runit dome

実験終了後エニウェトク島民が戻るために削り取った島の汚染された土と核実験の廃棄物を埋めて出来た核廃棄物処理施設。 直径100m深さ9.5mのカクタス実験のクレーターに集められ蓋をした結果できたのは直径110m、高さ7.5mのコンクリートドームだ。大自然の中の人工構造物、異質で異様だが、強い日差しの下で変化する無彩色のグラデーションは美しくもあり不思議と壮観でもある、危険な場所！。 中ハシ克シゲと私たちは、この立ち入り禁止の島で2泊キャンプした。On The Day Project 1st Marchのために。

http://ontheday.blogspot.com/ をご覧ください。

dear, nnoguci, coul you, please, restate the same idea in Englis? Thanks!

Runit Dome: Sealed-up Nuclear Waste at Runit Island

The United States of America has held 67 nuclear tests on two atolls in the Marshall Islands, Bikini and Enewetak, beginning in 1946. They held 43 atmospheric tests in the north and northeast areas of Enewetak Atoll, using a quarter of its land, between 1948 and 1958. Enewetak Atoll was used for various military programs until 1977. The people from Enewetak were forced to migrate to Ujelang Atoll during those years.

In 1977, the decontamination of the atolls started so that they could return to the islands. The process of the decontamination involved replacing the soil where radioactive fallout had accumulated. 76455.5 cubic meters of soil was shaved off of Enjebi、Lujor、Runit、Aomon and Boken islands in Enewetak and moved to the 9 meter deep crater, called Cactus Crater, which was created as a consequence of "Cactus Test" in the north part of Runit Island. The soil was subsequently sealed with concrete.

Runit Dome is a concrete dome 111 meters across and 7.5 meters in height. It is a dome which was built in Cactus Crator - the location of the hypo center of one of the tests, in other words Ground Zero, to seal the nuclear waste piled in Enewetak. The dome was completed in September 1979 and the people were allowed to return to the island the following year. However, the traditional way of living of the people, coexistence with nature and environment, will never be the same again. The radioactive contamination changed their environment for ever.

Runit Dome:Monument of 20th Century

Visiting Runit Island, one notices many signs that state DANGER! KEEP OFF, and looking at the dome with one's own eyes, the scenery around it highlights the strangeness of the structure and its size and colors. As I was struck by its eeriness, I have to admit that at the same time I was struck by its mysterious beauty; the beauty that the artificial projects. It is a view to make us ponder the human relationship with nature and the global environment.

Tadao Ando, the architect, once proposed a domed structure for the memorial monument for 9/11 at Ground Zero in NYC. If the dome had been chosen to be made in the middle of that man-made city, I wonder what it would have said about the world, in response to the Runit Dome, which is the middle of abandoned nature. Unlike "the Dome" standing in the middle of tall buildings, one can view one's panoramic surroundings being on top of Runit Dome. It is rather ironic that the Dome is located at the highest elevation among Enewetak Atoll, which has been largely affected by global warming.

** YouTube ** On the Day 1st March/RUNIT dome

** Blogspot ** On the Day Project

Good job and thank you nnoguci to inform the world !! I also find this about it : http://www.artificialowl.net/2008/11/nuclear-trash-can-of-pacific-on.html Thank you for your links.

I had the pleasure of being temperarily assigned there in 1978. The dome wasn't there, and neither were the trees. I stayed on the island of Enewetak where you now see a dirt strip used to land C141 military aircraft. At that time we stayed in an old bombed out hangar where we had medivac helicopters supporting the army's 84th engineers and navy seabies. Those helicopters and engineer equipment are under the dome. The salt air corroded the equipment beyond use because we did not have enough clean water to wash them. Loved the diving and duty. The first vote left up to the soldiers and sailers was to decide on the living quarters or club. You know which got built first.