Document Details
PURL
(732 K)
Title:
Use of nuclear explosives for excavation of a sea-level canal across the Negev Desert in Israel, connecting the Mediterranean with the Gulf of Aqaba
Author(s):
Document Type:
REPORT
Publication Date:
1965 Jul 01
Document Pages:
7 p.
Document Number(s):
UCRL-ID-124767
Originating Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
OpenNet Entry Date:
1997 Apr 14
OpenNet Modified Date:
2009 Nov 11
Description/Abstract:
Another interesting application of nuclear excavation would be a sea- level canal 160 miles long across Israel, connecting the Mediterranean with the Gulf of Aqaba (and thus the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean). Such a canal would be a strategically valuable alternate to the present Suez Canal and would probably contribute greatly to the economic development of the surrounding area. The difference in elevation between sea level and the Dead Sea (30 miles away and 1286 feet below sea level) might also be used to generate hydroelectric power. The maximum depth of excavation to be encountered is on the order of 1500 feet. Conventional methods of excavation of this magnitude are prohibitively expensive, if indeed possible, but it appears that nuclear explosives could be profitably applied to this situation.