Japan: 9.0 Earthquake-Tsunami-Nuclear Reactor Developments #1

[trigger]

Dateline is having a 2 hr special tonight about this tragedy. (9pm-11pm) EST

 

[peeples]

The Japanese government is currently holding an emergency meeting on the subject of the Fukushima nuclear plants.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/11/japan-tsunami-earthquake-live-coverage

 

[not_my_kids]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-japan-quake-nuclear-20110312,0,4134525.story

The Kyodo news agency reported that the cooling system has failed at three reactors of Fukushima No. 2 nuclear power plant. The coolant water's temperature had reached boiling temperature, the agency reported, citing the power plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power.

The cooling system failure at the No. 2 power plant came after officials were already troubled by the failure of the emergency cooling system at the Fukushima No. 1 plant, which officials feared could cause a meltdown.

 

[scandi]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-japan-quake-nuclear-20110312,0,4134525.story

The Kyodo news agency reported that the cooling system has failed at three reactors of Fukushima No. 2 nuclear power plant. The coolant water's temperature had reached boiling temperature, the agency reported, citing the power plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power.

The cooling system failure at the No. 2 power plant came after officials were already troubled by the failure of the emergency cooling system at the Fukushima No. 1 plant, which officials feared could cause a meltdown.

I just heard on the news that the US has sent coolant to Japan.

What is involved in a meltdown? I don't know that much about nuclear power plants. Is there any danger of the plant exploding and creating a nuclear blast?

Thanks

 

[Dark Knight]

I just heard on the news that the US has sent coolant to Japan.

What is involved in a meltdown? I don't know that much about nuclear power plants. Is there any danger of the plant exploding and creating a nuclear blast?

Thanks

It could not cause a nuclear blast, no, but there would be nuclear contamination of the air and surrounding land and water. It could spread for miles downwind. Think Chernobyl.

 

[peeples]

these updates provide some good info
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/11/japan-tsunami-earthquake-live-coverage

 

[hockeymom]

I just heard on the news that the US has sent coolant to Japan.

What is involved in a meltdown? I don't know that much about nuclear power plants. Is there any danger of the plant exploding and creating a nuclear blast?

Thanks

Isn't that what happened at Chernobyl?

 

[not_my_kids]

I just heard on the news that the US has sent coolant to Japan.

What is involved in a meltdown? I don't know that much about nuclear power plants. Is there any danger of the plant exploding and creating a nuclear blast?

Thanks

the way I understand it, which isn't very well, is that if the core temperature (the temperature of the liquid inside the reactor) gets too high, the reactor could melt down". If it melts down, the pressure gets so high that it essentially blows up, and any radioactive material present in the reactor is released into the air, soil, and water supplies nearby. radioactive material can travel quite some distance on the air, but I'm not sure it will travel all the way to the U.S. as some fear. I think it's heavy enough material that it would fall into the ocean before it reached us.

NOT official, since most everything I know about nuclear anything I learned since about 6:30 a.m.

ETA: Listen to DK, he's smarter than me, lol.

 

[Quiche]

Releasing pressure now...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/12/japan-quake-tepco-radiation-idUSTKZ00680420110312

 

[peeples]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_II_Nuclear_Power_Plant

Tokyo Electric on March 12 reported that the cooling system for three reactors at the Fukushima No. 2 plant had failed.[3] They stated that the temperatures were rising in the No.1 and No.2 reactors, and that they had "lost control over pressure" in the reactors.[4] Saturday morning March 12 (Japan time), Tokyo Electric Power Company stated "Evacuation has been instructed by the national government to the local residents within 10 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station." They stated that a monitoring car had found increasing levels of radioactive materials such as Iodine, compared to normal levels, and that a monitoring post also detected elevated levels.[5]


I"ve been reading Iodine is something to worry about.....

 

[peeples]

OMG so which is it???

The latest from the Fukushima reactors is that the government is now saying that there has been "no radioactive leak so far" at the nuclear plants. That seems to contradict an earlier statements by Japan's nuclear safety agency and the Tokyo Electric Power company.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/11/japan-tsunami-earthquake-live-coverage

 

[peeples]

from a public health standpoint, the stuff you're most worried about is iodine, cesium, xenon, krypton, bromine & strontium.

From this guys twitter comments

http://twitter.com/arclight

 

[panthera]

Cries from the quake: 'When are we going to be rescued?'
More than 1,000 feared dead in Japan's northeast — most from the tsunami that followed

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42023385/ns/world_news-asiapacific/?gt1=43001

raying:

 

[panthera]

Dateline is having a 2 hr special tonight about this tragedy. (9pm-11pm) EST

Thank you - it's starting now.

 

[Dark Knight]

ETA: Listen to DK, he's smarter than me, lol.

Nah I just guess real good, lol.

 

[Dark Knight]

from a public health standpoint, the stuff you're most worried about is iodine, cesium, xenon, krypton, bromine & strontium.

From this guys twitter comments

http://twitter.com/arclight

Krypton??? SUPERMAN'S GONNA DIE!

 

[Quiche]

A little lesson on the Super Moon effect, or lack thereof, on this earthquake.

http://www.fastcompany.com/1737710/the-supermoon-and-japans-89-magnitude-earthquake

 

[Herding Cats]

No, Superman can fly away from the cloud of radioactive stuff. He'll be fine. Images of Godzilla, Rhodan, and various other megamonsters have crossed my mind, however.

Seriously, though, I'm hearing of a new EQ in Tonga - which is a very active zone, so not unusual - but what is unusual is the timing.

If radiation has leaked out, we'll know soon enough. Will we be told? Dunno...but either we already know, or will know shortly...

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[pghbrandi]

You're not the only one. I am damn near frantic waiting for word on a friend that was in Tokyo. That's why I've been glued here all day. Prayers for you and yours.

Prayers to you and everyone waiting to hear from loved ones. My uncle lives there. He just moved over there a year ago. It took us a few hours but thank God, we finally reached him through e-mail and he is ok. I just pray everyone here who knows someone has the same outcome as I did.

 

[Quiche]

No, Superman can fly away from the cloud of radioactive stuff. He'll be fine. Images of Godzilla, Rhodan, and various other megamonsters have crossed my mind, however.

Seriously, though, I'm hearing of a new EQ in Tonga - which is a very active zone, so not unusual - but what is unusual is the timing.

If radiation has leaked out, we'll know soon enough. Will we be told? Dunno...but either we already know, or will know shortly...

Best-
Herding Cats

They've made a release from the #1 reactor. I posted a link up thread somewhere, I'll go get it.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/12/japan-quake-tepco-radiation-idUSTKZ00680420110312