Nuclear meltdown in Japan reactor?

[skeptic]

we could get shit faced and argue the technical terms of a "meltdown" !

My question exactly. What exactly does meltdown mean? Or partial meltdown? Does it mean the fuel rods harmlessly congeal inside the containment vessel, or that the containment vessel melts? Does it mean that a runaway reaction is triggered, or something less dire?

Where does critical mass figure in?

 

[Mini 14]

Am I understanding correctly that a second reactor is now in meltdown, and has been vented to atmosphere?

Anyone else heard this (twitter)

 

[Big Fitz]

I wonder if pouring molten lead in there would solve problems if there was a way to get it in there.

This is just getting worse and worse. BTW, the explosion it looks like did not damage the reactor container, just the containment building.

Japan to fill leaking nuke reactor with sea water | Energy & Oil | Reuters

Edano said due to the falling level of cooling water, hydrogen was generated and that leaked to the space between the building and the container and the explosion happened when the hydrogen mixed with oxygen there.

And the death toll from the tsunami and quake has gone far higher than I expected it would. This truly is a massive tragedy. I mean the coast of Japan in that area moved 8 FEET! that's incredible on how freakish this incident was!

 

[Chris]

Shirakawa, Japan (CNN) -- Japanese authorities are operating on the presumption that possible meltdowns are under way at two nuclear reactors, a government official said Sunday, adding that there have been no indications yet of hazardous emissions of radioactive material into the atmosphere.

The attempts to avert a possible nuclear crisis, centered around the Fukushima Daiichi facility in northeast Japan, came as rescuers frantically scrambled to find survivors following the country's strongest-ever earthquake and a devastating tsunami that, minutes later, brought crushing walls of water that wiped out nearly everything in their paths.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters there is a "possibility" of a meltdown at the plant's No. 1 reactor, adding, "It is inside the reactor. We can't see." He then added that authorities are also "assuming the possibility of a meltdown" at the facility's No. 3 reactor.

Japanese authorities rush to save lives, avert nuclear crisis - CNN.com

 

[dilloduck]

So do we run or what ?

if you are in the effected prefecta you run.

They have already evacuated 200,000 people in the midst of a vast national emergency. Does that sound like they are just being cautious?

Well since I don't live anywhere near that prefecture what's my best bet ? Climb under my desk ?

 

[skeptic]

So do we run or what ?

if you are in the effected prefecta you run.

They have already evacuated 200,000 people in the midst of a vast national emergency. Does that sound like they are just being cautious?

Well since I don't live anywhere near that prefect what's my best bet ? Climb under my desk ?

You will be fine in Kansas. Thank Gawd Japan is an island.

Talk about the worst luck imaginable. Japan could be fucked. They don't have enough land mass to simply write off 5000 square miles of the Ukraine. Japan is like Israel, one nuclear blast wide.

If shit gets freaky Japan is fucked. On top of already being tsunamied and earthquaked to death.

 

[Mini 14]

And the death toll from the tsunami and quake has gone far higher than I expected it would. This truly is a massive tragedy. I mean the coast of Japan in that area moved 8 FEET! that's incredible on how freakish this incident was!

If the death toll doesn't go well into the 10s of thousands, I am going to be shocked. And I am not including anything from the nuclear problems.

There are reportedly 97,000 people "missing." Many will just be incommunicado, but still....

Japan has now confirmed "meltdown" (their word, not mine) of first reactor, and "partial meltdown" of second.

 

[Chris]

Nuclear power is safe.

Until something goes wrong.

 

[dilloduck]

if you are in the effected prefecta you run.

They have already evacuated 200,000 people in the midst of a vast national emergency. Does that sound like they are just being cautious?

Well since I don't live anywhere near that prefect what's my best bet ? Climb under my desk ?

You will be fine in Kansas. Thank Gawd Japan is an island.

Talk about the worst luck imaginable. Japan could be fucked. They don't have enough land mass to simply write off 5000 square miles of the Ukraine. Japan is like Israel, one nuclear blast wide.

If shit gets freaky Japan is fucked. On top of already being tsunamied and earthquaked to death.

I lived on Okinawa and visited the main islands. I loved it and the people were some of the nicest I have ever met. It really is a shame.

 

[Chris]

If only Gamera was around to fix the problem...

 

[Big Fitz]

So do we run or what ?

if you are in the effected prefecta you run.

They have already evacuated 200,000 people in the midst of a vast national emergency. Does that sound like they are just being cautious?

Well since I don't live anywhere near that prefecture what's my best bet ? Climb under my desk ?

Must... lighten.... mood....!

 

[Big Fitz]

If only Gamera was around to fix the problem...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-UACM_8q_Q

Oh HELL no! That's the last thing we need!

Gojira!

 

[skeptic]

And the death toll from the tsunami and quake has gone far higher than I expected it would. This truly is a massive tragedy. I mean the coast of Japan in that area moved 8 FEET! that's incredible on how freakish this incident was!

