Russian scientists have discovered a high level of radiation in the area of the Northern Island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and have identified its source. The study was published in the journal Oceanology and was briefly reported in a press release from the Russian Science Foundation, which was received by Lenta.ru on Monday, November 14.
Radiation was found on the ice sheet of the North Island. At the very edge of the Northern Ice Dome, soil samples showed extremely high levels of specific activity of radiocaesium (137Cs), reaching 420-650 becquerel per kilogram. Also, in samples of dust material taken from the surface of the Goluboy glacier, even higher levels of specific activity of radiocesium were recorded, ranging from 1230-2700 becquerel per kilogram.
The movement of radioactive clouds over the Novaya Zemlya archipelago after radioactive tests in 1962
Image: Alexey Miroshnikov / lenta.ru
The presence of americium radionuclides in the samples indicates the source of radioactive contamination - nuclear explosions in the atmosphere. The scientists came to their conclusions after analyzing the radiation and glaciological data obtained during the 63rd voyage of the Akademik Mstislav Keldysh vessel, which took place in 2015.
At the end of 1962, a series of nuclear explosions were carried out at the Novaya Zemlya Northern Test Site, the radioactive products of which fell onto the glacier's surface. At present, the study showed that the ice sheet of the island is a secondary source of radioactive contamination.
