This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Fukushima: "China Syndrome Is Inevitable" ... "Huge Steam Explosions", or "Nuclear Bomb-Type Explosions" May Occur
I've repeatedly noted that we may experience a "China syndrome" type of accident at Fukushima.
For example, I pointed out in September:
Mainichi Dailly News notes:
As a radiation meteorology and nuclear safety expert at Kyoto University's Research Reactor Institute, Hiroaki Koide [says]:
The nuclear disaster is ongoing.
***
At present, I believe that there is a possibility that massive amounts of radioactive materials will be released into the environment again.
At the No. 1 reactor, there's a chance that melted fuel has burned through the bottom of the pressure vessel, the containment vessel and the floor of the reactor building, and has sunk into the ground. From there, radioactive materials may be seeping into the ocean and groundwater.
***
The government and plant operator TEPCO are trumpeting the operation of the circulation cooling system, as if it marks a successful resolution to the disaster. However, radiation continues to leak from the reactors. The longer the circulation cooling system keeps running, the more radioactive waste it will accumulate. It isn't really leading us in the direction we need to go.
It's doubtful that there's even a need to keep pouring water into the No.1 reactor, where nuclear fuel is suspected to have burned through the pressure vessel. Meanwhile, it is necessary to keep cooling the No. 2 and 3 reactors, which are believed to still contain some fuel, but the cooling system itself is unstable. If the fuel were to become overheated again and melt, coming into contact with water and trigger a steam explosion, more radioactive materials will be released.
***
We are now head to head with a situation that mankind has never faced before.
Mainichi also reports:
The Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) and residents of the zone between 20 and 30 kilometers from the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant held an emergency evacuation drill on Sept. 12 ... in preparation for any further large-scale emission of radioactive materials from the plant.
***
The scenario for the drill presupposed further meltdown of the Fukushima plant’s No. 3 reactor core, and a local accumulation of radioactive materials emitting 20 millisieverts of radiation within the next four days. ...
And nuclear expert Paul Gunter says that we face a "China Syndrome", where the fuel from the reactor cores at Fukushima have melted through the container vessels, into the ground, and are hitting groundwater and creating highly-radioactive steam:
Nuclear expert Arnie Gundersen said recently that a new built up of hydrogen may cause the reactors to explode again:
Hydrogen buildup at Fukushima? What does it mean & why does it happen? from Fairewinds Associates on Vimeo.
Nuclear expert Dr. Ian Fairlie - former scientific secretary to the United Kingdom government’s Committee Examining Radiation Risks from Internal Emitters, who advises the European Parliament as well as local and national authorities in several countries - told Dr. Helen Caldicott:
Really it’s just a matter of time before it [the corium] goes through and into the bottom of the actual station itself. And if it ever hits ground, well… there’s a lot of water sloshing around there, if molten fuel gets into that water it will immediately flash to steam and you will have huge steam explosions going on.
***
I’m not ruling out a nuclear bomb-type explosion”.
And the architect who actually designed Fukushima Reactor No. 3 - Uehara Haruo, former president of Saga University - told popular Japanese news source Live Door on November 17th that (translation courtesy of Fukushima Diary):
In this interview, [Haruo] admitted Tepco’s explanation does not make sense, and that the China syndrome is inevitable.
He stated that considering 8 months have passed since [the March 11th earthquake] without any improvement, it is inevitable that melted fuel went out of the container vessel and sank underground, which is called China syndrome.
He added, if fuel has reaches a underground water vein, it will cause contamination of underground water, soil contamination and sea contamination. Moreover, if the underground water vein keeps being heated for long time, a massive hydrovolcanic explosion will be caused.
(Or see this Google translation or this Babelfish translation).
»
- advertisements -
Unicorn poop is the power of the future.
Oh, wait. . .
Good one. +1 4 U.
Having read GW's post on the Macondo oil spill while observing it first hand, I would questions the accuracy of his statements. I believe Fukushima is a horrible tragedy(worse than reported by Tepco), and will continue to be a rolling fuckup for years, but George is a clown.
