Fukushima Crisis: Latest maps of spread of radiation plumes (plume to blow inland today, Nature.com)

[jpak]

http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/2011/03/fukushima_crisis_latest_maps_o_2.html

Austria's weather service, the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics in Vienna, has posted an update today of its dispersion modelling of radiation from the troubled Fukushima nuclear power. The plume, having been blown West to the ocean yesterday, has turned inwards to the mainland today Sunday, as it will tomorrow and Tuesday, while transport across the ocean is stopping. Rain and snow will wash out radioactivity to the ground.

The centre explains the colour coding used in it's maps as: "The colour scale shows a total of 5 colours. The area marked "E" shows an area with estimated current equivalent dose rate of 10 mSv/h (in a 25x25 km2 square). The violet colour on the outer edge of contaminated areas (Area A) represents 0,3 ?Sv/h, which corresponds to the amount of the natural background radiation dose."

Figure 1: Plume as of Sunday and Monday (12:00 UTC)



Figure 2: Plume as of Tuesday



It also provides other fresh data from the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) (see the long article I published last week on CTBTO data for more details on its data).

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larger animation at link

[Raschel]

1. Japanese officials said that the radiation released would be greater than the first time.

Nobody knows how much greater though, do they.

[flamingdem]

2. Which release is that?

Do you have a link or quote?

[Raschel]

4. Heres one link, but I also saw somewhere that now they won't have to vent it. Sorry no link for that

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake;_ylt=AirftPwxf579FbJuarCxGWas0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNrY3QxOWk1BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMzIwL2FzX2phcGFuX2VhcnRocXVha2UEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwMyBHBvcwMxMARwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDZm9vZGZlYXJzc3By

[jpak]

3. Is that from the planned/canceled pressure venting from reactor No. 3?

:shrug:

[Raschel]

5. Yes, but the link I gave indicates it's from 17 mins ago? I'm confused.

[flamingdem]

6. The information is confused but I wonder if it's for a reason:

I read that they are fearful about venting No. 3 because that could lead to an explosion. I am suspicious of whether they have just given up on No. 3. Time will tell. All kinds of half-baked information.