SARAS 3 Telescope, Great Barrier Reef be put on ‘In Danger’ List, India’s private launch pad, Harimau Shakthi-2022

SARAS 3 Telescope Throws Light On The Nature Of Early Stars And Galaxies

Recently, scientists have determined the properties of radio luminous galaxies formed just 200 million years post the Big Bang, a period known as the Cosmic Dawn thus providing an insight to the properties of the earliest radio-loud galaxies that are usually powered by supermassive black holes.

About Shaped Antenna measurement of the background Radio Spectrum 3 (SARAS)

• Early in 2020, the Raman Research Institute’s Shaped Antenna measurement of the background Radio Spectrum 3 (SARAS) telescope, which was built indigenously, was installed over Northern Karnataka’s Dandiganahalli Lake and Sharavati backwaters.
• Researchers from the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia, and associates from the Universities of Cambridge and Tel Aviv collaborated on a ground-breaking study that used data from SARAS 3 to estimate the energy output, luminosity, and masses of the first generation of galaxies that are bright in radio wavelengths.
• Researchers have used data from SARAS 3 to throw light on the energy output, luminosity, and masses of the first generation of galaxies that are bright in radio wavelengths.

Significance

• The cosmic signal is extremely faint, buried in orders of magnitude brighter radiation from our Galaxy and man-made terrestrial interference. Therefore, even using the most powerful existing radio telescopes, detecting the signal has remained a challenge for astronomers.
• For the first time, radio studies of the averaged 21-centimeter line have been able to shed light on the characteristics of the earliest radio-loud galaxies, which are often driven by supermassive black holes.
• Less than 3% of the gaseous matter in early galaxies was transformed into stars, according to SARAS 3.

Findings

• The earliest galaxies that were bright in radio emission were also powerful in X-rays, which heated the cosmic gas in and around the early galaxies.
• The findings have been reported in the journal Nature Astronomy.
• The SARAS 3 team utilised the same data in March to refute claims made by the EDGES radio telescope, developed by scientists from Arizona State University (ASU) and MIT, USA, that it had detected an abnormal 21-cm signal from Cosmic Dawn.
• SARAS 3 has decreased current restrictions established by the ARCADE and Long Wavelength Array (LWA) studies in the US by putting an upper limit on excess radio wavelength radiation.

Raman Research Institute The Raman Research Institute is an autonomous research institute engaged in research in basic sciences.The institute was established in 1948 by Sir C. V. Raman, an Indian physicist and Nobel laureate.It underwent a restructuring in 1972 and is now an autonomous aided institute with funding from the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India.Radio Spectrum:The Radio spectrum is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from 1 Hz to 3000 GHz (3 THz).In the electromagnetic spectrum, radio waves have the longest wavelengths. They range in size from a football’s length to our planet’s size. In the late 1880s, Heinrich Hertz demonstrated the existence of radio waves.

Great Barrier Reef Be Put On ‘In Danger’ List

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef should be listed as a world heritage site that is “in danger”, a UN panel recommended on 29 November 2022, saying the world’s biggest coral reef ecosystem was significantly impacted by climate change and warming of oceans.

What the UN panel said

1. Frequent bleaching events are threatening the reef, including four over the last seven years and the first during a La Nina phenomenon, which typically brings cooler temperatures, this year.
2. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef should be listed as a world heritage site that is “in danger”, a UN panel recommended, saying the world’s biggest coral reef ecosystem was significantly impacted by climate change and warming of oceans.
3. Bleaching happens when the water warms too much, causing corals to expel the colourful algae living in their tissues and turn white.
4. The resilience of the (reef) to recover from climate change impacts is substantially compromised.

