Japan: 9.0 Earthquake-Tsunami-Nuclear Reactor Status #4

[Quiche]

Fukushima Crisis Worsens as U.S. Warns of a Large Radiation Release

This article has a broad overview, but here is this bit...

Excerpt:
'Doomsday' scenarios

But the resulting radiation could be so high, "it would be almost impossible to get anyone in there," to continue supplying water to the damaged reactors, he said. That could put the cores in a meltdown scenario that could lead to an explosion within the core or a leak of puddle fuel from the bottom of the reactor -- "doomsday" scenarios that create the ultimate test of a reactor's designed defenses, he said.

"There is a possibility if the fuel is in the right configuration, has been out of the reactor long enough, and is sufficiently air cooled that a fuel fire would not start," said one U.S. expert. "If there were a fuel fire, the radiation levels off site would go off the charts -- which they have not," he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/03...l?pagewanted=2

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[tehcloser]

So, am I alone in thinking: a.) they don't KNOW what's about to happen, because of "uncharted territory" and all. OR b.) they do KNOW and it's really bad and they are trying to control panic. Because I'm really getting tired of waiting on someone to just go ok, here is what we know, you can make your own decisions about what to do.

[nursebeeme]

China on Thursday urged Japan to provide prompt, precise information about its nuclear crisis in a bid to control a flurry of rumors sweeping the region about possible dangers.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...d/7476140.html

[Wise Old Owl]

Originally Posted by Quiche

Fukushima Crisis Worsens as U.S. Warns of a Large Radiation Release

This article has a broad overview, but here is this bit...

Excerpt:
'Doomsday' scenarios

But the resulting radiation could be so high, "it would be almost impossible to get anyone in there," to continue supplying water to the damaged reactors, he said. That could put the cores in a meltdown scenario that could lead to an explosion within the core or a leak of puddle fuel from the bottom of the reactor -- "doomsday" scenarios that create the ultimate test of a reactor's designed defenses, he said.

"There is a possibility if the fuel is in the right configuration, has been out of the reactor long enough, and is sufficiently air cooled that a fuel fire would not start," said one U.S. expert. "If there were a fuel fire, the radiation levels off site would go off the charts -- which they have not," he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/03...l?pagewanted=2

I did a lot of thinking after I got in bed last night. I'm really not worried about a "plume" of radiation floating across the Pacific and coming ashore in California. But what does worry me is in that first paragraph you posted. An "explosion" or "burst" as it was called in that article the other day. And this "explosion" doesn't concern me for the radiation that would be shot into the air - nope. Its the force of the explosion and its effect on the ground, especially underneath which is close to the epicenter of that 9.0 quake.

An explosion of that kind could possibly have enough force to "shake the earth" and would that now cause yet another (possibly even bigger) quake than they had already?

What would that do to our big, blue, ball? We know that this past quake shortened the day; moved the coastline and axis - so what will happen if an "atomic explosion" (and I'm sorry but what else can we call it?) takes place right over a very unstable tectonic plate?

That is what is worrying me, at least today. Tomorrow is another day..................

[tehcloser]

It is 2011 any people are scrambling to buy SALT to protect them from radiation. SALT. A week ago if anyone had told me that would be happening - I would have told them they were crazy.

[Quiche]

Originally Posted by Wise Old Owl

I did a lot of thinking after I got in bed last night. I'm really not worried about a "plume" of radiation floating across the Pacific and coming ashore in California. But what does worry me is in that first paragraph you posted. An "explosion" or "burst" as it was called in that article the other day. And this "explosion" doesn't concern me for the radiation that would be shot into the air - nope. Its the force of the explosion and its effect on the ground, especially underneath which is close to the epicenter of that 9.0 quake.

An explosion of that kind could possibly have enough force to "shake the earth" and would that now cause yet another (possibly even bigger) quake than they had already?

What would that do to our big, blue, ball? We know that this past quake shortened the day; moved the coastline and axis - so what will happen if an "atomic explosion" (and I'm sorry but what else can we call it?) takes place right over a very unstable tectonic plate?

That is what is worrying me, at least today. Tomorrow is another day..................

I worry about the volcanoes.

[nursebeeme]

also from the link I posted above:

Prime Minister Naota Kan told the volunteers: "You are the only ones who can resolve a crisis. Retreat is unthinkable."


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world/japan-n...#ixzz1Grzpk5QA

[nursebeeme]

This is very interesting - video footage of the Fukushima plant from above, taken using a Tepco helicopter. It appears to show considerable damage, particularly to what the report identifies as the buildings housing reactors No 3 and 4.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog...nami-aftermath

video is at link

[Wise Old Owl]

Originally Posted by Quiche

I worry about the volcanoes.

well that goes right along with what I was saying.

Here's another thought - just what is going to happen if even one of the monitors "over here" detect something? All hello is going to break loose - IMHO.

I just heard on CNN that Dallas/Ft. Worth airport is screnning people coming from there for radiation and while they say they haven't found anything yet - do you really think they would say ther are on national network news? Talk about starting a panic - I think that would be even worse than ole NG talking about a State of Emergency last night.

I found it interesting that today we see the first report that some "think" this "plume" will not only come in at California but cross the country, out to the Atlantic and cross that and go into Europe. Really? Wouldn't there have to be a SERIOUS amount of radiation in the air to last all that way?

I wish we knew even half of what "authorities in the loop" are being told. But, sadly, we are sheeple - we are on a "need to know basis".

