{"id":144528,"date":"2024-11-26T19:50:45","date_gmt":"2024-11-26T14:20:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=144528"},"modified":"2024-11-26T19:50:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T14:20:45","slug":"mace-telescope","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/mace-telescope","title":{"rendered":"Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) Telescope"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MACE telescope is a state-of-the-art ground-based gamma-ray telescope inaugurated in Hanle, Ladakh.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Key Features of MACE<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>World&#8217;s Highest Imaging Cherenkov Telescope<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Located at around<\/span><b> 4.3 km above sea level<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it boasts a <\/span><b>21-metre-wide dish,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> making it <\/span><b>Asia&#8217;s largest imaging Cherenkov telescope and second-largest globally.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Advanced Construction and Technology<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Features <\/span><b>356 honeycomb-structured mirror panels<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, each coated with silicon dioxide for environmental protection.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High-resolution camera equipped with <\/span><b>1,088 photomultiplier tubes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to amplify faint signals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mounted on a 180-tonne structure with an <\/span><b>altitude-azimuth system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, enabling movement along both horizontal and vertical planes for wide-sky coverage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ground-Based Detection of Gamma Rays: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Utilizes <\/span><b>Cherenkov radiation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> produced when<\/span><b> cosmic gamma rays interact with the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Operates as an <\/span><b>Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope (IACT)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, using indirect techniques to study high-energy gamma rays (>20 billion electron volts).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6975%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt; color: #000000;\"><b>About Gamma Rays<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Gamma ray is a high energy electromagnetic radiation with shortest wavelength, no charge and no rest mass.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">They are produced by the decay of atomic nuclei or by high-energy processes in space.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Sources of cosmic gamma rays:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Black holes: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accretion disks around black holes release gamma rays as matter is heated to extremely high temperatures and accelerated.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Neutron stars and pulsars: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These rapidly rotating, highly magnetized stars emit gamma rays in powerful beams.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Supernova explosions: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The collapse of massive stars releases enormous amounts of energy, including gamma rays.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are the most energetic explosions in the universe, believed to be caused by the collapse of massive stars or the merger of neutron stars<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Indigenous Development: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designed and developed in India by institutions like <\/span><b>Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and the <\/span><b>Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Applications and Research Objectives<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Study of High-Energy Gamma Rays: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Investigates gamma rays from exotic cosmic phenomena like <\/span><b>pulsars, supernovae, black holes, and gamma-ray bursts.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aims to analyze gamma rays<\/span><b> beyond the Milky Way,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> including emissions from <\/span><b>blazars<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>gamma-ray pulsars<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dark Matter Research: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeks evidence of <\/span><b>weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a potential constituent of dark matter.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps explore gamma rays generated from WIMP annihilation in galaxy clusters or near the Milky Way&#8217;s center.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Contribution to High-Energy Astrophysics: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides insights into particle physics, gamma-ray astronomy, and cosmology.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supports validation of existing theories or challenges prevailing hypotheses about the universe&#8217;s fundamental structure.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Technological Advancements in Astronomy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sets a precedent for<\/span><b> ground-based gamma-ray observatories globally <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and paves the way for <\/span><b>future collaborative research and advancements in Indian astrophysics.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Hanle in Ladakh as an ideal location for an observatory\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Clear Skies:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Hanle enjoys a high number of clear nights throughout the year, minimizing atmospheric interference.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>High Altitude: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The high altitude reduces atmospheric turbulence, leading to sharper and clearer astronomical observations<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Dry Climate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The arid climate minimizes the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, which can obscure celestial objects.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Dark Skies:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The remote location and minimal light pollution create ideal conditions for observing faint celestial objects.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Stable Atmosphere: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The stable atmospheric conditions reduce the blurring effect on astronomical images.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 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Ladakh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":144519,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2089],"subject":[2092],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/144528"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=144528"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/144528\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":144532,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/144528\/revisions\/144532"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=144528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=144528"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=144528"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=144528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}