NODSSUM Project
The Radiocean project, supported by the CNRS MITI, aims to assess the environmental impact of nuclear waste dumped in the North-East Atlantic between 1950 and 1990. More than 200,000 radioactive drums lie at depths of between 3,000 and 5,000 meters.
The NODSSUM project plans two oceanographic campaigns, the first of which will last one month and begin in June 2025. During this campaign, the French Oceanographic Fleet's autonomous robot UlyX will carry out its first scientific dives. This robot will map the drums, photograph them, and identify areas for sampling water, sediments, and fauna. Based on the results of this first mission at sea, the second NODSSUM campaign will deploy a remotely operated robot or a manned submersible (VICTOR or Nautile) to carry out studies and take samples in the immediate vicinity of the barrels.
This two-stage campaign is being led by two researchers from the Clermont Auvergne Physics Laboratory (CNRS/Clermont Auvergne University) and the ENS Geology Laboratory (ENS-PSL/CNRS) and involves scientists from Subatech.
For more information: https://miti.cnrs.fr/radiocean/
