The need for research resulting from the departmental tasks of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety is annually determined in an environmental research plan (Umweltforschungsplan, UFOPLAN).

Rock underlying a reference layer.

Mobile telecommunication system of the so-called "third generation" which, in addition to language transmissions, admits image and video transmission due to high transmission rates. From 2003 on, UMTS is supposed to use frequencies between 1920 and 1980 MHz and between 2110 and 2170 MHz.

Transfer chamber between transport vehicle and stacking truck.

Natural radioactive element. Naturally occurring isotopes are the fissile uranium-235, uranium-238 which cannot be split with thermal neutrons, and uranium-234.

Physical procedure with which the percentage of the fissile isotope Uranium-235 (U-235) can be increased beyond the content of 0.72 % of natural uranium. In the Federal Republic of Germany a uranium enrichment plant is operated for this purpose by URENCO Deutschland GmbH in Gronau where uranium - in the form of the volatile chemical compound uranium hexafluoride (UF6) - is enriched with the help of a gas centrifugal system on a large technical scale.

Right after the end of World War II the Wismut company started to win uranium in Saxony and Thuringia. Uranium mining which had in particular in the initial years been carried out regardless of man and the environment has led to massive damage caused to the environment.

The UV index describes the daily peak value of the sunburn effective UV radiation expected at the ground. The population has thus the possibility to ask for information relating to the danger of solar UV radiation at the Federal Office for Radiation Protection.