Current Affairs 01 April 2025

Content:

1. Summer set to be warmer, but El Nino unlikely during next monsoon: IMD
2. Significant increase in monsoon rainfall in Western Ghats over past 800 years: study
3. Why are tensions high in the Arctic?
4. India-U.S. tri-service exercise from April 1 to 13
5. Laser allows long-range detection of radioactive materials

Summer set to be warmer, but El Nino unlikely during next monsoon: IMD

Context : IMD’s Monsoon Outlook for 2025:

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has ruled out the possibility of an El Nino event during the southwest monsoon season of 2025.
• El Nino is associated with warming in the central equatorial Pacific, often leading to reduced monsoon rainfall in India.
• According to IMD, neutral El Nino conditions are expected instead, where the temperature in the Pacific remains steady, neither warming nor cooling significantly.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Past El Nino and its Impact:

• 2023: An El Nino year, leading to a 6% rainfall deficit in India.
• 2024: A neutral condition year, resulting in an 8% surplus in rainfall.

Neutral Conditions and Uncertainty:

• While neutral El Nino conditions do not typically indicate drastic changes in temperature, they have sometimes been linked with below-normal rainfall in India.
• The impact of neutral conditions on Indian monsoon is less predictable than El Nino or La Nina, requiring a close watch on regional and oceanic factors that may affect the monsoon.

Seasonal Temperature Forecast:

• Summer months (April to June) are expected to see above-normal temperatures across India.
• India typically experiences 4 to 7 heatwave days during these months, with temperatures exceeding 45°C or a rise of more than 5°C from the normal average.
• This year, some regions of eastern India could experience up to 10 heatwave days.

Future Outlook:

• April Forecast: IMD’s first monsoon rainfall forecast will be released in April, which will provide more clarity on how these conditions will manifest.
• This forecast will include regional factors, such as conditions in the Indian Ocean, which can also influence rainfall and temperatures in the subcontinent.

Conclusion:

• The absence of an El Nino means that while reduced rainfall is unlikely, the possibility of regional variations in rainfall due to other oceanic and atmospheric conditions remains.
• The anticipated above-normal summer temperatures could exacerbate the risks of heatwaves in certain regions, especially in the eastern parts of India.

Significant increase in monsoon rainfall in Western Ghats over past 800 years: study

Study Overview:

• Researchers at the Central University of Kerala conducted a study on monsoon rainfall patterns in the Western Ghats over the past 800 years.
• Published in Quaternary International, the study reconstructs Indian monsoon patterns over the last 1,600 years.

Relevance : GS 1(Geography ) ,GS 3(Environment and Ecology )

Key Findings:

• Increase in Monsoon Rainfall: The study highlights a significant increase in monsoon rainfall in the Western Ghats over the last 800 years.
• Intensifying Monsoon: The long-term trend suggests that the region has experienced growing monsoon intensity, contributing to more frequent and severe rainfall events.
• Recent Extreme Weather Events: The increased rainfall intensity may be linked to recent devastating events such as landslides and floods in Wayanad (2018) and Kodagu (2019), signaling broader climatic shifts.

Methodology:

• Lake Sediment Analysis: Researchers analyzed lake sediments from Cheppandikere Lake near Madikeri, Karnataka, to trace the historical patterns of monsoon intensity over centuries.
• Multidisciplinary Approach: The study used various scientific techniques to reconstruct past climate data and assess changes in rainfall patterns.

Implications for Disaster Preparedness:

• Need for Proactive Measures: The intensifying monsoon cycle calls for improved disaster preparedness in the region, particularly in areas prone to landslides and floods.
• Sustainable Land-Use Planning: The study emphasizes the need for sustainable land-use planning to mitigate the risks posed by extreme weather events.
• Conservation of Ecosystems: Given the sensitivity of the Western Ghats, a critical eco-sensitive zone, conservation measures are vital to safeguard biodiversity and reduce vulnerability to environmental hazards.

Policy Recommendations:

• Long-term Environmental Policies: Experts urge the formulation of comprehensive and long-term environmental policies that address the risks posed by changing monsoon patterns.
• Integrated Disaster Management: A coordinated approach involving disaster management, land-use policies, and environmental conservation is essential to adapt to the evolving climate conditions in the region.

