Subject/Topic Wise Current Affairs for UPSC Exam | Physical Geography

Geomorphology

E-prime Layer

According to a new study, Earth core's mysterious new layer was formed due to surface water diving deep. Inner Earth – It has 4 primary layers Inner core (innermost layer) Outer core Mantle (middle layer) Crust (outermost layer) E-prime layer – It is the new enigmatic layer which is formed at the Earth's outer core as a result of surface water penetrating deep into the planet. It is more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) thick, relatively slim compared with other sections of Earth's interior. Impact – Modifications in the liquid metallic layer could potentially result in reduced density and altered seismic characteristics. Significance – The…

26 November, 2023 Geomorphology

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Quasicrystals

Quasicrystals In the Sand Hills in north-central Nebraska, USA, researchers have located a third naturally occurring source of quasicrystals. What are Quasicrystals? Quasicrystals are intriguing substances with an unusual confluence of features. They serve as evidence of the strength and beauty of asymmetry in the natural world. In contrast to conventional crystal: As opposed to conventional crystals, which have their atoms arranged in a set, repeated pattern, quasicrystals have their atoms arranged in a pattern that repeats themselves at random intervals. Because of this departure from the regular arrangement of atoms in solids, quasicrystals are a representation of the strength…

16 February, 2023 Geomorphology

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Earth's Inner Core

Earth's Inner Core According to recent research, the Earth's inner core may currently be revolving slower than the planet's surface after having stopped spinning faster than it. Findings: In the early 1970s, the inner core began rotating a little bit more quickly than the rest of the planet. However, it had been slowing before synchronizing with Earth's rotation in 2009. A "negative trend" has occurred, which indicates that the inner core is currently revolving more slowly than the surface. The next alteration could happen around 2040. According to the findings, the Earth's deep core typically modifies its rotational speed every…

31 January, 2023 Geomorphology

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Mukundpura meteorite

Mukundpura meteorite On June 6, 2017, at around 5 a.m., residents of Mukundpura village near Jaipur saw a bright trail in the sky followed by a thunderous sound. They spotted a burning object with a sulphur smell on the soft agricultural land. The meteorite broke into several fragments, but a pit of about 15 cm in diameter and 10 cm in depth was formed at the impact site. The local police immediately collected it and handed it over to the Geological Survey of India, Kolkata. Now, a new study has shed light on the mineralogy of the meteorite. Carbonaceous chondrite…

10 January, 2021 Geomorphology

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Himalayan zone is Tectonically Active

A Himalayan zone is Tectonically Active Recently, a group of scientists from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun have found that the Indus-Tsangpo Suture Zone (ITSZ) of Himalayas tectonically active. What is a Suture zone? A suture zone is a linear belt of intense deformation, where distinct terranes or tectonic units with different plate tectonic, metamorphic, and paleogeographic histories join together. These zones also provide the only record of deep oceanic crust and of ancient seafloor processes for roughly the first 90% of Earth’s history. Their study provides a means to understand the end-product of plate tectonic processes…

28 October, 2020 Geomorphology

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Venus Coronae

Venus Coronae Researchers have recently studied the formation of Venus’ ring-shaped volcanic structures called “Coronae”. They are formed by plumes of molten rock rising from the mantle up through the crust. This process is similar to how Earth’s volcanos function. Interestingly, most of Earth’s volcanism occurs along the boundaries of tectonic plates, but modern Venus doesn’t seem to possess tectonic plates. They identified three dozen features on Venus, which they state could have been created by volcanism. If this is true then it will potentially reshape our understanding of the planet and its evolution. Venus was earlier determined to be…

28 July, 2020 Geomorphology