How Can They Be Sure The Radiation Detected Is From Japan?.......

[global1]

Since the earthquake and tsunami and the nuclear incident in Japan - we've been hearing reports in the U.S. that radiation has been detected in various states and they are attributing that radiation to Japan. How can we be sure that what is detected is from Japan?

Let's take California for example. That was probably one of the first states that reported detecting radiation in the air. Now there are nuclear reactors in California. How can they differentiate the radiation from Japan from possible radiation from a nuclear reactor right in California.

My friend asked me this - and I couldn't answer. Any help would be appreciated.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

1. I wondered that too

...in the case of Massachusetts.

[flamingdem]

2. They can detect the signatures of various isotope, see the UC Berkeley readings

http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/

They describe getting results that show the exact day the explosion happened, etc. These monitoring sites are very sensitive.


Results Log

3/29 (11:35am): Our air results and rain water results have both been updated. The isotope amounts in both have leveled out, which means that we might not be observing a downward trend at this point. We are continuing these tests so that we can observe the eventual expected decline in activities.

3/28 (2:24pm): Latest Air and Water Results data/spectra is now posted. We note decreased levels from previous peaks. This could be due to a number of reasons to include the lack of rain in the past 48 hours to an actual lower amount of particles in the air. Note, this is not a trend unless we see a sustained reduction. We are heading into a period of high pressure in the Bay Area and the jet stream will shift away from our area and this may cause even lower readings. We continue to test run-off creek water, tap water, and milk.

3/27 (2:00pm): Strawberry Creek run off results posted. We do observe all signatures in the run off creek water, but the dilution is from ~2% for I-131 to 15% for Cs137. However, Cs137 and Te132 are just below minimum detectability for our system and the real dilution is most likely closer to 2-5%. Reservoir and tap water sampling begins next week. These activities are factors of 10 to 50 below rain water results.

3/26 (6:20pm): Rain water sample results posted for 3/24 - 3/25. I-131 and Te-132 activities are lower than previously observed (3.12 and 0.27 Bq/L resp.) while Cs137 remains near the high point at ~0.5 Bq/L.

[shraby]

3. Nuclear plants in the U.S. are required to take samples of

the air, water, soil, milk, etc. around the county where they are and also check verious meters that are positioned around the county. This is done periodically so any uptick would be noticed rather quickly. That's why they found the new contamination rather quickly. They probably took new surveys early because of the problems in Japan.

[PoliticAverse]

4. You can never be 100% sure where radiation that you measure is from.

When the Chernobyl accident happened the first place it was detected outside the Soviet block was at
a nuclear power plant in Sweden. No one could figure out exactly where it was coming from.

The radiation that is being detected across the US is likely from the reactors in Japan, based on
when it was detected, where it is being detected (all across the US) and the levels being detected.

If a US reactor had released radiation there would likely be other evidence of it.

[obxhead]

5. They did not all of a sudden start testing for radiation in the air.

The tests are constantly running so they have numbers to compare before and after.

[crickets]

6. K&R for a good question

so more people can see the answer.

[Zorra]

7. It's not. Lies are being spread by anti-nuclear environmentalist communist hippies.

The radiation the "experts" claim is coming from Japan is actually only normal radiation emitted by plants undergoing the simple, natural process of photosynthesis.

There is no radiation being emitted from any nuclear power plant in the US.

The slightly damaged reactors in Japan are not really emitting any radiation at all. They are, in reality, completely safe. There is really nothing to worry about.

Nuclear power is a completely safe, clean source of energy. Radiation is good for you in small doses. Kills 99.9% of harmful viruses and bacteria in the body

BTW, these aforementioned anti-nuclear environmentalist communist hippies have been spreading lies about the dangers of nuclear energy for many years because they all bought stock in solar energy systems and want to see some serious profit from their investments.

Don't ever believe them, especially the California hippies. They are always wrong.

For more honest information, go to the Nuclear Power Producers of America Website, xxx.wekil4buks.orc
;-)

[Junkdrawer]

8. LOL

[Lucinda]

9. O.o

:rofl: