A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth so that the Sun is fully or partially covered. This can only happen during a new moon, when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction as seen from the Earth. At least two and up to five solar eclipses can occur each year on Earth, with between zero and two of them being total eclipses.Total solar eclipses are nevertheless rare at any location because during each eclipse totality exists only along a narrow corridor in the relatively tiny area of the Moon’s umbra.
October 29, 2009
A time zone is a region of the earth that has uniform standard time, usually referred to as the local time. By convention, time zones compute their local time as an offset from UTC (see also Greenwich Mean Time). Local time is UTC plus the current time zone offset for the considered location. Standard time zones (Winter Time zones) can be defined by geometrically subdividing the Earth’s spheroid into 24 lunes (wedge-shaped sections), bordered by meridians each 15° of longitude apart. The local time in neighboring zones would differ by one hour. However, political boundaries, geographical practicalities, and convenience of inhabitants can result in irregularly-shaped zones. Moreover, in a few regions, half-hour or quarter-hour differences are in effect.Time zones are divided into standard and daylight saving (or summer). Daylight saving time zones (or summer time zones) include an offset (typically +1) for daylight saving time. Before the adoption of time zones, people used local solar time. Originally this was apparent or true solar time, as shown by a sundial, and later it became mean solar time, as kept by most mechanical clocks. Mean solar time has days of equal length, but the difference between mean and apparent solar time, called the equation of time, averages to zero over a year. The use of local solar time became increasingly awkward as railways and telecommunications improved, because clocks differed between places by an amount corresponding to the difference in their geographical longitude, which was usually not a convenient number. This problem could be solved by synchronizing the clocks in all localities, although in many places the local time would then differ markedly from the solar time to which people were accustomed. Time zones are thus a compromise, relaxing the complex geographic dependence while still allowing local time to approximate the mean solar time. There has been a general trend to push the boundaries of time zones further west of their designated meridians in order to create a permanent daylight saving time effect. The increase in worldwide communication has further increased the need for interacting parties to communicate mutually comprehensible time references to one another.
coffee October 25, 2009
South Indian Coffee, also known as Filter Coffee is a sweet milky coffee made from dark roasted coffee beans (70%-80%) and chicory (20%-30%), especially popular in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The most commonly used coffee beans are Peaberry (preferred), Arabica, Malabar and Robusta grown in the hills of Kerala (Malabar region), Karnataka (Kodagu,Chikkamagaluru) and Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris District,Yercaud and Kodaikanal).
Indian filter coffee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
bladeaxe4 " Bhuvan " – India’s Very Own Google Earth READY ! September 5, 2009
As announced earlier India’s own geographic information system (GIS) dubbed ‘Bhuvan‘ is now available for download, currently under BETA release capable of Indian specific features not available in any other competing product.
Bhuvan features multiple layers of information showing topography, altitude, depth weather and other features helpful in managing public services, internal security, town planning, and infrastructure development activities.
जलवायु परिवर्तन पर सख़्त चेतावनी August 22, 2009
संयुक्त राष्ट्र के मुख्य वार्ताकार ने दुनिया भर के देशों को आगाह किया है कि यदि जलवायु परिवर्तन पर सवालों के जवाब न ढ़ूढ़े गए तो आने वाले समय में मुसीबत हो सकती है.
जलवायु परिवर्तन पर विकसित और विकासशील देशों में बहुत से राजनीतिक मतभेद हैं
उन्होंने कहा है कि तीन बड़े राजनीतिक सवाल हैं और इनके जवाब इस वर्ष के अंत में होने वाले कोपेनहैगन सम्मेलन में तलाश करने होंगे.
संयुक्त राष्ट्र के मुख्य वार्ताकार यो डीबोयर ने यह बात बीबीसी के कार्यक्रम ‘वन प्लैनेट’ में कही है.
अहम सवाल
उनका कहना है कि विकासशील देशों को जलवायु परिवर्तन के प्रभावों से बचाने के लिए अमीर देशों को कम से कम 10 अरब डॉलर जुटाने की ज़रुरत है जिससे कि विकासशील देशों को ग्रीन हाउस गैसों का उत्सर्जन कम करने में मदद की जा सके.
