Daily Current Affairs MCQ / UPSC / IAS / 02-07-19

Table of Contents

MCQ 1
Recently in news, what is TRI-NETRA
(A)A Drone to check infiltration
(B)A warning system for enemy planes
(C)A imaging system for assisting loco pilots
(D)Newly proposed Nuclear powered submarine

Union Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal during Question Hour informed Rajya Sabha members that Indian Railways is conducting TRI-NETRA (Terrain Imaging for Drivers Infrared, Enhanced, Optical & Radar Assisted) technology for detecting obstructions on tracks.
First in 2002-03 India Railways has developed a modern technology and tried it extensively but it was found to be not successful. So the project was aborted and subsequently another technology of Fogpast devices for seeing in fog was developed. Thus, TRI-NETRA system is another attempt by Indian Railways to develop modern technology.
It comprises of infrared camera, optical camera and radar assisted imaging system for assisting loco pilots in identifying obstructions on tracks, mainly in foggy conditions.
This device is making an attempt during fog via ultrasonic waves by help of which it will be able to detect any obstruction on tracks.
The field trials being undertaken is for proof of concept and its testing on all parameters will be done after its procurement.

MCQ 2
LESA, recently in news is a
(A)Satellite by NASA
(B)A new species of Superbug
(C)A Emergency system for astraunauts
(D)An act for liquidity and assets management in banks

Evacuation System Assembly, or LESA. Developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), LESA is a pyramid-like structure whose purpose is to rescue an astronaut should he or she suffer an injury on the lunar surface.
Among preparations for NASA’s 2024 Moon mission, one has been to test a device called Lunar Evacuation System Assembly, or LESA. Developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), LESA is a pyramid-like structure whose purpose is to rescue an astronaut should he or she suffer an injury on the lunar surface. Astronauts will be wearing heavy extravehicular activity (EVA) suits and, as ESA head of spacewalk training Hervé Stevenin said in a statement, “There is no way an astronaut could carry their fallen crewmate over their shoulder while wearing an EVA suit.”
LESA can be operated by a single astronaut to rescue a fallen colleague. It enables an astronaut to lift their crewmate onto a mobile stretcher in less than 10 minutes, before carrying them to the safety of a nearby pressurized lander, the ESA statement said. Astronauts are testing LESA under the sea. With its rocky, sandy terrain and buoyant salt water, the bottom of the ocean floor has much in common with the lunar surface, ESA said.

MCQ 3
About Dragonfly mission choose correct.

It’s a rover sent to Saturn planet
Recently on titan(moon of Saturn) lakes and oceans of water are found
Titan is the biggest moon in solar system

(A) 1 & 3
(B) 2 only
(C) 1 & 2
(D)None

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently announced its plan to launch Dragonfly drone helicopter to Saturn’s largest moon Titan in search of building blocks of life.
Dragonfly will be launched in 2026 and will arrive at its destination in 2034.
Dragonfly is a planned spacecraft and mission that will send a mobile robotic rotorcraft lander to Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, in order to study prebiotic chemistry and extraterrestrial habitability at various locations where it will perform vertical-takeoffs and landings (VTOL).
Titan is unique in having an abundant, complex, and diverse carbon-rich chemistry on the surface of a water-ice-dominated world with an interior water ocean, making it a high-priority target for astrobiology and origin of life studies.
The mission was proposed in April 2017 to NASA’s New Frontiers program by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and it was selected as one of two finalists (out of twelve proposals) in December 2017 to further refine the mission’s concept.
On June 27, 2019, Dragonfly was selected to become the fourth mission in the New Frontiers program.
Dragonfly is an astrobiology mission to Titan to assess its microbial habitability and study its prebiotic chemistry at various locations. Dragonfly will perform controlled flights and vertical takeoffs and landings between locations, while powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG). The mission will involve flights to multiple different locations on the surface, which allows sampling diverse regions and geological contexts.
Titan is a compelling astrobiology target because its surface contains abundant complex carbon-rich chemistry and because both liquid water and liquid hydrocarbons can occur on its surface, possibly forming a prebiotic primordial soup
Titan
Titan orbits Saturn and is the second largest moon with a diameter of 5,150 km. Christiaan Huygens a Dutch astronomer discovered this moon in 1655. It has a dense atmosphere that is similar to that of Earth. 90% of the atmosphere is mostly nitrogen, and the rest is methane and small amounts of ammonia, argon, and ethane. It orbits around Saturn in 16 days. The moon has seas and lakes on its surface that are filled with liquid hydrocarbons. It is the only body other than the earth that has water bodies in our solar system. The name Titan is derived from Greek mythology about ancient gods called Titans. Ice and rocky materials make up most of Titan’s mass.
Ganymede
Ganymede is the largest of Jupiter’s 79 moons as well as by far the largest moon in the solar system. Ganymede orbits around Jupiter with a diameter of 5,262 kilometers. It is bigger in size than the smallest planet Mercury and would have easily been classified as a planet if it was orbiting the sun. It has its own magnetic field. Its discovery was made by Galileo Galilei the Italian astronomer on January 7, 1610. The satellite orbits around Jupiter at a distance of 1,0700,400 km and takes 7.1 days to complete one orbit. The surface of Ganymede has two types of terrains. It consists of lighter, younger areas and a darker cratered region. The planet’s atmosphere is thin and has oxygen contained in dispersed molecules. Water ice and rocky material make up the planet, and it thought to have underground oceans. The name is derived from a prince in Greek mythology.

Callisto

Callisto is the second largest moon that orbit planet Jupiter and the third largest moon among all. It has a diameter of 4,821 km and estimated to be 4.5 billion years old; its surface is mostly cratered. It has not had any geological activities for most of its existence. It was discovered by Galileo Galilei on January 7, 1610. Its name is derived from Greek mythology of a nymph called Callisto. It orbits Jupiter at an estimated distance of 1,882,700 km. Callisto takes 16.7 days to rotate on its axis and also orbit Jupiter. It is the farthest moon from Jupiter, meaning it has not been largely affected by Jupiter’s magnetosphere. Water ice constitutes most of its mass and other materials such as magnesium and hydrated silicates. Callisto has a dark surface, and a salty sea is thought to lie underneath the surface.

Io

Io moon also orbits around planet Jupiter and has a diameter of 3,643 km. It is the fourth largest moon and was discovered by 1610 by Galileo Galilei. It is the most active body after Earth with volcanic activity. The surface of Io is mostly made of floodplains of liquid rock and lava lakes. It orbits at an estimated 422,000 km from Jupiter in 1.77 Earthdays and is the fifth moon of the planet Jupiter. The moon has a splotchy appearance of white, red, yellow, black, and orange. The atmosphere of Io mostly consists of Sulphur dioxide. It was named after a nymph called Io who was seduced by the gods Zeus in Greek mythology. Under the smooth surface of Io is a layer made of the iron core and an outer layer made of brown silicate.

MCQ 4

Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) is an indicator of business activity — both in the manufacturing and services sectors.
Its released every year before Budget
A score above 50 tells about low growth in economy

Choose correct
(A) 1 & 2
(B)1 only
(C) 3 only
(D) All

PMI or a Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) is an indicator of business activity — both in the manufacturing and services sectors. It is a survey-based measures that asks the respondents about changes in their perception of some key business variables from the month before. It is calculated separately for the manufacturing and services sectors and then a composite index is constructed.
The PMI is derived from a series of qualitative questions. Executives from a reasonably big sample, running into hundreds of firms, are asked whether key indicators such as output, new orders, business expectations and employment were stronger than the month before and are asked to rate them.
A figure above 50 denotes expansion in business activity. Anything below 50 denotes contraction. Higher the difference from this mid-point greater the expansion or contraction. The rate of expansion can also be judged by comparing the PMI with that of the previous month data. If the figure is higher than the previous month’s then the economy is expanding at a faster rate. If it is lower than the previous month then it is growing at a lower rate.
The PMI is usually released at the start of the month, much before most of the official data on industrial output, manufacturing and GDP growth becomes available. It is, therefore, considered a good leading indicator of economic activity. Economists consider the manufacturing growth measured by the PMI as a good indicator of industrial output, for which official statistics are released later. Central banks of many countries also use the index to help make decisions on interest rates.
What does it mean for financial markets?
The PMI also gives an indication of corporate earnings and is closely watched by investors as well as the bond markets. A good reading enhances the attractiveness of an economy vis-a- vis another competing economy.

MCQ 5
Features associated with Indian Ocean realm

ARIA Act
IPRD
QUAD
IONS

(A) 1 & 4
(B) 2 & 4
(C) 2,3,4
(D)All

The term Indo-Pacific has been gaining traction in Indian policy circles for some time now, it achieved operational clarity after the Indian vision was presented by Prime Minister in his keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in June 2018.
Geographically, the Indo-Pacific refers to the Indian and the Pacific Oceans between the east coast of Africa and the American west coast and their several littoral countries. As a term to denote an economic and strategic community, it has been in use among scholars of international relations and geopolitics since the first decade of this century, around the same time as China’s rise.

Mechanisms for India to integrate with Indo-Pacific Policy

India’s Act East policy remains the bedrock of the national Indo-Pacific vision and the centrality of ASEAN is embedded in the Indian narrative.
India has been an active participant in mechanisms like the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
India has also been convening the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, in which the navies of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) participate.
India has boosted its engagements with Australia and New Zealand and has deepened its cooperation with the Republic of Korea.
Through the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation, India is stepping up its interactions with the Pacific Island countries.
India views the Indo-Pacific as a geographic and strategic expanse, with the 10 ASEAN countries connecting the two great oceans.
The idea of an Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) was first conceptualised and conducted in 2018, as the apex level conference of the Indian Navy, organised by the National Maritime Foundation as the Navy’s Knowledge Partner.
The permanent theme of this annual dialogue is a review of India’s opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. The aim is to focus attention on the Indo-Pacific, as a maritime geographical-entity, while deliberating aspects of great relevance to regional geopolitics.
The 2018 edition of the IPRD sought to highlight the opportunities that lay before India’s maritime policy-shapers, policy-makers, and, the practitioners of the country’s maritime policies. This first edition dwelt upon four basic themes: (i) The growth, opportunities and vulnerabilities of maritime merchandise trade, including associated infrastructure such as ports and multi-modal connectivity, as seen from the very different perspectives of large and small littoral and island nations; (ii) Regional connectivity-models; (iii) Pan-regional challenges such as sustaining persistent surveillance at sea, the increasing digitization of the maritime space, the dangers of cyber-malevolence that are already afflicting the maritime domain, etc.; (iv) the role of Indian industry within both, the private and the public sectors, in enhancing holistic maritimesecurity. The 2018 Dialogue was a resounding success, with 15 analytical papers presented by renowned strategists and analysts from across the globe, in five sessions, spread over two days.
the second edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) – 2019 held on 05 and 06 March 2019 at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi. This dialogue will build upon the foundation laid by the inaugural edition and will examine five fresh themes: (i) Practical solutions for achieving cohesion in the region through maritime connectivity; (ii) measures to attain and maintain a free-and-open Indo-Pacific; (iii) a regional approach to the region’s transition from a ‘Brown’ to a ‘Blue’ economy; (iv) opportunities and challenges arising from the maritime impact of ‘Industry 4.0’; and (v) how the twin conceptualisations of ‘SAGAR’ and ‘SAGARMALA’ might best be made mutually-reinforcing on a regional level. These themes would be addressed in five sessions spread over two days, with three of the sessions being steered as panel-discussions, which would encourage a freer flow of ideas and views and ensure greater audience-interaction.

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)

The IONS is an extremely significant regional maritime security initiative launched by India in February 2008 to attain collectively beneficial maritime security outcomes within the Indian Ocean by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion of regionally relevant maritime issues.
IONS endeavours to generate a flow of information among naval professionals resulting in common understanding and possible agreements on the way ahead to tackle common concerns. The outcomes of the discussions could thereafter be implemented through agreements to enhance of regional maritime security.
Challenges ahead for Indo-Pacific regional policy:
The integration of the IORA means that attention will continue to be focused on the IOR. This can be a result of the growing Chinese footprint in the Indian Ocean and Chinese diplomacy in the region.
There are still challenges for India, especially how it will integrate the Quadrilateral initiative which got revived in 2017 with its larger IndoPacific approach.
There are differences between India’s vision and the U.S.’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific even as countries like China and Russia view the Indo-Pacific with suspicion.
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) is the strategic dialogue between four countries viz. India, United States, Japan and Australia.
is an informal strategic dialogue between the United States, Japan, Australia and India that is maintained by talks between member countries. The dialogue was initiated in 2007 by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, with the support of Vice President Dick Cheney of the US, Prime Minister John Howard of Australia and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India. The dialogue was paralleled by joint military exercises of an unprecedented scale, titled Exercise Malabar. The diplomatic and military arrangement was widely viewed as a response to increased Chinese economic and military power, and the Chinese government responded to the Quadrilateral dialogue by issuing formal diplomatic protests to its members.
The QSD ceased following the withdrawal of Australia during Kevin Rudd’s tenure as prime minister, reflecting ambivalence in Australian policy over the growing tension between the United States and China in the Asia-Pacific. Following Rudd’s replacement by Julia Gillard in 2010, enhanced military cooperation between the United States and Australia was resumed, leading to the placement of US Marines near Darwin, Australia, overlooking the Timor Sea and Lombok Strait. India, Japan, and the United States continue to hold joint naval exercises through Malabar.
However, during the 2017 ASEAN Summits all four former members rejoined in negotiations to revive the quadrilateral alliance. With Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, and President Donald Trump of the United States agreeing in Manila to revive the security pact among tensions in the South China Sea caused primarily by China and its territorial ambitions.

MCQ 6

Kaziranga National Park which hosts two-thirds of the world’s rhinoceroses, is a World Heritage Site.
At present Kaziranga is home to the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world
Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), also called the greater one-horned rhinoceros and great Indian rhinoceros, is a rhinoceros native to the Indian subcontinent and It is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List

Choose correct:
(A) 1 & 2
(B) All
(C) 1 & 3
(D)None
Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. The sanctuary, which hosts two-thirds of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceroses, is a World Heritage Site.According to the census held in March 2018 which was jointly conducted by the Forest Department of the Government of Assam and some recognized wildlife NGOs, the rhino population in Kaziranga National Park is 2,413. It comprises 1,641 adult rhinos (642 males, 793 females, 206 unsexed); 387 sub-adults (116 males, 149 females, 122 unsexed); and 385 calves. In 2015, the rhino population stood at 2401. Kaziranga is home to the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world, and was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006 (now the highest tiger density is in Orang National Park, Assam) . The park is home to large breeding populations of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer. Kaziranga is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for conservation of avifaunal species. When compared with other protected areas in India, Kaziranga has achieved notable success in wildlife conservation. Located on the edge of the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, the park combines high species diversity and visibility. Kaziranga is a vast expanse of tall elephant grass, marshland, and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests, criss-crossed by four major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, and the park includes numerous small bodies of water. Kaziranga has been the theme of several books, songs, and documentaries. The park celebrated its centennial in 1998 after its establishment in 1905 as a reserve forest.

The history of Kaziranga as a protected area can be traced back to 1904, when Mary Curzon, Baroness Curzon of Kedleston, the wife of the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon of Kedleston, visited the area.
After failing to see a single rhinoceros, for which the area was renowned, she persuaded her husband to take urgent measures to protect the dwindling species which he did by initiating planning for their protection.
On 1 June 1905, the Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest was created with an area of 232 km2 (90 sq mi)