Current Affairs: Passage of the Day - 13 June 2024 | Current Affairs: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - CLAT PDF Download

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
In a groundbreaking development, scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad, India, discovered three new Mars craters. These craters, located in the Tharsis volcanic region of the planet, have been officially named Lal Crater, Mursan Crater, and Hilsa Crater by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). This discovery highlights India's growing contribution to planetary exploration.
The largest of the three, Lal Crater, spans 65 km and has been named in honour of the renowned Indian geophysicist and former PRL director, Professor Devendra Lal. Prof. Lal's work significantly advanced our understanding of cosmic rays and planetary science.
Crater Named After UP Towns
The two smaller craters, each about 10 km wide, have been named after towns in India. Mursan Crater is named after the town of Mursan in Uttar Pradesh, the birthplace of PRL's current director, Dr. Anil Bharadwaj. Hilsa Crater is named after the town of Hilsa in Bihar, the hometown of Dr. Rajeev Ranjan Bharti, a PRL scientist involved in the discovery.
The Lal Crater, located at coordinates -20.98°, 209.34°, is of particular interest due to its geological features. The crater's surface is covered with lava, but subsurface radar data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has revealed a 45-meter thick sedimentary deposit beneath it. This sedimentary layer suggests that water once flowed across the Martian surface, transporting and depositing large amounts of sediment into the crater.
The smaller craters, Mursan and Hilsa, are superimposed on the eastern and western rims of Lal Crater, respectively. Their positions provide valuable information about the episodic nature of the sediment deposition in Lal Crater. The presence of these craters helps scientists understand the timeline of geological processes on Mars, indicating that the infilling of Lal Crater occurred in multiple stages.
Implications for Mars Research
The discovery of these craters and the evidence of past water flow on Mars is a significant step in understanding the planet's geological history and its potential to have harboured life. The findings from the PRL team have been published in the Astrophysical Journal, and the names of the craters have been officially recognized by the IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature.
[Excerpt from Times Now “What Do India’s New Mars Craters Reveal?” Dated 13/06/24]

Q1: Where were the three new craters discovered by the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) located on Mars?
(a) Tharsis volcanic region
(b) Valles Marineris
(c) Olympus Mons
(d) Gale Crater

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Q2: What is the name of the larger crater among the newly discovered ones, and how wide is it?
(a) Lal Crater, 65 km
(b) Mursan Crater, 10 km
(c) Hilsa Crater, 20 km
(d) Tharsis Crater, 100 km

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Q3: Who was Lal Crater named after, and what is his significance?
(a) Prof. Satish Dhawan, an early Indian space scientist
(b) Prof. Devendra Lal, an early Indian geophysicist and head of PRL
(c) Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space program
(d) Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, an Indian aerospace scientist

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Q4: What notable feature was discovered beneath the lava-covered surface of Lal Crater using SHARAD/MRO subsurface radar?
(a) Ice deposits
(b) A layer of sedimentary rock
(c) Metallic ore deposits
(d) Ancient fossilized life forms

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Q5: Which Indian town does Mursan Crater share its name with, and what is its significance?
(a) A town in Rajasthan
(b) A town in Uttar Pradesh
(c) A town in Bihar
(d) A town in Gujarat

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