Project Risks
Potential risks for priority astronomical sites in South Africa are protected by the Astronomy Geographic Advantage Act of 2007. Put in place to specifically support the South African SKA bid, it outlaws all activities that could endanger scientific operation of core astronomical instruments. In 2010, concerns were raised over the will to enforce this law when Royal Dutch Shell applied to explore the Karoo for shale gas using hydraulic fracturing, an activity that would have the potential to increase radio interference at the site.
An identified remote station location for the southern African array in Mozambique was subject to flooding and disincluded from the project, despite the SKA Site Selection Committee technical analysis reporting that all African remote stations could implement flood mitigation solutions.
Australia's first Radio Quiet Zone (RQZ) was established by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) on 11 April 2005 specifically to protect and maintain the current ‘radio-quietness’ of the main Australian SKA site at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory.
In February 2012, a former Australian SKA Committee chairman raised concerns with South African media about risks at the Australian candidate site, particularly in terms of cost, mining interference and land agreements. SKA Australia stated that all points had been addressed in the site bid.
Read more about this topic: Square Kilometre Array
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