Japanese earthquake / tsunami discussion

Vodkat

6.6
http://quakes.globalincidentmap.com/

Sardonicat

maquiladora wrote: »

Another 6.5

80 miles from Fukushima, according to Sky.

Minamisanriku: 10,000 missing, feared dead. Amazingly, 7,500 people have been evacuated from there. The town was totally submerged and destroyed by the tsunami.

Stevek101

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Just a close up image of the nuclear power station which is subject to intense discussion here. The containment building on the far left in the image is the one which was damaged by the explosion.

Id say it would not look pretty if a photo was taken from the same spot tonight . . .

3ndahalfof6

Vodkat wrote: »

6.6
http://quakes.globalincidentmap.com/

does it mean anything of significance that this was only 1km depth.

3ndahalfof6

They are not following it on BBC news at the moment so I am in the dark.

3ndahalfof6

6.2 depth 24km

Vodkat

Shallow earthquakes will cause more damage to structures

Agonist

When does an aftershock become an earthquake in its own right? Some of them are really strong.

It's interesting to hear about the reactor problems and I'm F5ing this thread all the time, but I'd like to hear about other stuff too, dams and rescues and vids/pics etc.

I'm watching CNN and they are saying that Japan has moved 8 feet closer to America. The Banda Aceh quake moved it 60 feet.

Also the earth's rotational axis has moved several inches.

Does that mean the GPS coordiates will change in Japan? Anything else that it will affect?

whiteboy

I personally do not care so much about the Japanese earthquake/tsunami, people die everyday and it's not so eventful

skelliser

These after shocks will continue for many days and months.

There is expected to be a large one of magnitude 7.0 or 8.0, on its own thats quite a large earthquake, as is the case after the intial quake.

3ndahalfof6

Is the amount of activity in this area much more than the norm considering it is a hot spot.

Sardonicat

NHK (Japanese channel,516 if you have Sky.) reporting live: Nuclear and Industrial and Safety Agency Official explaining the situation re no. 3.
Can't really tell if the transltion is really poor or this guy is floundering. He doesn't seem to know what is going on or why.

Not very reassuring.

andrew

whiteboy wrote: »

I personally do not care so much about the Japanese earthquake/tsunami, people die everyday and it's not so eventful

That's exactly the reason why people care so much.

neaideabh

whiteboy wrote: »

I personally do not care so much about the Japanese earthquake/tsunami, people die everyday and it's not so eventful

The fact that there is potential for a radioactive fallout that threatens the worlds 3rd largest economy should have you concerned.

The fact that at least 10000 people have been killed should have you saddened at least! But then maybe, you wrote something like that just to stir the **** and get a load of responses like this!

Sardonicat

NHK to broadcast a press conference with Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary.

Atavan-Halen

whiteboy wrote: »

I personally do not care so much about the Japanese earthquake/tsunami, people die everyday and it's not so eventful

Fair enough if you're not really concerned but the reason why others like myself and here on boards are so concerned is that perfectly healthy people just going about their business don't die on this scale everyday. It's also a massive event in history with one of the biggest earthquakes recorded. Even though I've no relatives or anything in Japan I still feel so sorry for those affected and would do anything to help.

andyseadog

first time in this forum, excuse me barging into this thread full on, but

this is the most recent news report i can find (uploaded a little over an hour ago) seems a little more grim than others, it may be scaremongering, hopefully.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/nuclear-plant-blast-appears-to-have-caused-meltdown-20110313-1bsmk.html

As long as the reactor core, which is specifically designed to contain high levels of heat, pressure and radiation, remains intact, the melted fuel can be dealt with. If the core breaches but the containment facility built around the core remains intact, the melted fuel can still be dealt with — typically entombed within specialized concrete — but the cost and difficulty of such containment increases exponentially.

However, the earthquake in Japan, in addition to damaging the ability of the control rods to regulate the fuel — and the reactor’s coolant system — appears to have damaged the containment facility, and the explosion almost certainly did.

There have been reports of “white smoke,” perhaps burning concrete, coming from the scene of the explosion, indicating a containment breach and the almost certain escape of significant amounts of radiation.

At this point, events in Japan bear many similarities to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Reports indicate that up to 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) of the reactor fuel was exposed. The reactor fuel appears to have at least partially melted, and the subsequent explosion has shattered the walls and roof of the containment vessel — and likely the remaining useful parts of the control and coolant systems.

has anybody read anything similar to back this up, or is it still speculation?

my uncle and his family live in Tokyo, not immediately in the exclusion zone, but a concern none the less.

maquiladora

Radiation level at no. 1 reactor has now surpassed legal limits, whatever that means, perhaps legal limit for workers to remain there?

3ndahalfof6

I dont know if this link will help anyone it has me.

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/12/live-real-time-engli.html

Sardonicat

Japanese Government setting up medical centres in Fukushami to screen people's radiation levels and to treat if neccesary.

JONJO THE MISER

New Tsunami travelling 500mph say fox news.

Overheal

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

5% risk of a nuclear explosion I guess.

Don't be daft. Plutonium or no you still need to achieve what is known as Critical Mass to create an explosion.

Not only the enrichment, but the environment and even the shape of the fissile mass are accounted for when considering critical mass. Nuclear Bombs use spheres that are sub-critical until it's corresponding triggering mass is fired into an opening on the sphere causing it to become supercritical. For example, masses become less critical as they heat up above room temperature. In this hot reactor environment, the chance of the mass becoming critical, is zero. Thats because when the mass cools it becomes more dense and when heated it becomes less dense, thus significantly reducing the chance of it becoming critical.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_mass

Thrill

1. 0202: More on the higher radioactivity level at the nuclear plant. The Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) has informed the government of an "emergency situation" but this does not mean an immediate threat to human health, the company adds. A similar rise in radiation levels occurred after the company released radioactive steam from another reactor to let go of pressure. On that occasion too, the company was obliged to inform the government of an "emergency situation".
   
   

Sardonicat

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary saying they it is assumed that a meltdown hsa occured in No. 1 and no. 3.

Sardonicat

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

New Tsunami travelling 500mph say fox news.

no they don't.

JONJO THE MISER

Sardonicat wrote: »

no they don't.

Yes they did it came up on the screen 5 minutes ago.

Sardonicat

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Yes they did it came up on the screen 5 minutes ago.

Well, it's not there now. You'd think that would be pretty major news, no?

LighterGuy

You know what... if anyone can overcome this. The japanese can. History proves it.

wish the rest of the world had their spirit.

3ndahalfof6

there is a guy on BBC news saying the reactors which were ok are not getting the proper amount of water and if it goes wrong it will not be good.

he said they have been telling the powers to be that there could be serious problems if a big quake hits, for some years now.

Overheal

Agonist wrote: »

I'm watching CNN and they are saying that Japan has moved 8 feet closer to America. The Banda Aceh quake moved it 60 feet.

Also the earth's rotational axis has moved several inches.

Does that mean the GPS coordiates will change in Japan? Anything else that it will affect?

Im not a GPS expert but the system follows geostationary positions along the equator. The Poles only affect our orientation in relation to the sun. Whether or not the system will require re-calibration im not sure but I doubt it. If earth's gravity is left more or less unchanged they should still contour to the same orbital path.

GPS coordinates will remain the same, but your house just moved to GPS coordinates that are 8 feet from where your house used to be.