Nuclear Fallout

Have a look at the basic topics on Wikipedia (including the differences between those small atomic and nuclear devices as compared to todays modern nuclear arsenal, nuclear fallout, etc), that should help.

An interesting question that seems (at first glance) to suggest that the effects of small scale nuclear weapon deployment (or reactor explosion) would directly effect only one (or two generations) of the local population. HOWEVER, this totally ignores the long term environmental effects such as air burst contamination spread, longterm genetic damage and passed-on birth defects, environmental change, water table poisoning, etc, etc that would be far more pronounced if a large scale nuclear war ever erupted.

Or would it be as before.... many killed initially and shortly thereafter, but cities could rebuild within a year?

It does depend on what the half life of the radioactive material used in the nuclear weapon is, and how much contamination is left behind, but my understanding from nuclear plant decommissioning is that contaminated material (including topsoil) must be removed and disposed of for safety and that it cannot just be paved or painted over.

Interesting. You clearly understand the subject. So let me ask you this... I also heard of the rotating schedule of workers, to limit exposure. But is there a difference between being radiated for five minutes, then leaving, but coming back every hour for five minutes at a time.... compared to getting all that exposure in one longer stretch and then never going back in?

Bone Marrow is one of the most serious which is damaged.

In early days of X-Rays when films were very slow to expose and X-Ray machine generated Soft X-Rays much of the radiation absorbed by the body.

35KV/35mA machines, exposer time in seconds

Now the machines are of much hard rays and fast films brought the exposer time in mS and collimator, screening of other parts except being exposed, Special rooms & building designs has much decreased the danger of excessive dosage to workers, patients and surroundings.

Thats some good spin going on their you would almost think they shouldnt have introduced an exclusion zone or evacuated over 1/2 a million people. I clicked on some of the links and noticed the figures quoted are what has been reported maybe not what has actually happened and i think that is what the confusion is all about. Even the japenese people are saying they dont trust the power company or the government about the information they are releasing and lets face it a section of the company will be working hard on spin and mitigating the cost of any future liability.

This is an elaborate and seemingly factual comment. Thanks. The only flaw is the veracity of the data quoted. You see, official sources always underplay the danger.

As a lay man, I merely wonder: how can raising the allowable radiation exposure from 100 to 250 help a worker (it might help the government in pushing the workers to do the work in dangerous atmosphere)? So, aren't these figures bit arbitrary and therefore suspicious?

=Eldtho

Since effects of radiation poisoning are accumulative, shouldn't these numbers be intensity times the length of exposure? In other words, a small dose over a long period of time could equal a large dose over a short period of time? If that is the case then, just stating the intensity is not sufficient to show the health risk.

RE: M Schultz. Since effects of radiation poisoning are accumulative, shouldn't these numbers be intensity times the length of exposure? In other words, a small dose over a long period of time could equal a large dose over a short period of time? If that is the case then, just stating the intensity is not sufficient to show the health risk.

It is an error to call it 'radiation poisoning', unless the people have eaten/breathed in/painted body with substances emitting radiation. Gamma radiation shines through the body damaging cells as it goes. Static cells are harmed the least, cells undergoing reproduction are more sensitive to radiation damage to the process of mitosis. Cells like hair follicles, lining of mouth/gut, bone marrow, which reproduce constantly, and cancer cells are those most damaged by radiation (and chemotherapy as well, I might add). Thus the first signs of radiation exposure are hair falling out, mouth ulcers, anemia and bleeding from the rectum.

Radiation exposure damages cells. If you expose a group of men to 450 Rem for an hour, 50% will die. If they are exposed to .45 rem/day for 100 days? few if any will die. The body may be able to repair .0045 rem per day, so exposure to .45 rem will never kill him. It might cause accumulated DNA damage that will cause a fatal cancer though - an indirect cause of death by radiation.

"If they are exposed to .45 rem/day for 100 days? few if any will die. The body may be able to repair .0045 rem per day, so exposure to .45 rem will never kill him. It might cause accumulated DNA damage that will cause a fatal cancer though - an indirect cause of death by radiation." In the first sentance few will die, maybe. In the second sentance no one will be killed. In the third sentance, Well, yes they may be killed indiretly via cancer. Very reassuring. But you did answer my question. Thank you

I know this is a serious local, global and environmental issue with the science, figures and insights here, but I have to admit the base unit of comparison stated here, "Eating one banana" made me smile.

