Ecological Hazard Objects Research Results at Tsivolki Bay (Novaya Zemlya, Kara Sea)

Abstract

The article presents results of field studies of the environmental assessment of the bays of the eastern coast of Novaya Zemlya in connection with potentially dangerous objects flooded in this region, which are the nuclear fleet operation waste products. In the course of these studies, technology was used based on remote-controlled and towed uninhabited underwater vehicles (ROV and UTSI), as well as side-view sonar (SSS) developed at IO RAS. To detail information about the condition of emergency facilities and operational waste flooded in 60 years at Tsivolki bay, a deep-water UTSI “Video Module” was used. It is equipped with video and photo cameras, a high-frequency SSS, a depth gauge, an altimeter, a laser scale pointer, as well as auxiliary equipment that ensures the functioning of research systems. Observations in the Gulf of Tsivolki using instrumental technologies made it possible to identify underwater objects whose existence was known only from archival data. Monitoring of the condition of objects was provided using RAM-family gamma-ray spectrometers developed at the Kurchatov Institute Research Center. The nature of the recorded gamma-ray spectra generally corresponds to the measurement results obtained during the assembly survey in 2010 and 2015, and indicates the integrity of the internal protective barriers.