Conclusion:

• The study underscores the significance of understanding historical monsoon patterns to predict future climatic changes and prepare for extreme weather events.
• It calls for immediate and sustained efforts to protect the eco-sensitive Western Ghats region from the impacts of an intensifying monsoon.

Why are tensions high in the Arctic?

The Arctic, once a remote and isolated region, is rapidly becoming a hotspot of geopolitical tension due to climate change, resource competition, and shifting global trade routes. As nations vie for control over these emerging opportunities, the risk of conflict in the region continues to grow.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)

• Melting Ice and New Opportunities:
  • Climate change is accelerating the melting of Arctic ice, revealing untapped natural resources such as fossil fuels, rare earth elements, phosphates, and copper.
  • Previously inaccessible resources and trade routes are now becoming viable, leading to increased competition and territorial claims.

• Lack of Legal Safeguards:
  • Unlike Antarctica, the Arctic lacks a comprehensive international treaty to safeguard it, leading to overlapping claims and military posturing by nations.
  • The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) allows countries to extend their claims to the seabed if they prove natural prolongation of their continental shelf, creating potential for territorial disputes.

• Territorial Control and Economic Zones:
  • The Arctic is controlled by eight countries: Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the U.S., forming the Arctic Council.
  • These countries exercise sovereignty over Arctic land and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), which extend 200 nautical miles from their coastlines.
  • There are territorial disputes over the seabed and maritime claims, with Russia, Canada, and Denmark submitting overlapping claims.

• Russia’s Strategic Military Presence:
  • Russia is the only Arctic Council member with a significant fleet of icebreakers, including a nuclear-powered one, to navigate the challenging Arctic sea ice.
  • Russia has built and maintained several military bases in the region, reinforcing its influence and asserting its presence in Arctic affairs.

Why has the Arctic region become an area of interest now?

• Strategic Resources:
  • The Arctic holds a significant portion of the world’s undiscovered oil (13%) and untapped natural gas reserves (30%), as highlighted by a 2009 U.S. Geological Survey report.
  • It also contains deposits of rare earth elements, critical for technology and green energy industries, attracting investment, particularly from China.

• New Trade Routes:
  • Melting ice has made new shipping routes accessible, such as the Northeast Passage along Russia’s coast, offering shorter travel distances between East Asia and Europe, saving billions in transport costs.
  • The Northwest Passage is a key potential Arctic shipping route, creating tension over its control, especially between Canada and the U.S.

• Growing Geopolitical Rivalry:
  • The Arctic has become a focal point for global powers, with Russia, NATO countries, and China showing increasing interest in asserting their presence and claims.
  • NATO’s growing military presence, particularly after Sweden and Finland joined the alliance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has heightened tensions in the region.

Conflict Around the Northwest Passage:

• Canada vs. U.S.:
  • Canada claims the Northwest Passage as part of its internal waters, granting it control over navigation.
  • The U.S. views it as an international waterway, asserting freedom of navigation for all nations, which creates tensions with Canada.

• Strategic Importance:
  • The passage is critical for global trade and military navigation, especially with Russia’s increasing military activities and the U.S.’s interest in the region.
  • The U.S. has long questioned the legitimacy of Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, further complicating the status of Arctic territories.

Russia’s Presence in the Arctic:

• Military Expansion:
  • Russia has made significant investments in Arctic military infrastructure, including building military bases and conducting joint exercises with China.
  • Russia’s strategic focus on the region includes maintaining control over critical choke points, such as the Greenland-Iceland-UK gap, which is important for NATO’s naval defenses.

• Symbolic Acts:
  • Russia’s 2007 MIR-1 submarine expedition to plant a Russian flag on the Arctic seabed symbolized its claim to the region, underscoring its ambitions.

• Environmental and Economic Strategies:
  • Russia is cautious about granting access to the Polar Silk Road to China, despite the latter’s interest in utilizing Arctic trade routes.
  • The region’s natural resources and potential shipping lanes are critical to Russia’s economic and geopolitical strategy.

