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

[wfgodot]

11.42pm: This according to Reuters: Tokyo Electric Power Company has said that it is preparing to release some steam to relieve pressure in the Unit 3 reactor at the Fukushima nuclear plant 150 miles (240km) north of Tokyo – which would release a small amount of radiation.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/12/japan-earthquake-tsunami-aftermath-live

 

[katydid23]

Since he is 22, I assume he made his own choice as to whether to not he should go.

I mean unless you gave him an ultimatum or something, he made his choice, so you don't really have anything to feel guilty about.

I do understand why he wanted to go and if I had the training necessary I would go in a heartbeat.

No, no ultimatums from me, but I think his girlfriend was pretty adamant. But I think she had a right to be and was coming from a different place , as they are living together, and are 'engaged to be engaged.' So I can understand her position totally. She wants to plan a life with him and hopes to have a family with him, and if he landed in a radioactive cloud those dreams could be erased. Sadly.

He was somewhat torn and he was feeling guilty for wanting to listen to his gf, and I think he didn't want to let his boss down, who was putting the trip together. All I did was convince him that he was not selfish for wanting to follow though on his dreams and plans. And I said that I did not think that the Japanese government was being fully honest about what was really happening with those reactors so far. Which I think is true. ?

 

[Dr.Fessel]

I would not be surprised to learn more people died from not having the electricity these nuke plants generate compared to any radiation deaths.

 

[JBean]

No, no ultimatums from me, but I think his girlfriend was pretty adamant. But I think she had a right to be and was coming from a different place , as they are living together, and are 'engaged to be engaged.' So I can understand her position totally. She wants to plan a life with him and hopes to have a family with him, and if he landed in a radioactive cloud those dreams could be erased. Sadly.

He was somewhat torn and he was feeling guilty for wanting to listen to his gf, and I think he didn't want to let his boss down, who was putting the trip together. All I did was convince him that he was not selfish for wanting to follow though on his dreams and plans. And I said that I did not think that the Japanese government was being fully honest about what was really happening with those reactors so far. Which I think is true. ?

we should probably take this conversation to the Jury room, but I disagree with the GF, unless he has children with her.
Katydid if you want to start this topic in the JR it could be good discussion. I am guilty of perpetuating the topic, so want to move it if you would like me to take the posts down there.
Let me know.

 

[tehcloser]

Doc, I don't want to think about it either......but it's there. And really we are in "uncharted territory". Never have we had anything like this happen. It's not just a reactor going bad, it's a rector going bad in a already ripped apart area where their ability to effectively do something is already seriously diminished. And it's not 1 reactor, it's 3.

 

[Quiche]

I'm getting frushtrated-- they are still saying the 1000 times the level inside, the same as last night? I don't think so, and the fact that it hasn't been updated doesn't bode well, imo.

 

[Nancy2441]

Official: Meltdown may be under way at nuclear reactor in Japan:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/12/japan.quake/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

 

[not_my_kids]

CNN reporter saying that they think they are basing the meltdown fears on the discovery of cesium and radioactive iodine outside the plant.

Evacuation zone expanded to 12 miles.

Defense Ministry has moved in a team that specializes in radioactive cleanup.

Containment chamber is supposedly still intact. This containment chamber is 15 cm thick of solid steel. For reference:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The above line is roughly 15 cm. Suddenly doesn't seem thick enough.

 

[Quiche]

This wiki page gives a blow by blow account and has a ton of references.

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

 

[scandi]

I have heard it reported several places as a new quake.

Here is a link to a good USGS map. It does not say if it's an aftershock, or a new quake. To me, they're the definitive experts.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/10/145_35.php

Red lines - not red squares, but the long lines - are known "major" faults.

What is intriguing is that, like what happened in 1994 in Northridge, sometimes a fault is discovered when it ruptures, and not before. What is interesting about this area is, if you look around on the map (click the blue arrows to move 10* that direction), you'll note that this is in a cross of three major fault lines.

I would expect, then, that that this is either a new fault (and rupturing due to pressure from displacement earlier), or a quake that is an aftershock due to settling from land and water, and adjusting because of pressure. However, I don't know which it is.

Best-
Herding Cats

Thanks for the great map Herding. I always keep the Alaska Volcano Observatory maps handy, a fascinating study as there are so many volcano's and earthquakes in Alaska:

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/

xox

 

[Dark Knight]

Everybody is focusing on the nuclear reactor and forgetting that the country is either under water, crumbled, or washed away, as well.

 

[Nancy2441]

I don't have one, but thinking I should get one.

I got one a few years ago after I evacuated the wildfires in San Diego County. I'm glad I have it. I think everyone should have a battery operated radio for emergencies!

 

[Quiche]

And coldddddd!

 

[panthera]

Everybody is focusing on the nuclear reactor and forgetting that the country is either under water, crumbled, or washed away, as well.

They definitely have a myriad of disasters there. Many bridges also out, transportation is a huge problem, food is in very short supply, and not having electricity in some areas with cold temperatures could be a very big problem. MOO

 

[JBean]

Can't ignore the Gulf of California quakes tucked in there today...

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.php

Also interesting to note the amount and magnitude of several quakes starting on the 9th off the east coast of Honshu.Lots of activity. I think there was even a 7 something in there.

 

[Quiche]

Also interesting to note the amount and magnitude of several quakes starting on the 9th off the east coast of Honshu.Lots of activity. I think there was even a 7 something in there.

Yes, impressive foreshocks!

 

[JBean]

Yes, impressive foreshocks!

I was just doing some snooping and it was about this time last year we had some good quakes. Tis the season. Best double check my supplies.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99891&highlight=earthquake

 

[not_my_kids]

Also interesting to note the amount and magnitude of several quakes starting on the 9th off the east coast of Honshu.Lots of activity. I think there was even a 7 something in there.

They are confirming now that those were foreshocks, leading up to the 8.9. Just nobody had any way of knowing that at the time, and with the number of quakes that Japan gets, there was no reason to suspect.

 

[Melanie]

Everybody is focusing on the nuclear reactor and forgetting that the country is either under water, crumbled, or washed away, as well.

Thanks, DK -- so worried that these folks will have to go through "another" disater on top of the quake, tsunami, no food, no water, fires, and now this. I just feel so helpless, and wonder what's next KWIM?

I hear where you're coming from though. Gotta think of the whole forest, and not just the trees.

Mel

 

[not_my_kids]

Not to be a worrywart, and it likely is indicative of nothing, but CNN keeps going offline.