Daily Prelims Notes 13 May 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

13 May 2024

1. Aurora lights in India: What caused them to be visible even from Ladakh?

Sub: Science and tech

Sec: Space

Context:

• Aurora lights, typically visible only in high-latitude regions near the poles, were observed from Ladakh, India, during the late hours of May 10 and early hours of May 11. This phenomenon was recorded using all-sky cameras at the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) in Hanle, Ladakh, operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru.

Auroras:

• Auroras are natural light displays that occur when charged particles from solar winds interact with the Earth’s magnetosphere.
  • The magnetosphere is the region surrounding the Earth where the dominant magnetic field is the Earth’s, rather than the magnetic field of interplanetary Space.
  • It protects the Earth against solar winds and is strongest at the poles.
• These particles travel along the Earth’s magnetic field and upon colliding with atmospheric molecules and atoms, cause emissions of light seen as auroras.
• In North Pole- Aurora Borealis
• In South Pole- Aurora Australis

Causes of the Aurora’s Visibility in Lower Latitudes:

• This unusual visibility of auroras in regions far from the poles, including India, was triggered by a significant increase in solar flare activity.
• Indian solar physicists noted that several strong solar storms, originating from Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) from an active sunspot, AR13664, hit the Earth between May 10 and May 11.
• These storms caused disturbances in space weather, leading to the display of auroras in lower latitudes.
  • Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun’s corona.

Impact of Solar Storms:

• The CMEs, travelling at high speeds (700- 815km/second), significantly disturbed the Earth’s magnetic field, affecting the space weather.
• This activity was part of a series of solar flares and storms predicted to continue affecting the Earth around this period.
• The intense solar storms pose risks to satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) (an altitude ranging between 200-1,600km), affecting their operations due to induced heating in the upper atmosphere and potential drag effects.
• This can result in radiation hazards and physical damage to satellites, potentially compromising navigation, communication, military, and intelligence systems relying on these satellites.

Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO):

• IAO is a high-altitude astronomy station operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
• IAO stands on Mt. Saraswati, Digpa-ratsa Ri, Hanle in the south-eastern Ladakh Union territory of India.
  • Nyoma, 75 km northwest of Hanle, has an Indian military airbase.
• Situated in the Western Himalayas at an elevation of 4,500 meters (14,764 ft), the IAO is one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical, infrared and gamma-ray telescopes.
• It is currently the tenth-highest optical telescope in the world.
  • It is India’s first dark-sky reserve.
  • Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary in Changthang plateau is also located here.
• The Observatory has several active telescopes. These are the 2.01 meter optical-infrared Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT), GROWTH-India telescope, Cassegrain telescope, and a High Altitude Gamma Ray Telescope (HAGAR).
  • The HCT is remotely operated from Bangalore from the Centre for Research and Education in Science and Technology (CREST) using a dedicated satellite link.

Source: IE

2. What FLiRT, a new set of Covid-19 variant detected in the US, could mean for spring and summer

Sub: Science and tech

Sec: Health

Context:

• The KP.2 variant, emerging as an offshoot of the JN.1 strain (Omicron variant) of the coronavirus, has shown a notable increase in prevalence in the United States.
• From accounting for only 1% of cases in mid-March, KP.2 now represents over a quarter of all COVID-19 cases.
• This variant belongs to a subset of COVID variants collectively nicknamed “FLiRT”.

Characteristics and Evolution of KP.2:

• KP.2 is closely related to its predecessor, JN.1, with minor but significant alterations in its spike protein that potentially enhance its ability to evade immune defences and increase its transmissibility.
• Spike protein:
  • Spike (S) glycoprotein (also called spike protein) is the largest of the four major structural proteins found in coronaviruses.
  • The spike protein assembles into trimers that form large structures, called spikes or peplomers, that project from the surface of the virion.
  • It mediates viral entry into the host cell.

Vaccine Efficacy Against KP.2:

• Vaccination and prior infections provide substantial protection against severe disease.
• However, KP.2 poses challenges due to its distinct characteristics from the variants targeted by the most recent vaccines, such as XBB.1.5.
• KP.2 may be more capable of infecting individuals vaccinated against different variants.
• Nevertheless, vaccination remains crucial, especially for high-risk groups, including the elderly, pregnant, and immunocompromised individuals.

Symptoms and Long COVID Risks:

• The symptom profile for KP.2 is expected to align with those observed in other variants: respiratory symptoms, fever, and in some cases, gastrointestinal disturbances.
• While anosmia and ageusia are less common now, the risk of long COVID persists, especially with repeated infections, complicating the long-term management of the pandemic.
• Long Covid:
  • Long COVID is a term to describe the effects of COVID-19 that continue for weeks or months beyond the initial illness, usually three months from the onset of the symptoms.
  • Older people and those who had five or more symptoms in the first week of becoming ill with COVID-19 are more prone to develop ‘long COVID’.

Source: IE

3. Freshwater quest, the likely new gold hunt

Sub: Geo

Sec: Oceanography

Undersea Freshwater Sources:

• Substantial freshwater reserves have been discovered under the ocean, as evidenced by findings from the 1960s by the U.S. Geological Survey off New Jersey coast and more recent discoveries including a river under the Black Sea.
• This river appears to be over a 100 feet deep and has a flow rate of about four miles per hour; about 22,000 cubic meters of water passes through this particular channel.
• It would be among one of the largest rivers in the world when compared to land-based rivers.

Global Freshwater Statistics:

• Of Earth’s total water volume (1.386 billion km^3), 97.5% is saline and only 2.5% is freshwater.
• A mere 0.3% of freshwater is available in liquid form on the surface, highlighting the vast majority that resides underground, including beneath the ocean bed.

United Nations Law of the Sea Convention, 1982 (UNCLOS):

• Adopted in 1982.
  • It lays down a comprehensive regime of law and order in the world’s oceans and seas establishing rules governing all uses of the oceans and their resources.
  • The Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS) of the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations serves as the secretariat of the Convention on the Law of the Sea and reports annually to the General Assembly.
• UNCLOS, along with the Geneva Conventions on the Law of the Sea, 1958, govern international maritime law.
• UNCLOS outlines the concept of the “Area,”(area beyond the EEZ of a nation or Area beyond natural jurisdiction of a country) defining it as the common heritage of mankind, intended for the collective benefit of all, including future generations.
• This area is beyond national jurisdictions and largely unregulated concerning non-mineral resources such as freshwater.
• The International Seabed Authority is empowered under UNCLOS to administer and control the activities in the Area.
• UNCLOS prevails over the Geneva Conventions for signatory states (as per Article 311 of UNCLOS), but the United States recognizes only the Geneva Conventions, complicating international consensus on maritime law.

Regulation of Freshwater Under UNCLOS:

• Exploration and exploitation under UNCLOS are restricted to “resources” defined typically as minerals.
• It remains ambiguous whether this definition extends to freshwater.
• The International Seabed Authority administers activities in the “Area,” but there’s no clear directive on regulating freshwater exploration for states adhering only to the Geneva Conventions.

BBJN Treaty:

• Treaty on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, commonly referred to as Treaty of the High Seas.
• Legally Binding in nature
• The treaty aims to address the challenges faced by the high seas, which constitute areas beyond 200 nautical miles from the exclusive economic zones of coastal countries.
• So far, 88 countries have signed the treaty, with Chile and Palau being the only two to have ratified it.
• However, at least 60 ratifications are necessary for it to come into force.
• Objectives:
  • The treaty seeks to increase the percentage of protected areas on the high seas, which currently stands at a mere 1.44%, despite covering more than two-thirds of the global ocean.
  • Additionally, it aims to ensure fair and equitable sharing of profits from marine genetic resources (MGR) and establish rules for conducting Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), which deal with identifying and evaluating the potential impacts an activity could have on the ocean.
  • This aligns with the 30×30 target, it is a global commitment to protect at least 30% of the planet for nature by 2030. It was agreed upon at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the Conference of Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in 2022 and is included in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Source: TH

4. Renewable energy certificates (RECs)

Sub: Environment

Sec: Climate change

Context: Renewable energy certificates (RECs) prices hit ₹185 per certificate during the May 8 trading session on the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX), which is the lowest on record. Around 4 lakh RECs, equivalent to 400 million units (MU), were traded.

Prior to this, the REC market recorded an all-time low price of ₹204 in the trading session held on April 24. Prices have declined by more than 80 per cent on an annual basis so far.

What are REC?

REC is a market based instrument to promote RE and facilitate compliance of renewable purchase obligations (RPO). It is aimed at addressing the mismatch between availability of RE resources and requirement of obligated entities to meet the RPO.

One REC equals 1 MWh of energy generated from renewable sources. More than 85 per cent of the trade in RECs takes place on power exchanges.

