Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Modelling radioactive waste disposal by penetrator experiments in the abyssal Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

The use of streamlined projectiles is a possible method of disposing of high-level radioactive waste in oceanic sediments1–3. But there is little information about the manner in which freely-falling projectiles impact on the ocean floor4–5. To correct this situation, the Engineering Studies Task Group of the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Seabed Working Group, through which research into the feasibility of high-level radioactive waste disposal in the sediments of the ocean floor is coordinated, recommended a programme of studies with instrumented model penetrators6. The first tests in this programme are reported here and were carried out on RRS Discovery cruise 134 in the Great Meteor East (GME) radioactive waste disposal study area in March 1983, as a collaborative experiment between the Building Research Establishment, the Joint Research Centre and the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Valent, P. J., Lee, H. J., True, D. G. & Malloy, R. J. in High-level Radioactive Waste Management Alternatives Vol. 3 (eds Schneider, K. J. & Platt, A. M. 6B1-6B42) (Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratories, 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Valent, P. J. & Lee, H. J. Mar. Geotech. 1, 267–293 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Silva, A. J. Oceanus 20, 31–40 (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Whitmarsh, R. B. & Lilwall, R. C. Proc. Oceanol. Int. Pap. 4.2 (Spearhead Publications, Kingston-upon-Thames, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Beard, R. M. Expendable Doppler Penetrometer: a Performance Evaluation (US Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory, Port Hueneme, Rep. TR 855, 1977).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  6. Talbert, D. M. Rep. 3rd Interim Meeting of the Seabed Working Group ESTG (Sandia Labs Rep. no. SAND 82-2701, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Kuijpers, A. The Sedimentology of the Two Northeast Atlantic Study Areas: the Western Madeira Abyssal Plain and the Area West of Great Meteor Seamount (Rijks Geologische Dienst Prog. Rep., 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Duin, E. J., & Kuijpers, A. Geological Studies on Abyssal Plains in the North Atlantic (Rijks Geologische Dienst Prog. Rep., 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Francis, T. J. G. et al. Geophysics and Sediment Sampling in the Northeast Atlantic (Institute of Ocanographie Sciences Cruise Rep. 117, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Francis, T. J. G. et al. Geological and Geophysical Studies between the Azores and the Canaries (Institute of Ocanographie Sciences Cruise Rep. 141, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Weaver, P. P. E. & Kuijpers, A. Nature 306, 360–363 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Aermacchi spa; Hydrodynamic Analysis and Design of High-level Radioactive Waste Disposal Model Penetrator (Rep. 419/STE/82, Commission of European Communities Joint Research Centre, Ispra, 1982).

  13. Damuth, J. E. Mar. Geol. 38, 51–75 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Saunders, P. M. CTD Data from the North Madeira Basin, 19 January–12 February 1981, Discovery Cruise 117 (Institute of Oceanographic Sciences Data Rep. No. 26, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Hamilton, E. L. J. acoust. Soc. Am. 59, 528–535 (1976).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Arup, O. et al. Penetrator Option-studies Relevant to Emplacement in Deep Ocean Sediments (DOE Rep. no. DOE/RW/82.102, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Young, C. W. Development of Empirical Equations for Predicting Depth of Earth Penetrating Projectiles (Sandia Labs Rep. no. SC-DR-67-70, 1967).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  18. McNeill, R. L. Oceans 81 Conf., Boston, 688–693 (IEEE, New York, 1981).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  19. Burchett, S. M. Subseabed Disposal Program, A. Rep. (Sandia Labs Rep. no. SAND 82-0664/1, II, 2, Appendix HH, 359–392, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Dzwilewski, P. T. Subseabed Disposal Program, A. Rep. (Sandia Labs Rep. no. SAND 82-0664/1, II, 2, Appendix GG, 335–358, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Canfield, T. & Burchett, S. N. Subseabed Disposal Program, A. Rep. (Sandia Labs Rep. no. SAND 82-0664/1, II, 2, Appendix FF, 301–334, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Freeman, T., Murray, C., Francis, T. et al. Modelling radioactive waste disposal by penetrator experiments in the abyssal Atlantic Ocean. Nature 310, 130–133 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310130a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/310130a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing