Prelims Facts Corner – 18 September 2023

Moonquakes

Small tremors have also been detected on the moon.

  • Seismic tremors or vibrations that occur on the Moon’s surface.
  • Measured using seismometers placed on the Moon’s surface by Apollo missions.
  • Causes – Tidal forces, Meteorite impacts, Thermal stress, Volcanic activity

‘Pralay’ Ballistic missiles

Ministry of Defence granted approval for acquisition of a regiment of Pralay ballistic missiles.

  • Type: Surface-to-Surface short-range ballistic missile
  • Capable of being launched from a mobile launcher.
  • Developed by: DRDO
  • Operational range: 150 to 500 kms
  • Payload capability: 350 to 700 kgs of conventional warhead.

Dhanush Artillery Guns

Indian Army to complete inducting 114 Dhanush guns by 2026.

  • It is a 155 mm, 45-calibre towed artillery gun.
  • Range: with a range of 36 km, and it has demonstrated a range of 38 km with specialized ammunition.
  • 1st indigenously built long-range artillery gun.
  • Features –
    • Equipped with an inertial navigation-based sighting system, auto-laying facility.
    • On-board ballistic computation, an advanced day-night direct firing system.
    • Self-propulsion unit allows the gun to deploy itself in the field.

Global Debt Monitor 2023

Global Debt Monitor 2023 was recently released.

  • It is released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
  • Key highlights –
    • Global debt declined 10 percentage points of GDP and reached 238 percent of GDP in 2022.
    • Private debt by households and non-financial corporations made the largest contribution to the overall decline.
    • Global debt appears to have returned to its historical upward trend.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *