UPSC Daily Quiz | 8 May 2024

Explanation:

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched Aditya L-1, its first space-based mission to study the Sun, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
•  The solar probe was carried into space by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in ‘XL’ configuration.
•  The rocket is most powerful in the ‘XL’ configuration as it is equipped with six extended strap-on boosters — they are larger than the boosters of other configurations and, therefore, can carry heavier payloads.
• The PSLV will initially place the Aditya L-1 in a lower Earth orbit. Subsequently, the spacecraft’s orbit around the Earth will be raised multiple times before it is put on a path to a halo orbit around the L1 Lagrange point.
• There are essentially seven payloads on the Aditya L-1:
•  Statement 3 is incorrect: Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VLEC) to study the solar corona from the lowermost part upwards. 
• Statement 1 is correct: Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) will capture the UV image of the solar photosphere and chromosphere. It will examine the variation in light energy emitted. 
•  Statement 2 is incorrect:Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) and High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) will analyse X-ray flares. 
•  Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) and Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA) have been built to study the solar wind and energetic ions.
• The magnetometer is a dual triaxial magnetic sensor which is installed on the sun-facing deck of Aditya L1 spacecraft. It will measure the magnitude and direction of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF).

Explanation:

•  Gabon announced a debt-for-nature exchange of $500 million. It is the largest such agreement made by any nation in Africa to repay its debt and safeguard maritime resources.
•  Gabon’s debt was restructured through the issuance of a Blue Bond in the world’s second-largest debt-for-nature swap.
• Ecuador agreed to the world’s first and biggest debt exchange to save seas in May 2023.
•  Gabon has promised to spend $5 million per year from the savings on marine conservation for the following 15 years. This money will be used to further vital conservation goals, safeguard endangered species, and promote the country’s long-term “blue economy.”

Explanation:

• Deforestation: Deforestation can lead to the accumulation of dry vegetation on the forest floor, which can act as fuel for fires.
• Fragmented Forests: Forest fragmentation can increase the vulnerability of forests to fires by creating more exposed edges and reducing the resilience of the ecosystem.
• Climate Change: Climate change can lead to prolonged droughts, higher temperatures, and shifts in precipitation patterns, creating more favorable conditions for forest fires.
• However, Solar Flares are not directly responsible for forest fires. While solar flares can disrupt electronic communications and power grids, they do not have a direct impact on the ignition or spread of wildfires

Explanation:

• Carbon farming refers to the implementation of various agricultural practices aimed at enhancing the sequestration of atmospheric carbon into the soil and plant tissues. 
• This is achieved through methods such as conservation tillage, agroforestry, cover cropping, and crop rotation. 
• These practices not only improve soil health and productivity but also contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Explanation:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive imaging technique that utilizes the principles of nuclear magnetic resonance. 
• It works by applying a strong magnetic field to align the nuclear spins of hydrogen atoms (mainly from water and fat) in the body. 
• Subsequently, a radiofrequency pulse is used to excite the atoms, causing them to emit energy signals as they return to their original state. The scanner detects these signals and constructs detailed cross-sectional images of the scanned body part.