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Results of Expedition to Identify Radioactive Contamination Sources in Arctic

 

An expedition organized by the Kurchatov Institute and the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology studied nuclear waste disposal sites in the Kara and Barents Seas. The expedition aboard the research vessel Akademik Mstislav Keldysh, from September 1 to October 16, 2024, found no significant radioactive leaks from submerged objects. Measurement results were significantly lower than natural background radiation levels.

Photo by P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences

The expedition clarified the coordinates of potentially hazardous underwater objects in the Kara Sea, obtained video footage of these objects, and analyzed water and sediment samples for radiation safety.

Data collected will be used to predict potential emergencies in areas with submerged radioactive objects and to develop measures to prevent ecological disasters. The results will be added to the Register of Underwater Potentially Hazardous Objects of the Russian Federation.

In the Barents Sea, hydroacoustic surveys confirmed archival data about the sinking of a Nickel barge carrying solid radioactive waste, but the submerged vessel was not found. The expedition concluded with depth measurements in the Arctic basin, providing important data on the seabed structure.

It was 97th voyage of the research vessel. Last time, the expedition investigated the role of sedimentary matter from interacting geospheres in sedimentation in the European Arctic under the influence of contact between polar and Atlantic water and unloading methane-containing fluids at the bottom. Such voyages have been conducted steadily since 2017.

Source: Sudostroenie.info

28.10.2024