Absence of sunspots!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Sunspot numbers flow in cycles lasting about 11 years. But for the past two years, the sunspots have been missing. Their absence, the most prolonged in nearly 100 years, has taken seasoned sun watchers by surprise. The sun is under scrutiny with an armada of space telescopes. Sunspots and other clues indicate that the sun's magnetic activity is diminishing and that the sun may even be shrinking. Together, the results hint that something profound is happening inside the sun.

Groups of sunspots forewarn of gigantic solar storms that can unleash a billion times more energy than an atomic bomb. Fears that these giant eruptions could create havoc on Earth and disputes over the sun's role in climate change are adding urgency to these studies.

They form where giant loops of magnetism, generated deep inside the sun, well up and burst through the surface, leading to a localized drop in temperature that we see as a dark patch. When sunspot numbers drop at the end of each 11-year cycle, solar storms die down and all becomes much calmer.

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Jets Punched holes in clouds can create Rain!

Mon Jun 14, 2010

Aircraft can accidentally punch holes in clouds, leaving a trail of snow or rain in their wake, a new study finds. Turboprop and jet aircraft that climb or descend under certain atmospheric conditions can inadvertently trigger what's known as cloud seeding. This technology is usually associated with scemes to control whether. However, cloud seeding can happen by accident as planes soaring through mid-level clouds leave behind odd-shaped holes or channels in the clouds and cause narrow bands of snow or rain to develop and fall to the ground.Holes punched in clouds are a phenomenon that has been recognized for many years and seen in photosfrom around the world.

http://science-tech-update.blogspot.com/2011/04/jets-punched-holes-in-clouds-can-create.html

Home Security System

Consider a 8051 Microcontroller based Home Security System which will help in detection of entry of unknown person when no one is at home, It would also have fire alert, power failure, LPG gas leakage. It could use PIR detector (Passive Infrared) which senses the presence of living beings. The increase in amount of gas above the threshold of the detector could give an interrupt to the controller which would send an alert through Sound Alarm or Mobile SMS. Fire is sensed by fire detector which will give low signal to the interrupt of controller and thus an alert can be generated.

For sending SMS alert, microcontroller has to be connected to DB9 using MAX 232 for serial communication. A moblie which has DB9 female as data connectivity can be connected to controller and can send pre defined SMS to the particular number.

Adaptable Virtual Keyboard

Adaptable Virtual Keyboard could be called next generation keyboard. Ordinary keyboards have keys with specific size and specific imprints on them. The interactivity and usability of keyboards would surely increase if it could display a symbol for the current function associated with the key or if the language of the keyboard could be changed.

Existing System and their Drawbacks:

Microsoft aimed at making the virtual keyboard but the layout and functions of the keyboard cannot be changed. The system uses 3D modelling to detect a keystroke and is processor intensive. Special hardware to project the “qwerty” layout and infrared light which is required in detection undermines the sole objective of reducing hardware components and cost reduction.

Another hardware based keyboard named “Optimus Prime” has inbuilt LCD display on each key and the function of each key can be changed. This is done to increase interactivity but again, having a LCD display in every key makes is costly. The same functionality can be implemented using the Adaptable Virtual Keyboard and macros.

Design:

Consider a system which would have an application frontend which would help initialise the keyboard to the new environment. Any image projected/surface can be a reference and a photo of the same is stored in memory as a reference image. This reference image would be segmented. On running the program we would be able to detect any change in this image by comparing it with the original image stored. After detection of the segment where the change occurs, a virtual key press would be initiated by calling a macro or a function using visual basic. The current function of each key would be displayed for user convenience and can be changed according to user preference. The macro associated with each key can be varied easily from the frontend. This would make the keyboard truly adaptable.

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Minerals in Afghanistan

The value of the newly discovered mineral deposits in Afghanistan is so large that it dwarfs the size of it’s existing war-bedraggled economy. American and Afghan officials agreed to discuss the mineral discoveries at a difficult moment in the war in Afghanistan. The American-led offensive in Marja in southern Afghanistan has achieved only limited gains. Meanwhile, charges of corruption and favoritism continue to plague the Karzai government, and Mr. Karzai seems increasingly embittered toward the White House.

Instead of bringing peace, the newfound mineral wealth could lead the Taliban to battle even more fiercely to regain control of the country. The corruption that is already rampant in the Karzai government could also be amplified by the new wealth, particularly if a handful of well-connected oligarchs, some with personal ties to the president, gain control of the resources. Last year, Afghanistan’s minister of mines was accused by American officials of accepting a $30 million bribe to award China the rights to develop its copper mine. The minister has since been replaced.

With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully. “This is a country that has no mining culture,” said Jack Medlin, a geologist in the United States Geological Survey’s international affairs program. “They’ve had some small artisanal mines, but now there could be some very, very large mines that will require more than just a gold pan.”

http://science-tech-update.blogspot.com/2011/04/minerals-in-afghanistan.html