RAJAGURU IAS ACADEMY
RAJAGURU IAS ACADEMY 02-06-2017 PAPER II Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
Main Exam Q. “Critical role of Russia in the energy security of India” Critically Examine PAPER III Awareness in the fields of space
India, Russia ink nuclear plant pact
Third gravitational wave merger detected
Introduction: India and Russia have signed the muchawaited agreement on setting up two more units of a nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu and decided to give a “new direction” to the defence cooperation between the two “great powers“.
Introduction The Laser Interferometer Gravitationalwave Observatory (LIGO) detectors in the U.S. have detected yet another merger of two black holes on January 4, 2017. Named GW170104, this signal marks the third confirmed detection of gravitational waves coming from a binary black hole merger. It is of great interest to the scientific community that the black holes, having masses nearly 31 times and 19 times the sun‟s mass. Until the first detection of gravitational waves by LIGO in 2015 (GW150914) it was not known that such massive black holes could exist.
First tri-Services exercises The two countries also decided to hold the first tri-Services exercises, named „Indra2017,‟ this year and start joint manufacture of frigates, adding to the co-production of Kamov226 military helicopters. The two countries called for an end to cross-border movement of terrorists and asserted that a decisive collective response from the international community without “double standards and selectivity” was required to combat the threat of terrorism. The two nations decided to “upgrade and intensify” bilateral defence cooperation through joint manufacture, co-production and co-development of key military hardware and equipment. Key words KudAnkulam Nuclear Power Station Indra-2017 Kamov-226 helicopters
www.rajaguruiasacademy.com
The gravitational wave detection was „The first time, a chance event; second time, a coincidence, and third, a pattern,” says Bangalore Sathyaprakash, a senior scientist with the LIGO collaboration in the U.S. ASTROSAT mission The Indian space-based ASTROSAT mission did a related sensitive search for short duration x-ray flashes associated with the event and did not detect any. These results will be published soon by the scientists from ASTROSAT.
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RAJAGURU IAS ACADEMY Black-hole merger Meanwhile, at LIGO, this time around, the detection has revealed not merely a blackhole merger but also the alignment of the spins of the black holes. This can shed light on the way the black holes might have formed. In this event, the spins of the individual black holes making up the merger are probably not aligned along the same direction. This supports the theory which says that black holes form independently in a star cluster, then sink to the centre of the cluster and eventually merge. Simultaneously, the detection does not favour the competing theory according to which binary black holes form in pairs even at the start and eventually merge. The latter theory prefers that the pair of black holes will both necessarily have aligned spins. Einstein proved right The observation also supports Einstein‟s General Theory of Relativity. According to this theory, gravitational waves, unlike light waves, will not disperse as they travel through space. This, too, has been confirmed by the analysis of the latest signal. One drawback of having just the two detectors at Hanford and Livingstone tuned to detect gravitational waves is that they cannot accurately figure out where in the sky the signal is coming from. Just as in the case of a GPS, they need at least three non-collinear detectors to do this. Of course, a network of detectors will improve the scope of “Gravitational Wave Astronomy,” the era of which has just been ushered in by the third detection of gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger. Other nations The Italy-based VIRGO detector is almost in place and will join in to collect data later this year. The study had a major Indian contribution and the LIGO-India facility which is making immense progress will join the club in 2024. Key words
www.rajaguruiasacademy.com
LIGO Blackhole ASTROSAT Einstein‟s General Theory of Relativity VIRGO detector
Main Exam Q. What does mean Black hole? How do Black hole form? PAPER III Indigenization of technology and developing new technology India’s polar ship still a long way off India‟s plans to acquire a Rs. 1,000crore polar research vehicle (PRV) — a ship that can cut through ice sheets and glaciers — may see fresh delays. Though a Spanish ship-building company was roped in, in early 2015, the contract fell through, primarily due to escalated costs. The new „Make in India‟ policy gives Indian companies an edge in baggingthese contracts, which are open to international and local bidders. Multiple sources said that Indian ship companies are not experienced in building PRVs. New tender soon A fresh, global tender incorporating these changes will likely be floated later this year. The government had authorised the Goabased National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), a facility that comes under the Earth Sciences Ministry, to acquire a Polar Research Vehicle (PRV) in 2014. According to a March 2015 press statement by the Cabinet approving Rs. 1,050 crore for the purpose, a PRV was necessary to meet “ 1. …the growing need of the scientific community to initiate studies in ocean sciences, 2. the uncertainty in the charter-hire of polar vessels and the ever-escalating chartering costs 3. the expansion of scientific activities into the Arctic and Southern Ocean (the seas surrounding Antarctica).
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RAJAGURU IAS ACADEMY An Indian company can also partner with a foreign company for the bidding… once awarded, we expect the ship to be ready within three years. Crucial to nation’s goals The „ice-breaker,‟ as these ships are colloquially called, can cut through a 1.5-metre thick wall of ice. With a lifespan of 30 years, the ship is expected to be central to India‟s ambitions in the Arctic and Antarctica in coming years. India has announced plans to rebuild Maitri, its research station in Antarctica, and make it impervious to its harsh environment for at least 25 years. Though the plans to procure a ship were laid out in 2011, there have since been design changes and disagreements with the Spainbased company, which had won the tender on the final costs. “These led to the delay at that time,” Keywords polar research vehicle (PRV) „Make in India‟ National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) Maitri
www.rajaguruiasacademy.com
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Main Exam Q. “Critical role of Russia in the energy security of India” Critically Examine PAPER III Awareness in the fields of space
India, Russia ink nuclear plant pact
Third gravitational wave merger detected
Introduction: India and Russia have signed the muchawaited agreement on setting up two more units of a nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu and decided to give a “new direction” to the defence cooperation between the two “great powers“.
