Abstract
Based on criteria developed by the international Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), potential disposal sites for defueled, decommissioned nuclear submarines appear to exist in deep water south of the Mendocino Fracture Zone within 200 nautical miles of the United States Oceanographic measurements in the water column and at the sea floor in a study area (W-N) at 39 5°N, 127 5°W will allow the operational and radiological consequences of deep-sea disposal to be compared with land burial of old submarines. The W-N studies also are yielding new data that will provide insights to the deposition and early diagenesis of distal hemipelagic sediments
Similar content being viewed by others
References Cited
Aller, R. C., 1982, The effects of macrobenthos on chemical properties of marine sediment and overlying water,in P. L. McCall and M. J. S. Tovasz, eds., Animal-Sediment Relations: New York, Plehum, p. 53–98.
Alpha, T. R., 1980, Oblique map of the Pacific coast of North America: U S. Geol. Survey Open File Rept. 80-93.
Broecker, W. S., J. Cromwell, and Y. H. Li, 1968, Rates of vertical eddy diffusion near the sea floor based on measurements of the distribution of excess 222-Rn: Earth Planet. Sci. Letters, v 5, p. 101–105.
Chase, T. E., P. Wilde, W R. Normark, C. P. Miller, B A Seekins, and J D Young, 1981, Offshore topography of the western United States: U.S. Geol. Survey Open File Map 81–443
Cochran, J. K., 1979, The geochemistry of226Ra and228Ra in marine deposits: New Haven, Yale University, Ph.D. Diss., 260 p.
DeMaster, D. J., and J. K. Cochran, 1982, Particle mixing rates in deep-sea sediments determined from excess210Pb and32Si profiles: Earth Planet. Sci. Letters, v. 61, p. 257–271.
Emerson, S., R. Jahnke, M. Bender, P. Froelich, G. Klinkhammer, C. Bowser, and G. Setlock, 1980, Early diagnesis in sediments from the eastern equatorial Pacific. I. Pore water nutrient and carbonate results. Earth Planet. Sci. Letters, v. 49, p. 57–80.
Fleischbein, J., W. E. Gilbert, R. Schramm, and A. Huyer, 1981, CTD observations off Oregon and California, February 5–17, 1981: Oregon State University, School of Oceanography Data Report 90, Ref. 81-16, 122 p.
Froelich, P. N., G. P. Klinkhammer, M. L. Bender, N. A. Luedtke, G. R. Heath, D. Cullen, P. Dauphin, D. Hammond, B. Harmon, and V. Maynard, 1979, Early oxdation of organic matter in pelagic sediments of the eastern equatorial Atlantic: Suboxic diagensis: Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, v. 43, p. 1075–1090.
Guinasso, N. L., and D. R. Schink, 1975, Quantitative estimates of biological mixing rates in abyssal sediments: J. Geophys. Res., vol. 80, p. 3032–3043.
Heath, G. R., and others, 1982, Oceanographic studies through December 1981 at Pacific site W-N: Appendix Gin D. Talbert, ed., Oceanographic Studies to Support the Assement of Submarine Disposal at Sea, vol. II: Albuquerque, NM, Sandia National Laboratories, Report SAND82-1005/II p. 175–249.
I.A.E.A., 1978, Convention on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matter: Internat. Atomic Energy Agency, Inf. Circ. INFCIRC/205/Add.1/Rev 1
Kadko, D., 1981, A detailed study of uranium-series nuclides from several sedimentary regimes of the Pacific. New York, Columbia University, Ph.D. Diss.
Karlin, R., G. R. Heath, and S Levi, 1982, Summary of historical oceanographic and climatological data for west coast potential disposal sites W-N and W-S: Appendix Cin D Talbert, ed., Oceanographic Studies to Support the Assessment of Submarine Disposal at Sea, vol. II: Albuquerque, NM, Sandia National Laboratories, Report SAND82-1005/II, p. 59–90
McManus, D. A. and others, 1970, Site 34,in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. V: Washington, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, p. 107–164.
Rea, D. K., G. E. Ness, and G R. Heath, 1985, Hemipelagic sedimentation in a region of crustal doming between the Mendocino and Pioneer Fracture Zones, Marine Geology, vol. 62, p. 69–84.
Talbert, D. M., 1982, Oceanographic studies to support the assessment of submarine disposal at sea, vol. 1: Summary and preliminary evaluation: Albuquerque, NM, Sandia National Laboratories, Rept. 82-1005/1, 51 p.
U.S. Navy, 1982, Draft environmental impact statement on the disposal of decommissioned, defueled naval submarine reactor plants: Washington, D C, U.S. Navy, Office of Naval Operations.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Royalty-free reproduction of this article by the U S Government or by the authors for U S. Government purposes is permitted.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ross Heath, G., Rea, D.K., Ness, G. et al. Oceanographic studies supporting the assessment of deep-sea disposal of defueled decommissioned nuclear submarines. Environ. Geol. Water Sci 6, 189–199 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02509927
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02509927