Friday, June 3, 2011
#Radiation in Fukushima: Government Doubles the Cumulative Radiation Level in Namie-Machi to 61 Millisieverts, Citing Calculation Error
The "impressive, well-organized" (according to IAEA) Japanese government disclosed that the Ministry of Education and Science made a calculation error, and the cumulative radiation level from March 12 to May 11 at a location in Namie-machi in Fukushima Prefecture was 61 millisieverts, not 31 as had been previously announced.
The cumulative radiation level at the location in Namie-machi up to May 25 was 73.9 millisieverts.
Oh wait.. The cumulative radiation increased 13 millisieverts in 2 weeks? That's over 20% increase.
Is it only for the Namie-machi numbers that the Ministry made a calculation error?
From Tokyo Shinbun, citing Kyodo News (9:42PM JST 6/3/2011):
文部科学省は３日、福島第１原発の北西２２キロの福島県浪江町内の１地点で、３月１２日から５月２５日までの約２カ月半の積算放射線量が推定７３・９ミリシーベルトだったと発表。第１原発周辺の、この期間の積算線量推定分布図を公開した。
The Ministry of Education and Science announced on June 3 that the estimated cumulative radiation level from March 12 to May 25 at one location in Namie-machiFukushima Prefecture, 22 kilometers northwest of Fukushima I Nuke Plant, was 73.9 millisieverts. The Ministry also disclosed the cumulative radiation estimate map of the same period in the area around Fukushima I Nuke Plant.
文科省は５月１６日、この地点の５月１１日までの積算線量は３１・７ミリシーベルトと発表していたが、この日、６１・１ミリシーベルトだったと訂正した。 担当者は「一部で間違った計算式を使っていた」としている。浪江町内のほかの１０地点でも計算ミスがあり、大幅な過小評価になっていた。
Previously, the Ministry of Education and Science announced the cumulative radiation at this particular location up to May 11 was 31.7 millisieverts, but it corrected the number to 61.1 millisieverts. According to the person [unnamed] in charge at the Ministry, "A wrong formula was used in calculation in some parts." Calculation errors were found for 10 additional locations within Namie-machi, resulting in a vast underestimation of the radiation levels.
By the way, the video of a cute, ear-less rabbit was taken at a Namie-machi location. It was not a hoax, and it was later reported by a major newspaper (Sankei Shinbun). The person who uploaded that video said in the Youtube description that the cumulative radiation level in Namie-machi had been much higher (as measured by the residents) than the Ministry's number, up to 3 times as much. Well, Namie residents were right.
Sphere: Related Content
More on this topic (What's this?)
Why For-Profit Schools are Rocketing (Wealth Daily, 6/2/11)
Making The Grade: Education Stocks Get Government Reprieve (APOL, DV, COCO, STRA, EDMC, LOPE, UTI) (tickerspy.com, 6/2/11)
Guest Post: Update on the Japanese Nuclear Crisis … Not a Pretty Picture (naked capitalism, 5/31/11)
Read more on Education in the US, Plant, Investing in Japan at Wikinvest
Posted by arevamirpal::laprimavera at 10:38 AM
Labels: Fukushima, Ministry of Education, Namie-machi, radiation
3 comments:
netudiant said...
It is surprising that the Japanese authorities have not taken note of the much more detailed radiation surveys now available to adjust the current 30km evacuation zone to reflect reality.
In the ISRNs most recent report (in French, sorry) http://www.irsn.fr/FR/Actualites_presse/Actualites/Documents/IRSN_Rapport_Evaluation_Dosimetrique_Fukushima_16052011.pdf
it is clear that most of the contaminated zone is a narrow swath of land pointing roughly north west from the plant, about 45 km long and 10km wide.
The rest of the area is much less contaminated and there is no reason to keep the people living there away from their homes in makeshift shelters.
Simultaneously, there is need to recognize that the 30km radius was insufficient in some cases and that additional communities will be affected.
However, given the wretched care apparently received by the evacuees, it would be natural for those people to prefer to take the risk of increased radioactivity rather than to depend on the governments refugee support system.
June 3, 2011 1:11 PM
Anonymous said...
Robbie001 sez:
The direction of the initial plume was obvious weeks ago. The evacuation isn't just based on current contamination patterns it is based on possible future problems. What happens if the next aftershock or typhoon destroys #4SFP or collapses a reactor hulk or two? The wind may be blowing onshore to the south the next time with rain. If anything the "lesson (not) learned" is the circle should be extended to 50km because when something goes wrong a contamination plume can extent that far in any direction the wind is blowing. The situation at Fukushima isn't stable by a long shot and until it is it isn't safe to move back. On shore winds and the rainy season are coming sooner than later and TEPCO only has lame apologies and excuses to work with. That isn't a formula for early repatriation of the "underaffected" population.
They don't know where or what the loose fuel is doing, they don't have the contaminated water under control nor do they have the reactor hulks covered yet. Any of this and a hundred other unknowns are effecting the evacuees ability to have a normal life. They have recently doubled the cumulative radiation level for Namie-machi because of another "mistake" by the officials in charge. Two months from now we may find the current IAEA approved contamination maps is as inadequate as the maps offered in the initial days.
More than likely moving back without official OK isn't going to be a option because the effected areas shouldn't be getting utility service. I doubt TEPCO is going to be feeding empty neighborhoods with power when they are asking everyone to conserve. As a matter of fact I could see TEPCO favoring any plan that helps them balance their power requirements by concentrating customers. Tens of thousands of refugees aren't demanding power at their individual homes and businesses if they were to move back TEPCO would be in even more of a power deficit then they are now. In a year or two they will have convention power plants coming on line to take up the slack but for now I think the evacuation is a blessing for TEPCO.
June 3, 2011 4:09 PM
arevamirpal::laprimavera said...
@robbie, Fukushima is outside TEPCO's service area. It's under Tohoku Electric, who is suing TEPCO for failing to give them their share of power from Fukushima I and II.
June 3, 2011 4:22 PM
No comments:
Post a Comment