Introduction The Laser Interferometer Gravitationalwave Observatory (LIGO) detectors in the U.S. have detected yet another merger of two black holes on January 4, 2017. Named GW170104, this signal marks the third confirmed detection of gravitational waves coming from a binary black hole merger. It is of great interest to the scientific community that the black holes, having masses nearly 31 times and 19 times the sun‟s mass. Until the first detection of gravitational waves by LIGO in 2015 (GW150914) it was not known that such massive black holes could exist.
First tri-Services exercises The two countries also decided to hold the first tri-Services exercises, named „Indra2017,‟ this year and start joint manufacture of frigates, adding to the co-production of Kamov226 military helicopters. The two countries called for an end to cross-border movement of terrorists and asserted that a decisive collective response from the international community without “double standards and selectivity” was required to combat the threat of terrorism. The two nations decided to “upgrade and intensify” bilateral defence cooperation through joint manufacture, co-production and co-development of key military hardware and equipment. Key words KudAnkulam Nuclear Power Station Indra-2017 Kamov-226 helicopters
www.rajaguruiasacademy.com
The gravitational wave detection was „The first time, a chance event; second time, a coincidence, and third, a pattern,” says Bangalore Sathyaprakash, a senior scientist with the LIGO collaboration in the U.S. ASTROSAT mission The Indian space-based ASTROSAT mission did a related sensitive search for short duration x-ray flashes associated with the event and did not detect any. These results will be published soon by the scientists from ASTROSAT.
Page 1
RAJAGURU IAS ACADEMY Black-hole merger Meanwhile, at LIGO, this time around, the detection has revealed not merely a blackhole merger but also the alignment of the spins of the black holes. This can shed light on the way the black holes might have formed. In this event, the spins of the individual black holes making up the merger are probably not aligned along the same direction. This supports the theory which says that black holes form independently in a star cluster, then sink to the centre of the cluster and eventually merge. Simultaneously, the detection does not favour the competing theory according to which binary black holes form in pairs even at the start and eventually merge. The latter theory prefers that the pair of black holes will both necessarily have aligned spins. Einstein proved right The observation also supports Einstein‟s General Theory of Relativity. According to this theory, gravitational waves, unlike light waves, will not disperse as they travel through space. This, too, has been confirmed by the analysis of the latest signal. One drawback of having just the two detectors at Hanford and Livingstone tuned to detect gravitational waves is that they cannot accurately figure out where in the sky the signal is coming from. Just as in the case of a GPS, they need at least three non-collinear detectors to do this. Of course, a network of detectors will improve the scope of “Gravitational Wave Astronomy,” the era of which has just been ushered in by the third detection of gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger. Other nations The Italy-based VIRGO detector is almost in place and will join in to collect data later this year. The study had a major Indian contribution and the LIGO-India facility which is making immense progress will join the club in 2024. Key words
www.rajaguruiasacademy.com
LIGO Blackhole ASTROSAT Einstein‟s General Theory of Relativity VIRGO detector
Main Exam Q. What does mean Black hole? How do Black hole form? PAPER III Indigenization of technology and developing new technology India’s polar ship still a long way off India‟s plans to acquire a Rs. 1,000crore polar research vehicle (PRV) — a ship that can cut through ice sheets and glaciers — may see fresh delays. Though a Spanish ship-building company was roped in, in early 2015, the contract fell through, primarily due to escalated costs. The new „Make in India‟ policy gives Indian companies an edge in baggingthese contracts, which are open to international and local bidders. Multiple sources said that Indian ship companies are not experienced in building PRVs. New tender soon A fresh, global tender incorporating these changes will likely be floated later this year. The government had authorised the Goabased National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), a facility that comes under the Earth Sciences Ministry, to acquire a Polar Research Vehicle (PRV) in 2014. According to a March 2015 press statement by the Cabinet approving Rs. 1,050 crore for the purpose, a PRV was necessary to meet “ 1. …the growing need of the scientific community to initiate studies in ocean sciences, 2. the uncertainty in the charter-hire of polar vessels and the ever-escalating chartering costs 3. the expansion of scientific activities into the Arctic and Southern Ocean (the seas surrounding Antarctica).
Page 2
RAJAGURU IAS ACADEMY An Indian company can also partner with a foreign company for the bidding… once awarded, we expect the ship to be ready within three years. Crucial to nation’s goals The „ice-breaker,‟ as these ships are colloquially called, can cut through a 1.5-metre thick wall of ice. With a lifespan of 30 years, the ship is expected to be central to India‟s ambitions in the Arctic and Antarctica in coming years. India has announced plans to rebuild Maitri, its research station in Antarctica, and make it impervious to its harsh environment for at least 25 years. Though the plans to procure a ship were laid out in 2011, there have since been design changes and disagreements with the Spainbased company, which had won the tender on the final costs. “These led to the delay at that time,” Keywords polar research vehicle (PRV) „Make in India‟ National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) Maitri
www.rajaguruiasacademy.com
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