In Greenland, NASA scientists discovered an abandoned Cold War military base called Camp Century while surveying the Greenland Ice Sheet. The base was built in 1959, housing 85-200 soldiers and powered by a nuclear reactor. It was used to test construction techniques and conduct research, as well as secretly test the feasibility of deploying nuclear missiles from the Arctic during the Cold War. In 1967, the base was abandoned after the missile launch program was rejected. The nuclear reactor was removed, but the rest of the infrastructure and waste were left behind.
There are concerns that climate change could lead to the melting of the ice covering the base, exposing the waste to the environment. Climate simulations suggest that as early as 2090, the site could transition from net snowfall to net melt, allowing the waste to be released. The waste from Camp Century includes 136 acres of buried waste, such as diesel fuel, wastewater, and low-level radioactive coolant from the nuclear generator. Scientists fear that once the waste is released, it could have irreversible consequences.
The discovery of Camp Century sheds light on the environmental impact of past military activities in the Arctic and highlights the ongoing challenges posed by climate change. NASA scientists used advanced radar technology to reveal details of the abandoned base that were previously unknown. The study of Camp Century provides important insights into how historical events can have lasting consequences on the environment.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com
