Alarm bells ring: Uttarakhand's glacier lakes swell, signalling future disasters
A recent study by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) has brought this worrying development to the fore. The study reveals a significant increase in the number of glaciers across the state, currently recorded at 1,290, up from 1,266 a decade ago. Concurrently, the area covered by glacial lakes has expanded by a substantial 8.1 per cent. This growth underscores the severe impacts of climate change on the delicate Himalayan ecosystem.
Dr Rakesh Bhambri, a glaciologist at WIHG, elaborated on the findings, stating, 'Our research indicates that new lakes are forming on glaciers in the Uttarakhand Himalayas, and existing lakes are growing in size. There has been a notable increase in their numbers since our 2015 study.'
Attributing this surge primarily to climate change and global warming, he further explained, 'The occurrence of rain instead of snow at altitudes of four to five thousand metres is a significant contributing factor, leading to glacier melt and the formation of these lakes.' While acknowledging the overall increase, Dr Bhambri clarified that not all lakes are expanding.
The destructive potential of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) is not new to the region. The devastating Kedarnath tragedy of 2013 was triggered by the bursting of the Chorabari glacial lake, and the 2021 Raini-Tapovan floods were also a result of a similar event. Sikkim experienced a comparable disaster in 2013.
In light of these past catastrophes, the Indian government has identified 13 such high-risk glacial lakes in Uttarakhand that could pose a significant threat in the future. Prominent among these are Vasundhara Lake in Chamoli, Kedartal in Uttarkashi, Nagkund in Bageshwar, six lakes in Pithoragarh, and one in Tehri.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
37 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Ananth Tech set to launch India's first private satellite broadband service
Ananth Tech gets IN-SPACe nod to launch ₹3,000-crore satellite broadband service by 2028, marking India's first private satcom rollout to rival Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon Kuiper New Delhi In a significant development for India's space and telecommunications sectors, Hyderabad-based Ananth Technologies is set to become the first private Indian company to offer satellite communication (satcom) services using a domestically-built satellite, according to a report by The Economic Times. This marks a shift in the country's space ecosystem, positioning the firm to directly compete with international players such as Starlink (SpaceX), Eutelsat OneWeb, and Amazon's Project Kuiper. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the space regulator, has granted Ananth Technologies the go-ahead to roll out broadband-from-space services starting in 2028. The company plans to deploy a 4-tonne geostationary (GEO) communication satellite that will deliver a data capacity of up to 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) to users across the country. An initial investment of ₹3,000 crore has been committed to the venture, with scope for further funding depending on demand, the news report said. GEO vs LEO: The technical edge and trade-offs While many global players operate in low earth orbit (LEO) — typically 400 to 2,000 km from Earth — Ananth Technologies will deploy a satellite in geostationary orbit, over 35,000 km above the planet. LEO satellites, like those used by Starlink, Amazon, and OneWeb, complete an orbit every 1–2 hours, allowing for low-latency broadband. In contrast, GEO satellites orbit the Earth once every 24 hours, appearing stationary from the ground. While latency is higher in GEO systems, they offer broader territorial coverage — a single satellite can blanket the entire Indian subcontinent, unlike LEO constellations that require multiple satellites for complete coverage. Starlink inches closer to final approval This would place Starlink on par with other authorised providers such as Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite. In May, Starlink received the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence, making it the third satcom firm cleared to offer commercial services in the country. Vodafone Idea joins satellite race with AST SpaceMobile tie-up Last month, Vodafone Idea (Vi) announced a strategic alliance with US-based AST SpaceMobile to bring satellite phone services directly to standard smartphones in India. AST SpaceMobile is developing the world's first cellular broadband network operating entirely from space, targeting both commercial and government sectors. "Vi (Vodafone Idea) and AST SpaceMobile Inc. announced a strategic partnership to expand mobile connectivity across India's unconnected regions. AST SpaceMobile made history by placing the first-ever voice and video call from space using a standard mobile phone, a milestone that demonstrates the real-world viability of its advanced technology," Vodafone Idea said in a statement.
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Sleeping on ISS most difficult task: Shubhanshu
A week on board the International Space Station (ISS), Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla says sleeping is difficult. Not because there's too much to do, but because the time is limited. On June 26, Shukla scripted history on being the first Indian astronaut on board ISS. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla 'The most difficult task is to go to sleep because of the time that is around you. You know you are here for a short time and you want to do more and more,' said Shukla during his interaction with school students from India via Ham radio on Friday afternoon. 'But as you understand that there are activities planned, you also need to get rest.' In his 10-minute communication starting 3.47pm, Shukla, who connected to Isro's UR Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru, answered questions on his experience flying to space, experiments he is undertaking and importance of international collaboration for the success of a space mission like Axiom-4. His outreach via amateur radio interaction was livestreamed by Space India, which is an educational organisation working with schools across India. Since docking on June 26, the astronauts by end of July 3, have completed approximately 113 orbits around Earth, covering over 2.9 million miles - that's nearly 12 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. During his two- weeks on ISS, Shukla, who represents Isro, has been commissioned to perform seven home grown experiments and five scientific studies as part of Isro-NASA collaboration. Describing all the experiments as challenging and exciting, Shukla said he particularly finds a few that he is conducting on ISS 'interesting'. 'Especially the one concerned with stem cells,' he pointed. As exciting as the experience has been, Shukla also said it's hard since the body has to adapt to new conditions. On being asked if he shared the Indian food - amras, moong dal halwa and gajjar ka halwa developed by DRDO and Isro - with other astronauts, the 39-year-old said, 'I must tell you that everybody here loved it and we sat together and shared the food and they appreciated how good these were. And it was a good moment. We brought together foods from different countries and got to share it together with all the crew on the station.' Stating that rocket launch was very dynamic, the Lucknow resident recounted his journey to ISS. 'The experience was exhilarating.. (the rocket launch) was very fast, and as you go higher you go faster. The accelerations were quite high.' As he explained that the rocket goes in two stages, Shukla said, 'The first stage was fast. And the second stage accelerates due to the velocity of 8kms per second.' He pointed out that the Ax-4 mission was the 'power of global collaboration', one that allowed him to look at the earth from space. 'It (the earth) is big. It is very beautiful and it reminded me of how fortunate we are to be in this planet and with everything we have.' A week on ISS, a statement from Axiom Space read, 'In just seven days, the Ax-4 astronauts have already made significant contributions to scientific more than a hundred sunrises and sunsets witnessed from orbit, the Ax-4 mission is advancing science progress in space and inspiring a new generation of explorers.' By the end of their time on ISS, the Ax-4 mission comprising commander Peggy Whitson, mission pilot Shukla and mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu would have conducted 60 experiments representing 31 countries.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
How astronauts feast on ISS
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has been in space for more than a week, and would have had several meals during this period. On Friday, Shukla said he had shared the food he carried to the International Space Station (ISS) — gajar ka halwa, moong dal ka halwa and aamras — with other astronauts onboard. Having a meal in space is not a piece of cake. It requires planning and organisation. But this does not mean that astronauts eat frugally or depend only on liquid diets. The food is also far from being bland or unappetising. In fact, on the ISS, the permanent space laboratory where Shukla is currently staying, astronauts often enjoy elaborate meals. It is just that they eat packaged food, which is stored and prepared a little differently. Due to zero-gravity conditions, food items, like everything else in space, tend to float around. This necessitates a level of organisation not required on Earth. The spacecraft's safety could be compromised if small crumbs or loose pieces get stuck in some of its critical parts. These can also enter the mouths or nostrils of astronauts, leading to choking or creating breathing problems. As a result, food items are carefully chosen and properly packaged. The act of eating itself, that is, food travelling inside the body's digestive tract, is not a problem. While gravity might help this process on Earth, it is not a necessity. Put simply, only management of food is an issue in space. Astronauts consume packaged and processed food items, which are usually in dehydrated form. They inject hot water through a needle into the packages before eating the dishes. Shukla's gajar ka halwa and moong dal ka halwa — prepared and packed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) — would also have been in this form. Beverages such as tea, coffee or juices, and Shukla's aamras, are usually in powder form, which can be mixed with water before consumption. There is provision for heating the food on the ISS. Astronauts on the space station usually have their breakfast and dinner together. Before eating, they secure themselves with footholds to restrict movement. Every astronaut has a food tray with some utensils, including spoons and forks. The cutlery and food packets are fastened to the tray with velcro. Astronauts are advised to snip open only a small part of the package, and dip their spoons inside to pick the food out. Seasonings such as salt and pepper are available, but they are typically dissolved in water which can be added to the food through droppers. After their meals, waste such as food packets is deposited in waste chambers, while cutlery is cleaned with wipes. Utensils cannot be washed with water. A variety of food choices are available, and astronauts can select their menu or favourite cuisine months ahead of their travel. Once they have made their selection, nutritionists also weigh in with their recommendations to ensure astronauts meet the dietary requirements in space. For instance, astronauts need more calcium, and less sodium and vitamin D to keep their bones healthy. Such food arrangements for astronauts are relatively new. Early space travellers had to make do mostly with food paste, packaged in toothpaste-like tubes or bite-sized cubes. When confined to a spacecraft, like during the journey to the ISS, these forms of food are still useful due to space and storage constraints. Despite technical advancements in packaging, storing, and preparing food items, scientists are now actively working on ideas for growing food in space. This is because, in recent years, astronauts have begun spending a lot more time in space. For example, those going to the ISS typically spend a few months at a time. Due to this, all their food requirements are not transported on the same spacecraft that carries them. Cargo missions to the ISS fly at regular intervals, carrying food, apart from other requirements such as maintenance gear and scientific equipment. Also, various space agencies and private companies are now planning even longer stays in space, including the possibility of creating a permanent settlement on the Moon. There are also plans to travel much further distances than ever before in space — on such missions, it might not be economical to supply food from Earth. Space-grown plants, for example, can provide a sustainable food source for such missions. Scientists are currently studying different aspects of growing food in space, and exploring various methods to do so. For instance, they are examining the effects of microgravity on the growth of plants. They are also making attempts to use LED lights to induce photosynthesis. Researchers are developing soilless systems in which plants can be grown in space, and selecting crops most suited to grow in these conditions. Potatoes, soybean, wheat, spinach, tomatoes, and carrots are some crops that have shown promise for space cultivation. ISRO is carrying out multiple experiments related to this subject during Shukla's stay at the ISS. At least six different varieties of crop seeds will be grown and studied. There is a separate experiment on the growth of microalgae as well. Besides food, these microalgae can be used as potential fuel or even used in life support systems.