I wonder if the worldwide nuclear regulators use this as their measurment benchmark.

Sorry :-)

Mike

I'm confused what does the Japanese power plant have to do with a nuclear warhead and it's after math?

I'm confused what does the Japanese power plant have to do with a nuclear warhead and it's after math

as far as i am aw re absolutely nothing the only connection is the material used

the rest of the process is as i understand it is very different, one is control and one is most definitely out of control although out of control does sound like the Japanese plant

Extra info below

Nuclear / TEPCO-Safety Measures The safety measures at nuclear power plants derive directly from our top priority: "To ensure that, under all conceivable circumstances, the community will be protected from hazardous radioactive substances."

To that end, we have thoroughly incorporated the "defense in depth concept," which is the foundation of genuine safety. Thus, safety measures are built in at every stage of the process.

Defense in Depth ( so long as it doesn't include Tsunamis)

1. Measures to prevent unexpected events

• All designs provide margins of safety capable of withstanding even natural disasters.
• Strict quality control at every stage, from design to construction to operation.
• In addition to the elaborate regular inspections that take place every year, interlock and fail-safe systems are incorporated at every turn to prevent erroneous operations or actions.

2. Measures to prevent the escalation of unexpected events

• Detection devices to detect abnormalities immediately
• Equipment that automatically and safely shuts the reactor down

3. In the extremely unlikely event of an accident But not Tsunamis it would appear
[to prevent release of radioactive substances]

• Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS)
• Airtight structure of the primary containment vessel and the reactor building

Still what does any of this have to do with the original post?

The melt down of the reactor and possible explosion would be more like a "dirty bomb" compaired to the destructive power of a large nuclear warhead and it's after math.

Isn't a Tsunami a natural disaster? And precisely in Japan where they had similar occurrences, why wouldn't they have provide more security?.....Just a question! Because you keep (excepting Tsunamis)?

Here is an article about the Nuclear Power Plant; you may find it relevant to the question.

Areva in Ratnagiri! <http://designandpeople.blogspot.com/2011/01/areva-in-ratnagiri.html>

Do you know you can never completely dismantle a nuclear power plant? Ever. Is it then any surprise that the country which pioneered nuclear technology and nuclear power plants, have not built one in the last 25 years?

A French company, Areva, however is building the world's largest nuclear power plant, that too based on technology that has not been completely tested, in the pristine, beautiful coastline of Ratnagiri (Jaitapur Town), India.

In these videos, Rada Krishna, who was the construction manager in building the last and the largest nuclear reactor of the US in San Onofre, California goes beyond the known clichés for and against the same, to talks about issues rarely, if at all, talked about. He busts many myths surrounding the construction, working, dismantling and the zillion hazards -- economic, social, environmental and political - of a nuclear power plant.

The revelations and repercussions for India are chilling.

• Once a nuclear plant is built it cannot be completely shut down and has to be maintained for perpetuity costing multiple times over the cost of building one proving that Nuclear energy is definitely not cheap.

• Today we don't need missiles to sabotage a Nuclear power plant and a computer hacker sitting in some nondescript corner of the world can do a much better job of sabotage and perhaps destruction of a nuclear power plant as the Stuxnet virus that has delayed the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Russia and threatens to do the same to Iran's nuclear facility in Natanz show.

• Half life of the uranium in the reactor is over 24,000 years i.e. its danger is reduced to only half in that time and they have to be kept for an eternity, literally, before the spent fuel (the used Uranium from reactors) for it to become safe completely.

• The proposed Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant in Ratnagiri district of India, with 6 reactors, is an act bordering on lunacy because even if there is damage to one, all six will have to be closed which besides causing irreparable damage to ecology and the entire region, will lead to a lost of billions of dollars of taxpayers money. It is perhaps best that India does not do something that will go down as one of the greatest blunders in its history.

