VERY LONG-TERM COMMUNICATION INTELLIGENCE - THE CASE OF MARKERS FOR NUCLEAR WASTE SITES

Warning markers for long-term nuclear waste storage sites are required to prevent inadvertent human intrusion in the distant future. Two int erdisciplinary teams have addressed the issues of physical durability and cognitive intelligibility of such markers for a U.S. government si te in New Mexico. Preliminary design criteria have determined which ma terials are best suited to constitute markers of different sizes and s hapes. A variety of linguistic, symbolic, and pictographic approaches to content have been suggested. Additional study and testing of both m aterials and messages is required. International standardization of ma rker strategies is extremely desirable. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.