Nuclear Meltdown Alert – follow updates here

“If they can’t restore power to the plant (and cool the reactor), then there’s the possibility
of some sort of core meltdown”.

An alarming statement made by James Acton, a physicist who examined Japan’s Kashiwazaki
nuclear plant after a 2007 earthquake, who told CNN that Japanese authorities are in race to cool
down the Fukushima reactor.

Following the fifth largest earthquake in recorded world history, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, has
resulted in the closure of all Japan’s nuclear power reactors, one of which, the Fukushima
reactor, is overheating and in danger of a meltdown if coolant is not restored soon. It’s like a
pressure cooker… when you have something generating heat and you don’t cool it off or release
the steam…

Reported from abc NEWS, Scientists said that even though the reactor had stopped producing
energy, its fuel continues to generate heat and needs steady levels of coolant to prevent it from
overheating and triggering a dangerous cascade of events.

They go on to say, “Up to 100 percent of the volatile radioactive Cesium-137 content of the
pools could go up in flames and smoke, to blow downwind over large distances,”

“Given the large quantity of irradiated nuclear fuel in the pool, the radioactivity release could be
worse than the Chernobyl nuclear reactor catastrophe of 25 years ago.” said Kevin Kamps, a
nuclear waste specialist.

Fukushima I (there are two plant locations) is one of the 25 largest nuclear power stations in the
world.

How would a nuclear plant meltdown unfold?

 Control rods are driven back down into the core upon emergency (if rods don’t make it
all the way… trouble)
 The coolant (water) could cease if backup systems fail (electricity, pumps, generators,
batteries)
 Reactor continues to produce heat
 Numerous venting valve systems would release pressure above ~1,000 psi into
containment vessel
 Eventually the uranium fuel encasement metal will melt (2,200 deg F)
 Radioactive contamination then released into the reactor vessel
 Radiation escapes into an outer, concrete containment building
 Radiation escapes into the environment as radioactive Fallout.
Not only would such a disaster be horrible for the local region and Japan, but other countries,
namely the U.S. could be effected next by airborne fallout of  radiation particles, the magnitude
of which is yet to be determined.

Why would the west coast USA be in danger  of Fallout?

The prevailing jet stream winds are blowing from Japan directly across the Pacific ocean to the
west coast of the United States. Any airborne radioactive Fallout would make its way across with
the jet stream, reaching the U.S. in approximately 36 hours, depending on the actual speed of
the jet and how quickly the particles mixed in with the jetstream.

Image of the Jet Stream from Japan to the U.S.

 
AccuWeather.com

Update,

BBC News Asia-Pacific is now reporting that radiation levels inside the nuclear reactor are 1,000
times of normal, and there are now high levels (unspecified) ‘outside’ of the nuclear reactor
plant. They report that people are being evacuated in an approximate 6-mile perimeter.