[Quiche]

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/79010.html

Just one of the things mentioned: -- Spent-fuel storage pools at all reactors -- Cooling functions lost, water temperature or level unobservable at reactors No. 1 to 4.

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/79010.html

[tehcloser]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=lBXqiw6EJUk


Wow, lots of damage. LOTS.

[Wise Old Owl]

Originally Posted by tehcloser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=lBXqiw6EJUk


Wow, lots of damage. LOTS.

Yep and do you really think IF they can plug in these extension cords to restore power that anything is going to work? Restoring power could cause fires - especially in wiring that has been exposed and/or damaged.

I believe and this IJMHO that radiation has been leaking since that very first hydrogen explosion at reactor #1 way back last Saturday. There is no way those spent fuel ponds are not exposed to the air (they have no containment building). There is no please else for that leakage to go but into the air.

[Quiche]

U.S. to fly spy plane over Fukushima nuclear plant for closer look

Quote: Photographs taken by the plane equipped with infrared sensors could provide a useful clue to what is occurring inside the reactor buildings, around which high-level radiation has been detected.

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/78689.html

[nursebeeme]

thanks JBean~


http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/03/...ers/index.html

congress wants to cut pacific tsunami warning center in the new budget! really????!!!

[cluciano63]

I am confining my worries and concerns to the people of Japan; they have such dire moment-to-moment needs, long-term dangers probably not even a factor in their minds as of yet. I can't worry about myself or the US right now, even if I should, as I can't think of anything that I can do about any of it. I'm not sure there is anything anyone can do. Some things are beyond our control; how extensive can past testing have been, when anything in the dire level would have been too dangerous to simulate? I don't even believe experts know what will or will not happen.

[nursebeeme]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...?dlvrit=108927

situation deteriorating


(((video at link)))

[Wise Old Owl]

Originally Posted by tehcloser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=lBXqiw6EJUk


Wow, lots of damage. LOTS.

Yep and do you really think IF they can plug in these extension cords to restore power that anything is going to work? Restoring power could cause fires - especially in wiring that has been exposed and/or damaged.

I believe and this IJMHO that radiation has been leaking since that very first hydrogen explosion at reactor #1 way back last Saturday. There is no way those spent fuel ponds are not exposed to the air (they have no containment building). There is no place else for that leakage to go but into the air.
__________________

Originally Posted by Quiche

U.S. to fly spy plane over Fukushima nuclear plant for closer look

Quote: Photographs taken by the plane equipped with infrared sensors could provide a useful clue to what is occurring inside the reactor buildings, around which high-level radiation has been detected.

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/78689.html

I think they have already being doing this. Its the data they are getting back from these drones that prompted chartering planes to get the relatives of the diplomats out.

BTW they can fly these drones high enough that you can't see them. And I've said this for the past day or so - what is the International Space Station seeing and recording? You know they are - and they are transmitting data back here.

[imawitch]

I wanted to bring this post over from the other thread..

Originally Posted by tehcloser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=lBXqiw6EJUk


Wow, lots of damage. LOTS.

***********

I hope I brought this over and did this right eh?

I watched the vid...oh my friggin stars

Ive seen picks and seen some vids of the plant on the news, but this is like having a up close and pesronal look..jmo

soooooooo much damage...

[nursebeeme]

I have started seeing people tweeting/nicknaming the power restoration to the nuclear plant as "operation extension cord"

[JBean]

some of the posts you are brinigng over are already here. so be sure to check the thread first.

Have a good one people/

[Wise Old Owl]

The pictures of the mangled mess that was once nuclear reactors reminds me of that commercial about U-Verse - where the tangled mess of wires is always complaining.

[nursebeeme]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12762381 very good link that explains damage to all the reactors, etc

[SurfieTX]

Originally Posted by nursebeeme

I have started seeing people tweeting/nicknaming the power restoration to the nuclear plant as "operation extension cord"

I know I shouldn't giggle at a time like this, but that's funny.

[Quiche]

http://www.newscientist.com/article/...chernobyl.html


Excerpt:
So why couldn't a runaway reaction happen at Fukushima Daiichi?
The Chernobyl reactor had a fundamentally different design to those at Fukushima Daiichi. Chernobyl ran on unenriched uranium, which is a fairly weak nuclear fuel. In order to use it, the reactor was designed in a way that made it easier for the nuclear reaction to accelerate. This allowed it to generate useful amounts of power, but it also left it vulnerable to running out of control.

Fukushima Daiichi runs on more powerful fuels than Chernobyl did, mostly enriched uranium. In contrast to the Ukrainian reactor, its design minimises the nuclear reaction unless its human operators boost it. "You have to actually try to make it go," Bluck says.

and

However, the company operating Fukushima Daiichi has now said that, for the fuel pond at reactor 4, "the risk of recriticality is not zero", meaning a nuclear chain reaction could restart in the rods. Quite how this has come about is unclear. But adding boric acid to absorb the neutrons should stop the reaction before it starts.

[Daisyjane]

Originally Posted by tehcloser

So, am I alone in thinking: a.) they don't KNOW what's about to happen, because of "uncharted territory" and all. OR b.) they do KNOW and it's really bad and they are trying to control panic. Because I'm really getting tired of waiting on someone to just go ok, here is what we know, you can make your own decisions about what to do.

I think they are releasing info in controlled doses. When we've swallowed a bit of bad news, they feel they can dole out a bit more.

Remember the Gulf Oil Spill. There was no leak. There was a potential for a leak. There might be a leak. There was a small leak, but minimal impact. The impact could be worse than first thought.

I believe we're seeing the same spoonfeeding of info now.