Radiation Cloud

In the last few days I have watched the problems related to released radiation in Japan on the news. Those idiots give no numbers or data in any way.

Loong ago, the Chernoble reactor blew its top. I placed a giger counter on my deck coupled with a digital event counter and recorded the world event.

The first night, I recorded 12 clicks per minute background. over the next 3 days, it increased to about 17 C/M. Rain followed and washed it all out of the air.

Tonight, I ran the same test (same equipment) for two 10 minute counts. I got 120 Counts and 111 Counts. Similar data provided as back then. I will make more tests as the days progress to see if it reaches North Central Iowa..

I'd like to see other data if you have giger counters and can track this. I think the panic in califorinia is unwarranted. A "count" is one click caused by an ionizing particle passing through the GM tube.

HMike

Interesting.
I find it frustrating that none of the experts are giving any numbers. All I've heard is "not to worry."
Supposedly the cloud is on its way. If us (we?) Californians start to disintegrate I'll have a bone to pick with those "experts."

From what I understand this radiation will travel the globe?
I think it was CNN that had a report saying the radiation would be dissipated by the wind, but I have little to no faith in CNN

RA_pierce said:

Interesting.
I find it frustrating that none of the experts are giving any numbers. All I've heard is "not to worry."
Supposedly the cloud is on its way. If us (we?) Californians start to disintegrate I'll have a bone to pick with those "experts."

Click to expand...

I think its going to really depend on the outcome of how its handled.
As it stands, its not nearly as bad as Chernobyl, but given the circumstances,
it may just turn out to be worse.

If you need me, ill be in the basement with a fist full of potassium iodide tabs :tinfoil:

RA_pierce said:

Interesting.
I find it frustrating that none of the experts are giving any numbers. All I've heard is "not to worry."
Supposedly the cloud is on its way. If us (we?) Californians start to disintegrate I'll have a bone to pick with those "experts."

Click to expand...

hey hey, lets not forget basic meteorology here, whether its by land or by sea, no object traveling freely ever goes by line of sight. In Japans case, it is caught in the westerlies between the Ferrel and Hadley cells...which moves north east and south west patterns. I believe very little will reach California, but coasts along Oregon, Washington, all the way up to the Aleutians might get some beeps on their geigers.

It will travel the globe as I saw with Chernoble. If I wash my exterior, what about the interior?

"THERE IS NO NEED FOR CONCERN ABOUT RECENT PROBLEMS" seems to be the call of the day. Obama says there in no problem for California ---- How about Chicago or here?

Myself, I'm not worried. I will monitor and kiss my a$$ good-by !!!!! KIDDING !!!!! Pay no attention to the man behind the curtan....

HMike

@Illum.... : Winds which blow northward seem to eventually drop into the scrotum of the weather patterns right over me in Iowa. Winter is that way here.

Hemlock_Mike said:

In the last few days I have watched the problems related to released radiation in Japan on the news. Those idiots give no numbers or data in any way.

Loong ago, the Chernoble reactor blew its top. I placed a giger counter on my deck coupled with a digital event counter and recorded the world event.

The first night, I recorded 12 clicks per minute background. over the next 3 days, it increased to about 17 C/M. Rain followed and washed it all out of the air.

Tonight, I ran the same test (same equipment) for two 10 minute counts. I got 120 Counts and 111 Counts. Similar data provided as back then. I will make more tests as the days progress to see if it reaches North Central Iowa..

I'd like to see other data if you have giger counters and can track this. I think the panic in califorinia is unwarranted. A "count" is one click caused by an ionizing particle passing through the GM tube.

HMike

Click to expand...

That's pretty cool Mike, very interesting, thanks for the info. I agree with you, hell they used to irradiate us on a regular basis decades ago with nuclear detonations. Thank goodness that stopped.
I wish I had a radiation counter, was looking at them a little while back but my wife suggested NO! See now I think I should just get one!