डीबोयर का कहना है कि विकसित देशों की ओर से विकासशील देशों के लिए 10 अरब डॉलर की राशि न्यूनतम है और सम्मेलन की सफलता का एक पैमाना इस राशि का जुटना होगा, लेकिन इसके अलावा भी बहुत कुछ किया जाना है.
उनका कहना है कि जलवायु परिवर्तन से जूझने के लिए दो और अहम सवाल हैं और इनके जवाब दिसंबर में होने वाले जलवायु परिवर्तन सम्मेलन में ढूँढ़ने होंगे.
उनका कहना है कि एक तो अमीर देशों को वर्ष 2020 तक ग्रीन हाउस गैसों के उत्सर्जन में कमी के लिए एक लक्ष्य निर्धारित करना होगा.
हालांकि उन्होंने इस लक्ष्य को लेकर कोई आँकड़े नहीं दिए लेकिन उनका कहना था कि 1990 के आँकड़ों की तुलना में कमी का यह लक्ष्य 25 से 40 फ़ीसदी तक होना चाहिए. वैसे उन्होंने स्वीकार किया है कि यह लक्ष्य कोई आसान लक्ष्य नहीं है.
उनका कहना था कि दूसरा सवाल यह है कि चीन, भारत और ब्राज़ील जैसे बड़े विकासशील देश उसी तरह विकास की राह पर आगे नहीं बढ़ सकते जिस तरह से वे अभी बढ़ रहे हैं.
उनका कहना था कि इन देशों को भी अपने गैस उत्सर्जन में कटौती के लिए लक्ष्य निर्धारित करने होंगे.
डीबोयर का कहना था, “कोपेनहैगन सम्मेलन में इन सवालों के जवाब ढूँढ़ने होंगे और यह सम्मेलन विफल हो जाएगा यदि इन राजनीतिक सवालों के जवाब नहीं ढूँढ़े गए.”
उनका कहना था कि कोपेनहैगन सम्मेलन में बहुत थोड़े राजनीतिक अवसर उपलब्ध हैं और अगर इस अवसर का उपयोग नहीं किया गया तो बहुत मुसीबत होगी.
Notes on INDIAN GEOGRAPHY for Prelims August 19, 2009
INDIAN GEOGRAPHY
Cosmology: Science dealing with the nature and origin of the universe.
Big Bang Theory: Canon Lemaitre
Steady State Theory: Hermann Bond and Thomas Gold.
Pulsating universe theory: Allan Sandage.
One Parsec = 3.26 light years.
Hydra is the largest constellation.
When brightness of a star increases 20 magnitudes or more, it is called a supernova.
Sun accounts for 99.85% of the mass of the solar system.
Suns Revolutionary period= 250 m years
Rotation time = 25 days
Planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
Venus and Uranus rotate anti- clockwise at their axis, whereas all other planets rotate clockwise.
Largest Terrestrial Planet:- Earth
Smallest Jovian Planet:- Neptune
Mercury and Venus have no satellites.
Jupiter has the largest rotational velocity.
Genemede of Jupiter :- Largest Satellite
Titan is the only satellite in the solar system with an atmosphere of its own.
Saturn has the least density among all the planets.
Uranus is also known as Green planet.
Greatest satellite of Neptune : Triton
Movement of the Earth.
1) Rotation: West to east in 24 hours (produces day and night) – Line separating light and dark halves is known as the circle of illumination.
2) Revolution: Movement around the sun 365 ¼ days (produces seasons) – Jan 2 : Closest to the sun- called Perihelion. July 4 : Farthest from the sun- called Apehelion.
3) Eccentricity: (Produces Ice-age and Global Warming) Shape of the earth’s orbit changes in a cyclic period running between 90,000- 1,00,000 years.
4) Precession: This is the conical motion of the axis of the spinning earth, like a spinning top. Takes about 26,000 years to complete one cycle.
