Deep Ocean Mission

 Deep Ocean Mission

The inaugural high-level Steering Committee meeting of the Deep Ocean Mission was recently presided over by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences.

About the Mission:

• It is a mission-mode project to support the Blue Economy Initiatives of the Government of India.
• It is a high-level multi-ministerial, multi-disciplinary programme for a better understanding of the deep sea living and non-living resources of the Indian Ocean.
• It will aid in India’s efforts to attain the Blue Economy status.
• It aims to develop technologies to harness living and non-living resources from the deep oceans.
• The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will be the nodal Ministry implementing this multi-institutional Mission.
• The estimated cost of the Mission will be 4077 crores for a period of 5 years (2021-26) to be implemented in a phase-wise manner.
• The Mission consists of six major components:
  • Development of Technologies for Deep Sea Mining and Manned Submersible and Underwater Robotics;
  • Development of Ocean Climate Change Advisory Services;
  • Technological innovations for exploration and conservation of deep-sea biodiversity;
  • Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration;
  • Energy and freshwater from the Ocean;
  • Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology;

Zero Shadow Day

• It is a sub-solar point where the sun is directly overhead at a particular latitude.
• When the sun is at the zenith (the highest point in the sky) its rays will be hitting a particular point exactly perpendicular to the surface.
• This will make the shadow of a person exactly under him, making it look like there are no shadows.

 When does it occur?

• There are two zero shadow days every year in May and July/August, observed in places that lie between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn.
• One falls during the Uttarayan (when the Sun moves northwards), and the other is during Dakshinayan (when the Sun moves southwards).
• It lasts for a small part of a second, but the effect can be seen for a minute to a minute-and-a-half.

UN Statistical Commission (1947)

• Highest body of the global statistical system bringing together the Chief Statisticians from member states from around the world
• Statistical Commission oversees the work of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), and it is a Functional Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council.
• The Commission consists of 24 member countries of the United Nations elected by the United Nations Economic and Social Council on the basis of an equitable geographical distribution.
• The term of office of members is four years.
• The officers of the Commission, also referred to as the Bureau, are the Chairman, 3 Vice-chairmen and the Rapporteur.
• Recently, India has been elected to the highest statistical body of the United Nations for a four year term beginning January 1, 2024.