The question to ask thus is why would any nation consciously build a Damocles sword to hang over its own necks perennially? What is the stupidity and illusion that pervades all our consciousness that forces us into illusions about nuclear power plants? Isn't it more sensible to go for other, safer options that are indeed available?

In the light of these facts, isn't building a power plant today, akin not just to shooting oneself up but actually blowing ourselves up with our families and friends? Can human civilization survive even one single nuclear power plant, let alone many? You decide.

About Rada Krishna:

Rada Krishna, is a retired construction specialist, who is responsible for building many power plants in the United States of America. He began by working with the Tatas in India then shifted base to the US where he was involved with building various types of power plants from those that operate on oil and gas, to building the first solar plants with reflecting mirrors and the first geothermal power plants in the US. His most important job was as the senior construction manager in the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant in California in the early 80s (units 2 and 3), which has the largest nuclear reactors in the US. That was also the last nuclear power plant built in the US, the country that pioneered it in the first place. Incidentally he was also involved in the planning of dismantling a power plant.

Thank you vinners for the reference. The response that followed your information shows what we are up against, when people confuse rational with emotional

"Rada Krishna, who was the construction manager in building the last and the largest nuclear reactor of the US in San Onofre, California"

Watts Bar was the last nuclear power plant to go on-line in the US and Palo Verde is the largest nuclear power plant in the US.

http://www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/faqs/radiation.html

Just to put it all in perspective

back ground radiation

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=back+ground+radiation+in+cornwall&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=utf8&oe=utf8&rlz=1I7ADFA_en&redir_esc=&ei=ws6BTcbfAsWbhQfN2f2yBA

Background radiation is highest in Cornwall and Devon, where there is a high source of Radon that seeps up from the ground as a gas,

GA.........the question and problem with Fukushima remains whether the stored fuel catches fire or not. That's a whole differrent can of worms than what they're dealing with now.

High rad levels are in the immediate vicinity of the plant and are fluctuating wildly. This indicates exposed nuclear fuel..NOT necessarily burning. If burning then heavy isotopes would be released into the atmosphere.

Here's an interesting article on what might happen it the world has a nuclear war and its effects.

http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/nuclear/nuclearwar1.html

I would have given you two GAs for being one of the few on-topic and a second for good down to earth answer.

Now that I hear that answer, I realize that I already knew that at some point in the past. Thanx for reminding me of H-bomb vs A-bomb. GA

Follow this link to the NHK upto date news

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/

Hope this is help full

From the photo's and a video I have seen today it would seem that it is not as bad as some would have it, at least not for most Japanese people, just the fifty workers who a bravely working away to avert a disaster!

I have studied Nutritional protection against Radiation poison,I know that Rye,Yams

and pecans are essentials Foods for this problem.

Also worms eat and clean Dirt and remove contamination in most cases

however the soil that they have eaten and cleaned must be turned they cant eat it

twice.

I think that putting the waste products from these Foods might heal the after effects

on the ground and maybe the water ,but it would be experimental.ds

Looks like the worst is over

For an optimist the glass is not half full, just the container is too large .

or maybe not

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/

"The company says it saw steam billowing from the building after the water injection, which suggests the operation had some success".

What a load.

Reminds me of a poem By Johan Wolfgang von Goethe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sorcerer%27s_Apprentice

It's my understanding that the top is wide open to the sky, and this plant is right next to the water. So why are they just not using a fire hose on a generator and pump and shooting seawater right through the top till it's full? They can do that from outside. Clamp the hose in place and leave.

What am I missing?

What am I missing?

Only that you would be dead from radiation poisoning before you got back to your car.

the radiation is so strong the first attempt to drop water was abandoned from over 300 feet away because the radiation was too strong

they can drop water now because they have lined the under neath of the chinnocks with lead sheets and then limiting the time over the reactor housing

oh and at the moment they dont have any generators that work

the ones on site had their fuel tanks washed away

otherwise the idea is brilliant

As far as generators... well, ya know, the entire planet Earth is sending people, equipment and $. I'm thinkin they could get pump generators in with a Chinook if they needed them.

As far as getting too close... they have been inside the building trying to fill it. That's pretty close. I'm thinkin they could figure a way to get the hose I described, doing what I described, if it would help. Considering what's at stake.

But they aren't, and I was wondering why. Still don't know.

Otherwise... thanx for your enlightened information.

the part of the building they are in is the control room which is lead lined and so safe

the area where the problem is is elevated with no easy pedestrian access coupled with the fact the radiation is to high for safety

i cant see why they could not drop a weighted hose into the top of the building from a helicopter with lead to protect the crew, it would only have to be in place for a few seconds

But after watching lots of tv on NHK their satelite TV i get the impression they are not very good with out of the box thinking

I mean they cant even get supplies to the homeless which should not be a problem considering the 100.000 self defence personnel and the huge amount of helicopters they have, people are still dying but now from lack of food.water and hypothermia.

parts of the country have dropped back to the stone age, no cars, no power, no fuel no heat no shelter, no idea

to give you an idea of the radiation problems involved below taken from this link

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1367125/Japan-tsunami-Fukushima-Fifty-suicide-mission-battle-nuclear-meltdown.html#ixzz1GwZMypMc

Courage of the Fukushima fifty: This is suicide, admit workers trying to avert a catastrophe

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:26 AM on 18th March 2011

• Nuclear workers accept their fate 'like a death sentence'
• Fears for their health as one expert says it is 'perhaps a suicide mission'
• Radiation levels rise in Japan as crisis continues
• Power will be connected to knocked-out coolant pumping system 'within hours'
• Radioactive steam still billows from reactors and fuel storage pools after helicopter missions
• Radioactive plume to hit U.S. west coast tomorrow

Poignant messages sent home by the workers trying to prevent full-scale nuclear catastrophe at Japan's stricken nuclear plant reveal that they know they are on a suicide mission.

One of the 'Fukushima Fifty' said they were stoically accepting their fate 'like a death sentence'.

Another, having absorbed a near-lethal dose of radiation, told his wife: 'Please continue to live well, I cannot be home for a while.'

Heartbreaking message: This woman told interviewers her husband was working at the plant in the full knowledge he was being radiated. Her husband sent her an email that said: 'Continue to live well. I cannot be home for some time.'

The radiation levels at the plant entrance are at a level which will either kill the workers soon or cause them appalling illnesses in the years to come.
Experts have said that the airtight suits they are wearing would do little to stop the contamination.

The group remained behind after 700 of their colleagues fled when radiation levels became too dangerous.

Their identities have not been revealed, but experts said they are likely to be working class front-line technicians and firemen who know the plant the best.

It is thought that mostly older men have volunteered because they have already had children - younger workers might be rendered infertile by the high radiation doses.

Whilst the men are called the Fukushima Fifty, the group is thought to actually be 200-strong. They are doing four shifts in rotation, working on restarting the cooling systems.

Their heart-rending messages home were made public yesterday by Japanese national television, which has interviewed their relatives.

One relative said: 'My father is still working at the plant. He says he's accepted his fate, much like a death sentence.'

A woman said her husband who was at the plant had continued to work while fully aware he was being bombarded with radiation.

Another said that her 59-year-old father had volunteered for Fukushima duty, adding: 'I heard that he volunteered even though he will be retiring in just half a year and my eyes are filling up with tears.

'At home, he doesn't seem like someone who could handle big jobs. But today, I was really proud of him. I pray for his safe return.'

U.S AIR PASSENGERS FROM JAPAN TEST POSITIVE FOR RADIATION

She wrote on Twitter: 'People at the plant are struggling, sacrificing themselves to protect you.

'Please, Dad, come back alive.'

Of those who have stayed behind, five are known to have died already and two are missing. At least 21 others have been injured. A female worker who claimed to have been on duty in the Fukushima No 2 reactor when the tsunami struck posted her account of what happened on the internet.

Michiko Otsuki, who has since sought safety, wrote on a Japanese social networking website translated by The Straits Times: 'In the midst of the tsunami alarm at 3am in the night when we couldn't even see where we were going, we carried on working to restore the reactors from where we were, right by the sea, with the realisation that this could be certain death.

'The machine that cools the reactor is just by the ocean, and it was wrecked by the tsunami. Everyone worked desperately to try to restore it.

