Daily Current Affairs (MCQ's) | 10-12-2022

Q1. The dispute over the Kuril Islands is between

a. Russia and China

b. England and Norway

c. Japan and China

d. Japan and Russia

Answer (d)

Explanation:

The quarrel over the Kuril Islands

Q2. The last remaining natural habitat of Pygmy Hog is

a. Panna National Park

b. Manas National Park

c. Kaziranga National Park

d. Simlipal National Park

Answer (b)

Explanation:

The grasslands in Manas National Park may be the last refuge for the pygmy hog, the world’s smallest and rarest wild pig, which was once widespread across the base of the Himalayas, but now facing imminent extinction. The pygmy hog is designated as a Schedule I species in India under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and offences against them invite heavy penalties. Porcula salvania is the scientific name. The species name salvania is after the sal forests where it was found.

The pygmy hog used to be widespread in the tall, wet grasslands in the southern Himalayan foothills from Uttar Pradesh through Nepal, Bangladesh, northern West Bengal to Assam. By 2002, only one viable population remained in Manas National Park, which had been estimated to comprise a few hundred individuals.

Q3. Consider the following statements about Cyclonic activity in the Indian ocean

1. More than 50 per cent of tropical cyclones originate in the north Indian ocean

2. The frequency of cyclones is more in the Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea

Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?

a. 1 only

b. 2 only

c. Both 1 and 2

d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (c)

Explanation:

The Arabian Sea needs to be closely monitored for future storms: Study

1. Warming ocean leads to the rapid intensification of cyclones in the north Indian Ocean, a new study has said.
2. The role of ocean temperature in the genesis and rapid intensification of the cyclone highlights the need for efficiently incorporating the coupled ocean-atmospheric conditions in cyclone forecast models.
3. The present study shows that the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) and warm oceanic conditions provided favourable dynamic and thermodynamic conditions for the genesis of cyclones.
4. Earlier studies have shown that MJO, an oceanic-atmospheric phenomenon, plays a vital role in the genesis of cyclones in the north Indian Ocean by providing favourable background atmospheric conditions. The MJO involves variations in wind, sea surface temperature (SST), cloudiness, and rainfall.
5. The Madden‐Julian Oscillation is a tropical phenomenon that includes heavy rainfall and stiff wind over an area of roughly 1,500 km in latitude and 4,500 km in longitude.
6. It starts over the Indian Ocean and moves eastward to the Pacific Ocean in about a month. As it moves eastward, it influences weather and climate phenomena in many parts of the world. Understanding the fundamental physics of the MJO forms the basis for forecasting it and its global influences.

Tropical Cyclone Pattern in the North Indian Ocean:

1. About seven %of the global tropical cyclones originate in the north Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
2. The cyclone frequency in this region varies between one and three in the pre-monsoon (March-May), and two and five in the post- monsoon (October–December).
3. The socio-economic impact of tropical cyclones over India is considerable due to the densely populated coastal districts of the country with a population of 170 million, the study noted.
4. The frequency of cyclones is more in the Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea: four tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal over one year, while the Arabian Sea experiences one.
5. The total systems of cyclonic storms formed in the Bay of Bengal over an 80-year span (1933 to 2012) exceed those of the Arabian Sea because it is relatively colder than the Bay of Bengal, so fewer systems are formed.
6. However, rapid warming is making the Arabian Sea fertile for cyclone formation. This could be one reason for an increase in the number of cyclones in the Arabian Sea, scientists have said.

Increasing Frequency of Cyclones:

1. Climate scientist Roxy Mathew Koll, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune said, “We are seeing similar rapid intensification for other cyclones also in the current decade, mostly due to warm ocean temperatures. The ocean temperatures enhance the convection (the upward motion of warm moist air) and provide the fuel for cyclone formation.”
2. The north Indian Ocean (the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea) normally experiences about five tropical cyclones annually which is about 5-6% of the global annual average. About 80 cyclones develop around the globe in a year.
3. The frequency of cyclones is more in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) than in the Arabian Sea: four tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal while the Arabian Sea experiences one. A total of 306 cyclonic storms formed in the Bay of Bengal in an 80-year period (1933-2012) and those in the Arabian Sea total 92, a study said.
4. The total systems of cyclonic storms formed in the Bay of Bengal over these 80 years exceed those of the Arabian Sea because the Arabian Sea is relatively colder than the Bay of Bengal, so fewer systems are formed. “However, rapid warming is making it fertile for cyclone formation. This could be one reason for an increase in the number of cyclones in the Arabian Sea,” said Koll.

