Daily Prelims Notes 22 March 2025

March 22, 2025
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

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Daily Prelims Notes

22 March 2025

Table Of Contents

1. Life Discovered Under Antarctic Ice Shelf

Sub : Geo

Sec: Oceanography

Context:

A team of scientists discovered dozens of new species, including giant sea spiders, octopi, and corals, on the newly exposed seafloor left behind by the A-84 iceberg.
The iceberg broke away from the George VI Ice Shelf on January 13, revealing an underwater world previously beyond human reach.
The mission was part of Challenger 150, a UNESCO-endorsed global initiative for deep-sea research.

Exploration and Discoveries

The remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) SuBastian explored the seafloor for eight days at depths of up to 1,300 metres.
Observations included large corals, sponges, icefish, giant sea spiders, octopi, and a giant phantom jelly.
Scientists may have discovered several new species.
A vase-shaped sponge found might be hundreds of years old.

Scientists’ Reactions

Scientists were surprised by the discovery of a thriving ecosystem under the ice shelf.
According to Dr Patricia Esquete, the size of the animals suggests that the communities have been there for decades or even centuries.

Reason for Surprise

Deep-sea ecosystems typically rely on photosynthetic organisms for nutrients.
The Antarctic ecosystem, covered by 150-metre-thick ice for centuries, is completely cut off from surface nutrients.

Possible Explanations for Life Under Ice Shelf

Scientists hypothesise that ocean currents, glacial meltwater, or another unknown factor could be transporting essential nutrients.
The precise mechanism sustaining these ecosystems is still not fully understood.

Significance of the Findings

The discoveries provide new insights into how ecosystems function beneath floating ice shelves.
Expands knowledge of life in extreme environments and the potential adaptability of deep-sea organisms.

Conclusion

The study of life beneath Antarctic ice shelves is still in its early stages.
In 2021, researchers first reported signs of bottom-dwelling life beneath the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in the Southern Weddell Sea.
Further research is needed to understand the nutrient sources and survival mechanisms of these unique ecosystems.

2. Mar-a-Lago Accord and dollar devaluation

Sub : Eco

Sec: External sector

Context:

The Trump administration aims to transform the US into a manufacturing superpower and reduce its massive trade deficit.
In 2024, the US faced an over $1 trillion trade deficit, marking the fourth consecutive year of such a trade imbalance.
Trump has two main strategies for addressing this: imposing tariffs or devaluing the dollar.

The Role of US Dollar:

A major reason why Americans import goods instead of buying from domestic manufacturers is the strong purchasing power of the US dollar.
The strength of the dollar is due to its widespread acceptance globally, as it is seen as a stable store of value and a medium of exchange.
US dollars make up 60% of global foreign exchange reserves, and about 50% of all international transactions are denominated in US dollars.
This widespread demand for dollars raises its exchange rate and purchasing power, making foreign goods more affordable for Americans but making US goods more expensive abroad.

Policy Options for reducing the Trade Deficit:

Imposing Tariffs:

By slapping punitive tariffs on imports, the Trump administration hopes to either reduce the demand for imports (thus lowering the trade deficit) or force foreign companies to manufacture in the US, thereby boosting domestic production.
However, this approach could lead to several negative outcomes, including higher prices for US consumers, potential retaliatory tariffs from other countries, and disruptions in global supply chains.
In addition, foreign nations may devalue their currencies in response to tariffs, exacerbating the situation.

Devaluing the US Dollar:

The second option involves convincing other countries to allow the US dollar to lose value relative to other currencies.
If other countries sold their US dollar holdings and bought their own currencies, the increased supply of dollars would lower its value, making US exports cheaper and more competitive.
This scenario has happened in the past, notably with the 1985 Plaza Accord, where the US coordinated with other top economies Japan, Germany, France, and the UK (the G-5) to lower the dollar’s value.
This move was designed to address trade imbalances and improve the US’s export competitiveness.
The Plaza Accord was a successful attempt to devalue the US dollar, bringing down the US exchange rate and easing the trade deficit. However, in the long-term, it had mixed results.
Japan, in particular, suffered from the Accord, as the stronger yen hurt its export competitiveness.
The “Mar-a-Lago Accord” is a proposed economic strategy by the Trump administration aimed at restructuring the global trading system to bolster U.S. manufacturing and address the nation’s trade deficit, similar to the Plaza accord.

The challenges of a new “Mar-a-Lago Accord”:

The number of countries involved has expanded from the G-5 in 1985 to the G-20 today, making it harder to reach consensus.
The scale of currency interventions required to meaningfully devalue the dollar today is far greater than in 1985. Currency markets are now much larger, with daily turnover of approximately $7.5 trillion.
Convincing other countries to devalue the dollar could be politically and economically difficult, particularly if it harms their economies.

3. Charting a route for IORA under India’s chairship

Sub : IR

Sec: Int grouping

Context:

India, set to takeover chairmanship of IORA from November 2025, aims to strengthen its governance by prioritizing three areas: increasing funding, integrating technology for data management and policy analysis, and creating maritime-ready courses in collaboration with academic and research institutions.

The Indian Ocean Region (IOR):

The Indian Ocean is a critical geostrategic region, home to two-thirds of the global population, and plays a significant role in global trade, with 75% of global trade and 50% of daily oil consumption passing through it.
It generates $1 trillion in goods and services, and intra-IORA trade was valued at $800 billion in 2023.
However, the region faces significant challenges, including poor development, political instability, environmental degradation, and security threats such as piracy and terrorism.

About IORA:

The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is a regional inter-governmental organization aimed at promoting cooperation between the countries of Asia, Africa, and Australia, all connected through the Indian Ocean.
It seeks to enhance regional prosperity and address common issues such as maritime safety, environmental degradation, and economic development.
It was formed in 1997 by an initiative of India and South Africa.
The Coordinating Secretariat of IORA is located at Ebene, Mauritius.

Membership of IORA:

The IORA has 23 members and 11 dialogue partners.
The members include Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South-Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Maldives, Yemen and France.
France was the last country to be accepted on the basis of its territory of Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean.

Funding issue:

One significant issue for IORA is its limited funding, with most member states being developing economies. The budget is insufficient to address growing areas like maritime security, fisheries management, and the blue economy.
To overcome this, IORA could involve private players in policy-making and funding, particularly from industries linked to the maritime domain.

India’s Role in Strengthening IORA:

India’s Security and Growth for All (SAGAR) vision aligns with IORA’s objectives.
As the future chair, India can leverage its strong relationships with other IORA members, such as Australia, France, and Singapore, to foster cooperation in areas like marine science and technology.

Additionally, India can advocate for integrating traditional coastal knowledge from smaller nations like Sri Lanka, Seychelles, and Mauritius to create sustainable marine governance models.

4. Made-in-India Web Browser

Sub : Sci

Sec: Awareness in IT and Computer

Why in News

The Indian government has taken a significant step towards promoting an indigenous web browser by awarding a prize of ₹1 crore to Zoho Corporation, a Tenkasi-based company, for developing the web browser ‘Ulaa.’ A key requirement for this initiative is that the browser must trust India’s root certifying authority, ensuring greater cybersecurity and digital independence.

Details:

The project aims to enhance India’s digital sovereignty by ensuring that an Indian-developed web browser relies on domestic encryption mechanisms.
This initiative also acts as a contingency plan to maintain an operational internet ecosystem within India in case of global disruptions.
The new browser, Ulaa, is expected to strengthen India’s position in negotiations with global technology firms like Google and Mozilla.

Root Certifying Authorities (RCAs):

RCAs are entities that certify the trustworthiness of firms issuing Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates, which are denoted by “https” in web addresses.
Globally, there are about 100 RCAs responsible for maintaining online security.
The presence of an Indian root certifying authority ensures that the country has control over digital security infrastructure.
The Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has developed India’s root certificate.
At present, only one Indian private firm, eMudhra’s emSign, is recognized as a trusted root certifying authority by international web browsers.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL):

SSL is a cryptographic protocol designed to secure communication over the internet by encrypting data between a web server and a browser.
SSL has been replaced by Transport Layer Security (TLS) since SSL 3.0 was deprecated due to security vulnerabilities.
It ensures confidentiality, integrity, and authentication in online communications.
Issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs) to verify website authenticity and enable HTTPS encryption.
Websites using SSL/TLS display a padlock icon and “https://” in the browser address bar.
Uses asymmetric encryption for authentication and symmetric encryption for data transmission.

5. South Cascade Glacier

Sub : Geo

Sec: Geomorphology

Why in News

The South Cascade Glacier in Washington, USA, was named “Glacier of the Year” by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on March 21, 2024. Recent studies indicate a significant reduction in its size due to rising global temperatures, highlighting the ongoing effects of climate change.

Importance of South Cascade Glacier:

Glaciers have been studied in Europe since the 19th century, but South Cascade Glacier has been instrumental in developing modern glaciological research methods.
Several scientific techniques, such as ice radar for measuring glacier thickness, were first applied here. Data collected from this glacier has helped scientists understand long-term climate trends.
Located at the head of the South Fork of the Cascade River, which ultimately drains into Puget Sound. Spanning over 6 square kilometres, its simple geometry makes it ideal for studying glacial changes.
A glacier is a perennial accumulation of snow and ice that continuously moves, eroding rocks and shaping valleys over thousands of years.
Monitoring at South Cascade Glacier began in 1958, under the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
In 1959, the USGS initiated a “continuous mass balance” measurement project, recording:
- Streamflow runoff, Precipitation levels, Air temperature, Barometric pressure, Snow thickness and density, Ice ablation and surface speed, Altitude changes.

Over nearly seven decades, the glacier has shrunk to nearly half its original size.
WMO reported that in 2024, all 19 glacier regions worldwide experienced a net mass loss, marking the third consecutive year of decline.
Glaciers store about 2% of the world’s freshwater.
Their melting contributes to rising sea levels, threatening coastal communities globally.
The loss of glacial ice affects freshwater availability for millions who depend on seasonal meltwater.

Cascade River:

The Cascade River is situated in the U.S. state of Washington.
It originates from the confluence of the Middle and South Forks in the North Cascades and flows into the Skagit River at Marblemount.

Puget Sound:

Puget Sound is a deep inlet of the eastern North Pacific Ocean, indenting northwestern Washington, U.S. It stretches south for approximately 100 miles (160 km) from Admiralty Inlet and Whidbey Island.
Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and Everett are among the significant urban centres located along Puget Sound.