चंद्रयान मिशन हुआ समाप्त

अधिकारियों के अनुसार चंद्रयान ने अपने सारे लक्ष्य पूरे कर लिए हैं.

चंद्रमा पर भेजे गए भारत के पहले अंतरिक्ष यान चंद्रयान-1 का नियंत्रण कक्ष से संपर्क टूट गया है और अधिकारियों का कहना है कि चंद्रयान मिशन समाप्त हो गया है.

चंद्रयान के प्रोजेक्ट डायरेक्टर एम अन्नादुरै ने बीबीसी से बातचीत में कहा कि मिशन अब समाप्त हो गया है.

उनका कहना था, '' आज सुबह डेढ़ बजे चंद्रयान के साथ हमारा संपर्क टूट गया था. इसके बाद हमने कई बार कोशिश की लेकिन संपर्क स्थापित नहीं हो पाया.''

अन्नादुरै का कहना था कि मिशन के खत्म होने से वैज्ञानिक निराश नहीं है.

'दुखी नहीं'

उनका कहना था, ''चंद्रयान को जो काम करना था उसने पूरा कर दिया था. क़रीब 95 प्रतिशत आँकड़े चंद्रयान भेज चुका है. जो लक्ष्य चंद्रयान को लेकर थे वो लगभग पूरे हो गए हैं.''

उन्होंने बताया कि चंद्रयान को चंद्रमा के कक्ष में जाना था, कुछ मशीनरी वहाँ स्थापित करनी थी, भारत का झंडा लगाना था और आँकड़े भेजने थे और चंद्रयान ने इसमें से सारे काम लगभग पूरे कर लिए हैं.

यही कारण है कि वैज्ञानिक संपर्क टूट जाने से बहुत दुखी नहीं हैं.

बीबीसी से बातचीत में भारतीय अंतरिक्ष अनुसंधान संगठन (इसरो) के प्रवक्ता एस सतीश का कहना था, ''चंद्रयान से हमारा संपर्क बिल्कुल टूट चुका है. जो आँकड़े चंद्रयान को भेजने थे वो चंद्रयान भेज चुका है. चंद्रयान ने अपना 95 प्रतिशत काम कर दिया था.''

चंद्रयान 22 अक्तूबर 2008 को श्रीहरिकोटा के सतीश धवन अंतरिक्ष केंद्र से अंतरिक्ष में भेजा गया था.

अभी तक चंद्रयान ने चंद्रमा की कक्षा में 312 दिन बिताए हैं और बड़ी मात्रा में आँकड़े भी भेजे हैं. पिछले महीने इसरो के चेयरमैन जी माधवन नायर ने चंद्रयान अभियान पर संतोष प्रकट किया था.

Grid Computing.

Definition of grid computing

A parallel processing architecture in which CPU resources are shared across a network, and all machines function as one large supercomputer. It allows unused CPU capacity in all participating machines to be allocated to one application that is extremely computation intensive and programmed for parallel processing.

Peer-to-Peer and Distributed Computing

Grid computing is also called "peer-to-peer computing" and "distributed computing," the latter term first coined in the 1970s, which had no relationship to this concept. Grid computing is also known as "utility computing," although that term is more widely used with third-party data centers that supply raw computing power.

There Is a Lot of Idle Time

In a large enterprise, hundreds or thousands of desktop machines sit idle at any given moment. Even when a user is at the computer reading the screen and not typing or clicking, it constitutes idle time. These unused cycles can be put to use on large computational problems. Likewise, the millions of users on the Internet create a massive amount of wasted machine cycles that can be harnessed instead. This is precisely what the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence program does with Internet users all over the world in which PC users worldwide donate unused processor cycles to help the search for signs of extraterrestrial life by analyzing signals coming from outer space. The project relies on individual users to volunteer to allow the project to harness the unused processing power of the user's computer. This method saves the project both money and resources.

Special Security and software

Naturally, grid computing over the Internet requires more extensive security than within a single enterprise, and robust authentication is employed in such applications Grid computing does require special software that is unique to the computing project for which the grid is being used. The Globus Toolkit is an open source software toolkit used for building Grid systems and applications. It is being developed by the Globus Alliance and many others all over the world. A growing number of projects and companies are using the Globus Toolkit to unlock the potential of grids for their cause.

Peer-to-Peer and Distributed Computing

Grid computing is also called "peer-to-peer computing" and "distributed computing," the latter term first coined in the 1970s, which had no relationship to this concept. Grid computing is also known as "utility computing," although that term is more widely used with third-party data centers that supply raw computing power.

Utility

Grid computing appears to be a promising trend for three reasons: (1) its ability to make more cost-effective use of a given amount of computer resources, (2) as a way to solve problems that can't be approached without an enormous amount of computing power, and (3) because it suggests that the resources of many computers can be cooperatively and perhaps synergistically harnessed and managed as a collaboration toward a common objective. In some grid computing systems, the computers may collaborate rather than being directed by one managing computer. One likely area for the use of grid computing will be pervasive computing applications - those in which computers pervade our environment without our necessary awareness.

Some of the enterprises using grid computing in India include the Gujarat Electricity Board, Saraswat Bank, National Stock Exchange, Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation, General Insurance Company, Syndicate Bank, Ashok Leyland, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd and Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad.

TYPES OF WATER REACTORS

1. PWR - PRESSURIZED WATER REACTORS
- these are reactors cooled & modulated by high pressure liquid water. they are the majority of current reactors, & are generally considered the safest & most reliable technology currently in large scale deployment, although 3 mile island is a reactor of this type. this is thermal neutron reactor design, the newest of which are Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor.

2. BWR - BOILING WATER REACTOR
- these are reactors cooled & moderated by water, under slighlty lower pressure. the water is allowed to boil in the reactor. the thermal; efficiency of these reactors are higher, simpler, potentially more stable & safe. these reactors make up a substantial of modern reactors. this is thermal neutron reactor design. the newest of Advanced Boiling Water Reactor & economic simplified boiling water reactor.

3. PHWR - PRESSURIZED HEAVY WATER REACTOR
- this is Canadian design, these reactors are heavy-water cooled & moderated pressurized water reactors, instead of using a single large pressure vessel as in a PWR, the fuel is contained in hundreds of pressure tubes. these reactors are fuelled with natural uranium & are thermal neutron design. PHWR can be refueled while at full power. this have been built in Canada, Argentina, China, India, Pakistan, Romania, South Africa.

4. RBMK - REAKTOR BOLSHOY MOSHCHNOSTI KANALNIY (high power channel reactor)
- a Soviet Union design , built to provide plutonium as well as power. RBMK are water cooled with a graphite moderator , are in some respects similar to CANDU in that they refuelable on-load & employ a pressure tube design instead of a PWR-style pressure vessel. RBMKs were very unstable & too large to have containment buildings making them dangerous in the case of accident.

THE CHERNOBYL PLANT HAS 4 RBMK REACTORS :
1. AGCR - Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor
2. GCR - Gas Cooled Reactor
3. Monju
4. Aqueous Homogeneous Reactor.

ADVANCED REACTORS :
- integral fast reactor
- pebble bed reactor
- high temperature gas cooled reactor
- SSTAR - small, sealed, transportable autonomous reactor.
- suboritical
- thorium based reactor

GENERTION IV REACTORS :
* gas cooled fast reactor
* lead cooled fast reactor
* moltan salt reactor
* sodium-cooled reactor
* super critical water reactor.

World record benchmark in solar energy by Australian university

A team of researchers from University of New South Wales have managed to covert 43 per cent of solar power into energy in an experiment that approaches the renewable energy solution in an unique way.

Solar cell researchers have established a new benchmark in converting 43 percent of solar power into energy, the highest ever by any group globally, thanks to a new approach.

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) team, led by Martin Green, a professor, combined with two US groups to demonstrate a multi-cell combination setting a new benchmark for converting sunlight into energy.

“Because sunlight is made up of many colours of different energy, ranging from the high energy ultraviolet to the low energy infrared, a combination of solar cells of different materials can convert sunlight more efficiently than any single cell,” Green said.

Green, with colleague Anita Ho-Baillie, led the team that developed a silicon cell optimised to capture light at the red and near-infrared end of the spectrum. That cell was able to convert up to 46 percent of light into electricity, said a UNSW release.

When combined with four other cells, each optimised for different parts of the solar spectrum, the five-cell combination converted 43 percent of the sunlight into electricity.

PLASTIC HAZARDS

Plastic is a synthetic substance produced by chemical reactions.Almost all types of plastics are produced from petroleum except a few experimental resins prepared from corn or other sources.Plastic is widely used in packaging materials or for preparing bags or containers.Its easy availability and cost effectiveness make it a popular choice for various purposes.However the hazards associated with plastics are plenty.

Hazards:

• The "use and throw away" culture associated with plastics causes its improper disposal and is one of the cardinal reasons for unclean, unhygienic environment
  
• Improper disposal of plastics causes blockage in the drainage system,unclean water and water borne diseases
  
• They remain in the soil for long period and cause infertility of soil.
• Certain plastics when burnt produces carcinogenic substances and Green House Gases
  
• The littering of plastic reduces rain water percolating and causes low ground water level
• Consumption of plastic by animals and fishes causes death or other health hazards.
• Exposure to the chemicals in plastic produces toxicological effects on human health.The circulatory,endocrine, reproductive and urinary systems are most affected.

Remedies:

• Educating people on proper disposal of plastics
• More R& D activities to produce cheap bio degradable plastics
• Subsidizing bags or containers made from traditional materials
• Taxation on the use of plastics
• Penalties for improper disposal of plastics

It must be noted that plastics have become part and parcel of the modern material culture.It has uses in almost every sphere of human activities.It is therefore almost impractical to do away with this valuable material.Thus the quest for bio degradable, environment friendly plastics has become the need of the hour.

What is the greenhouse effect

There are two meanings of the term "greenhouse effect". There is a "natural" greenhouse effect that keeps the Earth's climate warm and habitable. There is also the "man-made" greenhouse effect, which is the enhancement of Earth's natural greenhouse effect by the addition of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels (mainly petroleum, coal, and natural gas). In order to understand how the greenhouse effect operates, we need to first understand "infrared radiation". Greenhouse gases trap some of the infrared radiation that escapes from the Earth, making the Earth warmer that it would otherwise be. You can think of greenhouse gases as sort of a "blanket" for infrared radiation-- it keeps the lower layers of the atmosphere warmer, and the upper layers colder, than if the greenhouse gases were not there.



How Do Humans Contribute to the Greenhouse Effect
While the greenhouse effect is an essential environmental prerequisite for life on Earth, there really can be too much of a good thing.
The problems begin when human activities distort and accelerate the natural process by creating more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere than are necessary to warm the planet to an ideal temperature.

Burning natural gas, coal and oil —including gasoline for automobile engines—raises the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Some farming practices and land-use changes increase the levels of methane and nitrous oxide.
Many factories produce long-lasting industrial gases that do not occur naturally, yet contribute significantly to the enhanced greenhouse effect and “global warming” that is currently under way.
Deforestation also contributes to global warming. Trees use carbon dioxide and give off oxygen in its place, which helps to create the optimal balance of gases in the atmosphere. As more forests are logged for timber or cut down to make way for farming, however, there are fewer trees to perform this critical function.
Population growth is another factor in global warming, because as more people use fossil fuels for heat, transportation and manufacturing the level of greenhouse gases continues to increase. As more farming occurs to feed millions of new people, more greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere.
Types of Greenhouse gases

The major greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and ozone (O3). Atmospheric water vapour (H2O) also makes a large contribution to the natural greenhouse effect but it is thought that its presence is not directly affected by human activity.

Trends in greenhouse gas concentrations

a) Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

High-quality observations of the concentration of CO2 began in 1958, with flask measurements at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. Fig. 2 shows that the average annual concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen from about 315 ppmv (part per million by volume) in 1958 to around 363 ppmv in 1997. There is a clear annual cycle in the Mauna Loa data that corresponds to the annual cycle of plant respiration in the Northern Hemisphere : CO2 concentration increase during the Fall and Winter and decline during Spring and Summer. This cycle, follows the growth and die back of vegetation, is reversed and of smaller amplitude in the Southern Hemisphere, and disappears almost entirely in the data measured near the Equator.


b) Methane (CH4)

The rate of increase of the atmospheric abundance of methane has declined over the last decade, slowing dramatically in 1991 to 1992, though with an apparent increase in the growth rate in late 1993 . The average trend over 1980 to 1990 is about 13 ppbv/year (part per billion by volume/year).


c) Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Over the last four decades, the average growth rate of N2O is about 0.25%/year (Fig. 4). Current tropospheric concentration of N2O is around 312 to 314 ppbv.


d) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Among the family compounds of chlorocarbons, CFCl3 (CFC-11) and CF2Cl2 (CFC-12) are receiving more attention because of their larger concentrations and potentially significant effects on stratospheric ozone. CFC-11 and CFC-12 have the highest concentrations of the man-made chlorocarbons, around 0.27 and 0.55 ppbv, respectively (measured at Mauna Loa in 1997, ). As indicated in their GWP values, these two gases are strong infrared absorbers. It is thought that CFC-11 and CFC-12 have contributed about one-third of the radiative forcing of gases other than CO2 during the 1980s.


Consequences of Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

i) Global Warming
Increase of greenhouse gases concentration causes a reduction in outgoing infrared radiation, thus the Earth's climate must change somehow to restore the balance between incoming and outgoing radiation. This ¡§climatic change¡¨ will include a ¡§global warming¡¨ of the Earth's surface and the lower atmosphere as warming up is the simplest way for the climate to get rid of the extra energy. However, a small rise in temperature will induce many other changes, for example, cloud cover and wind patterns. Some of these changes may act to enhance the warming (positive feedbacks), others to counteract it (negative feedbacks).
Using complex climate models, the "Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change" in their third assessment report has forecast that global mean surface temperature will rise by 1.4¢J to 5.8¢J by the end of 2100. This projection takes into account the effects of aerosols which tend to cool the climate as well as the delaying effects of the oceans which have a large thermal capacity. However, there are many uncertainties associated with this projection such as future emission rates of greenhouse gases, climate feedbacks, and the size of the ocean delay ...etc.

ii) Sea Level Rise
If global warming takes place, sea level will rise due to two different processes. Firstly, warmer temperature cause sea level to rise due to the thermal expansion of seawater. Secondly, water from melting glaciers and the ice sheets of Greenland and the Antarctica would also add water to the ocean. It is predicted that the Earth's average sea level will rise by 0.09 to 0.88 m between 1990 and 2100.



Potential Impact on human life

a) Economic Impact
Over half of the human population lives within 100 kilometres of the sea. Most of this population lives in urban areas that serve as seaports. A measurable rise in sea level will have a severe economic impact on low-lying coastal areas and islands, for examples, increasing the beach erosion rates along coastlines, rising sea level displacing fresh groundwater for a substantial distance inland.

b) Agricultural Impact
Experiments have shown that with higher concentrations of CO2, plants can grow bigger and faster. However, the effect of global warming may affect the atmospheric general circulation and thus altering the global precipitation pattern as well as changing the soil moisture contents over various continents. Since it is unclear how global warming will affect climate on a regional or local scale, the probable effects on the biosphere remains uncertain.

c) Effects on Aquatic systems
The loss of coastal wetlands could certainly reduce fish populations, especially shellfish. Increased salinity in estuaries could reduce the abundance of freshwater species but could increase the presence of marine species. However, the full impact on marine species is not known.

d) Effects on Hydrological Cycle
Global precipitation is likely to increase. However, it is not known how regional rainfall patterns will change. Some regions may have more rainfall, while others may have less. Furthermore, higher temperatures would probably increase evaporation. These changes would probably create new stresses for many water management systems.

TAPPING SOLAR ENERGY

India is a sunny country with a solar energy potential of 20 mw every square km. At present, only a tiny fraction of it is being tapped. Solar energy can be used directly in two forms – producing heat or light. Production of light and electric current from the sun’s rays uses ‘photovoltaic technology’, which involves direct conversion of sunlight into electricity.

The thermal form, which is used for cooking, water heating or purification, drying and fruit ripening, distillation or producing steam for power generation, is more economical. Solar cookers are already well-known and popular. Solar cooking has been recommended even in the Rig Veda which says: ‘All edibles ripened or cooked in the sun’s rays change into super medicine, the amrita”.

Solar energy has every thing to recommend it. Unlimited and non-polluting. It will neither drain our mineral resources nor submerge large tracts under dam waters. If only it could be tapped cheaply. That is what technicians are trying to do the world over.

New Schemes

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy supports Research, Design and Development (RD&D) activities in New and Renewable Energy including solar energy in the country. Comprehensive guidelines for supporting and accelerating pace of Research, Design and Development leading to eventual manufacture and deployment of various Renewable Energy Systems including solar energy have been put in place.

An amount of Rs. 600 crore has been tentatively allocated for Research, Design and Development in the Energy Sector for the 11th Five Year Plan. During the last Five Year Plan period, Rs. 72.65 crore were spent for the same activities. The Ministry has financially sported about 600 RD&D Projects particularly in Solar Energy Sector.

New schemes have been launched by the Ministry in addition to implementation of ongoing schemes to encourage large-scale use of solar energy in the country during the 11th Five Year Plan Period. The new schemes include ‘Development of Solar Cities’ and ‘Demonstration Programme on MW size Grid Solar Power Generation’. In addition, Research and Development thrust areas for solar and other New and Renewable Energy Technologies for the 11th Five Year Plan period have also been identified and publicised through newspaper and website advertisements for further intensifying research and technology development in this area. Promotional measures taken by the Government and other associated agencies include publicity and awareness campaigns, amendment of building bye-laws for making the use of solar water heaters mandatory in certain categories of buildings, rebate in property tax/electricity tariff to the users of solar water heaters, etc.

Solar Energy Plants

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy promoted deployment of nine Solar Energy Plants during 2007-08 in six States of the Country. Out of this, Maharashtra tops the list with three Plants where as Jammu & Kashmir got two such Plants. Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Orissa and West Bengal each got one power plant during this period. The total capacity sanctioned for these plants is less than 2000 kwp. The capacity under implementation is more than 800 kwp.

Out of different Plant Projects, all the six States have received one Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant Project. The State of West Bengal has been sanctioned highest capacity of 945.0 kwp followed by Chhattisgarh with 646.8 kWp. Besides these Jammu & Kashmir and Maharashtra, each have been sanctioned Building Integrated Power Plants (BIPV) with total sanctioned capacity of 18 kWp and one each SPV Power Pack of total sanctioned capacity of 8 kWp.

The Ministry is promoting deployment of solar photovoltaic power packs/plants in different parts of the country under various programmes including remote village electrification programme by providing partial financial support. These projects are implemented through the state implementing agencies in their respective states. The total funds released to the state agencies are to the tune of Rs. 40 crore which includes funds for four ongoing projects also. These projects are likely to be completed during 2008-09.

The projects for installation of solar photovoltaic power packs/plants are considered by the Ministry on the basis of proposals submitted by the States, as per provisions of the scheme and availability of funds.

Non-polluting, requiring little maintenance, free from wear and tear caused by moving parts, solar power is the most promising form of energy for the future.

Development and Promotion of Renewable Energy Sources

In the past century, it has been seen that the consumption of non-renewable sources of energy has caused more environmental damage than any other human activity. Electricity generated from fossil fuels such as coal and oil has led to high concentrations of harmful gases in the atmosphere. This has in turn led to many problems being faced today such as ozone depletion, global warming and climate change. Vehicular pollution has also been a major problem as well as buildings and houses guzzle energy which are alarming.
Under present scenario of sky rocketing price of crude oil and associated environmental problems renewable energy sources have become very important and relevant to today’s world. The focus of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is on development and promotion of renewable energy sources to meet the energy requirements of various sectors.

Wind Energy
Wind, hydro, biomass and solar are the main renewable energy sources for grid interactive power. Globally, wind energy utilization is on an upbeat. Wind energy has posted, amongst all renewable energy sources the highest growth rates. Capacity addition is in the range of 1500 – 2000 MW per year over the past three years. India has maintained 4th rank in the world after Germany, Spain and USA. 1390 MW capacity addition this year has taken the overall contribution from wind energy to 7660 MW out of total contribution of about 11,000 MW to grid power from renewable. Power generation from wind energy has reached 8757 MW till 31st March, 2008.

Hydro-Electric Projects
The Ministry takes up Hydro-electric projects up to 25 MW capacity which have been categorized as Small Hydro Power (SHP) projects. At present, the Small Hydro Power Programme is being driven primarily by private investment. 162 megawatt small hydro power projects were commissioned in 2007 raising the cumulative achievement to 2180 MW. Main achievement in this area has been on canals of Karnataka and in hilly areas of Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.

Biomass
Biomass has been one of the main energy sources for mankind since the dawn of civilization. Every year millions of tons of agriculture and forest residues are generated. These are either wasted or burnt inefficiently in their loose form causing air pollution. These wastes can be efficiently utilized for thermal use and power generation. 95 MW was produced from bio-mass/cogeneration (non-bagasse) and 100.11 MW has been produced from bio-mass gasifiers till 31.08.2008.Energy recovery from waste has reached 26.70 MW during the same period.
The Ministry has roped in industries for power generation. This is to meet their captive energy requirements, both power and heat energy. Twelve bio-mass co-generation projects based on rice- husk and others based on bagasse have been installed in paper mills and sugar mills in 2007. Small scale industries have also been included. A large number of biomass gasifiers were installed to provide power to small scale industries and for electrification of villages. Furnace oil replacement initiatives through thermal applications have started. Power generation from agro residues and plantations have reached 606 MW and bagasse co-generation has reached the level of 800MW till end of last financial year.

Waste-to-Energy Programme
The Ministry is also promoting power generation from different types of urban waste which include municipal solid waste, cattle manure, vegetable market waste, slaughter wastes, liquid waste from distilleries, poultry litter and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). The cumulative achievement under waste-to-energy programme, both from Grid Interactive Renewable Power and Captive- Combined Heat and Power(CHP), is 81.95 MW till March 2007.

Remote Village Electrification Programme
The Remote Village Electrification Programme (RVEP) and Village Energy Security Test Projects (VESPs) reach out to villages who are unlikely to receive grid-connectivity. These villages are not only electrified but they also have improved chulhas, biogas plants based on dung/oilcakes or leafy mass, bio-fuel based pump sets etc., 400 villages and hamlets have been provided lighting during 2007, their by taking cumulative achievements to 4198 villages and hamlets in the country.
A large number of decentralized renewable energy systems such as 40 lakh biogas plants, 14 lakh solar photovoltaic systems producing 120MW, 70474 solar street lighting system, solar water heating systems with collector area of 2.30 million square meters, large number of biomass gasifiers for rice mills, bakeries and other industries etc., have been promoted under various schemes.

New Schemes
The Ministry has launched three new schemes namely Demonstration programme on megawatt size grid interactive solar power generation, Development of solar cities and Energy recovery from municipal and urban waste. The target for Demonstration programme on megawatt size grid interactive solar power generation is 50 MW during XIth Plan Period where each MW of solar power is likely to generate 25 to 40 direct jobs and upto 400 indirect jobs it is expected that private sectors will invest Rs. 1000 crore in this sector. 60 cities will be covered under the new initiative of Development of solar cities during XIth Plan Period. The Ministry will provide financial assistance upto Rs. 50 lakhs under various schemes. Total 5 projects will be taken up in Public Private Partnership mode under Energy recovery from municipal and urban waste initiatives in coming years.

GRIHA
A green building depletes the natural resources to the minimum during its construction and operation. Keeping in view the Indian agro-climatic conditions and in particular the preponderance of non-AC buildings, a National Rating system – GRIHA – has been developed, which is suitable for all kinds of buildings in different climatic zones of the country. The Ministry signed a MoU with TERI on 1st November, 2007 for launching a National Rating System GRIHA for all kinds of buildings in different climatic zones of the country.
Apart from providing financial support, the Ministry also plays a key role in providing technical back-up for promoting renewable energy systems and devices through its specialized technical institutions, namely Solar energy Centre (SEC) and Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET). The North East has been given a special focus for accelerated deployment of renewable energy systems and devices.
The Ministry celebrated a grand silver jubilee function at Vigyan Bhawan on 22nd November, 2007 on successfully completing 25 years of its service to the nation. President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil released four commemorative postal stamps on renewable energy on this occasion, along with a compendium titled “25 years of renewable energy in India”.
A development-cum-demonstration project for use of hydrogen (upto 30%) in CNG as a fuel for automotive vehicles (buses, cars and three wheelers) has been awarded to the society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), New Delhi, to get hands on experience on production, storage, transportation and utilization aspects of hydrogen as an automotive fuel. A MoU for implementation of the project was signed between Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, SIAM and IOCL. This is the first project to be implemented in public private partnership mode of funding in the area of hydrogen energy.

ISRO, NASA team up to locate water-ice on Moon

Joint experiment focusses on unexplored North Pole

The Moon’s relatively unexplored North Pole became the subject of a unique joint experiment by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in their quest to locate water-ice on the floor of its permanently shadowed craters.

During the “Bi-Static” experiment, instruments on board Chandrayaan-I and NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) trained their radars to a specific point on the Erlanger Crater to capture images from different angles and gain better insights into the lunar terrain.

The Mini-SAR (Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar) on board Chandrayaan-I and the Mini-RF (Miniature Radio Frequency) on the LRO, both developed by NASA, are designed specifically to detect water-ice on the Moon’s poles.

At 12.30 a.m. on Friday the two spacecraft, travelling at 1.6 km per second, passed close enough to each other so that they could share information.

The LRO executed a minor manoeuvre to adjust its orbit to Chandrayaan’s. The data was collected for about 4 minutes over the lunar North Pole.

Chandrayaan’s operations were executed from the Spacecraft Control Centre (SCC) at the ISROISTRAC) at Peenya in Bangalore. Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network ( Science data was immediately downloaded over the United States’ Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory, the ground station that had the visibility.

Later, on Friday morning, data from Chandrayaan-1 was received by giant antennae at the Indian Deep Space Network at Byalalu near Bangalore.

Observations from the experiment are now being analysed by scientists from the ISRO and the NASA.

The possibility of discovering ice deposits on the Moon is viewed as an important resource that can be used for future space exploration.

Scientists have suggested that ice could be trapped in the permanently dark regions of the lunar poles, and possibly brought in by meteorites containing water-bearing minerals.

ISRO to launch space-based National Mission on Information Support.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch a National Mission-‘Space-based Information Support for Decentralised Planning’.

The programme is being taken up at the instance of the Planning Commission. It will provide ICT enabled geo-spatial platform involving local bodies to carry out developmental activities under the Panchayat Raj in a decentralized, speedy and transparent manner.

This was indicated here on Thursday by ISRO Chairman Dr. G. Madhavan Nair, during a lecture on, "Space Technology Applications for Rural Development" at a meet organised by AGRASRI, a Tirupati-based professional organisation.

He said the Mission aims at harnessing space technology and the information system at the local bodies to create an information base and would also focus on capacity building at the panchayat level to use the space-based inputs. Dr. Nair was optimistic about the mission solving issues related to land use or reclamation of wastelands, agriculture, horticulture, infrastructure development, water harvesting etc specific to the local environment.

Dr. Nair listed out ISRO’s various society-centric initiatives and cited the example of ‘Village Resource Centres’ (VRC) implemented in collaboration with stakeholders at local levels to deliver the benefits of space and IT-enabled services directly to common man at his door-step in the local language in the form of advisories. 470 VRCs are operating spread over 22 States and UTs providing data which could be used to work out development plans at local level.

The ISRO Chairman paid rich tributes to Rajiv Gandhi for his great vision and said that the late PM introduced India to modern science and technology and gave immense boost to space programmes leading eventually to a situation where India has nine IRS satellites operating in orbit. It is one of the largest constellations of RS satellites in the world, he said and pointed out that as for Tele-education, more than 34,500 classrooms were in EDUSAT network including 3400 which had interactive terminals.

Dr. A. Eswara Reddy, former Speaker addressed gathering and later felicitated the ISRO chief with the Award. S. Ramachandra Reddy, former MP and President AGRASRI, AP presided.

Dr. Nair presented the Leadership Awards-2009 among others to Dr Jaya Arunachalam,, President, Working Women’s Forum, Neelima Khetan, Chief Executive, Seva Mandir, Udaipur, Rajasthan, M. Rama Goud Samala, MPP, K. Narayanan, President, Peralam Gram Panchayat, Kannur district, Kerala.

ATV project - Indigenous Nuke Sub marine

India’s first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine will be launched at Vishakapatnam for trial on July 26.

The top-secret ‘Advanced Technology Vessel’ (ATV) project will re-induct India into the exclusive club of five countries that operate nuclear submarines, called silent killers for their extensive ability to remain under water because of nuclear-powered engines unlike the diesel electric versions that have to come up to recharge their batteries and thus stand a greater chance of being spotted.

India briefly used a nuclear submarine leased by Russia from 1988 to 1991. Since then it has been trying to build one of its own. It has signed an agreement for the transfer of a couple of nuclear-powered Russian Akula class submarines, one of which is likely to be inducted by the Indian Navy this year itself.

India - US Nuke agreement - update

Visiting U.S. Secretary of State will be the unveiling of a new strategic dialogue architecture and the signing of an agreement to facilitate the launch of U.S. satellites and satellites with U.S. components on Indian launch vehicles.

The new dialogue architecture is intended to take Indo-U.S. relations to a higher level, 3.0 — to use Ms. Clinton’s phrase — and will cover areas like nonproliferation, security, education, health and development.

The new Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA) to be signed will cover launches involving satellites owned by U.S. government or academic institutions or by third country space agencies and universities which have U.S. equipment on board. Since the components and satellites will have to be integrated with ISRO’s launch vehicles, the TSA will provide for monitoring by the U.S. side to ensure against diversion or misuse of equipment.


The agreement to be signed will be an umbrella one — similar to the TSA that China and the U.S. signed — with individual licensing by the State Department likely dispensed with, but India will not yet be able to enter the lucrative market for the launch of U.S. commercial satellites or third country commercial satellites with U.S. components till a separate Commercial Space Launch Agreement (CSLA) is signed.

A second agreement will also be signed on a framework for “robust result-oriented cooperation” in science and technology for “collaborative research and its commercialisation.”This agreement will build on the October 2005 Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement.

DNA microarray technology

DNA microarray technology the future: Lalji Singh

The next generation DNA microarray facility at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has the potential for developing DNA chips that will be helpful in crime detection.

The next generation DNA microarray facility at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has the potential for developing DNA chips. These, when developed, could be instrumental in establishing the identity of an individual at the entire genome level, said Lalji Singh, CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow 2009 and former director of the centre.

Explaining the significance of the development, he said the DNA chip would make the process of establishing a match between a biological sample found at a crime scene and the DNA of a suspect faster and simpler.

"This will be the ultimate technique based on the comparison at the total genome level. This is the future technology," he told police trainees and researchers at the Andhra Pradesh Police Academy (APPA) on Monday.

Dr. Singh was taking part in the inaugural of a three-day, national-level training-cum-workshop on 'DNA - The Decisive Evidence' organised at the APPA in association with Bioaxis DNA Research Centre, a city-based research organisation.

Legislation

The workshop is significant in view of the fact that the DNA bill is in the process of being enacted by Parliament this year. When implemented, the bill, which has a provision for post conviction testing of DNA, would be a boon for convicts/under-trials who were falsely convicted/accused for lack of proper evidence.

New nanolaser produced

The world’s smallest laser that is 10 times smaller than the wavelength of light has been produced. Scientists have called it a ‘spaser.’

Spaser stands for Surface Plasmon Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. This comes nearly 50 years since lasers were first created.

Spaser are capable of producing laser-like light.

But the way the laser and spaser produce light is totally different. While the conventional laser amplifies light, a spaser amplifies only the surface plasmons — tiny oscillations in the density of free electrons on the surface of metals.

Scientists had first proposed the spaser concept six years ago. A spaser is the smallest possible quantum amplifier and generator of optical fields on the nanoscale.

Writing in the Nature, Mikhail Noginov from the Norfolk State University in Virginia and his team state that they were able to produce laser-like light by stimulating the emission of surface plasmons on a gold nanoparticle and amplifing them.

The success opens up great opportunities and possibilities. It represents a critical component for possible future technologies based on ‘nanophotonic’ circuitry.

A Purdue University release states: nanophotonics may usher in a host of radical advances, including powerful "hyperlenses" resulting in sensors and microscopes 10 times more powerful than today's and able to see objects as small as DNA; computers and consumer electronics that use light instead of electronic signals to process information; and more efficient solar collectors.

Writing in the journal Nature, Mikhail Noginov from the Norfolk State University in Virginia notes: “now [that] it has been realised experimentally, the spaser will advance our fundamental understanding of nanoplasmonics and the development of practical applications.”

New material for nano-scale computer chips

Nano-chemists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Nano-Science Centre, Department of Chemistry at University of Copenhagen have developed nano-scale electric contacts out of organic and inorganic nano-wires. In the contact they have crossed the wires like Mikado sticks and coupled several contacts together in an electric circuit. In this way they have produced prototype computer electronics on the nano-scale, according to a press release.

Alternative to silicon computers

Today the foundation of our computers, mobile phones and other electronic apparatus is silicon transistors. A transistor is in principal an on- and off- contact and there are millions of tiny transistors on every computer chip. However, we are reaching the limit for how small we can make transistors out of silicon.

We already use various organic materials in, for example, flat screens, such as OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode). The new results show how small and advanced devices made of organic materials can become.

Thomas Bjørnholm, Director of the Nano-Science Center, Department of Chemistry at University of Copenhagen explains:

We have succeeded in placing several transistors consisting of nanowires together on a nano device. It is a first step towards realisation of future electronic circuitry based on organic materials – a possible substitute for today's silicon-based technologies. This offers the possibility of making computers in different ways in the future.

Danish-Chinese nanoelectronics

The researchers have used organic nanowires combined with the tin oxide nanowires in a so-called hybrid circuit. As in a Mikado game, the nanowires cross in a device consisting of 4-6 active transistor moieties. The devices have a low operational current, high mobility and good stability and that is essential in order for the material to be able to compete with silicon.

Professor Wenping Hu, Chinese Academy of Sciences is excited over the results:

This work is the first significant result of our collaboration with the researchers from the Nano-Science Center. It is a good starting point for our new Danish-Chinese research centre for molecular nano-electronics and it underlines the fact that we can complement each other and that together we can achieve exciting and important results.

MS in education tie-up with Maharashtra

Special Correspondent

Microsoft India on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra Government to enhance ICT (IT, communications and telecommunications) adoption in schools and build employability readiness skills of the future workforce.

Under the agreement, besides the academies in Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad, Microsoft will help build last mile capacity among educators.

10-day training module

One educator from each cluster in the State will be required to undergo a 10-day training module in a classroom setup; and each of the trained resources can then further build ICT readiness among other educators in the cluster.

Microsoft will conduct over 200 sessions at the district level in the next two years.

At a conference attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Microsoft India Managing Director Rajan Anandan said,

“three years ago, we entered into MoUs with 10 States to set up 11 academies for providing teachers with ICT skills. Since then Microsoft has imparted training to 3.60 lakh teachers across the States with 92,000 being in Maharashtra.”

The initiative will also focus on building employability readiness among students of 11th and 12th classes. Also planned is the development of a single login through Microsoft’s Live@Edu initiative, which will enable students and teachers across about 85,000 schools in the State to acquire email and school-specific domains.In addition, one of the biggest highlights of the agreement will be the introduction of Microsoft’s global programme, DreamSpark, under which a student can get access to the suite of Microsoft Software Development tools at no cost.

Scientists find direct link between CT scan and cellular damage

X-rays induce many types of lesions (tiny biological damage) in the tissues through which they pass. They include breaks of one strand or both strands of the cellular DNA. Cells repair most of the former lesions promptly. Double Strand Break (DSB) is probably the most important effect. Scientists have developed extremely sensitive methods to assay DSBs caused by a single computed tomography (CT) test.

Cell repair

Cells can either repair DSBs properly restoring overall integrity of the genome, or mis-repair, resulting in drastic consequences such as cancer.

Kufner, Schwab and colleagues, researchers from Germany, described a method to measure biological dose in computed tomography (CT) scanning procedures (European Congress of Radiology, 2009). They demonstrated Double Strand Breaks (DSBs) of DNA in the white blood cells of patients undergoing cardiac CT and angiography examinations by sampling blood from the patients before and after the tests.

Physical energy absorbed by tissue is an imperfect indicator of what goes on in the tissue. A true estimate of radiation risk requires an accurate, reproducible biological measurement of radiation-induced damage, (auntminnie.com, 2009). By counting the DSBs, the researchers measured such a biological quantity.

Assay method

Radiation exposure causes DSBs in mammalian cells. When cells are exposed to radiation, certain types of molecules called histone H2AX, adjacent to the nascent breaks, undergo “phosphorylation” (a process involving specific biochemical changes).

The response is highly amplified and rapid; hundreds to thousands of H2AX molecules join within minutes. This newly phosphorylated protein called gamma-H2AX mobilises DNA repair proteins and form discrete foci, one per DSB. Specialists count these biomarkers by using immuno-fluorescence microscopy.

Counting of DSBs is thousand times more sensitive than other biological methods such as counting of chromosome aberrations.

A dose of one mGy (typical skin dose in medical x-ray examinations) generates on average one track per nucleus and thus is considered the lowest dose that can affect a whole cell. With one mGy, nearly 3 per cent of irradiated cells can sustain a DNA DSB. (Bonner, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, April 23, 2003)

Medical X–ray procedures

Researchers examined 32 patients, 16 on each of two CT scanners using various protocols. They collected blood samples before and 30 minutes after the CT scan and counted the DSBs formed. They found that the number of DSBs increased linearly with dose length product, a normally used physical parameter

They observed that sequential CT scans are less biologically damaging than spiral CT. Radiation dose delivered over time was less damaging than the same dose delivered all at once. They did not observe any abnormal DNA damage in the blood cells of interventional radiologists when measured repeatedly throughout the normal working day.

The researchers demonstrated the presence of DSBs in the blood cells of all 37 patients undergoing conventional angiography. The number of DSBs at the end of the procedure varied widely, declining rapidly after the examinations due to DSB repair processes.

The sensitive methods evolved by the researchers may be very useful in understanding the mechanisms of cellular damage. It may help to evolve better cancer treatment strategies. Cancer cells are rogue cells with no rules. If they have any rules they are their own rules!

CT, a unique tool

The findings referred to in this article indicate the unparalleled technological advances in the study of cells and do not in any way diminish the potential use of computed tomography or conventional angiography in clinically indicated instances. CT scan unit is a unique tool to diagnose disease, trauma or abnormality and to plan, guide and monitor treatment.

It will cause harm to the patient if he refuses CT examinations prescribed by a qualified physician. For such tests, the benefit far outweighs the possible harm. Technological revolutions should not skew perception of risks.

NMITLI Scheme

New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) Scheme

As a part of New Millennium initiative, the Government mounted a farsighted R&D Programme named ‘New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)’ in Public-Private Partnership mode in 2000-01. The programme was announced as part of the Union Budget in the year 2000. The responsibility of conceptualizing, evolving and implementing the programme has been assigned to the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR).

The trigger for NMITLI programme was:

• From incremental innovation to disruptive innovation;
• Tolerance for risk taking and failure;
• Best minds in India to take up the grand challenge for collaborative excellence; and
• Technology leadership.

The NMITLI focus is to:

• identify niche areas where India can gain leadership in about 10-15 years;
• develop projects involving best brains of the country through a rigorous process;
• build knowledge network of partners from public funded institutions and private industries;
• develop new methods of working together for collaborative excellence;
• focus on proof-of-concept; and
• provide a pipeline of cutting edge Indian innovation for conventional technology financing bodies as against the ‘usual safe bets.

Today, the New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) is the largest public-private-partnership effort within the R&D domain in the country. It looks beyond today’s technology and thus seeks to build, capture and retain for India a leadership position by synergising the best competencies of publicly funded R&D institutions, academia and private industry. The Government finances and plays a catalytic role. It is based on the premise of consciously and deliberately identifying, selecting and supporting potential winners. NMITLI has carved out a unique niche in the innovation space and enjoys an excellent reputation.

NMITLI has so far evolved 57 largely networked projects in diverse areas viz. Agriculture & Plant Biotechnology, General Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Drugs & Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Materials, Information and Communication Technology and Energy. These projects involve 80 industry partners & 270 R&D groups from different institutions. Approximately 1700 researchers are engaged in these projects. These 57 projects cumulatively have had an outlay of approximately Rs. 500 crore.

NMITLI Achievements:

The programme has generated about 100 international patents and 150 publications in peer reviewed journals. The important achievements are:

• Paradigm shift in leather processing-From chemical to biochemical route
• Pilot plants for separating cellulose, hemi-cellulose and lignin from bagasse
• Pilot plants for producing lactic acid from sugarcane juice
• Bio-informatics software viz. Bio-Suite, GenoCluster, Bio-SuiteC and Darshee
• Developed three variants of SofComp (Simple office Computer) devices including Mobilis
• Anti-psoriasis formulation in Phase-III Clinical Trial
• Lysostaphin in Phase-II Clinical Trial
• Anti-tuberculosis molecule in Phase-II Clinical Trial
• poly herbal formulations for diabetes, arthritis and hepatic disorder
• Micro-PCR based immuno-diagnostics for detecting eye infections
• Development of new plant varieties of Mentha piperita
• Development of Triple-Play broadband technology

Key components of CCEA Note:

Enthused by the success of the programme and on the recommendations of several committees, Government has approved the expansion of NMITLI programme to experiment newer models of innovation development. The key components of the proposal are:

Funding along with industry (50:50 Initiative)

There are many Indian companies who are doing financially very well but do not have the necessary expertise and intellectual resources to develop focused network projects for development of technologies/products in their line of activities. Their efforts need complementation from suitable R&D institutions and guidance from recognized peers to develop and commercialize newer technologies/products. Therefore, NMITLI will leverage its experiential base to encourage and assist such companies for developing network projects for those companies in product/technology development through a specific scheme called ‘NMITLI 50:50 initiative’.

Co-financing with Venture Capital funds

Many venture capitals are limited in scope and risk taking, due to lack of domain knowledge within the organization. Venture Capitals are therefore interested in joining hands with NMITLI, which has strong domain knowledge base, to jointly finance projects. Such projects would be identified and evolved following the procedures established by NMITLI. The funding would be joint with pre-determined ratio, but not more than 50% contribution from NMITLI. These projects are envisaged to be monitored by a joint team of experts as per the NMITLI monitoring mechanism. The proposed funding would follow the venture funding norms. The successes and failures resulting from the projects will be shared on equitable basis.

Setting up of NMITLI innovation centres in selected areas for long term sustained efforts

Some areas need long term sustained support with requisite human resource as well as infrastructure, assembled at one place to cross the threshold of intellectual barrier in order to generate globally competitive technologies and products, IPR, and high quality publications. It is envisaged to set up ‘NMITLI Innovation Centres’ in PPP mode for sustained efforts in some selected areas for example, Photovoltaics, Fuel Cells, White LEDs, Industrial Enzymes, Medical Implants, Vaccine development, Seed Development etc.

Support to post NMITLI projects

Despite the excellent R&D and developments, the technologies and products developed in the laboratory do need market seeding, pilot plant studies to refine the development. The companies need CSIR’s hand holding to develop and package the technologies/products further. The concept of ‘Post-NMITLI’ will fulfill the objective of providing financial and technical assistance for pre-commercialization related activities such as scale up, pilot plants, field trials, market seeding of products, market surveys, etc.

Acquisition of early stage relevant knowledge / IP for portfolio building

External ideas / leads / IP acquisition are assuming greater significance in the chain of innovation and mind to market. The availability of a large number of unencumbered IP (being developed in several laboratories globally) is providing a fillip to this approach. Several countries across the globe are striving to take advantage of the diversity of creativity available in different parts of world and integrate with its own developments to bring out new products / processes for global competitiveness. Since NMITLI aims to provide the Technological Leadership to the Indian industry, it becomes imperative for NMITLI to adopt such practices to achieve its objectives. Such acquisitions shall be in chosen areas with a view to creating a portfolio where NMITLI projects are in operation.

Crossing the geographical boundaries

It is increasingly being felt that to achieve leadership in niche technology areas, relying totally on internal expertise and capabilities may not be adequate. To achieve the objective of global leadership, it would be helpful to broaden the programme by bringing in international expertise. The international expertise may be in the form of expert advise of international experts at various stages of project development and implementation, involving international companies for product/technology development and commercialization at global scale, and engaging research institutions and/or CROs across the globe where Indian expertise need outside complementation.

Joint development and support of projects with other departments of science and technology as well as economic ministries

Many government departments are engaged in research and development activities in areas of relevance to them. These activities often have considerable degree of overlap with other scientific departments. However, these departments’s expertise is limited to undertake multi-disciplinary projects in cutting edge areas requiring wide-spectrum of intellectual and infrastructural inputs. Such multi-disciplinary areas need expertise, inputs and concerted efforts from all concerned government departments to generate IPR, technologies and products besides high quality publications. Therefore, part of the NMITLI funds will be utilized to generate inter-departmental projects in the XI FY Plan. The proposed scheme apart from generating intellectual capital, technologies and products in cutting edge areas would act as a catalyst to bring better co-ordination among various departments of government in the R&D sphere.

Relaxing the condition of more than 50% shareholding by Indians/Non-resident Indians

Many oversees companies through their R&D efforts using local resources, produce goods for local as well as overseas consumption and are thus contributing to the growth of Indian economy. They also employ Indian workforce. In some areas, such companies are better equipped to upscale the technology/products and sell it under their brand name. Further, they can become a vehicle for taking Indian technologies and products into global market easily thereby contributing more to Indian economy. The provision permits relaxation of the condition of more than 50% shareholding by Indians/Non-resident Indians to become an industrial partner in NMITLI projects.

Flexibility to convert loan into equity

Launching a new product or setting a knowledge based new venture requires investment on many fronts particularly for capital-intensive infrastructure, manpower, technology costs, working capital etc. Governments all over the world, particularly in developed countries endeavor to support entrepreneurs in different ways to ease the burden of initial investment. The industrial partner under NMITLI has to invest for commercialization of technology/products and at the same time has to return the loan to CSIR albeit in installments. This burden of loan repayment can be further reduced by converting loan into equity. Therefore, with this provision and on the request of industrial partner, loan given to it may be converted into equity.

Advantages of NMITLI Expansion:

As others are emulating, NMITLI is endeavoring to position higher in the innovation development. The proposal will therefore:

• enable CSIR to experiment newer models of innovation development in Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode, which could later become models for others to emulate;
• encourage to develop products / processes based on innovation and thereby help Indian industry emerge as a technology leader in the identified domain;
• encourage venture capital funds to venture into more risky R&D areas;
• act as a catalyst to bring better co-ordination among various departments of government in the R&D sphere and avoid unnecessary duplication, apart from generating intellectual capital, technologies and products in cutting edge areas; and
• enhance national competitiveness.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : February 27, 2009

colour blindness

The Genetics of Colour Blindness

The first human genetic trait to be identified and linked to a specific chromosome was colour blindness.

Through my research I have discovered that one pair of chromosomes is involved in the determination of sex– the XX chromosomes of the female and XY hromosomes of the male. The traits determined by the genes carried in the X chromosomes will show a special kind of inheritance, called sex-linked inheritance. One of the traits in question is colour blindness, a condition in which a person is unable to distinguish colours, particularly red and green, easily distinguished by a person with normal vision.

Colour blindness is a recessive trait with respect to normal vision, which is the dominant trait. I will identify the gene for normal vision as C and the gene for colour blindness as c. Consider now a marriage in which the mother is colour-blind and the father has normal vision. The colour-blind mother carries two X chromosomes, both with color blind (c) genes, and all the eggs she produces will also carry c. The father, with normal vision, has an X chromosome with normal colour (C) gene, and a Y chromosome that does not carry a gene for colour vision at all. Half of his sperm will have an X chromosome and the other half will have a Y chromosome.

The X-bearing sperm fertilizing the egg cells will give rise to daughters, who will carry one X chromosome with C and another with c gene: that is Cc. Since normal vision is dominant over colour blindness, these girls will have normal vision, but will harbor the gene for colour blindness, c.

If such a woman is married to a normal man (C), all of the daughters will have normal vision; but half of them will harbor the gene for colour blindness. Half of all the sons will inherit the X chromosome with the gene for colour blindness from their mother, and will consequently be colour-blind (c); the other half of the male offspring will inherit the gene for normal vision (C).

A colour-blind man (c) married to a normal woman not carrying the gene for colour blindness (CC) produces children with normal vision only. But while his sons (C) are free from the gene for colour blindness, all his daughters carry this gene in a hidden condition (Cc) and will transmit it to half of their children.

The punnett square is a device (chart) used to predict the probability of offspring having certain genetic characteristics. I will now use the punnett square to further explore the probability as it relates to colour blindness. A normal colour vision man is identified by XC Y.

A normal colour vision women who carries the gene for colour blindness is
identified by XC Xc.

	XC	Y
XC	XC XC	XC Y
Xc	XC Xc	Xc Y

A colour-blind man is identified by Xc Y.
A normal colour vision women who carries the gene for colour blindness is
identified by XC Xc.

	Xc	Y
XC	XC Xc	XC Y
Xc	Xc Xc	Xc Y

A colour-blind man is identified by Xc Y.
A colour-blind women is identified by Xc Xc.

	Xc	Y
Xc	Xc Xc	Xc Y
Xc	Xc Xc	Xc Y

This is a very rare occurrence.

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India completes design of Chandrayaan-2

India has completed the design of Chandrayaan-2, its next mission to the moon -- this time in collaboration with Russia -- that would have a lander and rover which can collect samples of the lunar soil and analyse them and send back the data.

"Right now, the design has been completed. We had a joint review with Russian scientists here,"

Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation, G Madhavan Nair, told PTI.

According to the Bangalore-headquartered space agency, the Chandrayaan-2 mission would have an orbital flight vehicle constituting an Orbital Craft (OC) and a Lunar Craft (LC) that would carry a soft landing system up to Lunar Transfer Trajectory (LTT).

The target location for the lander-rover would be identified using data from instruments of Chandrayaan-1, India's own and first unmanned mission to the Moon launched on October 22 last year.

While ISRO will be developing the orbiter, it will be Russia's job to make the lander and rover. Additional scientific payloads would be acquired from international scientific community.

"Next (now that design has been completed) we will go towards prototype building, which will be taken up next year," Mr. Nair, also secretary in the Department of Space, said.

Mr. Nair said ISRO has learnt plenty of lessons from Chandrayaan-1 mission, particularly on the thermal and redundancy management fronts and would seek to improve systems in Chandrayaan-2, slated towards the end of 2012.

"I think we have got very valuable inputs on the heat radiation from the moon's surface and so on. Accordingly, the thermal design of the future aircraft can be addressed," he said. "Radiation is much beyond our expectations, so we will have to see how the radiation hardening has to be strengthened."

"Then, in redundancy management also, there are some inputs which are available from this (Chandrayaan-1), which we will try to incorporate in Chandrayaan-2."

The ISRO Chairman said contingency operations undertaken by the organisation following the failure of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft's onboard star sensor earlier this year have worked well and "this is (now) as precise as it was earlier."

"We are able to locate the cameras at specific locations," he said noting some of the stereo images that have come recently. "The fact that we were able to point the spacecraft towards the Earth and capture the (recent) solar eclipse, shows the accuracy of the system."

Mr. Nair said 95 per cent of the scientific objectives of Chandrayaan-1 mission have been achieved. "Another five per cent, what's left out, we will try to take up in the next season which is starting in October so that we can complete all the observations."

Mr. Nair said India's ground station at Byalalu on the city outskirts has given precision as good as the NASA station. "We are comparing both the tracking results."

On how the US and Europe, which have flown instruments on board Chandrayaan-1, have taken to the failure of star sensor, Mr. Nair said, "They have got more than sufficient data with them and are extremely happy. Now, Indian and foreign scientists are working together to analyse the data and they have promised some results before the year end." Three-dimensional pictures of the moon would be available soon, he said.

On the agenda for scientists' meet to discuss the Chandrayaan-1 project next month, Mr. Nair said ISRO wants to ensure that it has not "left out anything".

"Today, we know that there is no redundancy on board. So, if further failure...if it happens, then we will be crippled.

"So, all the scientific objectives have to be completed in the remaining time. We will discuss with them what is pending and what needs to be done. Secondly, if some of them have got preliminary findings then we will try to make an assessment."

इंटेलिपीडिया क्या है?

ऑनलाइन इनसाइक्लोपीडिया विकिपीडिया की तरह इंटेलिपीडिया ऑनलाइन सिस्टम है जिसका उपयोग अमेरिकी सुरक्षा से जुड़ी एजेंसियाँ और गुप्तचर विभाग करता है। इस इंटेलिपीडिया का उपयोग अमेरिकी आंतरिक सुरक्षा से जुड़े विभाग जानकारियों के आदान-प्रदान और जानकारी प्राप्त करने के लिए करते हैं।

आम अमेरिकी जनता इसका उपयोग नहीं कर पाती है। इसकी शुरुआत अमेरिकी इंटेलीजेंस में जार माने जाने वाले जॉन निग्रोपॉन ने की थी। सुरक्षा के क्षेत्र में काम करने वाले विश्लेषक और अधिकारी इंटेलिपीडिया के कंटेट में किसी भी तरह का फेरबदल कर पाते हैं। ठीक उसी तरह जैसे हम वीकिपीडिया पर किसी भी जानकारी में इजाफा या सुधार कर सकते हैं। २००५ के आखिर में इंटेलिपीडिया पायलट प्रोजेक्ट के तौर पर शुरू किया गया और अप्रैल १७, २००६ को इसकी घोषणा कर दी गई कि यह जारी रहेगा।

Polymer reduces radioactive waste

Indian scientists have developed a new polymer that reduces radioactive waste in nuclear reactors, making the decontamination process a less expensive one. The compound has been synthesised in such a way that they have pre-designed holes to selectively recognise and trap cobaltions.

Referred to as Cobalt Imprinted Polymer, the compound selects the radioactive cobalt ions in the nuclear coolants to dissolve and remove them without altering their properties.

Imprinted memory

The polymer is imprinted with a memory for cobalt ions, source of radioactivity in most nuclear plant coolant channels. By doing this, the radioactive ions will be trapped in very small volume of this special polymer.

So, the amount of radioactive waste volume which is subjected to immobilisation will be very small, Narasimhan V. Sevilimedu, a scientist with the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, told PTI in an e-mail.

The compound has been synthesised in such a way that they have pre-designed holes to selectively recognise and trap cobaltions. Such pre-designed selectivity is the key aspect of such imprinted polymers, he said.

Conventionally, a solution of mild chemicals is used to remove the corrosion products i.e. metal oxides by circulating chemicals in the coolant circuits. The solution comprises both radioactive and non-radioactive ions, namely cobalt and iron respectively.

Nanoflares responsible for superhot corona of the Sun

चलो थोड़ा नासा-वासा हो जाए :)

The Sun’s corona is known to be very hot. In fact, it is actually much hotter than the Sun’s surface. But the reason why the corona, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, is extremely hot — several million degrees Kelvin — was not known. Now scientists have apparently found the answer: nanoflares.

The Sun’s corona is known to be very hot. In fact, it is actually much hotter than the Sun’s surface. But the reason why the corona, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, is extremely hot — several million degrees Kelvin — was not known.

Scientists have apparently found the answer: nanoflares.

The very hot temperatures of the Sun were previously attributed by scientists to a steady-heating phenomenon. According to the steady-heating model, the coronal loop of a given length and temperature should in turn have a specific density. But measurements showed otherwise. The coronal loops have much higher density.

Until now scientists did not find evidence of nanoflares, though the bigger solar flares are well known and studied.

The NASA’s X-Ray Telescope and the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer, which are on board Japan’s Hinode satellite have provided the first ever proof of nanoflares.

These two instruments were able to measure ultra-hot plasma of 10 million degree K and 5 million degree K respectively, notes NASA

According to James Klimchuk, an astrophysicist at the Goddard Space Flight Center’s Solar Physics Laboratory in Greenbelt Maryland, U.S., the very high temperature measured by the instruments can only be produced by “impulsive energy bursts” — the nanoflares.

Dr. Klimchuk presented his findings recently at the International Astronomical Union general Assembly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The nanoflares begin to heat the coronal loop in a very strange way. And wherever the density of the loop is low, the brightness is less and vice versa. About one million degree K is sufficient enough to make the corona bright.

According to a theoretical model used by Dr. Klimchuk and his team, the coronal loop is a collection of 5 million -10 million degree K high-density low-brightness strands and one million degree K low-density but brighter strands.

“For the first time we have detected this 10 million degree K plasma, which can only be produced by the impulsive energy burst of nanoflares,” Dr. Klimchuk was quoted as saying in the NASA release.

CHANDRAYAAN - 1 OUTPUTS

Chandrayaan-1, beams back 40,000 images in 75 days which is great achievement for ISRO. Chandrayaan-1 was launched on Oct 22, 08 it has sent about 40,000 images in 75 days, it means is sending nearly 535 images daily, ISRO believe is quite a record compared to the lunar flights of other nations.

These Images were first transmitted to Indian Deep Space Network at Byalalu near Bangalore, from where they are flashed to ISRO's telemetry, tracking and command network at Bangalore.

Some Interesting links about Chandrayaan-1:
India's First Unmanned Moon Mission
Latest Video from Chandrayaan-1
Iron Minerals found by Chandrayaan-1

CHANDRAYAAN - 1

अच्छा सुशिल यह बता आज तक कोई चाँद पे गया है क्या ?

सुशिल "वैसे तोह अमेरिका दावा करती है चाँद पर जाने का बुत इ डोंट थिंक ,उन्होंने यही स्टूडियो में फोटो निकले होंगे नील आर्मस्ट्रोंग के ।"

वैसे भारत इस मामले में कुछ कर रहा है की नही

सुशिल "जी हाँ ,देखो।"

CHANDRAYAAN -I

1. It is India's first mission to the moon.

2. Includes a lunar orbiter and an impactor.

3. Launched by a modified version of the PSLV-C11

4. Launched On 22 October 2008 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

5. It is a remote sensing satellite

6. Weight: 1,308 kilograms (590 kilograms initial orbit mass and 504 kilograms dry mass)

7. Mission Period: Over a two-years

8. Mission Cost: The estimated cost for the project is Rs. 3.86 billion.

9. Aim: Survey the lunar surface to produce a complete map of its chemical characteristics and 3-dimensional topography. The polar regions are of special interest, as they might contain ice.

10. Payloads: The mission includes five ISRO payloads and six payloads from other international space agencies including NASA, ESA, and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, which are being carried free of cost.

With the successful launch of Chandrayaan-1, India became the sixth nation to send a mission to the moon. According to the chairman of ISRO, G Madhavan Nair the launch of India's lunar spacecraft was prefect and precise. The spacecraft is reported to have carried an Indian flag which will be place on moon surface when it will land on moon during its operation.

India Also plans to Launch Chandrayaan-II by 2010.

स्वप्निल"क्या बात है यार,गुड गोइंग"