Presently – pointing at Pole star.
AD 4000- pointing at Alpha cephai
A D 14,000 – pointing at Star vega
Summer Solistice: 21st June: Sun overhead at tropic of cancer.
Winter Solistice: 22nd Dec : Sun overhead at the tropic of Capricorn.
Vernal Equinox: 21st March.
Autumn Equiox: 23rd Sep
Our moon is 1/4th of the size of Earth.
Blue Moon is said to occur when the second full moon appears within the same month.
Highest Mountain on Moon: Liebnitz: 10,660m
Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin: Set foot on the ocean of Tranquility
In a calendar year, a maximum of seven eclipses can occur( combining solar and lunar eclipses)
Remember 1 degree latitude or longitude represents 111 Km ( along equtor)
Longitude and Time
Rem: E-G-A [ East- gain- add]
W-L-S[ West- lose- subtract]
Earth moves 1 degree in 4 minutes.
Standard meridians differ from Greenwich Meridian by the multiples of 15degree or 7.5degree.
USA and Canada have 5 time zones.
India has one time zone.
-82.5 degree east from the Standard time
- 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of GMT
The International Date Line:
- 180 degree Meridian is the international date line.
- A traveler crossing this date line from east to west will lose a day.
- A traveler going from west to east will gain a day
Latitudes
1. Earth Moves 1 deg in 4 minutes.
2. Standard meridians differ from Greenwich Meridian by the multiples of 15 deg or 7.5 deg.
3. USA and Canada have 5 time zones
4. India has one time zone
a. 82.5 deg E from the standard time
b. 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of GMT
The International Date Line
1. 180 deg meridian is the international date line
2. A traveller crossing this date line from east to west will lose a day.
3. A traveller going from west to east will gain a day.
Construction of Earth’s Interior
1. Relative Density= 5.5
2. Seismic Waves
a. p-waves or primary waves: Also called longitudinal or compressional waves- like sound waves- fastest
b. Secondary waves or S-waves: Also called transverse or distortional waves- like water ripples- cannot pass through liquid material.
c. Surface Waves or L waves: Long wave length waves- cause most destruction.
Earth’s Surface
1. The Crust: It has two layers: Sial and Sima. These two layers extend to a distance of 30-40 km from the earth’s surface. The join of Crust and Mantle is called Mohorovic Discontinuity.
2. The Mantle: It extends from 35-2900 km. The join of Mantle and Core is called the Gutenberg Discontinuity.
3. The Core: It extends from 2900-5150. It is also called NiFe because of the presence of Nikel and Iron.
Mechanical Division of Mantle
1. Lithosphere: It constitutes 80-100 km of upper most mantle. It is rigid and cool
2. Asthenosphere: It is also a part of the upper mantle. It is hot, soft and pliable.
Remember: All the meridians and only the equator form great circles.
Composition of Earth
1. Crust Composition: Oxygen: 46.8%, Silicon: 27.7%
2. Total Earth Composition: Iron: 35%, Oxygen: 30%, Silicon: 15%
Continental Drift Theory
1. According to Alfred Wegner about 250m years ago, all continents were united on a super continent called as Pangaea, which was surrounded by a large ocean called Panthalsa.
2. Continents Drifted in Two Directions:
a. Towards Equator: Due to Gravitational attraction of equatorial bulge ( caused the formation of Himalayas, Alps, and Atlas)
b. Towards West: Owing to tidal forces of moon and sun ( Caused the formation of Rockies and Andes)
Rocks, Earthquakes and Volcanism
1. About 90% of rock forming minerals are silicates.
2. Felspar is the most abundant rock forming silicate material.
3. About 75% of the surface area of the globe is covered by the sedimentary rocks while rest 25% area is occupied by the igneous and metamorphic rocks.
4. Shale is the most abundant sedimentary rock.
5. Marble is a metamorphic rock from limestone, Diamond from Carbon etc.
6. Richter Scale is used to assess the magnitude of an earthquake. It is logarithmic, it means each whole no on the scale represents a ten fold increase in the measured wave amplitude. It is a quantitative scale.
