Civil Services Simplified: Decoding the Enigma of UPSC by Dr. CP. Kaushik

Target Prelims 2024: Day 8 1. Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs): CMEs are large explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun's corona. Caused by instabilities in the Sun's magnetic field. •The blast of a CME carries about a billion tons of material out from the Sun at very high speeds of hundreds of kms per second. ** It contains particle radiation, mostly protons and electrons and powerful magnetic fields stronger than what is normally present in the solar wind. * Solar flares are colossal explosions on the sun, emit energy, light, and high-speed particles into space & understanding solar flares is crucial for assessing their effects on communication systems and satellite operations. ** These can be classified as X, M, C , B or A Class solar flares. 2. Project Taara: •Alphabet, Google's parent company, is deploying Project Taara, a novel internet technology using Free Space Optical Communication (FSOC). FSOC uses beams of light to transmit data at high speeds over long distances. •Benefits: cost-effectiveness, high-speed data transmission, and accessibility in remote areas. •Previous project, Project Loon, used high-altitude balloons in the stratosphere, faced technological and economic challenges. •Project Taara has potential to bridge the digital divide and provide high-speed internet access to underserved communities. 3. Sagar Sampark: •Sagar Sampark is developed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) to rectify errors in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). •It utilizes reference stations strategically positioned at known locations for real-time corrections for GNSS signals. •Sagar Sampark enhances the accuracy of positioning information received from GNSS, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and NAVIC. •It provides shore-to-ship services, playing a vital role in maritime navigation. 4. The Liability Convention: **The Liability Convention ensures international responsibility for peaceful space exploration and protects space assets and Earth from falling objects. India has already ratified the convention. •The Liability Convention reinforces the Outer Space Treaty (OST), providing a legal framework for addressing potential damages from space activities. •Key aspects of the OST include peaceful use of space, equal rights to exploration, and environmental protection. ** Together, the Liability Convention and the OST form the cornerstone of international space law, safeguarding Earth and space assets from harm and promoting responsible exploration. 5. PACE Mission: NASA is gearing up to enhance our understanding of Earth’s atmosphere with the upcoming Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, scheduled for launch in early 2024 (with a planned End of Life in March 2027). • Aerosols refer to a system of liquid or solid particles suspended in a gas. It’s an endeavor by NASA aimed at expanding our understanding of our planet’s delicate interplay between oceans, atmosphere, and climate. •The mission is also used to clarify the exchange of carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere, a crucial factor in understanding climate change.

Target Prelims 2024: Day 7 1. Euclid Mission: The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid mission launched in July 2023 to investigate the mystery of dark matter and dark energy, released its first five science images. Dark Matter is the mysterious stuff that fills the universe, but no one has ever seen whereas dark energy is the mysterious form of energy that makes up about 68% of the universe. ** Dark matter acts as a form of "invisible" matter, influencing the behavior of visible matter via gravitational interactions & Dark Energy is the dominant component of the universe's energy density, responsible for the observed accelerated expansion. 2. Spaceport: •The Central Government has approved the establishment of a new spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu. • A spaceport, also known as a cosmodrome or launch facility, is a specialized site designed for launching spacecraft, rockets, and satellites into space. It serves as a base for spacecraft operations, including launch, landing, and maintenance. •ISRO Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV), which is intended to provide small satellites with flexible and affordable access to orbit, will be launched from the space port. •The most popular spaceport in India is the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. 3. Psyche Mission: **NASA's Psyche spacecraft is set to embark on a groundbreaking mission to explore a metal-rich asteroid named Psyche. •Psyche Mission will explore, for the 1st time ever, a giant metal asteroid called Psyche. •The Psyche asteroid orbits the sun in the main asteroid belt, between Mars & Jupiter. 4. Aeolus Satellite: ** Launched By Part of the Copernicus project, a joint initiative of the European Union (EU) and ESA to track environmental damage and aid disaster relief operations. •The primary goal of Aeolus was to provide accurate and detailed global wind measurements, including both horizontal and vertical wind profiles. •Aeolus carried a single instrument called ALADDIN (Atmospheric Laser Doppler Instrument), which is the first space-based lidar (light detection and ranging) system designed specifically to measure wind profiles from space. •ALADDIN emits ultraviolet laser pulses and measures the Doppler shift of the backscattered light to determine wind speed and direction at different altitudes. 5. 15 Minutes of Terror: After the failed attempt of the soft-landing mission of Chandrayaan-2, then chairman of ISRO, K Sivan described the landing process as ‘15 minutes of terror’. After the “attitude hold phase” and the “fine braking phase” that Chandrayaan-2 lost control and crashed. * Terminal descent phase: It is the final stage, when the spacecraft is supposed to descend totally vertically onto the surface.

5. Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE): **NASA said that MOXIE, an oxygen-producing instrument on Perseverance Mars Rover has successfully completed its Mars mission. MOXIE: Technology demonstrator of NASA’s Mars 2020 Rover Perseverance •It produced oxygen from carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere by using solid oxide electrolysis which is the 1st experimental extraction of a natural resource from another planet for human use. **The Perseverance Rover, launched in July 2020 and touching on the Martian surface in February 2021, has undertaken exploration of Jezero Crater, where a lake and river delta are believed to exist.

Target Prelims 2024: Day 6 1. Sludge For Use as Fertilizer: It is the thick residue produced during the treatment of wastewater or sewage in sewage treatment plants. Sludge is a significant source of organic chemicals, heavy metals, and bacterial contaminants, with its composition varying based on the source and treatment methods. Sludge can be utilized as a fertilizer or soil amendment due to its nutrient content and organic matter. When properly treated and processed, sludge can provide beneficial nutrients and improve soil fertility. **Nutrient Content: Sludge contains valuable nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N, P, K), as well as micronutrients like iron, zinc, and copper. These nutrients are essential for plant growth and development. **Organic Matter: Sludge is rich in organic matter, which improves soil structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient retention. Organic matter also encourages the growth of beneficial soil microorganisms, enhancing overall soil health. **Sludge can replace or supplement commercial fertilizers, reducing the reliance on chemical fertilizers and promoting sustainable agriculture. **Soil Improvement: Applying sludge to agricultural land can help improve soil fertility and productivity, particularly in degraded or nutrient-deficient soils. Arth Ganga aims to monetise, and reuse treated wastewater and sludge which is a sustainable viable economic model conceptualized under the Namami-Gange program to integrate people in the basin with Ganga Rejuvenation. 2. ADITYA L-1: Launched: September 2, 2023 to Study the Sun from a halo orbit around L1 with Launch vehicle: PSLV XL *Investigation of dynamics in the solar upper atmosphere (corona and chromosphere) & Investigation of solar flares, chromospheric and coronal heating, physics of partly ionised plasma, and the start of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). •Determine the series of events that take place at the base, extended corona, and chromosphere and eventually result in solar eruptions & Space weather drivers (solar wind dynamics, composition, and origin). It ill offer data in the CME acceleration regime, which is not continuously observed & on-board AI to identify solar flares and CMEs for optimal data volume and observations. 3. XPoSat: • The ISRO is collaborating with the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru to build the X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat). It is India’s 1st dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions and the spacecraft will carry two scientific payloads in a low earth orbit. The primary payload POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) will measure the polarimetry parameters. •The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload will give spectroscopic information. •Polarization refers to the orientation of the electric field in an electromagnetic wave, and studying the polarization of X-rays can provide valuable information about the physical processes occurring in extreme environments, such as around black holes and neutron stars. •It is only the world’s 2nd polarimetry mission after NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) that was launched in 2021 & XPoSat will help in Studying Black Holes, Exploring Neutron Stars, and Probing Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). 4. Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START): ISRO has announced a new Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START) About START Programme with Objective To provide introductory-level training in Space Science and Technology to build human capacity for future Space Science and research. • To Post-graduate and final-year undergraduate students of physical sciences and technology •Field Coverage: Various domains of space science, including Astronomy & Astrophysics, Heliophysics & Sun-Earth interaction, Instrumentation, and Aeronomy. •Delivery Mode: Online training programme through the Jigyasa portal.

5. Biofuels: •Biofuels involve the direct transformation of biomass into liquid fuels that can be seamlessly integrated with conventional automotive fuels.