'Fighting fatigue and empty stomachs, we dragged ourselves back to work.

'There are many who haven't got in touch with their family members, but are facing the present situation and working hard.'

Dr Michio Kaku, a theoretical physicist, told the U.S. TV network ABC that the situation had worsened in the last day.

'We're talking about workers coming into the reactor perhaps as a suicide mission and we may have to abandon ship,' he said.

Michael Friedlander, who has worked in crisis management at similar American nuclear plants, added the workers were probably eating military-style rations and drinking cold water to survive.

'It's cold, it's dark, and you're doing that while trying to make sure you're not contaminating yourself while you're eating,' he said.

'I can tell you with 100 per cent certainty they are absolutely committed to doing whatever is humanly necessary to make these plants in safe condition, even at the risk of their own lives.'

By David Derbyshire

Japan was running out of options to halt its nuclear crisis last night after attempts to waterbomb its overheating reactors by helicopter failed.

In a sign of growing desperation, the army was called in to cool the atomic waste stored at the Fukushima power plant with high pressure water cannon.

But radiation levels rose even higher.

However there was a potential breakthrough when engineers succeeded in connecting a power line to Reactor 2. This should enable them to restore electricity to the cooling pumps needed to prevent meltdown.

As the crisis entered its eighth day, the Japanese government was facing growing international condemnation for its handling of the world's second worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl and for the lack of information it is giving experts and the public.

Officials have declared a 12-mile evacuation zone around the plant on the north eastern coast. Another 140,000 people living within 18 miles have been told not to leave their homes.

A week after the earthquake and tsunami, authorities are still struggling to bring it back from the brink of disaster.

Four of six nuclear reactors at the site have been hit by explosions and fires which have sent clouds of low-level radiation into the air.

The team of exhausted workers battling to prevent meltdown at the site - dubbed the 'Fukushima Fifty' - are unable to approach the most badly damaged reactors because radiation levels are so high.
Yesterday concern focused on two large tanks used to store spent nuclear fuel at Reactors 3 and 4.

Hydrogen explosions blew the roofs off both buildings earlier this week, leaving the pools exposed to the elements.

Water levels in the tanks have dropped dramatically in the last few days, possibly because of a leak caused by the earthquake. Waste in Reactor 3 is completely exposed to the air and is emitting alarming levels of radiation as it heats up.

Unlike the other reactors which use uranium, Reactor 3 uses a mixture of uranium and plutonium. Plutonium, best known as an ingredient in nuclear weapons, is particularly dangerous if released into the environment.

In the worst case scenario, exposed fuel will melt, triggering a chemical explosion that will send radioactive dust hundreds of yards into the air.

Chinook helicopters flying at less than 300 feet dropped four loads of water over the wrecked building in the hope that some water would seep into the dried-out pool and cool the fuel.

However, footage suggested much of the 2,000 gallons of water missed its target.

Later, six fire engines and a water cannon tried to spray the building with 9,000 gallons of water from high pressure hoses.

However, radiation levels within the plant rose from 3,700 millisieverts to 4,000 millisieverts an hour immediately afterwards.

People exposed to such doses will suffer radiation sickness and many will die. Today Tokyo Electric Power, which owns the plant, will try to restart the reactor's cooling systems after workers connected a half mile long power cable from the national grid to Reactor 2.

Spokesman Teruaki Kobayashi said: 'This is the first step towards recovery.'

He added: 'We are doing all we can as we pray for the situation to improve.'

Last night 14,000 were confirmed dead or missing in Japan and 492,000 are homeless.

There are 850,000 households in the north of the main island without electricity in freezing temperatures.

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

I think the tank is elevated in the building. The Japanese might have an excess of caution where radiation is concerned. The recent increase to 250 Milliserverts from 100 is one indication of that. 1 servert is 100 REM and 450 Rems kills 50% of people.

This is informative

Orders of magnitude radiation

It is easy to second guess people from a distance, I hope these workers escape death

Yes it's elevated. But if you're in the building at all, and trying to hose water into the tank, it would seem that that is already far closer to the radiation than you would need to be, than if you tried to fill it from the outside, with a high pressure fire hose. If nothing else they could drop the end of the hose from a helicopter.

