9/18/2018,1,Rama Setu: many perspectives,S. Kalyanaraman, Ph.D., Director, Sarasvati Research Centre, Former Sr. Exec., Asian Development Bank, kalyan97gmail.com,9/18/2018,2,Perspectives,scientific oceanography (tsunami) historical, cartographic literary archaeological, heritage geopolitical society, environment religious, cultural project, nautical legal,9/18/2018,3,Scientific perspectives,9/18/2018,4,Computer simulation: Ram Setu saved coastline from tsunami on Dec. 26, 2004,9/18/2018,5,A volcanic canyon west of Rama Setu, 1 m to 3000 m slope,Location map. Inset: bathymetry map of the Gulf of Mannar (reproduced from Murty et al., 1994) http:/www.Setusamudram.in/htmdocs/Articles/cp_rajendran_2.htm,9/18/2018,6,Canyon below the ocean? Question of stability of any channel on this slope.,Abstract Two suites of slumps from opposite margins of the Gulf of Mannar, between Sri Lanka and southern India, have met and coalesced. The “Eastern Comorin” Slump is the more coherent of the two with a length of 70 to 100 km. The “Colombo” side slump consists of two to four blocks 15 to 35 km in length. Both slump-suites decrease to the south. A paleoslump underlies the western toe of the East Comorin Slump at a depth of some 800 meters. To the south, an enlarging and deepening submarine canyon marks the area of slump coalescence. See William Vestal and Allen Lowrie, Geology and Geophysics Branch-Code 7220, U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office NSTL Station, 39522, MS http:/www.springerlink.com /content/m602j3k746342lnl/,9/18/2018,7,Heatflow in Rama Setu 100 to 180 milliwatt per sq. m. comparable to Himalayan hotsprings Will dredging in the area activate these heat zones? This question has to be answered by a multi-disciplinary team.,9/18/2018,8,Mannar Volcanic rocks 100 m. old in Gulf of Mannar, making Rama Setu an ancient formation,9/18/2018,9,Bore-hole locations on Rama Setu,Geomorphology Consequences of dredging and opening of Rama Setu: Likely destruction of fragile coral islands by sediments and turbulent tides of Bay of Bengal entering the tranquil Gulf of Mannar Likely reactivation of sub-sea heatflows Alternatives: Realign canal towards Pamban; like Panama Canal, locks could be provided both in the Palk bay side and Gulf of Mannar side so that such calamities could be prevented. Provide for tsunami-protection wallsSource: Former Directors, Geological Survey of India: Dr. S. Badrinarayanan Dr. K. Gopalakrishnan,9/18/2018,10,Valmiki ramayana, Sarga 21, Yuddhakandam Describes Ramas victory over the ocean; he releases the arrow which makes a volcano erupt, resulting in a tsunami. This episode is validated by the heatflow map of Bharatam in the Rama Setu region.,9/18/2018,11,Geological, archaeological evidence: Dept. of Earth Sciences (March 2007),Since the calcareous sand stones and Corals are less dense than normal hard rock and quite compact, probably these were used by the ancients to form a connecting link to Sri Lanka, on the higher elevations of the Adams bridge ridge and this is analogous to modern day causeway. Around Rameswaram, there are raised Teri formations that supported a rich assemblage of mesolithic microlithic tools indicating the presence of strong human habitation and activity in these areas as early as 8000 to 9000 years B.P and as recent as 4000 years B.P. On Sri Lanka side there are indications of human habitation extending to late Pleistocene (about 13,000 B.P) based on bone and fossils of human and animal form. All these point to a flourishing human activity on both sides of Adams Bridge and probably when the sea levels were just right the link between India and Sri Lanka could have been established.,9/18/2018,12,More than 35 photographs were taken by NASA Astronauts and Russian Cosmonautsduring following periodNASAs Gemini XI Spacecraft in 1966 8 NASA Space Shuttle Missions 1983-1994STS 6, 30, 33, 38, 44, 51, 51-B, 59 International Space Station 2002-2005Expedition 6 24.11.2002 - 04.05.2003 Expedition 10 13.10.2004 - 24.04.2005)Image Credits: NASA Johnson Space Center Earth Sciences and Image Analysis (NASA-JSC-ES&IA) ,Authentic Digital Images of Sri Rama Sethu From NASA Image eXchange ,Sri Rama Sethu causeway must have been a major engineering feat for its thin trace is still so clearly visible on the present day satellite images. It has resisted the relentless erosion of the sea for millions of years and it attests to the great engineering skills of the ancient Indian people. It is the earliest and largest carbon-fibre reinforced civil engineering structure known to man and should be protected as a world heritage site.,9/18/2018,13,Evidence from ISRO and NASA websites,A news report date-lined Rameswaram, 15 April 2007 in the New Indian Express (page 7) noted:“. Baalu said the government and the Sethusamudram project officials had written to NASA on the Adams Bridge, but there has been no reply from NASA.“ ISRO image gives the answer ! Why ask NASA?Item 1: February 2000 Report of NASA http:/www2.jpl.nasa.gov/srtm/srilanka.htm Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) of NASA aboard space shuttle Endeavour launched in February 2000. “Sri Lanka is shaped like a giant teardrop falling from the southern tip of the vast Indian subcontinent. It is separated from India by the 50km (31mi) wide Palk Strait, although there is a series of stepping-stone coral islets known as Adams Bridge that almost form a land bridge between the two countries.“ Item 2: April 1966 Report of NASA http:/history.nasa.gov/SP-168/section3b.htm Exploring space with a camera by NASA “193 Gemini XI. This photograph from an altitude of 410 miles encompasses all of India, an area of 1250 000 square miles,“ GEORGE M. LOW, then the Deputy Director, Manned Spacecraft Center, NASA, notes. “Bombay is on the west coast, directly left of the spacecrafts can-shaped antenna New Delhi is just below the horizon near the upper left. Adams Bridge between India and Ceylon , at the right, is clearly visible. A cloudless region surrounds the entire subcontinent. Differences in color, green near the west coast, and brown inland, delineate regions of heavy vegetation and semiarid areas.“ The picture by NASA is available on the NASA website. http:/history.nasa.gov/SP-168/p193a.jpg,