Eh, bad situation. Bad. Chernobyl is just a few feet above the water table. And built on sand. And the damaged reactor was encased in concrete. Which, given age and the high heat of the radiation, is turning to (radioactive) dust. My dad was part of a consortium that tried to get approval/funding for vitrifying - turning to glass - everything around the reactor, for long-term safety. Too many billions of dollars. He wanted to go inside the reactor, but they wouldn't let him. . . We donated some full coverage hazard suits, and the Manager of Chernobyl broke down and cried - because they ARE going into the reactor for testing, and people ARE dying as a result. Sad situation.
Remember the lesson of Three Mile Island, though. The first hours that the accident was occurring, the plant engineers were convinced that it was a bad sensor. So while the plant computer was frantically trying to shut the plant down, the engineers were frantically overriding the computer, and keeping the plant running. That accident, interestingly, showed just how well our nuke plants are built.
Peter, yes, they actually go on hols there now armed with radiation detectors for fun.
Chris, it's terrible,I've watched the documentary, saw them ignore the facts. It makes you wonder what sort of imbeciles are in charge of places like this. I had no idea people are going into the reactor today. The world needs more people like your dad.
Ah, but I think of the helicopter pilots. That flew over the reactor and dropped the concrete onto the inferno, to contain it. They knew it was radioactive, and what the radiation would do to them. They knew that they were going to die. But they did it anyway. To save as much of their land, as many of their people, as they could. It's enough to make you cry.
if i do remember it correctly : the photographer did not die - how strange it may seem p/b (but he did not fly over it over & over again, just a couple of times to take pics, but the guys working to keep us safe, they were working shifts)
these days you would get nerds standing around it with marshmallows...
ReplyDeletep/b
Eh, bad situation. Bad. Chernobyl is just a few feet above the water table. And built on sand. And the damaged reactor was encased in concrete. Which, given age and the high heat of the radiation, is turning to (radioactive) dust. My dad was part of a consortium that tried to get approval/funding for vitrifying - turning to glass - everything around the reactor, for long-term safety. Too many billions of dollars. He wanted to go inside the reactor, but they wouldn't let him. . . We donated some full coverage hazard suits, and the Manager of Chernobyl broke down and cried - because they ARE going into the reactor for testing, and people ARE dying as a result. Sad situation.
ReplyDeleteRemember the lesson of Three Mile Island, though. The first hours that the accident was occurring, the plant engineers were convinced that it was a bad sensor. So while the plant computer was frantically trying to shut the plant down, the engineers were frantically overriding the computer, and keeping the plant running. That accident, interestingly, showed just how well our nuke plants are built.
ChrisInAtlanta
Peter, yes, they actually go on hols there now armed with radiation detectors for fun.
ReplyDeleteChris, it's terrible,I've watched the documentary, saw them ignore the facts. It makes you wonder what sort of imbeciles are in charge of places like this. I had no idea people are going into the reactor today. The world needs more people like your dad.
Ah, but I think of the helicopter pilots. That flew over the reactor and dropped the concrete onto the inferno, to contain it. They knew it was radioactive, and what the radiation would do to them. They knew that they were going to die. But they did it anyway. To save as much of their land, as many of their people, as they could. It's enough to make you cry.
ReplyDeleteChrisInAtlanta
Chris, whoever took this photo is no doubt long gone. Such a scary place.
ReplyDeleteif i do remember it correctly : the photographer did not die - how strange it may seem
ReplyDeletep/b
(but he did not fly over it over & over again, just a couple of times to take pics, but the guys working to keep us safe, they were working shifts)
Peter, he had a lucky escape then, I sure the radiation will get him in the end...
ReplyDelete