I'm just thinking out loud. Thought someone might have heard why it's not happening that way.

Anyway, they are trying to get the power back on, so the water may start running that way soon.

Ive just watched NHK where they were interviewing workers from the power station.

when the earthquake struck the lights went out and they had to grope the walls to get out as there were no emergency lights.

as for the radiation readings they get these are from a guy in a car who drives around the site at regular intervals, thats would explain why they keep saying the readings at the front gate are 8989 or whatever

Its unbeliviable that such a site has no emergency lights, and no remote readings

they have no idea whats happening inside the reactors as they cant get close enough to operate the equipment

also when they do connect power to the reactors i hope they stand back cos everythings soaked in salt water, should be intresting

I understand they intend to power the pump motors at this time. You are right about emergency lights. Over here we would have battery powered emergency lights at least at the exits. In a nuke plant they should have internal emergency lights.

After a week, the emergency lights we have would be dead, as they are rated for 24 hours or less.

A whole new set of rules will flow from this.

I know hind site is brilliant but i hope they learn from this event the structure of the plant appears to have survived but failed due to lack of foresight

placement of the fuel tanks

placement of the generators

lack of back up equipment

no way to check radiation deep inside the plant because everything was designed to run off the power they produced their

if the systems were independent of the mains they could have got a hand portable geny to run the monitoring equipment

CCTV would give them eyes on without putting lives at danger

I suppose its all down to the private company running the site

I hope they solve the problem without costing any loss of life

Truths: People are fallible. Natural disasters are unpredictable. Terrorism is unpredictable. We have no way to properly dispose of nuclear waste, it is distributed all over the world. We have no way to insure that we can properly protect and defend nuclear waste for hundreds or thousands of years. Nuclear waste can be blown up and spread throughout the world. We have natural gas that is cheaper, cleaner, and abundant. Therefore we need to utilize natural gas whenever possible, and we do not need nuclear power. We do not need to subsidize it. We also have many other ways to produce energy, and natural gas will give us at least a hundred years to develop new methods of energy production.

But what happens and it will just as it has for oil when it runs out ?

if the systems that run the nuke plants were correctly designed there wouldn't be a problem

I also feel that the world should spend more on finding a way to produce power without Nuclear Power Instead of spending huge sums of money finding out if theres life on Mars

Or building a research station in outer space.

do these things after the worst problems have been solved here on earth

The world needs to get its priorities sorted out

Rant over

There seems to be a misapprehension about oil and when it will run out. We have seen how peak oil has been pushed off for years by increasing prices, ans so CO2 enhanced stripping was developed, and the Alberta tar sands were developed, and then there is the far larger oil shales of the SW USA, which have 20 times what the tar sands have, but have a higher cost of extraction.

There is the good news fact that large scale extinctions happen every 27 million years , and the bad news - it is next Wednesday.

So what will happen? I think these higher prices will encourage research and new methods for butanol and ethanol from all manner of waste by synthetic enzymatic processes will emerge. There are new processes that use gene modified algae to make various fuels, like butanol and long chain hydrocarbons. In fact the use of algae as synthesis factories can extend to hundreds of chemicals.

true

just a thought what about using the vast deserts where nothing grows so nothing would be lost by covering the deserts with solar farms ie solar panels and solar stills to claim the heat.

then run the power to where its needed

as for nuke power stations why not site them where when they have finished with them they can just be left there or build them into submarines set the reaction going and drop them into the atlantic valleys but have the ability to retreive them if they break down

what about sending the waste products into space then into that big incinerator in the sky the big bright thing

lakes and seas for cooling water, but sealed towers could be used = zero water evaporated - just cheaper to waste heat into the lake/sea.

They have starred on solar deserts and they will one day supply a large part of power used.

Solar still as well, with time they will all mature.

Here we go again,

The Japanese/Oriental outlook of denial manifests itself.

I'm not sure what you mean by your link 're-phrasing' - maybe a link to the Japanese source would help.

That one is #9 in National news.

That is the same link my link goes to.

The Japanese will not let the footage be shown. I am fed up with this attitude. It smells of coverup.