Historically, RECs have traded under solar and non-solar categories, based on the renewable source. Floor and forbearance prices were set for trading on power exchanges wherein prices varied from time to time. Most of the time, RECs traded at the floor price, that is, ₹1,000 per certificate due to surplus inventory.

However, regulation by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, effective December 5, 2023, eliminated the concept of floor and forbearance prices, enabling trading of RECs at market determined price. Subsequently, there has been a significant decline in REC prices.

For instance, 7.55 lakh RECs, equivalent to 755 MU, was traded in the IEX sessions on November 8 and November 29, 2023, at a clearing price of ₹375 per certificate. It rose to 10.52 lakh RECs, equivalent to 1,052 MU, in the trading sessions on December 13 and December 27, at a clearing price of ₹370 and ₹360, respectively.

The numbers went up further in January 2024, with a total of 15.20 lakh RECs equivalent to 1,520 MU being traded on January 10 and January 31, at a clearing price of ₹360 per certificate, which is also the highest REC volume in FY24.

Trading in RECs dipped in February. A total of 6.14 lakh RECs, equivalent to 614 MU, traded in the sessions held on February 14 and February 28, at a clearing price of ₹360 per certificate and ₹347, respectively.

March again witnessed higher volume of 11.14 lakh RECs, equivalent to 1,114 MU, in the sessions held on March 13 and March 27, at a clearing price of ₹300 and ₹270 per certificate, respectively.

The higher numbers during January and March 2024 were also due to companies undertaking carbon emission audits for FY24. Lower volumes are also reflective of oversupply in the market as REC suppliers have increased to more than two dozen aided by government’s policies to increase adoption of renewables.

April witnessed lower numbers compared with March. A total of 6.18 lakh RECs, equivalent to 618 MU, were traded in the sessions held on April 10 and April 24, at a clearing price of ₹240 a certificate and ₹204, respectively.

Industry sources said that REC prices have declined substantially since December last year encouraging obligated entities to leverage record low rates to procure RECs.

Impact of low prices?

• A government official explained that low prices will encourage obligated entities to meet their RPOs and voluntary customers to meet their sustainability aspirations.
• However, even as REC prices have been weakening, some Discoms are not meeting their RPO compliance leading to a huge inventory pile up. For instance, REC inventory in May 2024 is more than 3.5 crore.

5. What is DigiLocker and does it keep your data safe?

Sub: Science and tech

Sec: Awareness in IT, COMPUTER

Context:

• 10th and 12th standard students from the CISCE board as well as 10th standard students from the State Board of Tamil Nadu can get their 2024 results from DigiLocker.

What is Digilocker?

• DigiLocker is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) under the Digital India programme.
• The DigiLocker platform, launched in 2015, operates as an app to store users’ digital records. 
• The app can be used when applying for a passport, reviewing marksheets, or proving one’s identity during travel.
• DigiLocker is a digitization service provided by the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under its Digital India initiative.
• DigiLocker allows access to digital versions of various documents including driver’s licenses, vehicle registration certificates and academic mark sheets.
• DgiLocker was not mandatory in order to get a new passport

Rule 9A:

• The issued documents in DigiLocker system are deemed to be at par with original physical documents as per Rule 9A of the Information Technology (Preservation and Retention of Information by Intermediaries providing Digital Locker facilities) Rules, 2016.

Why is there an increased adoption rate of Digilocker?

• DigiLocker is a paperless solution meant to ensure that a user can access the latest and updated versions of their documents online in order to prove their identity and their credentials at any given moment.
• This app helps eliminate the need to carry separate sets of documents while they are on the move.

How secure is DigiLocker?

• It is a government approved application and is ideally maintained with strict security protocols framed by officials.
• It has standard security measures in place including 2048 Bit RSA SSL encryption, multi-factor authentication (OTP verification), consent systems, timed log outs, and security audits.
• No DigiLocker data is shared with third parties and data is encrypted in transit.

6. 2024 Lok Sabha polls: Housing schemes and promises to voters

Sub: Schemes

Sec: Infra

Context:

• As the 2024 elections drew near, various political parties attempted to woo voters with schemes, freebies and promises.

India’s housing crisis:

• According to a Government of India report in 2012, an estimated 18.78 million more houses were required to cater to the housing demand in the country.
• The share of affordable housing in overall sales during the first half of 2023 saw a sharp decline as compared to the first half of 2022. 

Right to Housing:

• A right to housing has been held to be a part of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution by the Supreme Court. 

