With this data, they will establish the range of conditions expected in the future, including possible long-term climate changes. Scientists test the soil, water, and rock, and record weather patterns, rainfall, and temperatures. Movement of water through the rocks of the repository is one of the Project's biggest safety concerns. Water can corrode the waste packages and transport the radioactive materials to where they could come in contact with humans. To address this possibility, the scientists study the movement of water, vapor, and gases through the rock.
Heat can affect the natural surroundings.
The staff must predict how these higher temperatures will affect the conditions inside the repository. For example, electric heaters simulate repository conditions by heating a room mined inside Yucca Mountain. Instruments will record the results as the rock heats up and then cools down. This study will last 4 to 8 years. The Natural System group examines possible natural events that could disrupt the repository.