Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant • Hacker News Board

Re: Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant

#71

Post by pero » Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 5:00 AM UTC

jedsmith wrote: post #69

pero wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the figures that were thrown around in that press conference--either by Edano or 'white lab jacket guy'--varied by location however the translator had my head spinning and I couldn't deduce what's what. I'm pretty certain that anytime "600 to 800" was mentioned, it was supposed to be in uSv, and that those measurements were taken at the plant's gates.

Fair enough. Will be good to see a correction, then (like that'll happen) -- most of the big names in the media have already run with milli-. Takeaway for me from this: units for radiation exposure suck, and don't communicate well to the lay.

I'm willing to bet they will repeat that news conference on the hour (one minute) on NHK:

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

EDIT: They indeed did so, but shortened and dumbed it down with only 2 figures being provided by 'WLJG'--2.3 and 6.4 mSv 'near the plant', with the latter being the peak at the time of 'leak.'

Re: Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant

#72

Post by ay » Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 5:03 AM UTC

afterburner wrote: post #47

ay wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This link that you posted seems to be sending a lot of misinformation, though the "return to work" part is correct. Radiation levels in Tokyo are near-normal as far as I can see on the online counters. I'm collecting the factual links that do not contain the hysteria, on a post on my blog. No, there is no adsense on that blog. http://bnpcs.blogspot.com/2011/03/links-about-situation-in-j...

It's quite possible, I have no idea who's updating it, and NHK TV isn't confirming it (yet?).

180 workers onsite now, according to YokosoNews folks translating the TBS.

Re: Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant

#73

Post by Aetius » Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 5:06 AM UTC

rmah wrote: post #59

Duff wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd argue that is splitting hairs. What will magically lower the radiation when the workers leave? They can't drop boric acid and water on the half-melted reactors from helicopters for fear of rupturing them further, the control systems are no longer effective, and pumping in seawater hasn't worked too well so far.

What will magically lower the radiation when the workers leave? Time.

Wind.

Re: Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant

#74

Post by ay » Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 5:06 AM UTC

jedsmith wrote: post #52

pauldino wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually the BBC does seem wrong in that it is reporting 1000 millisieverts rather than microsieverts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12755739 ^ 1:20 in the video. Milli. Not micro. Those are Edano's words, not the BBC's. I was told above that he was corrected by another person and that various translations have it as a different figure, but that isn't in the linked video.

He misspoke. NHK correcting this now. micro is correct; NOT milli

Re: Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant

#75

Post by radicaldreamer » Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 5:23 AM UTC

This is worrying (unless it's to conserve bandwidth so the video can be rebroadcast via mirrors): "TEPCO has removed public access to a webcam showing the Fukoshima reactors. Now a password is needed in order to observe the complex."

Re: Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant

#76

Post by soamv » Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 5:26 AM UTC

A reporter for the NYT in Japan says the workers aren't leaving -- http://twitter.com/#!/HirokoTabuchi/status/47882019102928896

Re: Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant

#77

Post by aik » Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 5:36 AM UTC

1331 wrote: post #46

mrshoe wrote: post #17

I'm having a hard time reconciling patio11's article with more recent reports of people walking 60km to get home, all food being gone from all stores, people living in Apple stores, and the government ordering a 30km evacuation zone around nuclear power plants. Maybe his point was "it could have been a lot worse", but I read it more like "everything went as planned and life went on without missing more than a few bea…

I am located in Hashimoto, Kanagawa (search for 神奈川県相模原市橋本 in Google Maps if you want to see where this is) and may be able to provide some insight. Japan is a relatively small country, but the current atmosphere is considerably different in different locations. My experience near Tokyo has been quite interesting, but it is nothing compared to the disaster that has unfolded north of here. For those close to the big e…

Are the rolling blackouts happening all over Tokyo? Are people in Tokyo going to work and are kids going to their schools now just like before?

Good luck to you.

Re: Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant

#78

Post by hartror » Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 5:42 AM UTC

rmah wrote: post #59

Duff wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd argue that is splitting hairs. What will magically lower the radiation when the workers leave? They can't drop boric acid and water on the half-melted reactors from helicopters for fear of rupturing them further, the control systems are no longer effective, and pumping in seawater hasn't worked too well so far.

What will magically lower the radiation when the workers leave? Time.

Right. Most of the radiologicals that have been released with the steam have very short half lives so the radiation levels drop rapidly (relatively speaking).

Re: Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant

#79

Post by Pyrodogg » Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 5:44 AM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #57

So just out of curiosity, does GE have any liability since they built all those reactors? Or does "earthquake" get them out of any responsibility? Any GE Mark I's on the west coast on the USA?

You can find a list of Boiling Water Reactors here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_boiling_water_reactors

Re: Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant

#80

Post by bdonlan » Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 5:58 AM UTC

aik wrote: post #77

1331 wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am located in Hashimoto, Kanagawa (search for 神奈川県相模原市橋本 in Google Maps if you want to see where this is) and may be able to provide some insight. Japan is a relatively small country, but the current atmosphere is considerably different in different locations. My experience near Tokyo has been quite interesting, but it is nothing compared to the disaster that has unfolded north of here. For those close to the big e…

Are the rolling blackouts happening all over Tokyo? Are people in Tokyo going to work and are kids going to their schools now just like before? Good luck to you.

The central part of tokyo (ward 23) is (with a few very small exceptios) exempt from blackouts, due to having a lot of critical government infrastructure on its grid. Most central tokyo trains have multiple power sources, and are running all day with only slightly reduced schedules (they seem to be gradually ramping back up to full service; some, including the Yamanote line, are already back to the normal schedule). Trains to outlying areas often have to suspend service during blackout times, which rotate each day. Most Shinkansen lines are back up to some degree - some running full schedules - with the exception of lines heading northeast closer to the epicenter; those lines will need major track and station repair.

A lot of people are staying home to help reduce load on the transportation and electrical infrastructure. Once the power plants start to come up (and people stop hoarding groceries), things should start to approach normality in the Tokyo area at least. Areas closer to the epicenter will need more rebuilding, however.