This article's lead sectionmay be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(September 2023)
Beaufort's Dyke is a natural trench within the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland. The dyke is 50 km (30 miles) long, 3.5 km (2 miles) wide and 200–300 m (700–1,000 ft) deep.
Beaufort's Dyke, highlighted in blue, on a 1969 Admiralty chartMap showing the size and location of Beaufort's Dyke, in red, between the coasts of Northern Ireland and Scotland
The trench is recorded in 1856 as having been discovered "some years ago" by a Captain Beechey.[1]
Beaufort's Dyke is a submerged tunnel valley caused by glacial erosion during the last glacial period, and has been prevented from filling with sediment by strong tidal currents.[2]
Dumped munitionsedit
Beaufort's Dyke, showing the position of the munitions dump, from an Admiralty chart published in 1947. Depth in fathoms
Because of its depth and its proximity to the Cairnryan military port, Beaufort's Dyke became the United Kingdom's largest offshore dump site for surplus conventional and chemical munitions after the Second World War: it had been used for the purpose since the early 20th century. The Ministry of Defence has estimated that well over a million tons of munitions have been dumped there,[3] including 14,500 tons of 5-inch (130-millimetre) artillery rockets filled with phosgene dumped in July 1945.[4]
Munitions have since been deposited by the tide on nearby beaches. In 1995, phosphorus bombs washed up on Scottish coasts, coinciding with the laying of the Scotland-Northern Ireland pipeline (SNIP), a 24-inch (610-millimetre) gas interconnector constructed by British Gas. Over the previous five years, anti-tank grenades had washed up on the shores of Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.[5]
An explosion was registered as a 2.5 Magnitude earthquake on 8 February 1986.[6]
Nuclear wasteedit
According to documents from the Public Record Office, approximately two tonnes of concrete-encased metal drums filled with radioactive laboratory rubbish and luminous paint were dumped in the dyke during the 1950s.[7]
Crossingsedit
Projects for a tunnel or Irish Sea fixed crossing between Northern Ireland and Scotland have been suggested at various times from the late 19th century onwards. The dyke has always been an important problem for such proposals, in terms of both practicality and cost.[8]
In February 2020, the UK government announced an initial investigation into a Scotland–Northern Ireland bridge. Two possible routes were proposed: Portpatrick–Larne and Kintyre peninsula–Torr Head. The Portpatrick route would cross the dyke.[5] Explosive ordnance advisers Exord cast doubt on the Portpatrick route saying "any intrusive works such as piling associated with the construction of bridges would pose an unacceptable level of risk".[9] The study concluded that Beaufort's Dyke was one of the project's principal challenges, requiring bridge spans "approaching 4km on foundations set back from the edge", even if crossing the Dyke at its narrowest point.[10] The bridge project was estimated at £335 bn, and it was rejected by a feasibility study.[11]
Referencesedit
^Bryce, James (1856). A Cyclopaedia of Geography, Descriptive and Physical, Forming a New General Gazetteer of the World and Dictionary of Pronunciation. R. Griffin.
^Callaway, Alexander; Quinn, Rory; Brown, Craig J.; Service, Matthew; Long, David; Benetti, Sara (May 2011). "The formation and evolution of an isolated submarine valley in the North Channel, Irish Sea: an investigation of Beaufort's Dyke" (PDF). Journal of Quaternary Science. 26 (4): 362–373. Bibcode:2011JQS....26..362C. doi:10.1002/jqs.1460. S2CID 128513420.
^"UK's undersea 'ticking timebombs'". BBC. 26 November 2004. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
^ abEdwards, Rob (10 February 2020) [1995]. "The WW2 bombs dumped off western Scotland washing up on beaches". New Scientist. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
^"M 2.5 Explosion - 17 km WSW of Stranraer, United Kingdom". earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
^Arthur, Charles (1 July 1997). "Ministers admit nuclear waste was dumped in sea". The Independent. London. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
^Walker, Stephen (2 March 2018). "Bridging the gap from NI to Scotland". BBC. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
^Sabbagh, Dan (14 February 2020). "Bombs dumped in Irish Sea make bridge plan 'too dangerous'". Retrieved 16 February 2020.
^Hendy, Peter. "A Fixed Link between Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Technical Feasibility" (PDF). service.gov.uk.
^Stone, Jon (20 January 2022). "Boris Johnson spent £1 million developing bridge to Northern Ireland". The Independent.