Australian Government stand

1. The government would push UNESCO to not list the reef as endangered because climate change was threatening all coral reefs across the world.
2. “UNESCO in the past has singled out a place as at risk because they wanted to see greater government investment or greater government action.
3. Australia’s recently elected Labor government has pledged to spend A$1.2 billion ($800 million) in coming years to protect the reef.
4. The parliament in September passed legislation for net zero emissions by 2050.
5. Canberra has lobbied for years to keep the reef – which contributes A$6.4 billion ($4.3 billion) to the economy – off the endangered list as it could lead to losing the heritage status, taking some shine off its attraction for tourists.
6. Last year, Australia dodged an “in danger” listing for the reef after heavy lobbying by the previous government led UNESCO to postpone a decision to this year.

India’s first privately built launch pad

Space-tech start-up Agnikul said it has established India’s first launchpad designed and operated by a private player. The facility, situated at Sriharikota, was inaugurated by Isro chairman S Somanath. The facility which was designed by Agnikul and executed with support from Isro and Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) has two sections to it — the Agnikul launchpad (ALP) and the Agnikul mission control centre (AMCC).

More about the launchpad

1. Critical systems connecting these two sections, which are 4km away from each other, are redundant to ensure 100% operationality during countdown.
2. The launchpad is specifically built keeping in mind the ability to support liquid stage controlled launches, while also addressing the need for Isro’s range operations team to monitor key flight safety parameters during launches.
3. Additionally, it has the ability to, as necessary, share data and other critical information with Isro’s mission control centre.
4. Agnikul’s first launch, which will be a controlled-and-guided mission, having a vertical launch, using its patented engine will happen from this launchpad.
5. The mission would be a technology demonstrator that will mirror Agnikul’s orbital launch but at a reduced scale.
6. Agnibaan is a highly customizable, 2-stage launch vehicle, capable of taking up to 100kg payload to orbits around 700km high (low Earth orbits) and enables plug-and-play configuration.
7. Agnilet is the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed engine fully designed and manufactured in India and was successfully test-fired in early 2021 & became the first company in the country to test its engines at Isro.

Blue bugging and hacking of Bluetooth-enabled devices

Cyber security experts note that apps that let users connect smartphones or laptops to wireless earplugs can record conversations, and are vulnerable to hacks. Even the most secure smartphones like iPhones are vulnerable to such attacks. Any app with access to Bluetooth can record a user’s conversations. Through blue bugging, a hacker can gain unauthorised access to these apps and devices and control them as per their wish.

What is bluebugging?

1. It is a form of hacking that lets attackers access a device through its discoverable Bluetooth connection.
2. Once a device or phone is bluebugged, a hacker can listen to the calls, read and send messages and steal and modify contacts.
3. It started out as a threat for laptops with Bluetooth capability. Later hackers used the technique to target mobile phones and other devices.

How does it work?

1. It attacks work by exploiting Bluetooth-enabled devices. The device’s Bluetooth must be in discoverable mode, which is the default setting on most devices.
2. The hacker then tries to pair with the device via Bluetooth. Once a connection is established, hackers can use brute force attacks to bypass authentication.
3. They can install malware in the compromised device to gain unauthorised access to it.
4. It can happen whenever a Bluetooth enabled device is within a 10-metre radius of the hacker. According to a blog by VPN service provider NordVPN, hackers can use booster antennas to widen the attack range.
5. Users must also watch out for suspicious activities on their devices, NordVPN suggested.

India cyber security measures:

The Information Technology (Amendment) Act of 2008:

1. It was passed by Parliament in December 2008. It was prohibited to transmit offensive messages or any information through a computer resource and communication system to cause discomfort, inconvenience, etc.
2. It allowed the central government and the state governments to issue directions for intercepting or monitoring information under section 69 based on recommendations from the standing committee on IT.
3. Through the revised section, additional safeguards, such as the Information Technology Rules, 2009 (“Interception Rules”), are also introduced for the issuance of such interception orders.

National Cyber Security Policy of 2013:

1.         Under the country’s nodal agency, NCIIPC (National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre):

2.         Cyber-security multilateralism development, as India and the US did in 2016 was to coordinate best cyber security practices and exchange real-time information about malicious cyber-attacks.

