Indigenous Cryogenic Engine

A Cryogenic rocket stage is more efficient and provides more thrust for every kilogram of propellant it burns compared to solid and earth-storable liquid propellant rocket stages.

Specific impulse (a measure of the efficiency) achievable with cryogenic propellants (liquid Hydrogen and liquid Oxygen) is much higher compared to earth storable liquid and solid propellants, giving it a substantial payload advantage.

However, cryogenic stage is technically a very complex system compared to solid or earth-storable liquid propellant stages due to its use of propellants at extremely low temperatures and the associated thermal and structural problems.

Oxygen liquifies at -183 deg C and Hydrogen at -253 deg C. The propellants, at these low temperatures are to be pumped using turbo pumps running at around 40,000 rpm. It also entails complex ground support systems like propellant storage and filling systems, cryo engine and stage test facilities, transportation and handling of cryo fluids and related safety aspects.

ISRO's Cryogenic Upper Stage Project (CUSP) envisaged the design and development of the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage to replace the stage procured from Russia and used in GSLV flights. The main engine and two smaller steering engines of CUS together develop a nominal thrust of 73.55 kN in vacuum. During the flight, CUS fires for a nominal duration of 720 seconds.

Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) from the respective tanks are fed by individual booster pumps to the main turbopump to ensure a high flow rate of propellants into the combustion chamber. Thrust control and mixture ratio control are achieved by two independent regulators. Two gimballed steering engines provide for control of the stage during its thrusting phase.

Bomb Cyclone

It’s a weather term that applies to a massive winter storm that struck off the U.S. Southeast, the storm has dumped freak snow in this region. This storm will usually stay out to sea and blow with high winds gusts exceeding 100 kmph.

Bomb cyclones draw air from Polar Regions after they leave it means extra cold Arctic air this is based on polar vortex. Storm intensity is measured by central pressure the lower the pressure, the stronger. A storm is considered a “bomb” when the pressure drops rapidly at least 24 millibars in 24 hours, millibar is the unit of atmospheric air pressure.

Milk under price stabilisation fund

To create additional domestic demand for milk the agriculture ministry has sought inclusion of the milk under the Price Stabilisation Fund scheme. If milk is included in the Price Stabilisation Fund, it would enable states to distribute milk through the public distribution system.

The Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) was set up under the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Famers Welfare (DAC&FW) and later transferred to the Department of Consumer Affairs (DOCA). It aims to help regulate the price volatility of important agri-horticultural commodities like onion, potatoes and pulses were also added subsequently.

National Tobacco Control Policy

The Union government is planning to propose a policy for enforcing various provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products. As of now Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution Act, 2003 (COTPA 2003), lies with the States/Union Territories.

At present, there is a National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) with one objective of ensuring effective implementation of the provisions under COTPA, 2003. There are State and District Level Coordination Committees under NTCP to oversee its implementation.

Tabby's star

Tabby’s star is the “most mysterious star in the universe” as it kept dimming and brightening irregularly, following no pattern. Officially called KIC 8462852, the star is 1,000 light years away from the Earth and 1,000 degrees hotter than the Sun.

There was a 20% decrease in brightness and the dip lasted from five to 80 days. A recent report showed that the dimming is caused by ordinary dust particles, the majority of them at a size less than one micrometre.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

The IPCC is an international body for the assessment of climate change, it was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The IPCC reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change. It does not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate-related data or parameters.

Cryosphere

Cryosphere refers to the frozen part of the earth's surface. It might be comprised of snow, river and lake ice, sea ice, glaciers, ice shelves and ice sheets, and frozen grounds. This region plays a major role in the Earth’s climate system through its impact on the surface energy budget, the water cycle, and sea level.

It is a fundamental control of the physical, biological and social environment over a large part of the Earth’s surface. The cryosphere is a natural integrator of climate variability and provides one of the most visible signatures of climate change.

Ozone Depletion

Scientists have observed for the first time that levels of ozone-destroying chlorine are declining, resulting in less ozone depletion. There has been an international ban on chlorine-containing human-made chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Measurements show that this has resulted in about 20% less ozone depletion during the Antarctic winter than there was in 2005.

Stratospheric ozone protects life on the planet by absorbing potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation that can cause skin cancer and cataracts, CFCs are long-lived chemical compounds that eventually rise into the stratosphere.

In the long months of polar winter, chemical reactions take place in Polar Stratospheric Clouds that could not take place anywhere else in the atmosphere. These reactions convert the inactive chlorine in CFCs into more active forms, especially chlorine gas (Cl₂). When the sunlight returns to the South Pole in October, UV light rapidly breaks the bond between the two chlorine atoms, releasing free chlorine.

Chlorine atoms go on to destroy ozone molecules, resulting in the Antarctic ozone hole. The measurements are made by Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) aboard the Aura satellite, which has been monitoring continuously since 2004.

No Development Zone

The River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016 provides that the bank of River Ganga, its tributaries or the active flood area of them shall be a construction free zone. It also prohibits the construction of any structure for residential or commercial or industrial or any other purposes.

The National Green Tribunal has been directed to identify and demarcate the flood plains of river Ganga from Haridwar to Unnao. Once the demarcation of the flood plain is completed, 100 metres from the edge of the river would be designated as no development/construction zone. Further, the Ministry of Environment Forests & Climate Change also circulated a draft notification on “River Conservation Zones” in 2015 to all States.

Zojila Tunnel

It is an upcoming project in J&K that aims at providing all-weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh. The project has been approved on the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. It holds strategic and socio-economic significance, given the fact that the region of Leh has limited connectivity due to the threat of avalanches.

The project will be executed by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRT&H).

The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2017

It seeks to amend the Negotiable Instruments Act, of 1881. A negotiable instrument is a document that promises payment to a specified person. E.g Cheque

The Act defines promissory notes, bills of exchange, and cheques. It also specifies penalties for bouncing of cheques and other violations with respect to such negotiable instruments.