Can muon particle imaging be used to see Fukushima cores?

[kristopher]

Tiny particles may illuminate reactor cores
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Published: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012 - 12:00 am

TOKYO -- Using particles from space to look into the heart of nuclear reactors - this is the goal of researchers at Nagoya University.

The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned that a team of researchers from the university is developing technology to use elementary particles from space to see into the interiors of crippled reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

Their aim is to establish technology that can obtain images similar to X-rays of what is happening inside the Nos. 1 to 3 reactors, whose cores melted down in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. plans to start operations to move melted-down nuclear fuel out of the reactors within the coming 10 years as a step toward decommissioning them.

To do so, the power ...

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/07/4170080/tiny-particles-may-illuminate.html

[FBaggins]

1. Clever... But doesn't seem practical.

Getting the sensing film/plate/whatever on the other side of the corium would seem impractical (impossible if you think it's meters under the reactor burning its way to the water table)...

... And they appear to have a much simpler option. Drill small holes through the containment and run cameras in.