Context:
Names of Ashoka Seamount, Chandragupta Ridge and Kalpataru Ridge in the Indian Ocean have been approved by IHO and UNESCO’s IOC.
Naming of Undersea Features:
- Outside Territorial Sea –
- Individuals and agencies can propose names for unnamed features, following IHO’s 2013 guidelines
- Before naming of a feature, its character, extent, and position must be identified.
- Proposals are reviewed by – IHO Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN).
- Within Territorial Sea – Nations should adhere to the same 2013 IHO guidelines.
Major Ocean Relief Features:
International Hydrographic Organization (IHO):
- A competent international authority regarding hydrography and nautical charting.
- Established in – 1921.
- India is a member
- Enjoys observer status at the UN.
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC):
- Established in – 1961.
- Promotes international cooperation in marine sciences.
- General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) – Joint project of IHO & IOC UNESCO to collect bathymetric data and map the oceans
Major structures in Indian Ocean that bear names proposed by India:
- Raman ridge – Named after Physicist and Nobel Laureate Sir CV Raman.
- Panikkar Seamount – Discovered by India research vessel Sagar Kanya.
- Named after NK Panikkar, a renowned oceanographer.
- A seamount was named after the research vessel Sagar Kanya itself.
- Geologist DN Wadia was honoured when an underwater volcanic mountain, known as guyot, was named after him
Source: The Indian Express
Previous Year Question
The terms ‘Event Horizon’, ‘Singularity’, ‘String Theory’ and ‘Standard Model’ are sometimes seen in the news in the context of:
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Observation and understanding of the Universe
(b) Study of the solar and the lunar eclipses
(c) Placing satellites in the orbit of the Earth
(d) Origin and evolution of living organisms on the Earth
Answer: (a)
