In Eker

In Eker
Village
In Eker
Coordinates: 24°1′23″N 5°4′51″E / 24.02306°N 5.08083°E / 24.02306; 5.08083Coordinates: 24°1′23″N 5°4′51″E / 24.02306°N 5.08083°E / 24.02306; 5.08083
Country  Algeria
Province Tamanrasset Province
District Tamanrasset District
Commune In Amguel[1]
Elevation 991 m (3,251 ft)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)

In Eker (also written as I-n-Eker or In Ekker) is a village in the commune of In Amguel,[1] in Tamanrasset District, Tamanrasset Province, Algeria. It lies on the N1 national highway 39 kilometres (24 mi) north of In Amguel and 145 kilometres (90 mi) north of Tamanrasset city.[2]

Climate

In Eker has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), with hot summers and mild winters, and very little precipitation throughout the year.

Climate data for In Eker
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 25
(77)		 28
(82)		 32
(90)		 34
(93)		 36
(97)		 37
(99)		 37
(99)		 37
(99)		 36
(97)		 33
(91)		 29
(84)		 26
(79)		 37
(99)
Average high °C (°F) 20
(68)		 22
(72)		 25
(77)		 29
(84)		 32
(90)		 34
(93)		 34
(93)		 33
(91)		 32
(90)		 28
(82)		 25
(77)		 20
(68)		 27.8
(82.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 12
(54)		 14
(57)		 17
(63)		 21
(70)		 25
(77)		 27
(81)		 28
(82)		 27
(81)		 26
(79)		 22
(72)		 18
(64)		 13
(55)		 20.8
(69.6)
Average low °C (°F) 5
(41)		 7
(45)		 10
(50)		 14
(57)		 18
(64)		 21
(70)		 22
(72)		 21
(70)		 20
(68)		 16
(61)		 11
(52)		 6
(43)		 14.3
(57.8)
Record low °C (°F) −1
(30)		 −1
(30)		 1
(34)		 6
(43)		 7
(45)		 15
(59)		 17
(63)		 16
(61)		 14
(57)		 9
(48)		 2
(36)		 −4
(25)		 −4
(25)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 3
(0.1)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 5
(0.2)		 5
(0.2)		 10
(0.4)		 3
(0.1)		 18
(0.7)		 18
(0.7)		 3
(0.1)		 5
(0.2)		 5
(0.2)		 75
(2.9)
Source: Weatherbase (period of record 10 years)[3]

Testing Site

In the 1960s In Eker was the scene of a several Nuclear Tests conducted by the occupying French military. The included the now infamous Béryl incident which saw the release of Radioactive fallout.[4]).[5]

In 1999 the International Atomic Energy Agency conducted tests at the site and found that some radioactive contamination remained on the surface. This was in the form of several isotopes with Ceasium 137 being the most prominent. Their report concluded that

that Nomadic pastoralism through the adjacent areas would result in exposures of around 50µSV/a, however

Persons scavenging metals in the immediate vicinity of the E2 [test] tunnel might receive doses up to 0.5mSv in 8 hours. Currently external exposure rates are less than one tenth those existing in 1966.[6]

The study further optimistically found alpha particle emission from the solidified lava is roughly the same as the surrounding natural rock, which has some naturally occurring uranium.

To date some limited follow up of French personnel has taken place, no long term study of the native population, nor the aquifers in the area has been done.

References

  1. 1 2 "Décret n° 84-365, fixant la composition, la consistance et les limites territoriale des communes. Wilaya d'El Oued" (PDF) (in French). Journal officiel de la République Algérienne,. 19 December 1984. p. 1496. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "I-n-Eker, Algeria". Geonames.org. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "Climate data for: I-n-Eker, Algeria Travel Weather Averages". Weatherbase. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  4. ↑ Jean Bellec,SAHARA in Eker, accessdate=27 March 2014.
  5. ↑ Les essais nucléaires français au Sahara accessdate=27 March 2014.
  6. ↑ International Atomic Energy Agency, [http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1215_web_new.pdf Radiological Conditions at the Former French Nuclear Test Sites in Algeria:Preliminary Assessment and Recommendations](Vienna, 2005). p33
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