Using Remote Sensing to Assess Uranium Dust Exposure From Abandoned Uranium Mines on the Navajo Nation

Native American and Alaskan Native lands contain the majority (96%) of all uranium deposits in the United States. Since the 1980s, these mines have been abandoned, leaving behind toxic materials. Over 500 of these abandoned uranium mines (AUMs) are located on the Navajo reservation, home to the Dine(Navajo) people. The exposure of the uranium and heavy metals in the air poses a significant threat to the people who live in the areas in close proximity of these AUMs. Using wind pattern analysis and aerosol optical depth (AOD), we examined whether winds carry higher aerosol loads and analyzed dust resuspension patterns in Central Region of the Navajo Nation. In the future, we will use trajectory tools such as the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model and aerosol optical depth (AOD), we will aim to identify potential accumulation areas with higher concentrations of heavy metal aerosols. This project could support public health efforts for other communities facing similar environmental risks.