I'd say if it smells of anything it's journalistic hysteria to improve circulation.

Ask yourself this; what difference does it make if you 'know' or don't?

It's happened - now people can accept that pragmatically, or yell ineffectively.

We all know, from any 'town meeting', "Yelling" gets in the way of sorting pragmatically.

So given 'using the information pragmatically' is better achieved in 'relative quiet' - why would anyone saddled with solving the actual problems, hands on, choose otherwise?

It is called denial, or stonewalling. Some cultures feel a lie hidden is is gone.

Contrast two cultures and two genocides, Germany and Turkey, same concept.

"Some cultures feel a lie hidden is is gone"

True

yes, that evil snake is indeed dead

Nice - GA

GA!!! Pictures is worth 1,000 words.

Very interesting chart.

But I don't see how its relevant to the original topic.

Don't understanding a GA when not related to it, but it must be just me.

Quite a few posts focused on radiation doses per se. I would think a comparison of doses received from various sources would fit within the realm of 'nuclear fallout', wouldn't you?

The first post dealing with dosage rates was not based on facts and was removed much the same as some of the guesses on the chart that you put up. The danger is we are now getting things like that saying if 250 uSv is what a worker at the power station is being exposed to it is not as bad as everyone thinks, this is incorrect there have been readings at the plant well over this safe mark. I also note the chart doesnt have a listing for radiated milk or water that has been found 180 km from the site? I suppose what i am saying is you can put up all the reference charts you like but unless they have the true and correct readings about what the plant is actually leaking they are not really relevant or factual in regards to exposure levels at the site. I think the answer to the original post is we dont know but in the next decade or so we are going to find out.

"Don't understanding a GA when not related to it, but it must be just me"

As one of the members who always make known their votes - [good and off-topic] - Naturally, I'm happy to "stand and be judged on my actions".

OP tile Nuclear Fallout

The body of the post asks for comparison/evaluation, against these sorts of events.

At the foot of which is this; Nuclear reactor accident

The chart relates directly to OP's Title, but particularly to the final question;

"I'm wondering what the worst case scenario could be with these reactors that are going into melt-down."

So lets look at why I voted GA;

1. at a 'topic relevant data' level - it puts "scale" to normal and "worst case" - which is apparently not adequately clear, to many, in the "reactor accident" link. [a contribution normally a GA winner anywhere on CR4]

2. at a 'technical' level - reliable data.[a contribution normally a GA winner anywhere on CR4]

3. 'bonus point' for actually researching - [a contribution normally a GA winner anywhere on CR4]

4. 'bonus point' for not suffering 'Topic ADHD' [sadly, a common GA winner on CR4]

But, maybe you're right and I'm quite "irresponsible"

You are certainly right about Zero relevance to; the totally uninformed, unsubstantiated, factually incorrect, personal opinion mongering and/or conspiracy theory hysteria, 'sidetracking the thread'.

But bear in mind, most of that is just due to lack of comprehension skills, and/or inability grasp, hold, or "understand", more than one thought at a time.

Perhaps the dog would say,

"An introduction that begins with the sentence -- The following is an approximate description of the effects of a global nuclear war -- and contains this sentence -- Certainly the predictions described here are uncertain -- is not likely to be followed by an article containing 'concrete' data. Harrumph."

The chart was for relative comparison purposes.

I think this thread may have run its course. I'm outta here.

Gone fission.

^{_{but only ½ GA, 'cause it's only a particle answer! Heheeeeeeeeheheeeeeeeeeahahahhhhhhhhhhh}}

If it wasn't for those leaking sieverts the missing article particle article would've caught up to itself by now.........

The 'polite thing' to do, when you post a link, already posted on a thread; is to credit the original poster, or link to the post #, containing the link.

Not to represent it as 'your' knowledge, or gained by 'your' effort.

Especially when you had to be sent there in the first place because you failed to research the authors bona fides [in the article context]

_{[And still apparently haven't put 2 and 2 together]}

So I shouldn't follow what you and Daffy do. Got it.

Maybe next time follow your own advice and stop preaching.

At least I did some research you haven't done any yet. Kind of worse then the pot calling the kettle black.