4. Mandatory Biogas Blending: **India announces mandatory biogas blending for domestic use from 2025-26 Mandatory Biogas Blending. •The National Biofuels Coordination Committee (NBCC) gave its nod to mandatory blending of compressed bio gas (CBG) with compressed natural gas (CNG) for transportation and piped natural gas (PNG) for households starting 2025-26 (FY26). •The key objectives of the CBO (compulsory blending obligation) are to stimulate demand for CBG in CGD sector, import substitution for liquefied natural gas (LNG), saving in forex, promoting circular economy and to assist in achieving the target of net-zero emission. •The 2018 Biofuel Policy aims to reach 20% ethanol-blending and 5% biodiesel-blending by 2030. However, the Centre plans to move ahead with its ethanol blending target of 20% of petrol containing ethanol by 2025- 26. •NBCC is headed by the Prime Minister. •Biogas is an energy-rich gas produced by anaerobic decomposition of biomass which is produced from sources like agriculture residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, municipal solid waste, and sewage treatment plant waste, among others. It can be burned directly as a fuel, or purified and upgraded by removing carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, and then compressed to make compressed bio gas (CBG). The CBG (compressed bio gas) has methane content of more than 90%, which is similar to commercially available natural gas in composition and energy potential. •SATAT scheme: Under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) scheme, 5,000 CBG plants were envisaged by 2023 to produce 15 million Tonnes of CBG. The scheme’s objective was to encourage entrepreneurs to set up CBG plants across the country and supply gas to public sector oil companies. •GOBARdhan scheme: Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) is an umbrella initiative aims to build a robust ecosystem for setting up Biogas/Compressed Biogas (CBG)/ Bio-Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) plants to drive sustainable economic growth and promote a circular economy.

Target Prelims 2024: Day 5 1. E20 Fuel: E20 is a blend of gasoline (Petrol: 80%) and ethanol (20%) with respect to volume. It is designed to be used in vehicles that are designed to run on higher ethanol blends, such as flex-fuel vehicles. It has a lower carbon footprint than traditional gasoline (Petrol Vehicles) Plus Ethanol, which is a key component of E20 fuel, can be produced from renewable feedstock’s, such as corn, sugarcane, and switchgrass. • Ethanol has a higher-octane rating than gasoline, which can help to reduce engine knock and improve fuel efficiency. • By increasing the use of domestic renewable resources, E20 fuel can help to enhance energy security and reduce reliance on foreign oil. India achieved the target of 10 % ethanol blending in petrol in June 2022.The government has advanced & set a target of achieving 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025. The United States and Brazil, together, produce 82% of the world's ethanol, with the United States producing over 15 billion gallons in 2021. The vast majority of U.S. ethanol is produced from corn, while Brazil primarily uses sugarcane. • Brazil has the largest and most successful bio-fuel programs in the world. It is considered to have the world's first sustainable biofuels economy. 2. Global Biofuel Alliance: Launched by Prime Minister Modi on September 9, 2023, during the G20 summit. The GBA is a multi-stakeholder alliance of governments, international organizations, and industries. Led by India, with support from Brazil and the United States & Countries that are not part of the G20 can become members of the GBA by giving their endorsement to the foundational document. **Objective is to leverage the transformative potential of biofuels in economic growth, rural development, energy self-sufficiency, reduced air pollution, and the global transition to clean energy. 3. White Hydrogen: **White hydrogen is a naturally occurring, geological hydrogen found in underground deposits (Earth's crust) and created through fracking. *It's also known as "natural," "gold," or "geologic" hydrogen. *White hydrogen is created through fracking and found in underground deposits. There are no strategies to exploit this hydrogen at present.

3PM Batch timings.. First week classes are open to all offline students.. Attend and decide..👍

Hello everyone. This is just to inform u regarding resumption of classes.. We will start both GS and Optional classes on Thursday..

Target Prelims 2024: Day 4 1. Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS): ATAGS howitzer became a part of the 21-Gun salute during the 75th anniversary of the country's freedom. • It is an indigenous howitzer gun developed by the DRDO. • It set a world record for the longest unassisted projectile range of 48 kilometres. • It has advanced features like high mobility, quick deployability, auxiliary power mode, advanced communication system, automatic command and control system with night capability in direct fire mode. • The ATAGS project was started in 2013 by DRDO to replace older guns in service in the Indian Army with a modern 155mm artillery gun. 2. Hayabusa-2: Scientists are scrutinising the material that was brought to earth from an asteroid named Ryugu by Japanese space probe Hayabusa-2. Now scientists are saying water and organic materials might have been brought to our planet from the outer edges of the solar system. Hayabusa-2 was launched in December 2014 for a six-year voyage to study the asteroid Ryugu. • It is an asteroid sample-return mission operated by the Japanese state space agency JAXA. • It is a successor to the Hayabusa mission, which returned asteroid samples for the 1st time in June 2010. 3. Artemis-1 Lunar Mission: ** Three different Artemis mission are there. First was an uncrewed mission formerly known as Exploration Mission-1. Second will be a crewed mission to be launched in 2024. Third will be targeting to land astronauts to moon in 2025. Significance of Artemis Missions • With these missions, NASA will land the first woman and first person of colour on the Moon. • NASA will build an Artemis Base Camp on the surface and the Gateway in lunar orbit. These elements will allow robots and astronauts to explore more. •The mission was formerly known as Exploration Mission-1. •It is a planned uncrewed Moon-orbiting mission. •It will test the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion crew capsule.

