Tuesday - March 15, 2011

Reporters and radiation

I’m reading with semi-professional interest the accounts of the Japan nuclear problems. I’m really appalled at the lack of decent info on the amounts of radiation being released.

I should inform you that I spent six years as a Navy Nuclear Operator, or ‘nuke’ ET. I’ve some knowledge of the subject.

Most of these articles don’t tell you anything meaningful. When an article tells you that radiation levels are 10x, 100x, etc over background, that’s meaningless unless they tell you what background levels are.

Here’s an Reuters article which at least gives some info:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/15/us-japan-radiation-leaking-directly-into-idUSTRE72E7B220110315

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), citing information it had received from Japanese authorities at 0350 GMT, said on Tuesday dose rates of up to 400 millisievert per hour have been reported at the Fukushima power plant site.

Okay, dose rates that high are reported AT the Fukushima plant. Doesn’t tell me a thing about the surrounding countryside radiation levels. I’m also unfamiliar with the ‘sievert’ as a unit of radiation measurement. Rads, Rems, Roentgens, even Curies, I can deal with. What’s a ‘sievert’?

Next article is even worse:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/15/navy-detects-radiation-200-miles-japan-nuclear-plant/#ixzz1GitcrzFB

The U.S. Navy said Tuesday that very low levels of airborne radiation were detected at Yokosuka and Atsugi bases, about 200 miles to the north of the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

This is worse than useless. Trust me, I can detect ‘low levels of radiation’ from your spouse, your TV, cellphone, etc. Meaningless without actual measurements. Report the levels your instruments are reading! Is that so hard to do? I might agree with you, but sans actual readings, you’re hiding something.

Another Reuters article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/16/us-japan-quake-idUSTRE72A0SS20110316?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true

Officials in Tokyo said radiation in the capital was 10 times normal at one point but not a threat to human health in the sprawling high-tech city of 13 million people.

No info on ‘normal’ levels, much less the 10x levels recorded.

Depending on where I am, my ‘normal’ radiation level could be 10x just based on location. Denver, CO, has much higher background than my home in Ohio. Denver is surrounded by exposed rocks that exude radon, for instance. It is also the ‘Mile High City’, which means there is less atmosphere to attenuate the sun’s radiation

Posted by Christopher     on 03/15/2011 at 09:57 PM   
Filed Under: • Editorials • News-Briefs •  
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