The sea is not quiet

1995/10/01 Kaltzada, Pili - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ekologia

Mururo is an atoll of French Polynesia. According to the advertising campaign carried out by Greenpeace, “in these remote territories are concentrated the wildest activities of the human being”. In fact, in 1966 the French government put its eyes on the center of the archipelago called Tuamotu, and chose a spectacular 20-kilometer atoll to conduct nuclear tests. Then there have been 139 explosions in the clean sky at the beginning and in the subsoil at the end. Since 1988, in addition to Mururo, numerous nuclear sessions have been held on the island of Fangataufa, according to Greenpeace data, around 15.

Nuclear explosions

The official sources of the French government insist that nuclear programs are absolutely reliable. The general opinion, however, is totally different. According to the latest surveys, about 60% of the French population is contrary to nuclear tests. In these images, the last explosion in clear sky of the French Army in Mururo.

Mururo was a structure full of holes for 1980. It looked like a gruyére cheese. Although, since 1963, it has been totally forbidden to carry out light skies, France has not taken into consideration the decision approved by the rest of States. Until 1991 he did not meet this agreement.

Since then, underground trials have been conducted. The first step is to condition the place where the explosion will take place. The opening of a hole of 2 meters in diameter and 1 km in length takes about 6 weeks. The pump is lowered by the hole and then covered with cement. This is where the explosion will take place just by pressing the red button. In the background the energy is detached, which causes the total vitrification of the surrounding stone. This glass structure ensures that no radiations are released through the subsoil, but in practice it is confirmed that shadows are always produced. The debate on the explosions of Mururo focuses, therefore, on determining the importance of these shadows.

In addition, the violence of the explosion leaves the structure of the archipelago in a quake. In the capital of the Raratoga of the Cook Islands is installed the seismograph measuring the seismic shakes of the entire region 200 meters deep. In addition, a modem connects the Cook Islands seismograph with the Central Observatory of New Zealand, warning the geologists of the area as soon as any shaking occurs.

Environment Environment

Few official data on the state of the environment in French Polynesia. In this regard, the French government tends to drip up information and it is difficult to distinguish between what is said and what is certain. According to the official version, nuclear explosions cannot damage the environment because security measures prevent any kind of shade. However, fishermen who know well the intricacies of the atoll are not the same way. Mururo and Fangataufa are permeable coralline structures with basaltic base. These structures have completely overcome the number of radiations currently released by the Chernobil fault.

The geological balance is about to break, as the French geologist Haroun Tazieff warned in 1881. In 1987, Jacques Cousteau discovered a large amount of medium-length radioisotopes around Lake Mururoa and images showed the changes that were occurring in the structure of the atoll. In the report on the onset of aging of the atoll, Cousteau announced the need to perform explosions in Fangataufa due to this degradation. The French government confirmed that in 1988 stronger explosions would occur in Fangataufa.

Exploiting health

The first nuclear session was held in Mururo on 5 September. The explosion of 20 kilotones lasted 83 seconds and was equal to that of 50 years ago in Hiroshima. The French government plans to hold another seven sessions of this type.

To date, no epidemiological study has been conducted on the population of French Polynesia. The results of the studies carried out on the health of workers who participated in the nuclear explosions that have been carried out in it remain confidential, although they have frequently been requested. Health agencies are accused of the fact that the population wants to hide something serious. They usually respond that they do not have to make known the data. The environment does not facilitate the study of the damage caused by explosions, so the only source is the direct testimony of the inhabitants of the islands. According to data recently published by Greenpeace, the situation caused by explosions can be more serious than we have been officially told.

When they have been asked one by one, the inhabitants of Mururo have not hesitated: Since France began to carry out nuclear explosions, the state of health of citizens has worsened. Since 1975, there has been a disproportionate increase in the population with cancer, the population suffering from congenital malformations or the onset of hitherto unknown diseases. Since then, the French government has recognized the explosion of 130 nuclear warheads. Those who have actually exploited are, therefore, much more.

What is behind the explosions?

“The explanations given by France and the research being carried out on nuclear explosions do not coincide at all.” This is what Christopher Paine, a member of the Natural Resources Exploitation Commission, says. According to data published by the magazine New Scientist, during the last months the members of the organization have made numerous trips. Although they have failed to curb nuclear explosions, they have been able to obtain first-hand information on the real reason for these tests. Although the French government has not officially recognized it, they have denounced that the explosions will use them to launch the next generation of nuclear weapons. “France has made a great effort in this line of study,” said Paine.

According to this, behind the new explosions, nuclear warheads are intended to be much more powerful than the current ones. However, the French Institute of Nuclear Energy considers that the background of the sessions is to improve existing weapons. This simulation program is part of the general project called PALE.

Within this program, among others, the laser giant will be installed in Bordeaux in 2003. We know that this type of lasers can be used in thermonuclear explosions to optimize the behavior of nuclear warheads and, according to bad purines, will be the most important use of Bordeaux. The laser will cause a hydrogen explosion and accelerate nuclei fusion, and by analyzing the results, it will be easier and more effective to create models on nuclear explosions.

From the model to real sessions there is only a small step. With the same simulation, the design of the new nuclear warheads of the air-to-ground missiles and those that will be installed in the Triomphant divers from 2000 will also be accelerated.