IIT-Kanpur of India sets up base station for its nano Jugnu satellite

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

The Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur has set up a base station within its premises for nano-satellite Jugnu, which will be launched in a polar orbit by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) early next year. The nano-satellite, designed and developed by the IIT was  handed over to the ISRO .

The data packets will include transmission of images, health status of the satellite and commands related to the details of locations of which the images will be taken. “We are through with the setting up of the transmission device and antenna, and are confident of completing all the related tests in the next few weeks,” Agarwal said. The satellite, which will be placed in an orbit around 700 kms from the Earth, will remain in space for one year. The nano satellite will encircle the earth 15 times in a day.

Sources:

GIS Development

Indian Express

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Turning Energy Waste to Into Hydrogen Fuel

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

Materials scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have designed a way to harvest small amounts of waste energy and harness them to turn water into usable hydrogen fuel.

READ HERE

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Magnetopause

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

The magnetic boundary between the Earth’s field and the solar wind, named the magnetopause, has a bullet-shaped front, gradually changing into a cylinder. Its cross-section is approximately circular.Distances in the magnetosphere are often measured in Earth radii (RE), with one Earth radius amounting to 6371 km or 3960 miles. In these units, the distance from the Earth’s center to the “nose” of the magnetosphere is about 10.5 RE and to the flanks abreast of the Earth about 15 RE, while the radius of the distant tail is 25-30 RE. By way of comparison, the moon’s average distance is about 60 RE.

When solar wind flows past the Earth, it applies pressure to the magnetic field of the earth. The brunt of the solar wind pressure is exerted on the  field, compressing it. Only the restorative pressure of the magnetic field pushes against the solar wind, and a rough balance of these pressures occurs. Like imaginary football scrimage line, this balance moves towards the earth when the solar wind pressure  increases, and it moves outwards toward the sun as the solar wind pressure . This scrimage line is called the magnetopause boundary.

Distances in the magnetosphere are often measured in Earth radii (RE), with one Earth radius amounting to 6371 km or 3960 miles. In these units, the distance from the Earth’s center to the “nose” of the magnetosphere is about 10.5 RE and to the flanks abreast of the Earth about 15 RE, while the radius of the distant tail is 25-30 RE. By way of comparison, the moon’s average distance is about 60 RE.

Links and Sources:

The Magnetopause

Nasa

Wikipedia

UCLA

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China to move ahead on clean energy “combustible ice”

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

Combustible ice is a crystallized solid created during the interaction between methane and water in a high-pressure, low-temperature environment. It is normally found in continental slope areas and beneath high-latitude permafrost. The total organic carbon reserve in combustible ice is estimated to be two times that contained in today’s known coal, oil, and natural gas reserves, and the resource has the potential to supply thousands of years of human energy needs.

China’s western Qinghai Province, containing major deposits of the country’s “combustible ice,” will see increased explorations for this emerging clean energy.The plateau province plans to allow large energy companies along with researchers to tap this new source of energy while minimizing environmental threats, Luo said on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature.

“Combustible ice,” or natural gas hydrate, is mainly found in deep seas and atop plateaus. Approximately one cubic meter of “combustible ice” equals 164 cubic meters of regular natural gas.

More than 100 countries around the world have found deposits of “combustible ice.” The deposits in Qinghai Province, home to one-quarter of China’s total reserve on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, were discovered in September 2009.

“Combustible ice” reserves on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are estimated to equal at least 35 billion tonnes of oil, which could supply energy to China for 90 years.

Scientists noted that mining of the “ice” could cause geological disasters, such as slumping. Also, the release of large amounts of methane gas could further aggravate global warming.

Countries including the United States and Japan have major plans to tap “ice” discovered within their own territories. Also, the Republic of Korea recently announced a program to invest 37 million U.S. dollars to drill for “ice” discovered along its eastern coast beginning in April.

Sources:

here,

here

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