Nov 26th 2024 Current Affairs

Index:

1. Significance of European Solar Mission, Proba-3, launched by ISRO

Overview

  • Mission: Proba-3, a European Space Agency (ESA) solar mission, will be launched by ISRO on December 4, 2024, from Sriharikota.
  • Purpose: Study the Sun’s corona, the outermost and hottest part of its atmosphere, via “precision formation flying.”
  • Launch Configuration: Two satellites working in tandem to create the first-ever formation-flying setup for observing solar corona in space.

 

About Proba-3

  • Cost: Estimated at €200 million.
  • Orbit: Highly elliptical orbit with a 19.7-hour orbital period.
  • Formation:
    • Occulter Spacecraft (200 kg): Blocks sunlight.
    • Coronagraph Spacecraft (340 kg): Studies the corona, positioned 150 meters apart.

 

Instruments

  1. ASPIICS: Captures images of the Sun’s corona using a telescope and optical equipment.
  2. Digital Absolute Radiometer (DARA): Measures the Sun’s total solar irradiance.
  3. 3D Energetic Electron Spectrometer (3DEES): Studies space weather impacts from solar radiation.

 

Uniqueness of Proba-3

  • Precise shadow-casting by one satellite allows long-duration and accurate solar corona studies.
  • Observation Time: Can continuously observe the corona for 10 minutes, overcoming limitations of solar eclipses.
  • Data helps study coronal features, solar dynamics, and their influence on space weather.

 

India’s Role & Benefits

  • Technology Demonstration: ISRO launching ESA’s Proba-3 showcases India’s growing space launch capabilities.
  • Cost-Effective Access: Positions India as a reliable space partner, opening avenues for collaborations.
  • Scientific Advancement: Insights gained from corona studies will contribute to research in space weather prediction and solar phenomena.

 

Potential Outcomes

  • Advancements in satellite-based communication, navigation, and power grids affected by solar activities.
  • Global Solar Physics Community benefits from the precise observations and novel data.

 

Proba-3 in Context

  • India’s previous solar missions include Aditya-L1 (launched in 2023), focusing on solar corona studies.

Partnerships with countries like Belgium, Spain, and Poland in space science.

2. Bhutan pitches Gelephu as biggest cooperative project

Context:

 

  • Inauguration of the first International Global Cooperative Conference by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.
  • Bhutanese PM Tshering Tobgay presented the Gelephu Mindfulness City as Bhutan’s largest cooperative initiative.

 

Key Points

Gelephu Mindfulness City:

  • Location: Southern Bhutan, bordering Assam.
  • Area: 2,500 sq. km.
  • Objective:
    • A “Zero Carbon” city designed as a hub for knowledge, technology, and finance.
    • Emphasis on sustainability, mindfulness, and harmony.

 

  • Cooperative Model: Every Bhutanese citizen is a shareholder and stakeholder.

 

  • Indian Support: India’s investment and collaboration sought in areas like:
    1. Infrastructure development
    2. Hospitality and wellness
    3. Educational institutions
    4. Information Technology (IT)

 

India-Bhutan Relations:

  • PM Modi referred to PM Tobgay as his “younger brother,” while Tobgay called Modi his “elder brother” and “mentor.”

 

International Global Cooperative Conference:

  • Hosted by: Union Home Minister & Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. Held at Bharat Mandapam Complex, Delhi.
    • Emphasis on “Prosperity through cooperation.”
    • Plan to establish 2 lakh new PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies) within 3 years.
    • Objective: Every village panchayat to have a cooperative society.
    • Modernizing PACS with technology for viability.

 

 

  • Global Cooperative Movement:
    • Opportunity amid current global challenges.
    • Need to create global financial institutions to support cooperatives.
  • Circular Economy:
    • Link cooperatives with climate resilience and circular economy principles.
    • Promote start-ups in cooperatives.

Highlighted India’s 8 lakh cooperatives as a model.

3. Return to Action: The Need for Real Climate Commitment

Context: Recent climate negotiations in Baku (COP Conference) concluded with a roadmap that fell short of addressing the global climate crisis effectively.

 

Key Outcomes of COP Negotiations

  1. Finance Commitments:
    • $300 billion annually in public finance for developing nations by 2035.
    • Target to mobilize $1.3 trillion annually (from public and private sources) by 2035.
    • Significant gap: $300 billion is only 20% of original demands from developing nations.
  2. Missed Opportunities:
    • No clear mechanisms for affordable technology transfer.
    • Lack of targeted funds for infrastructure adaptation in vulnerable nations.

 

Challenges Highlighted

  1. Developed Nations’ Role:
    • Reluctance to accept responsibility for historical emissions.
    • Failure to provide adequate support for fossil-free development in the Global South.
  2. Geopolitical Shifts:
    • Decline of globalized world order and diminishing public support in the West.
    • Climate action framed through market competition rather than global solidarity.
  3. Political and Trade Conflicts: Climate negotiations entangled with broader trade conflicts and political posturing.

 

Implications for Developing Nations

  • Unmet Expectations: Developing nations face disproportionate impacts from climate change but lack sufficient support.
  • Limited Adaptation Capacity: Inadequate finance and technology transfers hinder efforts to build climate-resilient infrastructure.

 

Significance of COP 2024 in Brazil

Symbolic return to Earth Summit (1992) site, where global action was first recognized as essential. Opportunity to renew commitments and prioritize transformative action over rhetoric.

