Nuclear Subterrene
The nuclear subterrene is an experimental tunneling device concept developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory that melts through rock using compact nuclear reactors rather than mechanically cutting or blasting. The machine works by circulating liquid lithium from a nuclear reactor core to a tunneling face, melting rock at the leading edge. Cooled liquid lithium then circulates back along the exterior of the machine, cooling the surrounding rock as the machine is forced forward. This process leaves behind neat, structurally solid tunnels with glass-lined walls — a result of the vitrification of melted rock — requiring no additional lining or support.
Development History
Patents for nuclear subterrene technology were filed by the US Atomic Energy Commission and the US Energy Research and Development Administration in 1972 and 1975 respectively. All but one of the inventors listed across the three patents were researchers from Los Alamos. A 1973 Los Alamos study titled "Systems and Cost Analysis for a Nuclear Subterrain Tunnel Machine: A Preliminary Study" concluded that nuclear subterrenes were a cost-efficient solution for US transportation tunnel demands.
The nuclear subterrene concept essentially disappeared from public literature after the mid-1970s, suggesting either abandonment or reclassification.
Significance in DUMB Research
The nuclear subterrene is cited in DUMB research as a probable tool used in the construction of clandestine underground tunnel systems for several reasons:
- Vitrified walls: Unlike TBMs, which require spoil removal and produce visible surface disruption, a nuclear subterrene melts rock in place and leaves glass-lined tunnel walls. No "muck" needs to be removed, and the process leaves minimal surface evidence.
- Deep penetration capability: The technology is specifically designed for deep underground work, consistent with the depths (hundreds to thousands of feet) described in DUMB testimony.
- Los Alamos provenance: Los Alamos National Laboratory — an FFRDC deeply implicated in UAP legacy program research by UAP Gerb — developed both the nuclear subterrene and the tunnel system design studies. The laboratory is alleged to have its own extensive underground facilities and connections to non-human technology research.
- Timing alignment: Patents filed in 1972–1975 align with UAP Gerb's proposed timeline for DUMB tunnel construction beginning around 1972–1974.
Relationship to TBMs
The nuclear subterrene and conventional Tunnel Boring Machines represent complementary construction approaches in DUMB theory. TBMs are conventional and well-documented, and their use can be partially obscured by routing clandestine tunnels off of Bureau of Reclamation water infrastructure tunnels. Nuclear subterrenes, if functional, would be far more covert — capable of boring sealed, glass-lined tunnels with no surface signature.