If the death toll doesn't go well into the 10s of thousands, I am going to be shocked. And I am not including anything from the nuclear problems.

There are reportedly 97,000 people "missing." Many will just be incommunicado, but still....

Japan has now confirmed "meltdown" (their word, not mine) of first reactor, and "partial meltdown" of second.

That is actually 9500. IU saw the video associated with this coastal town. The tsunami surged 6 miles inland burying greenhouses and farmlands and homes every foot. A 65 foot fishing vessel was deposited nearly 5 miles inland. And 9500 people are unaccounted for, almost all certainly dead.

 

[martybegan]

How can you make such a broad statement without a single example? Besides, there are no "regulations" that a conservative will agree with. Look at what they have done to OSHA and the EPA and Wall Street.

It just a broad as your original statement saying liberals were responsible for our pristine abe beautiful country. One shouldnt use more significant figures than provided by the original data. You didnt provide any examples either.

I consider myself conservative, and I agree with alot of OSHA and EPA regs. What I do not agree with is how the organziations have been perverted from thier original goals to basically lawsuit generating plants, with the rules no longer written by engineers and scientists to protect things, but instead by lawyers and burecrats to create lawsuits and endless regulations that do nothing but add paperwork.

Still no example.

Besides, right wingers have no respect for "engineers and scientists" if the right wingers on the USMB are any indication, and they are.

Scientists: Bush Distorts Science

The Union of Concerned Scientists, an independent organization, also issued a 37-page report, "Scientific Integrity in Policymaking," detailing the accusations. The statement and the report both accuse the Bush administration of distorting and suppressing findings that contradict administration policies, stacking panels with like-minded and underqualified scientists with ties to industry, and eliminating some advisory committees altogether.

Culture: Scientists and Bush administration at odds - US News and World Report

Bush administration accused of doctoring scientists' reports | Environment | The Guardian

===========================

How many USMB members have said similar statements to: Education is just a piece of paper, scientists sit back and collect government money for doing nothing, people that are over educated have no common sense, liberals have taken over science and that's why there are no more inventions and discoveries, and on and on. The "anti science" comments are endless.

And still, right wingers insist more than 6% of scientists are Republican. I'm sure it's less.

and you gave no example of how your statement was correct, and you completely avoided my calling out of your logical fallacies.

I beleive the proper response on my part is "neener neener"

 

[Chris]

A new study by the Pew Research Center finds that the GOP is alienating scientists to a startling degree.

Only six percent of America's scientists identify themselves as Republicans; fifty-five percent call themselves Democrats. By comparison, 23 percent of the overall public considers itself Republican, while 35 percent say they're Democrats.

The ideological discrepancies were similar. Nine percent of scientists said they were "conservative" while 52 percent described themselves as "liberal," and 14 percent "very liberal." The corresponding figures for the general public were 37, 20 and 5 percent.

http://people-press.org/report/?pageid=1549

Only Six Percent Of Scientists Are Republicans: Pew Poll

 

[Ravi]

I can condescend with the best of them.

Yeah, I've noticed. Pretty soon I'm going to start negging you for hating on women. Which is kind of sad.

Regardless, your linky poo did not back you up.

yeah, negging people when your rep is turned off. Coward. And I'm not hating on women... just you. Just a personal touch to let you know I care.

My rep is not turned off, just the stars and bars are, asshole.

Big guy calling me a coward on the internet.

 

[strollingbones]

could someone explain what is happening inside the rector...i saw where us nuclear experts were calling the flooding of the reactor (is flooding the right word) with sea water as a 'hail mary' pass.....o and one said...simply...we are in uncharted waters

 

[Mini 14]

I'm with dillo on this one now.

I don't think anyone knows, or understands what is going on inside ANY nuclear reactor, including the people who run them.

If somebody will just tell me when to buy more silver, and when to dive under a desk, I'd be forever grateful.

TIA

 

[strollingbones]

 

[editec]

Shirakawa, Japan (CNN) -- Japanese authorities are operating on the presumption that possible meltdowns are under way at two nuclear reactors, a government official said Sunday, adding that there have been no indications yet of hazardous emissions of radioactive material into the atmosphere.

The attempts to avert a possible nuclear crisis, centered around the Fukushima Daiichi facility in northeast Japan, came as rescuers frantically scrambled to find survivors following the country's strongest-ever earthquake and a devastating tsunami that, minutes later, brought crushing walls of water that wiped out nearly everything in their paths.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters there is a "possibility" of a meltdown at the plant's No. 1 reactor, adding, "It is inside the reactor. We can't see." He then added that authorities are also "assuming the possibility of a meltdown" at the facility's No. 3 reactor.

Japanese authorities rush to save lives, avert nuclear crisis - CNN.com

Oh crap!

Not good.

If this event turns into a real disaster that's going to set back nucelar power for electricity for another twenty years.

Here's a thought...stop building nuclear plants in earthquake prone zones.