Prelim Bits 30-08-2019

Hurricanes Classification

Hurricane ‘Dorian’ is on track to make landfall in Florida as extremely dangerous ‘Category 4’ storm.
Meteorologists use the ‘Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale’ to measure a hurricane's strength.
It is a 1 to 5 rating scale based on a hurricane's sustained wind speed.
This scale estimates potential property damage.
Category 3 and higher are considered as major hurricanes because of their potential for significant loss of life and damage.
Category 1 and 2 storms are still dangerous, require preventative measures.
In the western North Pacific, the term "Super typhoon" is used for tropical cyclones with sustained winds exceeding 150 mph.

However this scale only takes into account a storm’s maximum windspeed and disregard other threats like expected rainfall or storm surge.
An alternative to the Saffir-Simpson Scale is AccuWeather’s “Real Impact Scale”.
This takes other metrics besides wind speed into account.

Evolution of Jupiter

‘Juno’, the NASA probe orbiting Jupiter, has been sending information that gives scientists new insights into the evolution and structure of the planet.
A new study suggests that 4.5 billion years ago, Jupiter received a massive whack from a planet still being formed and swallowed it.
Another study looks at the reasons why the “stripes” on Jupiter do not run deep into its surface.
Information sent by Juno shows that Jupiter’s core is not mainly ice and rock as previously thought.
It is a “fuzzy core” that includes lighter elements like helium and hydrogen.
Scientists suggest that it could be explained by a head-on collision with a still-forming planet about 10 times the size of Earth.
Magnetic fields can make fluids that conduct electricity (like Jupiter’s atmosphere) behave more like honey than water.
Deeper into the planet, where the pressure is higher, the atmosphere becomes more conducting.
It is more strongly influenced by the planetary magnetic field.

GI Tag

Tamil Nadu’s ‘Dindigul lock’ and ‘Kandangi saree’ gets GI tag.
The Dindigul Lock, Hardware and Steel Furniture Workers Industrial Co-operative Society and Amrar Rajiv Gandhi Handloom Weavers Cooperative Production and Sales Society now have the exclusive rights over these products.

The ‘handmade’ Dindigul locks were famous for their traditional design, safety and quality raw materials.
Government institutions such as prisons, hospitals and even temples use these locks instead of other machine-made ones.
Every lock is designed and possesses a unique style and it has its own special name.
Some varieties of the locks made in Dindigul are Mango lock, Door lock, Almirah lock, Export lock, Excise lock.
There are various categories of locks including brass, steel, mild steel painted chromium plated and galvanized lock.
There is also complete manual assembling with each lock having its own unique key code.
Kandangi Sarees, are manufactured in the Karaikudi taluk in Sivaganga district.
They are characterised by large contrast borders and some are known to have borders covering as far as two-thirds of the saree.
Amrar Rajiv Gandhi Handloom Weavers Cooperative Production and Sales Society Ltd. filed the application for GI tag.

The sarees are being made in the town for more than 150-years.
Traditionally, Kandangi sarees were all brick-red, black and mustard, a combination that flatters any type of complexion.
The traditional Kandangi cotton saree is known to be distinctly characterised in the border by the design of temple checks.
The sarees exude brilliant colours like bright yellows, oranges, red and a minimal black in the traditional pattern of stripes.
They are made out of natural dyes and is known to be distinctly characterised in the border by the design of temple checks.

Area and Production of various Horticulture Crops

Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare has released the 3^rd Advanced Estimate of Area and Production of various Horticulture Crops.
This is based on the information received from different State/UTs and other source agencies.
Total Horticulture Production of the country is estimated to be 313.85 Million Tonnes which is 0.69% higher than in 2017-18.
Overall increase is observed in production of Fruits, Vegetables, Spices, Flowers and Honey.
Overall decrease is observed in production of Plantation and Aromatics & Medicinal crops as compared to last year.
Fruits Production

Spices Production is estimated to be around 9.22 Million Tonnes, which is higher than the production last year.

Source: PIB, The Indian Express