Radioactive materials can be dangerous for hundreds of thousands of years. Therefore, the staff must define the range of conditions that could occur in the future. This time period is very long in human terms, but relatively short for the geologic processes being studied. To predict what will happen, researchers collect data of past and present conditions at Yucca Mountain. 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.