TY George and From Today's Bloomberg:
http://tiny.cc/wodz5
I call bullshit.
I know enough of the math and engineering I could make a Little Boy style bomb. (Yes I am an expert machinist to fabricate it too.) It's not easy to assemble a super-critical mass or Iran would have a thousand bombs in it's arsenal. Accidental or self-assembled explosions are as silly as giant mutant vegetables from radiation. If some 'expert' tells you otherwise he has just outed himself as an idiot speaking beyond his level of expertise.
The danger from what we DO have at Fukushima is so bad it angers me you call into question the valid points by piling on bullshit. The bare facts are bad enough. Why does everybody have to fucking exaggerate?
If you can build a nuclear bomb, you should be able to get a proper avatar. Just saying.
I do agree that an atomic explosion is highly unlikely, bordering on the impossible. I wish our government would truthfully address the situation to reduce all the ill-conceived speculation. That said, the only giant mutant vegetables I've seen lately are usually sitting in front of their TV sets watching reality-TV shows. Unfortunately, a few occasionally make it to the beach, looking like manatees in bathing attire.
"The danger from what we DO have at Fukushima is so bad it angers me you call into question the valid points by piling on bullshit. The bare facts are bad enough. Why does everybody have to fucking exaggerate?"
................
Sex sells, sensationalism sells, fraud sells, pols on the take sells, man bites dog sells, etc...
Slow death by radiation poisioning doesn't sell as well as a multi-megaton explosion. If the 'scientists' touting a big blast get a few minutes of face time on some main stream media outlets they will be on tour touting their new book in no time.
Perhaps you believe the danger to be so bad because you believed all the hype surrounding Chernobyl. Besides the blast killing workers, there've been no confirmed deaths from radiation surrounding Chernobyl and Bambi and Thumper are doing well.
The building and maintenance of nuclear power plants has fewer injuries/deaths than any other source of power. If you want people do survive and thrive, go nuclear.
This guy is full of baloney.
Seems like its both true and bullshit at the same time
we know that the issue was never really properly handled
yet if the readings and emissions reported on the attached link were actually true, then the body count would back it up.
seems like things are getting more involved than a Stephen King novel
Those Japanese, letting a perfectly good crisis go to waste; tsk, tsk. At least when one melts down here in the US, we'll be able to spin it as pretext for invading a resource-rich country somewhere.
dont you mean an excuse to give away the toxic waste site to China?
(in lieu of our debt to China... of course)
Considering all the garbage China has sold us, giving them toxic waste seems only fair. Remember the Chinese drywall? Remember the dangerous dog food? Now I read that doggie treats from China are potentially deadly.
There's a difference?
Cheap and easy way to decontaminate radiation
http://www.redicecreations.com/article.php?id=17613
Hongcouver, nice.
Georgie's a good chap but sometimes he gets a little worked up. So I wouldn't worry so much about your produce in WA, OR, CA, or BC. But it'd be prudent to plant a vegetable garden as you say.
Things are far from over in Lucky-Island, but not due to explode anytime soon, I will let you know when it gets close, kay?
Yes, and completely ignore the hot particles they pulled out of car air filters on the west coast. You'll only "get worked-up" otherwise.
Thank you GW.
I had a dream last night that radiation emptied out Japan, yet the Yen got stronger and the Nikkei went up. Go figure.
Radiation is transitory - it just depends on your timeframe. Come back in 1,000,000 years and see if I'm not right.
Keynsian bull, look at all the jobs that would be created to relocate,rebuild,decontaminate,etc........
"But it's only a tiny leak,"...Japan's PM.
"The recession is over,"...The Bern*nk summer, 2009
"No one could have seen this coming,"...Bankers to Congress.
"The financial system will collpase," ...Hank Paulson....
"I see Green Shoots,"...The Bernank.....
"We're not printing,"...The Bernank.....
Another reason Kyle Bass is right about the future of the Yen and Japanese bonds.
1. Japan in process of becoming unihabitable. roger, on schedule.
2. 20 M tons of trash due in Hawaii from Fucky -shima set to join an alredy floating crap pile. Roger, on schedule
3. Seattle, Hongcover, portland, eugene and possibly San Fran. all to get a raidoactive steam cleaning before moving on to Cheyenne and Denver and other points east if it gets into the jet sream. Roger, on schedule
4. Super duper pooper scooper committee crashes and burns. (yawn)
5. Ditto for cub scout leaders in Europe.
6. Banking crooks are now using huge construction equipmwent to steal money with authorities using police to keep crowds back.Sheeple think its all a movie being made.
7.Dumbo and the pentagon set to blow up Iran so IS-RA-EL can play at the beaches in Tel a Viv.
So much for all the pre Christmas cheer Milestones.
Re. 1 ... Now we know what all those 60+ million empty apartments in China are for.
but I thought Spinone said we're NOT in a 1950s horror movie?
I buy products from Japan all the time (not food) should I be concerned about contamination?
HD... The new Japanese semi-depleted uranium bullets have awsome penetrating ability. Just don't carry them around in your pockets.
Someone just took a massive shit all over my garden greens.. should I be concerned about fecal matter being on my food?
your food all ends up there anyway
Nah, just give it a quick rinse... yum.
in my opinion. yes.
I am almost embarassed to ask this question but I can expose my tin hat head here and not get it totally whacked off.
Has anyone besides me noticed produce coming from California can be, well, uh, sometimes much bigger than normal? I won't buy the brussel sprouts anymore, they are coming into my market bigger than golf balls or ping pong balls. Could be a variety I just don't know but I am staying away from CA produce. WA too.
Take a hard look into the GMO story. I think the reason the produce is both larger and more uniform is due to GMO, which has infiltrated U.S. food production.
@ Davey and Tao,
Will look into it more. Thought organic had me covered but I may be wrong.
Don't worry Ms C it's only GMO
What about Oregon? Wheat, nuts, berries.
MsCreant...
I recently read that Toyota is now exporting vehicles made in America to other Asian markets and that Honda intends to do the same. The reason given was "to help offset the strong yen and other market uncertainties."
Is this the real reason?
http://www.japantoday.com/category/business/view/honda-may-ship-u-s-made-cars-to-korea
I too have noticed Hondas and Toyotas getting bigger.
Not sure I've noticed but I will not buy any frozen food, veg, meat or any canned foods.
Hillary approved importing Japanese food with no testing requirements. And I'm sure their toxic garbage is in our frozen, canned foods, and extended shelf life foods. When you factor in transit times, etc... it's the only logical place for it to go.
Next season I'm planting a large garden.
Good luck with everyone from code enforcement up to the DHS and FDA. Growing and consuming one's own food interferes with interstate commerce now, so be prepared to repel those SWAT teams.
Like this?
http://www.freakingnews.com/Tomatoes-Pictures----1985-0.asp
Radioactivity only makes things huge in 1950's horror movies. But I still love you.
Seriously, its doubtful that the amount of radiation now making it to the West Coast is dangerous, thouhg it is detectable.
It makes things shrink too! The incredible shrinking man.
If it is detectable, then that is gamma. Beta and alpha are particles which are hard to detect at all. So you breath in a couple particles and it goes to work on your body like the energizer bunny.
Don't worry, you'll live long to suffer this Oh Big Brother where art thou.
it increases risk
what is the media going to do when this thing blows and ron paul wins the White House
Based on their performance to date, I should imagine the MSM would ignore both events totally.
Given the near-total media blackout on the guy, Ron Paul could sit for two terms as president and never appear on the television even once it seems to me.
Future Schoolchildren will ask - "What happened between presidents Obama and Clinton? - Why is there just a blank space in the history textbook?".
+10!