5. About Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD): •It is a viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. •It poses a significant threat to the livestock industry. •The disease is estimated to circulate in 77% of the global livestock population. Cause •It is caused by an Aphthovirus. •Each strain requires a specific vaccine to provide immunity to a vaccinated animal. •Its prevention is based on the presence of early detection and warning systems and the implementation of effective surveillance among other measures. About National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) for FMD: • It is a 100% centrally funded programme, from 2019 to 2024. • It aims to control FMD and Brucellosis by 2025 with vaccination and eventual eradication by 2030. About Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease FMD: •It is common in children under the age of 5, but anyone can get it. •The illness is usually not serious but is very contagious. •It spreads through person-to-person contact and is caused by a coxvirus, which belongs to a group of viruses called nonpolio enteroviruses

Target Prelims 2024: Day 3 1. Xenotransplantation: It is a process that involves the transplantation (works on active tissue), implantation, or infusion into a human host of either a. live cells, tissues, or organs from a nonhuman animal source, or b. human body fluids, cells, tissues, or organs that have had ex vivo contact (outside of the living body) with live nonhuman animal cells, tissues, or organs. c. Such cells, tissues or organs are called xenografts or xenotransplants. d, Pig Organs: Genetically modified pigs, known as "xenotransplantation donors," are bred with specific modifications to reduce the risk of organ rejection in the human recipient. 2. Nipah Virus Infection (NiV): In Kerala, many health workers have been found in the contact list of the confirmed cases of Nipah virus infection (NiV). About Nipah Virus: •It is a zoonotic virus which means it is transmitted from animals to humans. Host: Fruit bats are the natural hosts of this virus and have a high mortality rate. Areas: Outbreaks occur almost annually in parts of Asia, primarily Bangladesh and India. Transmission: Nipah virus (NiV) can spread to people from: •Direct contact with infected animals, such as bats or pigs, or their body fluids (such as blood, urine or saliva) •Consuming food products that have been contaminated by body fluids of infected animals (such as palm sap or fruit contaminated by an infected bat) •Close contact with a person infected with NiV or their body fluids (including nasal or respiratory droplets, urine, or blood) 3. Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE): NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) said that MOXIE, an oxygen-producing instrument on Perseverance Mars Rover has successfully completed its Mars mission. MOXIE is Technology demonstrator of NASA’s Mars 2020 Rover Perseverance •It produced oxygen from carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere by using solid oxide electrolysis. •Its objective is to produce oxygen of at least 98% purity at a rate of 6–10 grams per hour. •It is the 1st experimental extraction of a natural resource from another planet for human use. 4. Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs): CMEs are large explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun's corona caused by instabilities in the Sun's magnetic field Features •The blast of a CME carries about a billion tons of material out from the Sun at very high speeds of hundreds of kms per second. •It contains particle radiation, mostly protons and electrons and powerful magnetic fields stronger than what is normally present in the solar wind. Impact of CMEs: 1. Geomagnetic Storms - It can cause disturbances in Earth's magnetic field which can disrupt radio communications, GPS signals, and even cause power outages. 2. Satellite Communications - It can interfere with satellite communications by affecting the ionosphere, which can disrupt radio wave propagation. 3. Auroras - It can generate colorful auroras when charged particles interact with Earth's atmosphere. The Northern and Southern Lights are examples of auroras caused by CMEs.

जो कल थे, वे आज नहीं हैं। जो आज हैं, वे कल नहीं होंगे। होने, न होने का क्रम, इसी तरह चलता रहेगा, हम हैं, हम रहेंगे, यह भ्रम भी सदा पलता रहेगा। RIP Sir!! Om Shanti..🙏

Destination for millions of dreams.. #lbsnaa