Japan's Reactor

[farmers_son]

I have been following the situation in Japan closely. Factual information can be had at:

http://www.nisa.meti.go.jp/english/

This nuclear incident may be different than Chernobyl in that much of the radiation may end up in the ocean and less in the atmosphere. Japan is a nation of fish eaters but the following story from Bloomberg suggests concerns over radiation contamination will change that:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-24/japanese-swap-fish-for-burgers-soy-milk-on-radiation-contamination-fears.html

This morning radiation levels in the ocean near the power plant were many times higher than when the story was written on March 24.

Check out this article on Japan's meat consuption:

http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y4475E/y4475e09.htm

My expectation is that Japan will ease some age restrictions on imported beef and pork products from Canada in order to ensure a secure and reasonably priced food supply for their citizens in the near future. Maybe months, maybe even sooner.

The situation in Japan is very, very unfortunate and it a concern to everyone to see the problems there. Countries like Canada are in a position to assist with the domestic food issues that I see as being inevitable within Japan in the coming days and weeks.

[per]

Not a great situation but there certainly are opportunities to fill the void. Do you know what kind of radioactive material is leaking. I was wondering what its half life is.

[per]

I only skimmed along because work is ready for me. Lets hope it is Radioactive Iodine 131 with a half life of 8 days. It could be Cesium 137 with a half life of 30 years and it best not be uranium, 146 4 billion years, 143 7 billion years and most likely 234 245,000 years.

I would hazard a guess it is the most transportable Iodine 131.

Half life is the amount of time it takes to loose half of its energy. So in 8 days Iodine 131 is half as strong and in another 8 days it is at 1/4 etc. Yes I know you are aware of that fs,I just thought someone might like to know.

[farmers_son]

It is my understanding that reactor 3 was fueled with MOX with contains plutonium plus uranium. Plutonium has a half life of 24000 years. Reactor 3 is the one that is suspected of being breached, either in the containment vessel or the pipes and valves connected to the vessel. The plutonium will get diluted in the ocean but still it is a very serious situation which I believe will impact not on Japans consumption of fish but world consumption.

According to the EPA:

http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/radionuclides/plutonium.html

"External exposure to plutonium poses very little health risk, since plutonium isotopes emit alpha radiation, and almost no beta or gamma radiation. In contrast, internal exposure to plutonium is an extremely serious health hazard. It generally stays in the body for decades, exposing organs and tissues to radiation, and increasing the risk of cancer. Plutonium is also a toxic metal, and may cause damage to the kidneys."

[Kathy]

I will take a look at your links. Thanks.

Now that you are entering an area that I have spent years looking at, I hope I can provide you with some links that helped educate me.

First, you must understand one very big issue:

The "radioactivity" coming out of these reactors and spent fuel pools contains "HUNDREDS" of different radioactive isotopes - not just iodine, cesium, plutonium, uranium. Dr. Gordon Edwards has an excellent presentation at: http://www.ccnr.org/stockholm-2007/

"A picture/slide presentation which is extremely educational." MUST SEE!

Japan's Fukushima meltdown is already worse than Chernobyl. The one thing that can be guaranteed is that the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Assoication) has put a tight noose on the information coming out. Every day, the releases accumulate. From a BBC news article March 25 example of their lies:
"Levels of radioactive iodine in the sea near the tsunami-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant are 1,250 times higher than the safety limit, officials say.

The readings were taken about 300m (984ft) offshore. It is feared the radiation could be seeping into groundwater from one of the reactors.

But the radiation will no longer be a risk after eight days, officials say."

As I said, iodine 131 is only one isotope of hundreds being released. Two - it takes 10 half-lives before levels reduce to negligible levels. Iodine 131 will bio-accumulate in the thyroid gland causing thyroid cancer (for one) see link below about documentary Chernobyl Heart. Pictures/video are worth more than words.

"Chernobyl Heart" - the consequences to health, and future generations, as a result of Chernobyl:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=414073095760658789#

Link to radiation monitors USA:
https://cdxnode64.epa.gov/radnet-public/showMap.do
You may have to unblock popups on yellow tab top of page. It is not good! I have been watching here for days, and levels are up and down, up and down. Radioactive isotopes from Japan are making it to North America.

It may take a few years, but this disaster will have an effect on shortening life-spans, increasing cancers etc, around the world. Japan is contaminated (wide-spread), and has only been spared the worse by the "direction the wind is blowing". If it blows-back onto the island, things will change fast.

[Kathy]

I found a website for Canadian measurements, tables, see link:

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/pdfs/japan-earthquake/FPS%20Canada-MRS%20Daily%20Dose%20Table%20to%20March%2026%20-%20ENG.pdf

I note that for Calgary, they are saying that the minimum levels are 0.28 uSv/hr., maximum 0.48uSv/hr with the average from March 10 - March 26th being 0.48uSv/hr.

Well, I'm just east of Hanna 12 miles and I have never had a reading over 0.25uSv/hr. My averages are around 0.10uSv/hr. I doubt very much that Calgary would have readings that are over twice my average. And to say that 0.48uSv/hr would be normal - is ridiculous. That would be 4 times higher than what we are experiencing in Hanna.

Be careful what these experts tell you, when they compare things to "what's normal". I'll have to take some measurements when I'm in Calgary next.

[Kathy]

Epa site not working today? Wonder why?

Have a link for a web cam view of Fukushima with pics taken each day at certain hours:

http://www.woweather.com/weather/news/fukushimaLANG=us&VAR=webcam&SAT=201103230900

check out 05:00 which is March 23, 05:00 top and right on list. When you place the cursor on the time, the dates will show.

[Kathy]

Here is a link to a Japanese satellite picture for weather patterns; you can see that the jet-stream is coming right past the Japanese east coast and straight over to North America. Might be helpful for predicting our weather, as you can see how the systems are building off the coast.

http://www.jma.go.jp/en/gms/

A note on the Canadian nuclear link, above, a table on radiation reading across Canada - spoke with a representative who stated this "chart" is a Health Canada item, and definitely it is ONLY measuring specific isotopes (although not sure which ones). He is checking into it for me. Best way to confuse people is to use "charts for specific this or that isotopes"... makes the whole thing very difficult to understand.

Note: Radiation reading in ocean near Fukushima 4500 times above normal? for Iodine 131. It is bogus to measure Iodine 131 as its half-life is so short, only 8 days. As time goes on, these levels won't reflect the true radiation contamination of the ocean with those isotopes with longer half-lifes, which are accumulating daily. BAD BAD BAD BAD....

[per]

Thanks for shortcutting some of the research into learning more about this Kathy and Fs. I have found many sites the mysteriously quit working. To quote Kathy all I can say is......BAD BAD BAD BAD....

[Kathy]

Website with pictures of Fukushima reactors from unmanned drone:

http://cryptome.org/eyeball/daiichi-npp/daiichi-photos.htm