WA: Nuclear monitoring station to open in south-west
PERTH, April 14 AAP - A listening station capable of detecting clandestine nuclearexplosions around the world will be opened in Western Australia's south-west tomorrow.
The $10 million station at Cape Leeuwin, 330km south of Perth, is part of a globalnetwork of 321 stations being planned to monitor compliance with the Comprehensive NuclearTest Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Signed by Australia in 1996, the treaty aims to further nuclear disarmament and non-proliferationby banning all explosive nuclear tests.
It has particular significance for countries in the Asia-Pacific, which is the onlyregion in the world that has been subjected to nuclear tests by all five nuclear states.
The worldwide network of listening stations will make it almost impossible for nuclearexplosions to be carried out undetected.
Cape Leeuwin's role will be to detect the sounds generated through underwater nuclearexplosions using its undersea array of hydrophones.
It will cover large areas of the Indian, Southern and South Pacific oceans.
In addition to its CTBT function, data collected from the station may also be usedin earthquake monitoring, as well as for a CSIRO project monitoring global warming.
The Cape Leeuwin facility will be opened by Foreign Minister Alexander Downer at 3pm (WST).
The head of the Vienna-based CTBT Preparatory Commission, Wolfgang Hoffmann, will alsobe in attendance.
The CTBT has been signed by 165 countries and ratified by 90.
AAP alm/mg/bwl
KEYWORD: NUCLEAR
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