4. Secular, Socialist' to Stay in Constitution's Preamble: Supreme Court

Key Points of the Judgment

 

  1. Definition of ‘Secular’ and ‘Socialist’:
    • Secular: Denotes a Republic that upholds equal respect for all religions.
    • Socialist: Represents a Republic committed to eliminating all forms of exploitation—social, political, or economic.

 

  1. Challenge to the 42nd Amendment (1976):
    • Petitioners argued that including ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ with retrospective effect (from November 26, 1949) was a fraud on the Constitution.
    • Claimed the terms were deliberately excluded by the Constituent Assembly.

 

  1. Supreme Court’s Observations:
    • Preamble as part of the Constitution:
      • Held as an inalienable part of the Constitution.
      • Can be amended under Article 368, including retrospective amendments.
    • Socialist and Secular in Spirit:
      • India’s Constitution is flexible and adapts to the needs of the time.
      • These principles are now a part of the basic structure doctrine.
    • Petition’s Timing: Filing petitions 44 years after the amendment raised questions of motive.

 

Historical Context

  1. 42nd Amendment (1976):
    • Introduced the terms ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ in the Preamble during the Emergency period.
    • Aimed to emphasize India’s commitment to equality, justice, and welfare.
  2. Constituent Assembly Debates: Avoided explicit use of ‘secular’ due to India’s unique socio-cultural and religious diversity.

 

Constitutional Provisions and Interpretations

  1. Preamble’s Role:
    • Acts as a guiding principle for interpreting the Constitution.
    • Establishes the philosophical foundation of the Republic.
  2. Article 368: Empowers Parliament to amend the Constitution, including the Preamble.
  3. Basic Structure Doctrine: Principles such as secularism and socialism are integral to the Constitution’s basic structure and cannot be altered or removed.

 

Arguments Against the Amendment

  1. ‘Socialist’ Fetters Economic Policy: Alleged that the inclusion restricts economic policy options for elected governments.
  2. ‘Secular’ Not Mandated Initially: Contended that its exclusion by the Constituent Assembly indicated it was not a necessary addition

 

5. Satellite Use for Tracking Stubble Burning in Punjab and Haryana

Key Points

  1. Why is stubble burning tracked?
    • Farmers burn paddy stubble post-harvest to prepare for wheat sowing, leading to toxic air pollution.
    • This is a significant contributor to poor air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR), especially during winter.
  2. Role of Satellites in Monitoring Farm Fires:
    • Satellites provide a large-scale, real-time overview of fire activities.
    • They use visible, infrared, and thermal imaging to detect hotspots and smoke plumes.
  3. Primary Satellites Used:
    • NASA’s Aqua: Launched in 2002, equipped with MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer).
    • NASA’s Suomi-NPP: Launched in 2011, equipped with VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite).
    • These satellites pass over the region twice daily at approximately 1:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. local time.
  4. Supplementary Satellite Data:
    • GEO-KOMPSAT 2A (South Korea): Provides continuous coverage from geostationary orbit, detecting post-overpass fires.
    • Sentinel-2 (European Space Agency): Provides high-resolution imagery every five days.

 

Challenges with Satellite Data

  1. Farmers Avoid Detection:
    • Evidence suggests farmers delay burning until after satellite overpass times (post-1:30 p.m.), escaping detection by MODIS and VIIRS.
    • Confirmed by data from GEO-KOMPSAT 2A, which showed more fires in the late afternoon and evening.
  2. Resolution and Accuracy:
    • INSAT-3DR (India): Resolution (1 km to 8 km) is too coarse for accurate fire counts.
    • Other Indian satellites like RESOURCESAT-2A have better resolution but may not offer sufficient temporal coverage.
  3. Discrepancies in Burnt Area Data:
    • Conflicting reports from the CAQM, Punjab Government, and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). CAQM claims reduced fires, but ground reports suggest otherwise.

 

Government and Legal Responses

  1. Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM):
    • Established in 2021 to combat NCR air pollution.
    • Criticized for not effectively addressing post-satellite overpass burns.
  2. Supreme Court Involvement:
    • The CAQM was expected to respond to allegations of ignoring delayed burns.
    • The Court has questioned the effectiveness of stubble-burning mitigation efforts.
  3. ISRO’s Role: Developing protocols to improve burnt area detection using Indian satellites like RESOURCESAT and exploring other options (INSAT, GISAT-1, etc.).

 

Effectiveness of Satellite Monitoring

  1. Strengths:
    • Large-scale coverage and high-frequency data make satellites ideal for tracking dispersed fires.
    • Instruments like VIIRS can detect fires as small as 375 meters.
  2. Limitations:
    • Temporal gaps: Limited to overpass times (1:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m.).
    • Resolution: Some satellites lack the resolution needed for precise fire detection.
    • Evasive tactics: Farmers’ knowledge of satellite timings reduces monitoring effectiveness.

 

Possible Solutions

  1. Enhanced Monitoring:
    • Use of geostationary satellites (e.g., GEO-KOMPSAT) for continuous surveillance.
    • Deploy more high-resolution satellites with frequent overpasses (e.g., Sentinel-2).
  2. Policy Interventions:
    • Strengthen on-ground enforcement with real-time satellite data.
    • Promote sustainable alternatives like happy seeders, bio-decomposers, and incentives for non-burning methods.

Data Integration: Combine satellite imagery with drones and ground sensors for more granular data.

6. The Case of Sambhal

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