External linksedit
Fisheries Research Service document 19 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine
G FORD, L OTTEMÖLLER, B BAPTIE. 2005. Analysis of Explosions in the BGS Seismic Database in the Area of Beaufort’s Dyke 13 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 1992–2004. British Geological Survey Commissioned Report, CR/05/064. 15pp.
beaufort, dyke, this, article, lead, section, short, adequately, summarize, points, please, consider, expanding, lead, provide, accessible, overview, important, aspects, article, september, 2023, natural, trench, within, north, channel, between, northern, irel. This article s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article September 2023 Beaufort s Dyke is a natural trench within the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland The dyke is 50 km 30 miles long 3 5 km 2 miles wide and 200 300 m 700 1 000 ft deep Beaufort s Dyke highlighted in blue on a 1969 Admiralty chartMap showing the size and location of Beaufort s Dyke in red between the coasts of Northern Ireland and ScotlandThe trench is recorded in 1856 as having been discovered some years ago by a Captain Beechey 1 Contents 1 Geomorphology 2 Dumped munitions 3 Nuclear waste 4 Crossings 5 References 6 External linksGeomorphology editBeaufort s Dyke is a submerged tunnel valley caused by glacial erosion during the last glacial period and has been prevented from filling with sediment by strong tidal currents 2 Dumped munitions edit nbsp Beaufort s Dyke showing the position of the munitions dump from an Admiralty chart published in 1947 Depth in fathomsBecause of its depth and its proximity to the Cairnryan military port Beaufort s Dyke became the United Kingdom s largest offshore dump site for surplus conventional and chemical munitions after the Second World War it had been used for the purpose since the early 20th century The Ministry of Defence has estimated that well over a million tons of munitions have been dumped there 3 including 14 500 tons of 5 inch 130 millimetre artillery rockets filled with phosgene dumped in July 1945 4 Munitions have since been deposited by the tide on nearby beaches In 1995 phosphorus bombs washed up on Scottish coasts coinciding with the laying of the Scotland Northern Ireland pipeline SNIP a 24 inch 610 millimetre gas interconnector constructed by British Gas Over the previous five years anti tank grenades had washed up on the shores of Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man 5 An explosion was registered as a 2 5 Magnitude earthquake on 8 February 1986 6 Nuclear waste editAccording to documents from the Public Record Office approximately two tonnes of concrete encased metal drums filled with radioactive laboratory rubbish and luminous paint were dumped in the dyke during the 1950s 7 Crossings editProjects for a tunnel or Irish Sea fixed crossing between Northern Ireland and Scotland have been suggested at various times from the late 19th century onwards The dyke has always been an important problem for such proposals in terms of both practicality and cost 8 In February 2020 the UK government announced an initial investigation into a Scotland Northern Ireland bridge Two possible routes were proposed Portpatrick Larne and Kintyre peninsula Torr Head The Portpatrick route would cross the dyke 5 Explosive ordnance advisers Exord cast doubt on the Portpatrick route saying any intrusive works such as piling associated with the construction of bridges would pose an unacceptable level of risk 9 The study concluded that Beaufort s Dyke was one of the project s principal challenges requiring bridge spans approaching 4km on foundations set back from the edge even if crossing the Dyke at its narrowest point 10 The bridge project was estimated at 335 bn and it was rejected by a feasibility study 11 References edit Bryce James 1856 A Cyclopaedia of Geography Descriptive and Physical Forming a New General Gazetteer of the World and Dictionary of Pronunciation R Griffin Callaway Alexander Quinn Rory Brown Craig J Service Matthew Long David Benetti Sara May 2011 The formation and evolution of an isolated submarine valley in the North Channel Irish Sea an investigation of Beaufort s Dyke PDF Journal of Quaternary Science 26 4 362 373 Bibcode 2011JQS 26 362C doi 10 1002 jqs 1460 S2CID 128513420 UK s undersea ticking timebombs BBC 26 November 2004 Retrieved 10 September 2019 Dr Lewis Moonie Member for Kirkcaldy 23 April 2002 Beaufort Trench Mustard Gas Parliamentary Debates Hansard House of Commons col 192W 193W a b Edwards Rob 10 February 2020 1995 The WW2 bombs dumped off western Scotland washing up on beaches New Scientist Retrieved 11 February 2020 M 2 5 Explosion 17 km WSW of Stranraer United Kingdom earthquake usgs gov Retrieved 5 December 2021 Arthur Charles 1 July 1997 Ministers admit nuclear waste was dumped in sea The Independent London Retrieved 29 April 2015 Walker Stephen 2 March 2018 Bridging the gap from NI to Scotland BBC Retrieved 10 September 2019 Sabbagh Dan 14 February 2020 Bombs dumped in Irish Sea make bridge plan too dangerous Retrieved 16 February 2020 Hendy Peter A Fixed Link between Great Britain and Northern Ireland Technical Feasibility PDF service gov uk Stone Jon 20 January 2022 Boris Johnson spent 1 million developing bridge to Northern Ireland The Independent External links editFisheries Research Service document Archived 19 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine G FORD L OTTEMOLLER B BAPTIE 2005 Analysis of Explosions in the BGS Seismic Database in the Area of Beaufort s Dyke Archived 13 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine 1992 2004 British Geological Survey Commissioned Report CR 05 064 15pp 54 47 06 N 5 25 12 W 54 785 N 5 420 W 54 785 5 420 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Beaufort 27s Dyke amp oldid 1186785151, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
