NASA scientists in Greenland discovered an abandoned Cold War U.S. military base, Camp Century, hidden under the ice while mapping the Greenland Ice Sheet. The base was built in 1959 to test construction techniques and conduct research in the Arctic, as well as to secretly explore the feasibility of deploying nuclear missiles from the region during the Cold War. The base, powered by a nuclear reactor, housed 85-200 soldiers and was abandoned in 1967 after the missile launch program was rejected. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers removed the nuclear reactor but left behind infrastructure and waste, including diesel fuel, wastewater, and low-level radioactive coolant buried under the ice.
Scientists are concerned that climate change could cause the ice covering the base to melt, releasing the waste into the atmosphere. Climate simulations suggest that by 2090, the site could transition from net snowfall to net melt, potentially exposing the waste. This release of radioactive material and pollutants would be irreversible and could have harmful environmental impacts. The research team at CIRES estimates that there are 136 acres of waste buried under the ice at Camp Century.
The discovery of Camp Century sheds light on a forgotten piece of history and raises important questions about the potential consequences of climate change on abandoned military sites in remote areas. The advanced radar technology used by NASA scientists provided new insights into the structure of the base, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and research to address the risks posed by melting ice in the Arctic.
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