Of tremors and tides and reactors

April 11, 2011. One month since nature knocked out large parts of Japan with ruthless ferocity. March 11th 2011 started out like just another day in the lives of people here. Crowded trains, busy streets, work, meetings, the usual stuff. People doing what they always do. Everything changed in a matter of a few minutes […]

What is Happening in the Reactor Cores of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station?

Author:  Michio Ishikawa (Chief Adviser of Japan Nuclear Technology Institute (JANTI)) By estimating what is happening in the reactor cores of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station based on the facts and developments of the Three Miles Island (TMI) accident, I would like to urgently state what are expected to happen from now on and what […]

Japan Nuclear Situation – Informative links

News portals: Reuters live coverage of the nuclear crisis http://live.reuters.com/Event/Japan_earthquake2 Kyodo News live coverage http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/japan_nuclear_crisis/ Television: NHK Television english stream http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-world-tv japanese television translated in realtime by katz http://yokosonews.com/live/ Live webcam targeted at Fukushima 1 (1 picture every full hour) http://www.tepco.co.jp/nu/f1-np/camera/index-j.html Radiation measures: geiger counter in chiba – live stream http://www.ustream.tv/channel/geiger-counter-chiba geiger counter in tokyo […]

Links to radiation data from various monitoring stations

Several monitoring stations are keeping track of the radiation levels in Japan. Up-to-date information can be viewed by following the links given below: http://www.houshasen-pref-ibaraki.jp/present/result01.html http://www.mext.go.jp/component/english/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2011/03/21/1303971_2113i.pdf Tokyo: http://www.denphone.com/denphone-tokyo-office-geiger-counter

Ukraine advises Japan to use tin to cool Fukushima reactor

According to Ukrainian specialists, to bring the heat processes in Fukushima-1 reactors under control, it is necessary “first, to ensure a normal cooling mode in the spent fuel pools by pumping water, sea water as a last resort, into them; second, the type of reactor fuel coolant needs to be changed – water, which might […]

Information from British Embassy

Telephone briefing from Sir John Beddington, the UK’s Chief Scientific adviser and Hilary Walker Deputy Director Emergency Preparedness at the Department of Health. “Unequivocally, Tokyo will not be affected by the radiation fallout of explosions that have occurred or may occur at the Fukushima nuclear power stations.” The danger area is limited to within the 30 kilometer evacuation zone and […]

NHK advises not to go out if it rains

NHK is reporting that there could be light radioactive rain tomorrow. The only advice they are giving is not to go out if it rains. Nothing more is being said about this at the moment.

50 brave TEPCO workers continue to battle it out

TEPCO has evacuated 750 of its employees from the Fukushima power plant. Only 50 remain to deal with the problems that continue to plague the reactors. Spare a thought for these brave people who are working under the most extreme circumstances to bring the situation under control.  

Reactor 2 update

A blast was observed earlier in the morning in Reactor 2. Cooling efforts are still in progress but fuel rods remain exposed. There has been some damage to the suppression pool, but exact details are not yet available. Radiation levels in the area have gone up significantly. Some workers at the plant have been evacuated. […]