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

[tehcloser]

1548: Mr Goto said the reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant were suffering pressure build-ups way beyond that for which they were designed. There was a severe risk of an explosion, with radioactive material being strewn over a very wide area - beyond the 20km evacuation zone set up by the authorities - he added. Mr Goto calculated that because Reactor No 3 at Fukushima-Daiichi - where pressure is rising and there is a risk of an explosion - used a type of fuel known as Mox, a mixture of plutonium oxide and uranium oxide, the radioactive fallout from any meltdown might be twice as bad.

1541: A former nuclear power plant designer has said Japan is facing an extremely grave crisis and called on the government to release more information, which he said was being suppressed. Masashi Goto told a news conference in Tokyo that one of the reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi plant was "highly unstable", and that if there was a meltdown the "consequences would be tremendous". He said such an event might be very likely indeed. So far, the government has said a meltdown would not lead to a sizeable leak of radioactive materials.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

 

[Melanie]

I'm watching msnbc news, and an earthquake specialist is saying we've not yet seen the larger aftershocks. Friday's quake has now been upgraded to 9.0, and they say we can expect one aftershock of 8.0 and five aftershocks of 7.0, all carrying the potential to trigger tsunamis. And methinks aftershocks of that magnitude will impact the unstable nuke plants, too.

Me thinks the media is clammoring for ratings and will say absolutely anything to obtain viewers. When I saw that CNN was putting soppy music to their videos yesterday, I said to he** with them. They want us to panic, they want us to believe the world is coming to an end. Yet they have no facts to back up their stories. How do they know there's going to be an 8.0 coming?

Just like CNN saying "this is the worst disaster since WWII". Ummm...didn't we cause that by dropping a nuke on them in 1945. Yes, the prime minister (I think) said that in one of his broadcasts today, but he failed to mention that Hiroshima is one of the most thriving cities in Japan today (ie, the Mazda plant), and, thankfully, was not affected by the quake.

They are proud people - they will rebuild. I'm glad we're there to help!

MOO

Mel

 

[Sonya610]

The 1,421-metre (4,689-feet) Shinmoedake volcano in the Kirishima range saw its first major eruption for 52 years in January. There had not been any major activity at the site since March 1.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/world/article965229.ece/Japanese-volcano-erupts

Japan had its last major Tsunami in the 1890's and they put various procedures in place ever since then (ensuring roads could evaucate coastal areas, putting buoys of some sort out at sea, building walls, creating elevated platforms for those that could not quickly evacuate).

They are very very safety conscious and likely have had plenty of time to ponder the volcano and the procedures surrounding a major erruption. Easier to plan for that than an 8.9 quake/tsunami/nuclear power disaster. If the areas surrounding the volcano have power and access to the news they probably will be prepared to handle the situation.

 

[Blue_Dolphin308]

Just on MSNBC Multiple meltdowns are now a very real possibility!

 

[JBean]

my comment referred to the levels shown on that radiation link I posted.

http://www.radiationnetwork.com/RadiationNetwork.htm

Regarding that "interesting site'. It's a website for selling geiger counters, and radiation network software.

The radiation map is virtually meaningless in the context or lack of context within which it is being shown. IMO.

Disclaimer: Mineralab, LLC, the operator of this web site, can not independently verify that the Radiation Levels, or any Radiation Alerts, that are displayed on this Radiation Map are correct and valid. Among other possibilities, Geiger counter malfunctions or proximity of the counters to certain medical procedures or to radioactive items can cause high readings at a Monitoring Station. If the Radiation Map appears to show elevated Radiation levels, contact Mineralab.

 

[mysticrose]

Fukushima Nuclear Accident – a simple and accurate explanation


http://theenergycollective.com/barr...lear-accident-simple-and-accurate-explanation

 

[peeples]

Japanese efforts to prevent a nuclear meltdown by flooding reactors with seawater are a last-ditch attempt, but do not mean that a nuclear tragedy is imminent, experts said Sunday.

Nuclear experts who have followed the developments at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northeastern Japan say that despite several setbacks, the possibility of massive radiation exposure remains low -- at least for now.

http://us.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/13/japan.nuclear.reactors/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

This is from about an hour ago.....

 

[doogiesgirl]

I haven't read the whole thread so I am not "up to speed" but I just had to share.

First off we had neighbors from Japan a few years back. Lived beside them for 5 years and we become close b/c of our boys despite the language barrier. Our son was around the same age as two of their three boys. We moved after five years but I would always send them a Christmas card & picture of us and she would send us one too with a picture of them in it(even tho she couldn't speak english--her kids translated for her). They were the best people, they would go home to Japan to visit and would always bring us stuff back from there. Well the last info I got was that they were going back to Japan to live again. This was about a year ago. I remembered that she told me they were from northern Japan by a mountain, I cannot recall the name of the town however. I was so distressed to hear that this quake/tsunami hit hardest right off the northern coast of Japan, by a mountain! I am so worried for them. I have prayed for them but I want so badly to try and find them to make sure they are all alive and to see if there is anything we can do for them from here.

And then there is this other thing....

