It's a misleading chart. The 400 mSV per hour isn't pinpointed. Is this right on top of the fuel rods? Where? Otherwise, the actual amount of radiation at a distance may be tremendously less.
I know the press has been really hammering this, but the reactors have containment domes. Generally, this is a large shell with 6 inches of stainless steel and 3 feet of concrete.
Chernobyle didn't have a dome, so when the rods melted, a tremendous amount of steam, and ash, were ejected from the reactor and into the surrounding atmosphere.
Ionizing radiation travels in straight lines. If the reactor was radiating 1000 times what was considered safe, a few dozen miles of real estate would prevent any exposure at all.
One thing to think of is the fact that people are still working in the plant. They wouldn't be there if they were doomed to die, or suffer terrible damage.
Yes ionising radiation obeys the inverse square law: double the distance, quarter the exposure and for all practical purposes, goes straight. But the 400micrSV/hr, in the plant presumably and from direct radiation not fallout, is going to cause a pretty severe suntan. Not mention shedding of the intestinal mucosa and failure of bone marrow (luekopenia in chart shown on this page): (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_poisoning#Signs_and_symptoms)
If the readings were too great for a helicopter to fly over, OMG.
btw my company makes the Geiger counters you are seeing in photos and videos. We've had a bumper week!
It's a misleading chart. The 400 mSV per hour isn't pinpointed. Is this right on top of the fuel rods? Where? Otherwise, the actual amount of radiation at a distance may be tremendously less.
ReplyDeleteI know the press has been really hammering this, but the reactors have containment domes. Generally, this is a large shell with 6 inches of stainless steel and 3 feet of concrete.
Chernobyle didn't have a dome, so when the rods melted, a tremendous amount of steam, and ash, were ejected from the reactor and into the surrounding atmosphere.
Jess, the link says that's outside the reactor but at the plants gates it was only 11.9. Still I find it terrifying.
ReplyDeleteIonizing radiation travels in straight lines. If the reactor was radiating 1000 times what was considered safe, a few dozen miles of real estate would prevent any exposure at all.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to think of is the fact that people are still working in the plant. They wouldn't be there if they were doomed to die, or suffer terrible damage.
...I have a bad feeling about it still. But then I have end-of-the-world dreams almost every night.
ReplyDeleteYes ionising radiation obeys the inverse square law: double the distance, quarter the exposure and for all practical purposes, goes straight. But the 400micrSV/hr, in the plant presumably and from direct radiation not fallout, is going to cause a pretty severe suntan. Not mention shedding of the intestinal mucosa and failure of bone marrow (luekopenia in chart shown on this page): (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_poisoning#Signs_and_symptoms)
ReplyDeleteIf the readings were too great for a helicopter to fly over, OMG.
btw my company makes the Geiger counters you are seeing in photos and videos. We've had a bumper week!
3700 microSV/hr at the reactor.
ReplyDeleteYou want me to keep updating? Thought not.
Expat, holy shit! How much worse will it get :-(
ReplyDelete