UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on LiDAR technology and Air Quality Index (Week 76)

QUESTION 2

Air Quality Index (AQI) is simply a captious measurement for knowing aerial contamination levels and its interaction connected nationalist health. Discuss the components of the AQI, with circumstantial notation to PM2.5 and PM10 particles.

General points connected the operation of the answers

Introduction

— The instauration of the reply is indispensable and should beryllium restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a modular introduction.

— It whitethorn dwell of basal accusation by giving immoderate definitions from the trusted root and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the cardinal portion of the reply and 1 should recognize the request of the question to supply affluent content.

— The reply indispensable beryllium preferably written arsenic a premix of points and abbreviated paragraphs alternatively than utilizing agelong paragraphs oregon conscionable points.

— Using facts from authentic authorities sources makes your reply much comprehensive. Analysis is important based connected the request of the question, but bash not implicit analyse.

QUESTION 1: LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) exertion has been instrumental successful archaeological discoveries. Explain the moving rule of LiDAR.

Note: This is not a exemplary answer. It lone provides you with thought process which you whitethorn incorporated into the answers.

Introduction:

— LiDAR, oregon Light Detection and Ranging, is simply a distant sensing exertion that uses airy successful the signifier of a pulsed laser to measurement ranges (or adaptable distances) of a sensor, usually mounted aboard an aircraft, to Earth’s surface.

— According to the US Geological Survey, LiDAR information tin beryllium utilized to make high-resolution 3-D crushed elevation models with vertical accuracy of up to 10 cm.

— LiDAR is utilized to make precise three-dimensional information astir the Earth’s signifier and aboveground properties. This is undoubtedly invaluable accusation for geographers, policymakers, conservationists, and engineers. In caller years, however, LiDAR has demonstrated imaginable arsenic an archaeological find tool.

Body:

You whitethorn incorporated immoderate of the pursuing points successful your answer:

Working rule of LiDAR

— LiDAR instrumentation comprises a laser, a scanner, and a GPS receiver. The rapidly firing laser travels to the crushed wherever it hits vegetation, building, and assorted topographic features. This airy is reflected oregon scattered, and recorded by the LiDAR sensor.

— The strategy determines the region betwixt the terrain and the sensor by calculating the two-way question clip of the airy pulses. It combines this accusation with Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Measurement System (IMS) information to make an elevation representation of Earth.

— LiDAR information is primitively gathered arsenic a “point cloud” consisting of each idiosyncratic points reflected by thing connected the surface, including structures and vegetation. However, knowing however overmuch airy vigor was returned to the sensor enables for much close recognition of assorted things, specified arsenic plants, buildings, and truthful on. For example, histrion canopies, nary substance however dense they are, let immoderate airy to travel done and scope the ground.

Conclusion:

— LiDAR allows researchers to survey overmuch larger swathes of onshore rapidly successful the comfortableness of a location oregon lab. Auld-Thomas, the pb writer of the latest probe published successful the diary Antiquity utilized publically disposable LiDAR information taken for a wood monitoring task successful 2013 to observe the metropolis helium named Valeriana successful Mexico’s Campeche region.

— The LiDAR information tin beryllium further refined to nutrient what scientists telephone a “bare earth” Digital Elevation Model, successful which structures and vegetation are stripped away.

(Source: How distant sensing strategy LiDAR helped observe a mislaid Mayan city)

Points to Ponder

What is the quality betwixt terrestrial LiDAR and mechanical LiDAR?

How is RADAR antithetic from LiDAR?

Related Previous Year Questions

How is the S-400 aerial defence strategy technically superior to immoderate different strategy presently disposable successful the world? (2021)

What bash you recognize astir the ‘Standard Positioning System’ and ‘Precision Positioning System’ successful the GPS era? Discuss the advantages India perceives from its ambitious IRNSS programme employing conscionable 7 satellites. (2015)

QUESTION 2: Air Quality Index (AQI) is simply a captious measurement for knowing aerial contamination levels and its interaction connected nationalist health. Discuss the components of the AQI, with circumstantial notation to PM2.5 and PM10 particles.

Note: This is not a exemplary answer. It lone provides you with thought process which you whitethorn incorporated into the answers.

Introduction:

— The Air Quality Index (AQI) successful New Delhi was astir 351 connected November 1, the time aft Diwali. The accomplishment of wintertime and cool, dense aerial encircling the city, roadworthy particulate and postulation pollution, and stubble burning successful the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana each lend to the diminution successful aerial quality.

— AQI is simply a fig that indicates aerial quality: the higher the AQI, the worse the air. There are six categories of AQI, namely ‘Good’ (0-50), ‘Satisfactory’ (50-100), ‘Moderately polluted’ (100-200), ‘Poor’ (200-300), ‘Very Poor’ (300-400), and ‘Severe’ (400-500).

— The colour-coded AQI scale was introduced successful India successful 2014, and it assists the nationalist and the authorities successful knowing the authorities of the aerial and the consequent measures that volition beryllium done to tackle the occupation based connected its severity.

Body:

You whitethorn incorporated immoderate of the pursuing points successful your answer:

Components of the AQI

— According to the Central Pollution Control Board, a part of the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, the AQI converts analyzable aerial prime information for aggregate pollutants into a azygous fig (index value), name, and colour. Pollutants measured see PM 10, PM 2.5, nitrogen dioxide, ground-level ozone, c monoxide, sulphur dioxide, ammonia, and lead.

— Each of these categories is determined by the ambient attraction levels of aerial contaminants and their imaginable wellness effects.

Impact of pollutants similar PM 2.5 and PM 10

— Smaller pollutants, specified arsenic particulate substance (PM) 2.5, are among the astir damaging. PM 2.5 is an atmospheric particulate substance with a diameter little than 2.5 micrometres. It causes breathing issues and impairs visibility. Because of their tiny size, the particles tin lone beryllium identified utilizing an electron microscope.

— Because of their size, PM 2.5 particles tin readily question via the chemoreceptor and pharynx and into the circulatory system. The particles tin besides origin chronic ailments similar asthma, bosom attacks, bronchitis, and different respiratory issues.

Conclusion:

— Governments successful cities specified arsenic Delhi state actions successful effect to aerial prime problems. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been specifically designed to instrumentality exigency actions that would debar further degradation of aerial prime successful Delhi-NCR.

— Earlier, it resulted successful a regularisation connected the usage of ember and firewood, including tandoors successful hotels, restaurants, and unfastened eateries, arsenic good arsenic diesel generator sets (save for exigency and indispensable services). It besides includes an summation successful parking fees to discourage the usage of backstage vehicles.

(Source: What is AQI — and however is the aerial prime successful Delhi aft Diwali this year?)

Points to Ponder

Suggest immoderate measures to trim aerial pollution

How does crushed level ozone interaction quality health?

Related Previous Year Questions

What are the cardinal features of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) initiated by the authorities of India? (2020)

Describe the cardinal points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) precocious released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these antithetic from its past update successful 2005? What changes successful India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to execute revised standards? (2021)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains reply signifier — GS 1 (Week 75)

UPSC Essentials: Mains reply signifier — GS 1 (Week 74)

UPSC Essentials: Mains reply signifier — GS 2 (Week 73)

UPSC Essentials: Mains reply signifier — GS 2 (Week 74)

UPSC Essentials: Mains reply signifier — GS 3 (Week 74)

UPSC Essentials: Mains reply signifier — GS 3 (Week 75)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and enactment updated with the quality cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and travel america on Instagram and X.