names for easy identification and communication.
  • There are separate lists of names for each hurricane season, and names are assigned in alphabetical order.
• Preparedness
  • Coastal communities in hurricane-prone regions often have emergency plans and evacuation procedures in place.
  • Residents are advised to prepare emergency kits, secure their homes, and follow evacuation orders when necessary.

Hurricanes are natural phenomena that can have a significant impact on the regions they affect. Effective monitoring, forecasting, and preparedness are crucial for minimizing the potential damage and ensuring the safety of those in hurricane-prone areas.

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