7. Intensity of earthquake is measured by Mercalli Scale. It is a qualitative scale.
Earth’s Movements
1. Faults: Here the rock beds are dislocated and displaced resulting in the formation of faults.
2. Rift Valley: Is a linear depression on earth eg. Narmada and Tapti. Dead sea, the most saline lake after lake Van are situated in a rift valley.
3. 66% of the earthquakes of the world are recorded in Circum-Pacific Zone.
4. With the increasing depth, the temperature rises gradually at 1 deg C per 32 m.
5. Molten rock material below Earth’s surface is called Magma, above Earth’s surface is called Lava.
QUIZ HO JAYE August 16, 2009
1
| मूक घाटी किस प्रदेश में है?
|
| महाराष्ट्र |
| केरल |  |
| पंजाब |
| कश्मीर |
| 2 | ‘लेह पैलेस’ भारत के किस राज्य में स्थित है?
|
| गुजरात |
| जम्मू-कश्मीर | |
| हिमाचल प्रदेश |
| राजस्थान |
| 3 | गोआ शहर किस नदी के किनारे स्थित है?
|
| गंगा |
| मंडोवी | |
| गोमती |
| साबरमती |
| 4 | जामनगर शहर किस राज्य में है?
|
| गुजरात | |
| राजस्थान |
| महाराष्ट्र |
| कर्नाटक |
| 5 | गीजा किस नदी के पश्चिमी तट पर है?
|
| अमेजन |
| नील | |
| ओरेंज |
| इनमें से कौन-सी जगह मुंबई में नहीं है?
|
| दि गेटवे ऑफ इंडिया |
| दि कमला नेहरू पार्क |
| जुहू बीच |
| चारमीनार | |
| 7 | विश्व की सबसे लंबी नहर किस भारतीय राज्य में है?
|
| राजस्थान | |
| पश्चिम बंगाल |
| तमिलनाडु |
| असम |
| 8 | हिमालय में स्थित रोहतांग दर्रा किस नदी का उद्गम स्थल है?
|
| चंबल |
| ब्यास | |
| ताप्ती |
| नर्मदा |
| 9 | माउंट आबू किस पर्वत श्रृंखला में है?
|
| अरावली | |
| अन्नामलाई |
| नीलगिरी |
| शिवालिक |
| 10 | कौन-सी नदी जमशेदपुर से गुजरती है?
|
| गोदावरी |
| लूनी |
| सुवर्णरेखा | |
| कृष्णा |
Geographical Terms August 16, 2009
| ANTIPODES | A region or place on the opposite side of a point on the earth. |
| ANTICYCLONES | Winds which blow outward from the center. |
| APHELION | Position of the earth in its orbit when is at the maximum distance from the sun. |
| ARCHIPELAGO | A cluster of islands, e.g., Pearl Islands in the Gulf of Panama. |
| ATOLL | Coral reef resembling a horse shoe, enclosing a lagoon. |
| AXIS | An imaginary line joining north and south poles. |
| AVALANCHE | A vast mass of snow mixed with earth or stones. |
| BIOSPHERE | Animate or inanimate organic kingdom on earth. |
| CANYON | A deep valley cut by a river through a mountain region, e,g., the Grand Canyon of the Colarado river in the USA. |
| CONTINENTAL SHELF | Land adjoining a continent submerged in the sea. |
| CYCLONES | A low pressure system area in which the wind blows spirally inward. |
| CROP ROTATION | Growing different crops needing different minerals for their growth in the same piece of land in order to get more yield. |
| DATE LINE | An imaginary line pointing north-south approximating to the Meridian 180 (east or west) where the date changes by one day the moment it is crossed. |
| DELTA | Alluvial deposit shaped like Greek letter, formed at the mouth of the river, where it falls into the sea, e.g., the Sunderban delta. |
| DEW | Condensed atmospheric water vapours due to the cooling of the air. |
| DRY FARMING | Growing of crops in low rainfall areas by moisture conservation, crop rotation but without irrigation. |
| EQUATOR | An imaginary line dividing the earth into two equal parts. |
| EQUINOXES | The day on which nights and days are of equal duration, e.g., March 22 and September 23. |
| EROSION | Wearing away of the earth’s land surface by rain, wind, water, etc. rendering the land infertile. |
| ECLIPSE | When one earthly body obscures another one partially or completely. |
