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In reply to the discussion: This Fukushima Steam- are there any good sources? [View all]NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)I've been following this, as I follow most energy new items.
Please please don't believe anything that comes from ENEnews, it's tripe and propaganda.
Steam is easily created. Heck, you can get water vapor just from atmospheric conditions. In this case it's more likely heat from hot fuel, but it doesn't signal meltdown.
There are 1,533 fuel rod assemblies at the plant, each weigh 661 pounds, that's about 500 tons total. No way anything is going to blow 89 tons of that in our direction.
As for the severity of concentrations of radioactive materials reaching us, well the science of dissipation tells us that the danger decreases exponentially with distance which is no great comfort in the long term, but is comfortable evidence that the claims made at ENEnews and elsewhere are largely bogus.
We need to help Japan clean this mess up, it is serious, but no, there's not going to be widespread ruin in North America over this.
Happy New Year!