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Abandoned underground laboratory of Metrology VNIIM

As I already wrote, deep laboratories are very rare in our country, so we can safely say that they are unique.
They are unique in terms of the type of structure, age and depth. Unique and individual. In my previous post, we descended to a depth of 45 meters and got acquainted with one of these laboratories. It was the Laboratory of Nuclear Physics at Moscow State University. Today I will tell you about another deep laboratory, much more interesting than the previous one.

Let's start with the fact that it lies deeper. About 60 meters underground. Further: in length, such a laboratory will surpass some stations of the Moscow metro, 150 meters.
To put it bluntly, we can say that this is someone's personal "metro station", in which they were engaged in scientific research, and that has no connection with the transport system itself.

Depth of occurrence: - 60 meters
Block length: 150 meters
Type of research: Metrology

What is this underground structure?

One healthy compartment with a diameter of ~ 7 meters stretches in length by ~ 150 meters. There are 2 shafts to this compartment on both sides, each of which contains: an elevator, a staircase, and ventilation pipes. The trunks, in turn, come to the surface and abut against the basements of two ordinary buildings, unnoticeable at first glance.
It is very difficult to find a laboratory of this kind, since there is no official mention of them in open sources, and any signs of the underground "kingdom" on the surface of the earth are very carefully masked. and into the trunk itself. There is a long descent ahead.

Trunk:

Elevators, by the way, do not work here. And even if they did, the prospect of getting stuck in the middle of the trunk of an abandoned laboratory, in which no one has appeared for several years, somehow does not inspire.

Once at the very bottom, we find ourselves in the dressing room of the main unit. View towards the trunk:

The left opening is an elevator, which has long been rotten due to groundwater. The right opening is the staircase from where we now come. Above, along the ceiling, pipes stretch. They also come out of the barrel, and are needed in order to fully carry out the supply of fresh air to the entire laboratory.
From the same place, view towards the laboratory block:

Large block sizes are well perceptible.

So why, after all, were these underground structures built on such a scale? What did you do in this laboratory?
Let's start with the fact that the main activity of the Research Institute of Metrology is the creation of so-called standards. These can be standards of length or weight, electrical resistance or current strength, density or volume.
And also such standards as "the standard of surface roughness" (yes, there are some). However, it doesn't matter. Creation of standards.
At a certain stage in the development of the scientific activity of the Institute of Metrology, someone smart, outstanding, stood up and said: “What if all these standards of yours do not work at a depth underground? You know, like in zero gravity. Only underground. " And the leading researchers of the institute decided to check it out.
This laboratory was built in a closed way. First they dug the trunk, then the second trunk and the block. Built, so to speak, "on a grand scale." 150 meters in length, almost like the average length of a metro station.
For some time, the scientific staff worked here continuously, some results were really obtained. But as a rule, these results differed little from those that could be obtained in the same ways on the surface of the earth. The depth is insufficient.

Let's continue our inspection of the premises. The main block, in some places the lighting is still working:

By the way, there is a radio in one of the rooms. Works around the clock, scares visitors. Which is rather strange, by the way, given the peculiarities of cellular reception at such a depth. It would be better to catch a mobile phone.

Block:

Also in the laboratory there are several branches, apparently for any activity that is significantly different from the rest.

Here, for example, are strange doors, upholstered with some kind of material, obviously, not letting something through. The so-called "gateway" prompts that idea. That is, there are 2 such doors.

At this note, we finish the inspection and hurry to leave back through the trunk.

Thanks for your interest in my posts!

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