Japanese Defense Minister: 87.7 millisievert at altitude!

[originalpckelly]

:wow:

Per news conference right now on NHK Worldwide English!

[readmoreoften]

1. Where?

It was up to 1000msv at the site yesterday.

[thewiseguy]

5. No it was 10 msv. That is when they evacuated. Came back when it was 1 msv.

[readmoreoften]

33. Guardian is saying the reading was 400 msv/hr

Sorry can't find the link, but it was everywhere. FIrst 400 msv/hr, then up to 800-1000 msv/her for a brief moment (hence the pullout). I'm confused and don't exactly know which info to trust. Maybe its 10 msv constant? :shrug:

[originalpckelly]

6. If I heard right, that was at altitude above the plants.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. Link here

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/

[originalpckelly]

3. That's the equivalent radiation of 29 mammograms.

[thewiseguy]

4. How could it be 87.7 at altitude and less than 1 at the gate?

[originalpckelly]

7. They may have flubbed the units again.

Either in translation or in the actual press conference. That's still way less than Chernobyl.

[daleo]

19. Probably radioactive particles entrained in a rising plume

Of smoke, steam and ash.

[jpak]

20. The thermally hot plumes from the reactors/spent fuel pools rise into the atmosphere

This means that significant quantities of radiation are being dispersed - far and wide

Where the wind blows - it goes

and what goes up - must come down

yup

[NYC_SKP]

8. Background on background radiation here:

Trying to get the science right.

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

87.7 millisievert over the course of a year, not unusual.

Not sure what the full dimensions of this number are, at altitude.

:shrug:

[thewiseguy]

13. It is 87.7 msv per hour not one year.

This is from your own link:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and other U.S. and international agencies, require that licensees limit radiation exposure to individual members of the public to 1 mSv (100 mrem) per year, and limit occupational radiation exposure to adults working with radioactive material to 50 mSv (5 rem) per year, and 100 mSv (10 rem) in 5 years.

[daleo]

21. The reading wasn't averaged over a year

So that's not really relevant.

[thewiseguy]

9. These Edano press conferences are absolutely crap

He never says anything noteworthy.

[originalpckelly]

12. Well, if he didn't flub it, that's a fucking lot of radiation!

That's almost the lowest cancer causing dose.

[jpak]

10. The US NRC was right to warn US citizens to evacuate to beyond 50 miles from the plant

0.087 Sv x 24 hours = 2.1 Sv = symptoms of radiation poisoning

There has been a serious release of radiation

yup

[originalpckelly]

11. Even if they got the decimal point wrong and it was 8.7...

that is still a lot of radiation.

They are updating the evacuation!

[thewiseguy]

15. The 87.7 number sounds right. The water has evaporated from the exposed fuel pools

Those pilots in the helicopters were risking their lives pouring water over the reactor. Maybe that is the reason they were hesitant to drop any lower.

[originalpckelly]

17. It does make sense.

But that's scary.

It's not Chernobyl's 10,000 mSv/hr, but still it's pretty fucking bad.

It will cause cancer, if they're there for a little longer than an hour.

[Selatius]

26. They will probably get cancer at this point, but they likely knew the dangers.

They're sacrificing themselves for a greater cause, and I wish them well.

[originalpckelly]

14. Other people heard it on the feed I'm watching!

So I know I heard right. As to whether they actually meant that, we'll see later if they have to correct it. If they don't that's a lot of radiation, but nowhere near Chernobyl still.

[originalpckelly]

16. It's being replayed now, will report what I hear.

[originalpckelly]

18. Someone else watch, I have to do something, sorry:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-world-tv

[rdking647]

22. actual conditions

heres the actual conditions at the power station at of 9am japan time march 17
http://www.jaif.or.jp/english/news_images/pdf/ENGNEWS01_1300322727P.pdf

[originalpckelly]

24. They had 400 mSv next to unit 3, so it's likely this by above that unit...

though these numbers are not new, like you said, they are from Tuesday in Japan.

[rdking647]

23. at the edge of the plant

they are reporting 1472 Micro sv/hour.

http://www.jaif.or.jp/english/news_images/pdf/ENGNEWS01_1300322727P.pdf

[originalpckelly]

25. At the EDGE of the plant.

Right next to unit no. 3 (on Tuesday) in the numbers you provided earlier, it was 400 mSv, which is extremely high.

So it is conceivable that it was above unit no. 3 that they observed the 87.7 mSv.

[rdking647]

29. 4 milliseiverts

according to kyodo the japanese news agency 9from the bbc live feed)


As we know choppers resumed water drops on the plant today. Defence Minister Toshimi Kitazawa approved the operation as the radiation level was 4.13 millisievert per hour at an altitude of 1,000 feet, Kyodo reports.

[originalpckelly]

30. Yeah, but this was the press conference after they got close to the reactors...

probably closer to the ground.

[originalpckelly]

32. It's true after all, look downthread.

Your own numbers show it is.

The 87.7 mSv is at 300 ft.

[Ignis]

27. Kick

:wow:

[reorg]

28. 87.7 millisievert at 300 feet

Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa said Thursday he has given the go-ahead for Self-Defense Forces helicopters to drop water onto a troubled reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant as the radiation level was 4.13 millisievert per hour at an altitude of 1,000 feet.

The level comes to 87.7 millisievert at 300 feet, the minister also said.

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/78796.html

[originalpckelly]

31. Thanks for finding a story.

So it is true.

Upthread someone posted a general status update for both plants, and it shows that next to unit no. 3 at plant no. 1 there was a measurement of 400 mSv. So this is totally realistic and possible, unfortunately. :-(