NASA has issued an international alert after an unexpected discovery in the Arctic. Glaciologist Chad A. Greene has detected the ancient military base Camp Century, buried under the ice since the Cold War. The finding has reignited serious concerns about the environmental impact of this abandoned site.
The specialist has participated in a scientific mission to test a new high-tech radar in Greenland. From a special aircraft, the instrument has recorded a complex and large underground structure. After analyzing the images, experts have confirmed that it is the forgotten American base.
The base was built in 1959 as part of a secret plan by the United States government. Its objective was to hide nuclear missiles in tunnels under the ice as part of Project Iceworm. However, the project was abandoned in 1967 after being deemed unfeasible.
Nasa warns of a risk
For years, snow has continued to accumulate over its facilities, burying it more than 98 ft. (30 meters) deep. This layer of ice has acted as a kind of natural containment capsule. However, climate change has begun to put that protection at risk.
Several studies have warned that if global warming continues at the current pace, Camp Century could be exposed by the year 2090. The thaw would not only reveal the remains of the base, but also a toxic threat frozen for decades. That scenario has been described as an "invisible outbreak" of contamination.
The stored waste includes more than 52,834 gal. (200,000 liters) of diesel fuel and 6.34 million gal. (24 million liters) of wastewater. There is also the possibility that radioactive materials are buried there. If released, this waste would contaminate Arctic ecosystems and reach the global ocean.
Buried nuclear city: an accidental discovery
Greene has explained that he had no intention of finding the base during his flight. He used the AUVSAR radar to calibrate ice data, not to search for military facilities. The finding happened by chance, but its consequences were immediate.
The synthetic aperture radar has caused clear three-dimensional images of what was beneath the ice. The identified structure features levels, rooms, and corridors, exactly like the historical records of Camp Century. That match has allowed experts to confirm its identity without the need for drilling.
NASA has shared the data with climate research centers and with international agencies. As a result of the finding, several scientists have started working on new thaw models for the region. The objective is to anticipate the moment when the base could become fully exposed.
A hidden threat for decades could awaken
The frozen city, as some now call it, represents a threat that has been buried since the last century. The world has forgotten the waste of the Cold War, but the ice has kept it intact. Now, the planet could face the consequences of that neglect.
The glaciologist has posted on social media his astonishment at having witnessed the finding. He has recalled that, sometimes, science reveals things that were not even in the flight plan. His work continues, but now with one more warning: what is under the ice could affect us all.