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Waste Disposal Operations Conducted ~1km from Experiment Gallery Means No Interference with Sensitive Nuclear Particle Detectors |
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All waste disposal operations are conducted in the southern reaches of the WIPP underground in specially mined disposal panels. The nearest of these disposal panels is about a kilometer from the experiment gallery to the north. With no "line of sight" for streaming gamma radiation between waste and experimental areas, and with solid rock walls separating them, there is no interference to sensitive nuclear particle detectors from the waste in the experiment gallery. This even includes neutrinos from waste components decaying by beta emission. Additionally, the careful monitoring to ensure clean operations guarantees no airborne radioactivity contributes to instrument background levels. Fresh air from the surface is split with separate circuits for ventilation in the experiment gallery and disposal operations. |