Timeline of Policy measures:

• There was no explicit housing policy in place till well after India attained Independence.
• 1985:
  • The first policy intervention from the Government came in 1985, with the Indira Awaas Yojana, which was focused on rural housing.
• 2004:
  • After 2004, urban housing came into focus with programmes such as reform-led infrastructure investment schemes for cities and the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), launched in 2005.
• 2008:
  • In 2008, the Parekh Committee report on housing led to urban housing interventions such as the Rajiv Awas Yojana and Rajiv Rinn Yojna.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna:

• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is a credit-linked subsidy scheme by the Government of India to facilitate access to affordable housing for the low and moderate-income residents of the country.
• It envisaged a target of building 2 crore affordable houses by 31 March 2022.

PM Awas Yojna Urban:

• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U), a flagship Mission of Government of India being implemented by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), was launched on 25th June 2015.

• The duration of the PMAY-U was initially seven years, from FY 2015-16 to FY 2021-22. 
• It has now been extended up to December 31, 2024- with all verticals except Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) – to complete houses sanctioned up to March 31, 2022.

Components of PM Awas Yojna Urban:

• A temporary fifth vertical was recently introduced in the wake of the COVID pandemic.
• Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHCs) were added in 2020 to provide sustainable and inclusive affordable rental housing avenues for urban migrants/poor.

What is Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin?

• The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin was launched by the Modi government in 2016 with the aim of constructing 2.95 crore houses, to further the “Housing for All” scheme.
• Pradhan Mantri Gramin Aawas Yojana, previously Indira Awas Yojana, is a social welfare programme, created by the Indian Government, to provide housing for the rural poor in India.

Other State Housing Schemes:

• Navaratnalu-Pedalandariki Illu scheme of Andhra Pradesh aimed at construction of 21.76 lakh houses, with an outlay of ₹56,700 crore.

7. This worm develops food habits and its offspring ‘inherit’ them

Sub: Science and tech

Sec: Msc

Context:

• Researchers from Princeton University in the U.S. reported that after C. elegans worms ate a disease-causing strain of bacteria.

More on news:

• Researchers had previously discovered this trans-generational ability in C. elegans worms against P. aeruginosa bacteria (which also cause disease in humans). 

About  Caenorhabditis elegans:

• Caenorhabditis elegans is a free-living transparent nematode about 1 mm in length that lives in temperate soil environments.
• C. elegans has two natural sexes, XO males and XX hermaphrodites. 
• The hermaphrodites are simply self-fertile females whose only male character is the ability to make the limited number of sperm used solely for internal self-fertilization.
• Roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans  is called “the worm” because of its widespread use in research to understand neuronal and molecular biology.
• It was the first multicellular organism to have its full genome sequenced and neural wiring mapped.
• It grows within 3-5 days from a fertilized egg to a millimeter-long adult.

Mechanism:

• Pseudomonas vranovensis is a disease-causing bacterium found in C. elegans’s natural environment.
• P. vranovensis makes a small RNA molecule called sRNA.
• When the worms ingest this strain, they also take in the sRNA.
• The sRNA then altered the worm’s feeding behavior.
• The worms ‘know’ to avoid feeding on this bacterium and save themselves from getting sick.
• This learned avoidance behavior was found to be transmitted to the trained worm’s progeny.
• The ability decayed only from the fifth generation.

About DNA, mRNA and sRNA:

DNA:

• Deoxyribonucleic acid (abbreviated DNA) is the molecule that carries genetic information for the development and functioning of an organism.
• DNA is made of two linked strands that wind around each other to resemble a twisted ladder — a shape known as a double helix.

Mrna:

• Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) is a single-stranded molecule of RNA that corresponds to the genetic sequence of a gene, and is read by a ribosome in the process of synthesizing a protein.
• In cellular function, mRNA, or messenger RNA, is of paramount importance across transcription, transportation, translation, regulation, cell signaling and beyond. Converted from the genetic information in DNA, it transcribes this data into an RNA format.

sRNA:

• Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) are an emerging class of regulatory RNAs of about 40–500 nucleotides in length and, by binding to their target mRNAs or proteins, get involved in many biological processes such as sensing environmental changes and regulating gene expression.

What are Nematodes?

• The nematodes, roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda.
• They are a diverse animal phylum inhabiting a broad range of environments.
• Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but there are many that are parasitic.
• The parasitic worms are the cause of soil-transmitted helminthiases

About is E coli:

• Escherichia coli is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped, coliform bacteria of the genus Escherichia that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms.