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- The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) aboard the Aditya-L1 spacecraft recently captured an X6.3-class solar flare, one of the most powerful types of solar eruptions.
- About Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT):
- SUIT is a key remote sensing payload on the Aditya-L1 mission, which is India's first dedicated solar mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), launched on September 02, 2023.
- Developed by Pune’s Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in collaboration with various ISRO centers, the instrument is designed to study the Sun in unprecedented detail.
- SUIT captures both full-disk and region-specific images of the Sun, spanning various heights through the photosphere and chromosphere.
- It uses a set of 11 scientifically calibrated filters—3 broad-band and 8 narrow-band—covering the 200 to 400 nanometer wavelength range.
- Positioned at the first Lagrange point (L1), SUIT continuously observes the Sun without any interruptions, providing 24/7 data.
- The primary scientific goal of SUIT is to explore the dynamic interactions within the magnetized solar atmosphere, investigating phenomena such as solar jets, flares, filament evolution, and eruptions.
- Additionally, SUIT enables scientists to measure and monitor the spatially resolved solar spectral irradiance, an important step in understanding the Sun’s influence on Earth’s climate, particularly in the 200 to 400 nm wavelength range.
- At least 14 additional workers from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) were recently rescued after an avalanche struck in Mana, a high-altitude village in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district.
- About Border Roads Organisation (BRO):
- The BRO is a road construction organization in India that plays a vital role in supporting the Indian Armed Forces.
- It operates under the Ministry of Defence.
- Establishment: Formed on May 7, 1960, the BRO was created to secure India’s borders and improve infrastructure in remote and difficult regions, particularly in the north and northeastern states.
- The BRO is responsible for developing and maintaining road networks in India’s border areas and also in friendly neighboring countries.
- Its operations span across 19 states and 3 Union Territories (including Andaman and Nicobar Islands), and extend to neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Tajikistan, and Sri Lanka.
- Over time, the organization has expanded its scope to include the construction of steel bridges, airfields, townships, tunneling works, and hydroelectric projects.
- To facilitate project coordination and timely execution, the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) was set up by the Government of India, with the Prime Minister as Chairman and the Defence Minister as Deputy Chairman.
- Officers and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the core workforce of the BRO.
- The BRO also includes officers and troops from the Indian Army's Corps of Engineers who are deputed for specific roles.
- The organization is part of the Order of Battle of the Armed Forces, ensuring its readiness to assist in any situation.
- The BRO plays a significant operational role during national emergencies or hostilities, offering direct support to the Army in maintaining roads in forward zones and handling other tasks designated by the government.
- Additionally, the BRO provides personnel for the rehabilitation of certain forward airfields of the Indian Air Force during operations.
- One of the BRO’s most notable accomplishments is the Atal Tunnel, the world’s longest highway tunnel, measuring 9.02 kilometers.
- Motto: "Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam" (Everything is achievable through hard work).
- Auroville recently marked its 57th anniversary with a bonfire meditation at the Amphitheatre, near the Matrimandir.
- About Auroville:
- Auroville is a unique international township located in South India, near Pondicherry, in the state of Tamil Nadu. It serves as an experimental community where residents from over 60 countries are dedicated to exploring alternative approaches to living, working, and coexisting peacefully.
- Founded on February 28, 1968, by Mirra Alfassa, known as the Mother, who was the spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo, Auroville was conceived as an international cultural township.
- The township was designed by renowned architect Roger Anger.
- Auroville is the world’s largest and oldest surviving international intentional community.
- It has transformed from a barren desert into a thriving 3,000-acre township and bioregion, where over 3 million trees have been planted, creating a rich biodiversity. It is also home to 9 schools and various social enterprises.
- Today, Auroville houses a community of 2,700 people from 50 nations, and its guiding vision is that it belongs not to any specific individual but to humanity as a whole.
- The residents of Auroville, called Aurovilleans, live by principles of peace, harmony, sustainable living, and ‘divine consciousness’, a philosophy promoted by the Mother.
- UNESCO recognized Auroville’s unique vision, endorsing the project through four resolutions in 1966, 1968, 1970, and 1983.
- Since 1980, Auroville has been administered under the control of the Ministry of Education and operates according to the Auroville Foundation Act of 1988, passed by the Indian Parliament.
- The Government of India provides partial financial support through grants to help cover the costs associated with Auroville's establishment, maintenance, and development.