3. Establishing the National Cyber Coordination Centre (“NCCC”) to gain a comprehensive understanding of cyber security threats.
4. To enable timely information sharing between individual entities for preventative action.

‘Harimau Shakti-2022’ begins

A joint military exercise involving troops of India and Malaysia began with an aim to enhance inter-operability in the planning and execution of various operations in the jungle terrain, the defence ministry said. The India-Malaysia joint military exercise, ‘Harimau Shakti-2022’, commenced at Pulai, Kluang, Malaysia.

More about the news:

1. The exercise is an annual training event between the Indian Army and the Malaysian Army being held since 2012.
2. This year Combat-experienced troops of the Garhwal Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army and the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army are participating in the exercise to share experiences gained during operations in order to enhance inter-operability in planning and execution of various operations in jungle terrain.
3. The scope of this exercise involves command planning at the battalion level and company-level field training on sub-conventional operations in jungle terrain.
4. The joint exercise schedule includes the establishment of a joint command post, joint surveillance centre, and sharing expertise in the employment of aerial assets, technical demonstrations, casualty management, and casualty evacuation apart from planning logistics at the battalion level.
5. It will culminate with a two-day validation exercise where a special emphasis will be on enhancing tactical skills and enhancing inter-operability between the forces and promoting army-to-army relations.
6. The exercise will enhance the level of defence cooperation between the Indian Army and the Malaysian Army, which in turn will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.
7. Also, exercise GarudaShakti 2022 Troops from Indian Army ‘SpecialForces’ and Indonesian Kostrad undergoing 96 hours validation exercise in jungle terrain during the on-going joint exercise.

Poverty Decline In India

In the article “Data does not lie”, author Surjit Bhalla counters the claim of Jean Dreze on the rate of poverty decline in India and with the help of data, claims that poverty decline was faster during the NDA than UPA regime.

Fact Data

• Available data for MPI point to a faster pace of poverty alleviation during the latter period II (2015-16 to 2020-21) than period I (2005-6 to 2015-16).
  • Annual pace of improvement in the health, education and living standards indicators during 2005-15: 7.3, 10.0 and 9.6 percent respectively.
  • In the NDA years(2014-22): 11, 8.4 and an outsized 17.2 per cent annual gain in living standards.
• The table reports both uncensored and censored estimates for the average rate of change for all 11 indicators of multidimensional poverty — the master MPI index itself, and two indices (censored and uncensored) for each of the 10 indicators.
• What is of policy interest is whether the rate of decline of poverty was larger in period II (2015-16 to 2020-21) than period I (2005-6 to 2015-16).
• Inclusive Growth narrative: Asper earlier belief on inclusive growth that period I would show a greater improvement because the dominant component of poverty decline, the growth in per capita consumption, was about 0.8 percentage point higher in period I (annual 3.8 per cent increase vs. 3 per cent in period II).
• However, and somewhat a prior to surprising, the pace of MPI index decline was almost twice the pace in period II relative to period-I.
• This result is strongly indicative of considerably more inclusive (and more efficient and less corrupt) growth in period II compared to period I.
• The above table also reports a performance index for poverty decline (the index is defined as the ratio of the rate of poverty decline in period II relative to period I.
  • If the ratio is higher than 1, then there was an improvement in performance in period II; less than 1, a slowing of the rate of improvement.

Poverty Estimation in India

• NITI Aayog Task Force: Poverty estimation in India was done by the NITI Aayog task force using data from the National Sample Survey Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation to calculate a poverty line.
• In India, consumption expenditures rather than income levels are used to determine poverty levels.
• Poverty is assessed by consumer expenditure surveys carried out by the National Sample Survey Organization. When a household spends less than a given monthly threshold, it is said to be poor.
• The prevalence of poverty is assessed using the poverty ratio, which is the ratio of the number of impoverished people to the total population expressed as a percentage. It is additionally known as the head-count ratio.
• The Alagh Committee (1979) established a poverty level based on an adult’s daily calorie requirement of 2400 and 2100 calories, respectively, in rural and urban areas.
• Following that, the poverty estimation was done by other committees, including the Lakdawala Committee (1993), Tendulkar Committee (2009), and Rangarajan Committee (2012).
• The poverty line is established at Rs. 1407 per capita in urban areas and Rs. 972 in rural areas, according to the Rangarajan Committee Report (2014). (monthly consumption).