Ok so I have NEVER had a flood nightmare.....until Thursday night. I awoke at 1:30am --right before I drown in this dream. I was not at home, I was not with my family....it was like during the day when I am out in public running my errands. So me and a group of strangers (public people) are all up on this elevated hill watching this water, there is a white metal fence in front of us, before the drop off to the lower elevation. We are all standing there watching this water roll steadily toward us. It overtops the white fence and everybody begins running, panicking, and the last thing I remember before waking up is this stranger, a man, turning toward me in the midst of this happening and saying...."they will never find our bodies". Then I awoke. I was so startled by this dream. I mentioned it to my son the next morning on the way to taking him to school, (the flood part, not the drowning part) It wasn't until much later that I found out about Japan. And then I saw this youtube video with this white metal fence in it, and the water overtopping it---just like in my dream--it's so frightening. I have tried to figure out the time difference to see if I had this before, during?? when - in relation to the events in Japan but I am hopeless when it comes to math. Anyway....isn't that the strangest thing ever??? Looking back now, I feel like I should have known something was amiss somewhere and should have began praying right then for those people in trouble.
Did anyone else have anything strange like that happen, and what do you make of it?

Praying for our friends in Japan.

 

[IWannaKnow]

Dunno if this has been pointed out or not, but it is pretty shocking IMO:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/mar/13/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-japan

2.22pm: The US Geological Survey says the earthquake appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 2.4 metres. Kenneth Hudnut, a geophysicist, said:

"At this point, we know that one GPS station moved (8 feet), and we have seen a map from GSI (Geospatial Information Authority) in Japan showing the pattern of shift over a large area is consistent with about that much shift of the land mass."

 

[Quiche]

Here is a site that gives the updated information for each reactor.

http://www.thepeakeffect.com/2011/03/japan-nuclear-crisis-update.html?spref=tw

 

[Herding Cats]

Me thinks the media is clammoring for ratings and will say absolutely anything to obtain viewers. When I saw that CNN was putting soppy music to their videos yesterday, I said to he** with them. They want us to panic, they want us to believe the world is coming to an end. Yet they have no facts to back up their stories. How do they know there's going to be an 8.0 coming?

Snipped by me.

It seems to me, and I've stated as such way earlier in the thread, that there has been a lack of aftershocks from this quake. It doesn't surprise me that they are concerned about the lack of "large" aftershocks, because that's the known, somewhat predictable pattern any earthquake has.

There are usually a few quite large - close to the original size (like between 8-8.5. Then there are many about 1.5 levels less than the original (7.0-7.5), and then there are dozens about 3 levels less (6-7.5), and hundreds at 4 levels less (5-6), and thousands at levels lower than that. (Levels are based from this eq's original number of either 8.9 or 9)

It's the pattern, the expected releasing of energy, the expected result from a resettling of the earth, it's crust, and it's surrounding matter (e.g. the ocean). It's the way these things work, you know?

So because we haven't yet seen large (in context) eqs, and we have only seen some of the lower level ones (again, in context), and we are approaching 72 hours after the quake, I, too, am concerned that we haven't had the large size ones we would reasonably, scientifically, geologically expect. And that worries me - this is not following the predictable, "normal" pattern that we have learned comes after a quake. And btw, any good size aftershock can produce their own aftershocks, too...sort of like a ripple effect.

And, depending on where the afershocks happen, and what kind they are (locked/thrust or slip), yes, they definitely have the ability to trigger large tsunamis.

And because of the damage to the nuclear energy sites already, any large quake has the risk to create additional damage.

I don't think that, in this regard, the media is being panic-mongers. Rather, they are trying to bring awareness to the situation. The melt-down thing is a whole other story, however, but I don't know squat about nuclear stuff, so...I'll stick with trying to explain earthquakes. LOL.

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[not_my_kids]

Survivors on CNN are saying that it's freezing cold. Phone lines are down, cell service is patchy, no food, no running water, most of the area still has no power. Saying most of the casualties have been drowning victims from the tsunami. Saying that most people are calm, turning their minds toward clean up and trying to go home, accepting that they have to work together to get through this.

Not sure about how much info they are getting from the government because they cannot really get info because of the comm systems being down. Emergency food and water was delivered to her shelter yesterday, but today it is gone. the only thing to eat is fruit in her area of Sendai.

 

[peeples]

Diagram of what they look like inside

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/uploadedImages/wnn/Images/bwr cutaway.jpg

Notice the metal bracing type bars up at the top inside the concrete.. is what the pic i found last night shows exposed after the explosion... but the rest does seem intact....

 

[Quiche]

Finding more bodies than survivors...

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2011/03/13/lah.sendai.earthquake.search.cnn

 

[not_my_kids]

48 countries are sending help to Japan. As well as US aid, there are SAR teams from Britain and Australia en route, and China has sent man power, medicine and heavy equipment.

 

[Daisyjane]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/13/us-japan-quake-tokai-idUSTRE72C2RH20110313

The cooling system pump has stopped at the Tokai No.2 nuclear power plant in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture, Kyodo news reported, in the wake of the massive earthquake that has crippled other reactors in the country. The plant, located about 120 km (75 miles) north of Tokyo, had suffered a nuclear accident in 1999.

 

[SurfieTX]

Oh my gosh...look at this video. I can't believe how calm this guy is!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa0WpKVAn3M&

 

[tehcloser]

Another One......


Cooling system pump stops at Tokai No.2 plant: report


The plant, located about 120 km (75 miles) north of Tokyo, had suffered a nuclear accident in 1999.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/13/us-japan-quake-tokai-idUSTRE72C2RH20110313

 

[Quiche]

Great map of the plant locations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_Japan#Nuclear_Power_Plants


eta: State of emergency at Onagawa

http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=211959

 

[not_my_kids]

MSNBC saying that government is telling them everything is under control, there is a controlled cooldown. The evac zone has not been widened again. Officials are saying that cooldowns are going as they are supposed to, although there is damage to reactor core.

The people are still very fearful, and frankly, not buying a lot of what the government is telling them, which is that the only ones that have been radiation exposed are the workers at the plants.