India-U.S. tri-service exercise from April 1 to 13

Event Overview:

• The India-U.S. tri-service exercise named Tiger Triumph will occur from April 1 to 13.
• This is the fourth iteration of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise, focusing on improving interoperability and crisis coordination between the two nations’ forces.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)

Objectives:

• Enhance interoperability: The primary goal is to improve the ability of Indian and U.S. forces to work together during HADR operations, ensuring a more efficient and coordinated response during natural disasters and other crises.
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): The exercise aims to formulate SOPs for establishing a Combined Coordination Centre (CCC). This centre will serve as a hub for seamless communication and rapid coordination between Indian and U.S. Joint Task Forces (JTF) during crises, exercises, or contingencies.

Phases of the Exercise:

• Harbour Phase (April 1-7): This phase will be conducted at Visakhapatnam, focused on preparatory activities and coordination before the full-scale operational phase begins.

Key Takeaways:

• The exercise is a significant step in enhancing military-to-military relations between India and the U.S. through collaborative training.
• It underscores the growing strategic partnership between the two nations, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, where humanitarian and disaster response is becoming increasingly critical.
• By developing SOPs for a Combined Coordination Centre, the exercise aims to streamline joint operations and reduce response time during real-world humanitarian or disaster relief situations.

Strategic Implications:

• This exercise highlights the strategic cooperation between India and the U.S., not just in traditional military operations but also in disaster relief, which is vital for regional stability.
• It showcases the soft power aspect of military exercises, where mutual aid and cooperation can foster better ties, particularly in areas of common concern like climate change and humanitarian aid.

Future Prospects:

• The successful execution of the Tiger Triumph exercise could lead to more regular and advanced joint training operations between India and the U.S.
• It also sets a precedent for future collaborations in areas such as peacekeeping, counterterrorism, and joint disaster relief efforts across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Laser allows long-range detection of radioactive materials

Context : Breakthrough in Radioactive Material Detection:

• Physicists in the US have demonstrated the use of carbon-dioxide lasers to detect radioactive materials from a distance, which has significant implications for national defense and emergency response.
• This technique allows for rapid and accurate detection of radioactive sources from safe distances, which is crucial for both military and civilian applications.

Relevance : GS 3(Science and Technology)

The Role of Avalanche Breakdown:

• Radioactive decay releases charged particles (alpha particles) that ionize the air, creating plasma by separating positive and negative charges.
• These ionized particles accelerate, causing an avalanche breakdown where one electron triggers the release of more electrons, amplifying the signal.

Laser Technology and its Impact:

• A carbon-dioxide laser emitting long-wave infrared radiation (9.2 micrometers) accelerates electrons to induce avalanche breakdown and detect alpha particles from a distance of 10 meters.
• This range is 10 times greater than previous experiments, highlighting the improvement in sensitivity and detection capacity.

Plasma and Backscatter Detection:

• The laser-induced avalanche creates microplasma balls that emit measurable optical backscatter.
• The researchers amplified this backscatter as it traveled through the laser system, boosting the sensitivity of the detection technique.
• Long-wavelength lasers are beneficial because they enhance electron avalanches and reduce unwanted ionization, which could interfere with the detection signals.

Fluorescence Imaging for Detailed Analysis:

• Fluorescence imaging was used to analyze the plasma dynamics and seed electron density profiles, further improving the accuracy of detection.
• A mathematical model was developed to predict backscatter signals based on seed density, validating the technique’s precision.

Potential for Gamma-Ray Detection:

• The technique sets the stage for detecting gamma-ray radiation, such as that emitted by Cs-137, at distances up to 100 meters.
• Gamma-rays travel farther in air than alpha particles but ionize less intensely, which makes detecting them more challenging.
• With scaled-up laser optics, this method could vastly exceed current detection capabilities.

Challenges with Extended Detection Ranges:

• To extend detection to distances of around 1 km or more, larger optics and higher laser energies are required due to diminishing signal strength.
• Background radiation and atmospheric interference pose challenges at long ranges, potentially saturating the detection signal.

Published Findings and Future Prospects:

• The team’s research, published in Physical Review Applied, outlines a promising new direction in radiation detection, with potential to expand to broader applications like gamma-ray detection at longer ranges.
• Further development in optics and energy requirements could address challenges in long-range detection, pushing the capabilities of avalanche-based laser detection even further.