Status of Poverty in India

• MPI Value: From 0.283 in 2005–2006 to 0.122 in 2015–2016 to 0.069 in 2019–2021, the MPI value decreased.
• Poverty Incidence: From 55.1% in 2005/2006 to 27.7% in 2015/2016 to 16.4% in 2015/2016, poverty incidence decreased.
• In Bihar, the State with the greatest poverty rate in 2015–2016, the MPI value fell the fastest in absolute terms.
  • In contrast to other States, the poorest States have not caught up.
• Only one of the 10 States that were the poorest in 2015–2016 (West Bengal) was not one of the ten poorest in 2019–2021.
• The remaining 10 states—Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan—remain among the 10 poorest.
• The report admits that despite the advancements, there is still much to be done to reduce poverty.
• India has the largest number of poor people in the world—22.8 crore—followed by Nigeria with 9.6 crore.
• 21.2 percent of people live in poverty in rural areas, compared to 5.5 percent in metropolitan areas. Nearly 229 million of the world’s poorest people, or 205 million of the total, reside in rural areas.
• In India, more than one in five children (21.8%) and almost one in seven adults live in poverty (13.9 percent).
• Children, who make up the poorest age group in India, saw the MPI value decline at the fastest rate from 2005/2006 to 2015/2016.
• Adult poverty declined from 24.0% to 13.9%, while the number of children living in poverty decreased from 34.7% to 21.8%.

Poverty Alleviation Programs in India

• Integrated Rural Development Program launched in 1978-79 and became universal on October 2, 1980, with the goal of giving support to the rural poor in the form of subsidies and bank loans for productive employment possibilities across consecutive plan periods.
• Jawahar Rozgar Yojana/Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana launched with the goal of creating real employment opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed in rural regions by building economic infrastructure and community and social assets.
• Indira Awaas Yojana intends to provide free housing to BPL families in rural regions, with SC/ST households being the primary objective.
• The Food for Work Program aims to improve food security by providing paid jobs. Foodgrains were provided free of charge to states.
• National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS): launched by the central government to provide pensions to old people. Panchayats and municipalities are in charge of implementing the scheme in states and union territories.
• Annapurna Scheme was launched by the government in 1999–2000 to offer food to older adults who are unable to care for themselves, are not covered by the National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS), and have no one in their community to look after them. This program aimed to supply qualified senior citizens with 10 kg of free food grains per month. The primary target was the ‘poorest of the poor’ and ‘indigent senior seniors’ groups.
• Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY): The scheme’s core goals were the creation of wage jobs, the development of long-term economic infrastructure in rural regions, and the supply of food and nutrition security to the poor.
• MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act): provided the legal guarantee to every rural household receiving 100 days of guaranteed employment each year as a result of the Act. Women would be eligible for one-third of the proposed jobs.
• Aajeevika/National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) aimed to reduce poverty by enabling the poor households to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities, resulting in appreciable improvement in their livelihoods on a sustainable basis, through building strong grassroots institutions for the poor.
• National Urban Livelihood Mission focused on forming Self Help Groups among the urban poor, providing opportunities for skill development that leads to market-based employment, and assisting them in establishing self-employment companies by providing easy access to loans.
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana: It aimed to concentrate on newcomers to the labor market, particularly class X and XII dropouts by providing them appropriate skills to gain employment.
• Pradhan Mantri JanDhan Yojana aimed to link the poor with banking to distribute subsidy, pension, and insurance benefits directly to beneficiaries.