Ocean storage of nuclear wastes? Experiences from the Russian Arctic

An international demonstration (RD&D) project for ocean storage of radioactive wastes should be proposed, to study the feasibility of the concept of ocean storage of nuclear waste. This international project should utilize the scientific, engineering and technical capabilities of selected universities, oceanographic institutions, NGOs and industries. This project would need to be an independent (non-governmental) study, utilizing the capabilities of selected universities, oceanographic institutions, environmental NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and industries. Scientists and engineers first need to conduct an engineering, environmental, and economic feasibility study of the concept. The goal of the project would be to determine if ocean-based storage reduced the risks to the environment and public health to a greater degree than land-based storage. This would require comparing the risks and factors involved and making the data and information available to anyone, anywhere, anytime on the internet. The mere presence of an investigation of the ocean storage option could facilitate scientific and engineering competition between the two options, could subsequently reduce environmental and public risks and provide better protection and cost benefits in the system utilized. One of the primary concerns of the scientific community would be related to the sensitivity and precision of the monitoring of individaul containers on the ocean bottom. An advantage of the land-based option is that if there is a release, its presence could be detected at very low levels and be contained in the storage facility. On the ocean bottom, a release from a container might not be easily detected due to dispersion. Therefore the containment system would have to be a system within a system with monitoring between the two providing greater protection. Ocean storage may have greater technical and political hurdles than land-based options, but it may provide greater protection over time, because it negates the threat of terrorism, it therefore merit further study. In the future if the use of nuclear energy and nuclear wastes increases, the global society could benefit from this international project, because it could reduce environmental and public health risks and promote energy independence.     

A modeling study on the controlling factors of seismic source distribution and their strength index——Practical analyses of the seismic environmental factors of the Honghe fault

IntroductionThe tectono-physical background and dynamic environmental features of strong earthquakes have long been studied from different viewpoints by seismologists both in domestic and abroad. Many controlling factors include the crust structure, lithological environment, tectonic conditions, the stress state, heat flow distribution and hydrodynamic effects at depth, etc. Some of the studies have established a foundation for researching and recognizing the spatial distribution of potential …     

Seismo-tectonic divisions of strong earthquakes with M_s≥7.0 and their tectonic geomorphology along Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault zone

IntroductionXianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault zone is an important active fault zone and a strong earthquake belt in the southeastern margin of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (Figure 1). Since 814 AD a total of 14 earthquakes with M ( 7, including one of magnitude 8.0, took place there. This large-scale fault zone runs from north to south, includes the northwesterly Xianshuihe fault, the near-NS An(ninghe fault, NNW Zemuhe fault, and near-NS Xiaojiang fault. It forms the east boundary of Sichuan-Yunn…     

Seismo-tectonic divisions of strong earth-quakes with MS37.0 and their tectonic geomorphology along Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault zone

Seismo-tectonic areas of historical strong earthquakes with MS37 along Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault zone are di-vided, and their individual fault-pattern and tectonic geomorphology are analyzed. Those strong-earthquake areas are located in some special parts of the fault zone, where the major branch-faults of the fault zone form left step-ping, parallel, and fork-like patterns. In the strong-earthquake areas structurally complicated basins are developed, such as pull-apart basins in fork-like area, in double stepping area, and in stepping and fork-like areas.