| FOG | When the atmospheric moisture touches cold earth and condenses on dust particles. |
| FROST | When the atmospheric moisture deposits in the shape of icy flakes on the exposed objects or near the ground due to below freezing point temperature. |
| HIGH SEAS | The parts of the sea which do not come under the territorial jurisdiction of the nations. |
| ICEBERG | Huge mass of ice separated from glacier in the polar regions. These masses of ice float in the oceans with 9 parts submerged in the ocean and one part visible. |
| ISOBARS | Lines on the map connecting the places of the same pressure. |
| ISOTHERMS | Lines on the map joining the places of the same temperature. |
| ISTHMUS | Narrow neck of land joining two land areas. |
| KUNDAN | Anew variety of wheat which gives high yields in both rained and irrigated tracts and responds well to low dose of water and fertiliser. |
| LAGOON | A shallow stream of water at the mouth of a river enclosed bu dunes of river silt. |
| LIGHT YEAR | The distance traveled by light in one year. It is equal to 9.4*10612 km. |
| LOCAL TIME | Time calculated from the sun at noon at any place of earth. |
| MERIDIAN | Imaginary line joining north and south poles and cutting the equator at right angles. |
| MIST | It is just like fog but contain more moisture. |
| OASIS | A part of the desert where water and vegetation are found. |
| ORBIT | The path of the heavenly bodies. |
| PYGMALLION POINT | The southernmost point of India, 700 km away from mainland India. |
| PRAIRIES | Smooth, treeless, green plain of Central and North America. |
| REEF | Jutting of rock or shingle or sand at just above or below sea level. |
| SAVANNA | Land covered with natural grass. |
| SIDEREAL DAY | Time taken by the earth to rotate once round its axis. |
| SNOW LINE | Altitudinal line along which the area remains snow clad. |
| SPRING TIDES | Higher tides in the ocean caused by the sun and the moon together. When the sun, the earth and the moon are positioned in a straight line. |
| NEAP TIDES | Tides caused by the differences of the forces exerted by the moon and the sun when both are at right angles to each other. |
| TORNADO | A brisk and violent storm generally having rotator motion. |
| TUNDRAS | Peripheral area of Arctic ocean. |
| TYCOON | Violent hurricane in China Sea. |
| WEATHER SATELLITE | Artificial satellite designed to forecast weather. |
| WESTERLIES | Constant winds blowing from south-west in the northern hemisphere and north-west in south hemisphere. |
BOOKS RECOMMENDED FOR GEOGRAPHY AS THE OPTIONAL August 14, 2009
अरे कोई मुझे गेओग्रफ्य आप्शन क लिए नोट्स बताओ न
ये है भोगोल के लिए बुक्स क नाम
6th to 12th NCERT Books for Geography.
Evolution of Geographic Thought by Majid Husain
Economic Geography by Hertshorn & Alexander
Regional Planning – by Chand & Puri
Environmental Geography by Savindra Singh
Economic and Commercial Geography of India by Sharma & Coutinho
Agriculture Geography by Majid Husain
Indian Economy by Dutt and Sundaram
Atmosphere Weather and Climate – By K. Siddhartha
Climate History and Modem Man – By Chorley
Science and Wonders of Atmosphere – By Gedzelman
Bio & Environmental Geog. Biosphere A Geography of Life – By Dr. Thomas and K. Siddhartha
Environmental Geology -ByValdiya
Living in the Environment – By Miller
Settlement Geography- Cities Urbanization and Urban System – By K. Siddhartha & S. Mukherjee
Urban Geography – By Herbert Thomas
Indian Industrial Geography Indian industry a geographical perspective – By S. Mukherjee and K. Siddhartha