I do not post this in fear or panic. I see this as an opportunity to track point releases of "toxins" into the atmosphere and how they travel.
The government and meadia could assist in providing numbers.
If 4 PicoCuries of Radon is dangerous, How many PCu can we expect here and for how long? What are the isotopes and what's the half life?

HMike

Here in the "greater LA area" I'll let you all know if the scientific community measure more radiation with the equipment we have access to... I don't expect as much radiation increase as living close to lots of bricks though. -Glenn

RA_pierce said:

Interesting.
I find it frustrating that none of the experts are giving any numbers. All I've heard is "not to worry."

Click to expand...

The problem is that the 'experts' cannot see inside the reactors to see what is going on.

In scenarios like these experts have to rely on external radiation measurements, thermographs of the reactor buildings and such. There is much speculation about a meltdown in progress, but it would be impossible to determine that without actually opening the reactor vessel and looking at the fuel stack.

I think the japanese reactors withstood the disaster with flying colours. These things have been hit with the worst earthquake in 1200 years, followed by a tsunami. Despite all that, there is no major radiological exposure to the public at large. In my book that is an incredible achievement in both design and control - if something equally powerful hit a US reactors you'd be importing bodybags right now.

I'll soak all the radiation up!
:na:

@benm
No, I completely agree. And I am not worried at all, really.

From what I've read, they can predict the relative amount of fallout that will sprinkle on California but exactly how much depends on local radiation levels at the reactor. Supposedly the Japanese haven't disclosed this information yet (as of what I read a day or two ago).

However, It would be nice to see some facts to back up the "Don't worry," since there is a possibility of real danger should the situation get worse.

All this stuff going on and I forgot my geiger counter at home. Oh well, even if the reactors did spew a lot of material, I doubt it would be detectable here in Pennsylvania.

Looks like the "situation" has got worse, not in Japan but in Libiya.

Should I start a new thread?

– 21 mins ago
BENGHAZI, Libya (AFP) – Planes carried out two air strikes southwest of Libya's rebel stronghold of Benghazi early Saturday and columns of smoke were seen rising from the targeted zone, AFP journalists reported.
Aircraft could be heard over the centre of the city, where explosions were heard throughout the night, as well as continuous gunfire and anti-aircraft fire.
The first air stike came at 7:20 GMT (0520 GMT) and the second followed around 20 minutes later, producing a thick column of black smoke that continued to sit in the sky nearly half an hour later.
At 8:17 am local time, a series of several small explosions, possibly from Katyusha rockets, produced at least seven smaller columns of black smoke south of the city.
The air strikes came after the Libyan government said it was observing a ceasefire that it announced shortly after the United Nations voted to authorise use of force against Moamer Kadhafi's troops.
But the rebel forces who have been trying to overthrow the Libyan leader said his troops had continued to bombard cities, violating the ceasefire continuously since its declaration.
On Friday evening, residents of Benghazi had braced for an imminent attack, after reports Kadhafi's troops were just 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of the city and planning an evening assault.
In Tripoli, Libya's deputy foreign minister had denied there were any plans to attack the rebel bastion and said the government forces would not breach the ceasefire.
"The armed forces are now located outside the city of Benghazi and we have no intention of entering Benghazi," Khaled Kaaim told reporters.
Kaaim also called for the immediate deployment of foreign observers, saying otherwise "the accusations and counter-accusations will not stop."
On Friday, the United States accused Kadhafi of violating the truce, and President Barack Obama delivered a blunt ultimatum to the Libyan leader, threatening military action if he ignores non-negotiable UN demands for a ceasefire and a retreat from rebel bastions.
France is due to host later Saturday what it said would be a "decisive" summit with the European Union, Arab League and African Union, as well as UN chief Ban Ki-moon, on taking UN-sanctioned military action in Libya.
France's ambassador to the United Nations, Gerard Araud, said he expected military intervention within hours of the summit.