Q4. Cloud seeding is a way to artificially tweak rain. It is also known by other terms such as man-made precipitation enhancement, artificial weather modification, rainmaking and so on. Cloud seeding can be used for

1. Heatwave amelioration

2. Lightening reduction

3. Dissipate fog

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a. 1 and 2 only

b. 2 and 3 only

c. 1 and 3 only

d. 1, 2 and 3

Answer (d)

Explanation:

• For decades, parched nations, from Mali to Thailand have turned to cloud seeding to summon rainfall amid searing temperatures, water shortages and droughts as also to prevent devastating hailstorms.
• In the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada and other mountainous areas of the United States, cloud seeding has been employed since the 1950s. China has had a perceived dependency on cloud seeding in dry regions.

So what exactly is cloud seeding?

• Cloud seeding is a way to artificially tweak rain. It is also known by other terms such as man-made precipitation enhancement, artificial weather modification, rainmaking and so on.
• The technology sprays particles of salts like silver iodide and chloride on clouds using special aircraft, rockets or from dispersion devices located on the ground.
• These salt particles act as a core (cloud condensation nuclei or ice- nucleating particles) which draw water vapour within the cloud towards them and the moisture latches on, condensing into water droplets leading to the formation of raindrops.
• The goal of cloud seeding is to alter the natural development of the cloud to enhance precipitation, suppress hail, dissipate fog, or reduce lightning.

What is the impact of cloud seeding?

Despite increasing popularity, there are a lot of unknowns with cloud seeding. The success of the technology and its long term impacts are still debated by scientists.

Q5. Consider the following statements with reference to Gharial

1. It is endemic to South Indian rivers

2. Its population is threatened by the construction of dams and sand mining

3. The surviving population can be found within the tributaries of the Ganges river system

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a. 1 and 2 only

b. 2 and 3 only

c. 1 and 3 only

d. 1, 2 and 3

Answer (b)

Explanation:

Gharial derives its name from ghara, an Indian word for pot because of a bulbous knob (narial excrescence) present at the end of their snout. The ghara also renders gharial the only visibly sexually dimorphic crocodilian. The species are largely piscivorous of all extant crocodilians. Possession of a strongly attenuated snout and rows of uniform sharp teeth supported by a relatively long, well-muscled neck makes it a most efficient fish catcher.

Gharial prefers deep fast flowing rivers, however, adult gharials have also been observed in still water branches (jheel) of rivers and in comparatively velocity-free aquatic environments of deep holes (kunds) at river bends and confluences. Smaller animals seem to conserve energy by resting out of the mainstream in sheltered backwaters, particularly during the monsoon (July-September). Sand and rock outcrops are preferred basking sites and these animals show considerable site fidelity.

Historically, gharials were found in the river system of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the southern part of Bhutan and Nepal. Today they survive only in the waters of India and Nepal. The surviving population can be found within the tributaries of the Ganges river system: Girwa (Uttar Pradesh), Son (Madhya Pradesh), Ramganga (Uttarakhand), Gandak (Bihar), Chambal (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan) and Mahanadi (Orissa).

Conservation Issues:

Dam, barrages and water abstraction adversely affects gharial by turning suitable river habitats into marginal/ unsuitable lakes, and by altering the quantity and quality of water available to downstream river sections. Gharial, with its long, toothy rostrum is particularly vulnerable to entanglement in fishing nets, where it is frequently trapped underwater and drowns. Entangled gharials are also commonly killed or have their rostrums chopped off to disentangle nets and perhaps, in retaliation for damaging nets. River bed cultivation threatens gharial survival by alienating them from the terrestrial component of its habitat leading to desertion and migration. Removal of sand from riverbanks disrupts gharial behaviour and may even force local populations to desert the area. Sustained mining activity may destroy vital basking and nesting sites and may also result in the direct mortality of eggs during the nesting season. Egg harvesting for subsistence food use by riparian residents at some gharial locations directly increases egg mortality, reduces recruitment, and may also facilitate additional predation by natural nest predators.