The main tasks of the expedition:

The main objective of the expedition is to study the state of radioactive underwater potentially hazardous objects (UPHO) in the Kara Sea in the bays of Novaya Zemlya and in the Novaya Zemlya depression, including studies of the state of the environment and a comprehensive engineering and radiation survey (CERS) of the nuclear submarine "K-27", and also search and clarify the location of the UPHO, their identification, and the assessment of the state of the environment (ecology) in the vicinity of the UPHO.

Tasks of the expedition:

• comprehensive studies of the state of the environment (hydrochemistry, geochemistry, hydrophysics, biology) and the state of regional ecosystems in the flooded area of the nuclear submarine "K-27";
• complex engineering radiation survey and condition monitoring (CERS) of the nuclear submarine "K-27";
• comprehensive studies of the state of the environment (hydrochemistry, geochemistry, hydrophysics, biology) and regional ecosystems in key burial sites of radioactive waste and facilities on Novaya Zemlya in the bays of Stepovoy and Abrosimov;
• comprehensive research and monitoring of the state of radioactive waste disposal facilities in the bays of Stepovoy, Abrosimov;
• comprehensive studies of the state of the environment (hydrochemistry, geochemistry, hydrophysics, biology) and local ecosystems in the areas of radioactive waste burial in the Novaya Zemlya depression;
• comprehensive research, condition monitoring, as well as search and refinement of the location of radioactive waste disposal facilities in the Novaya Zemlya depression, including barge MBSN-365250;
• selection of sedimentary material using gravity core samplers and bottom grabs;
• collection of hydrophysical observation data and transmission to the electronic archive;
• monitoring the content of carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane and the isotopic composition of methane carbon in the atmosphere above the ocean surface using the automatic laser analyzer Picarro G2132-i.

Scientific results: 

The scientific program of the expedition "Investigation of the state of UPHO in the Kara Sea and their impact on regional ecology in 2021" has been successfully completed in full. The goals set for the expedition of the 85th cruise of the RV Akademik Mstislav Keldysh to provide scientific support for the rehabilitation of the Arctic region from flooded and sunken objects with spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste (RW) in 2021 have been achieved, and the tasks have been successfully solved.