Self Defense Force now starting to spray water @ Fukushima

[Lucinda]

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-world-tv

It was just another short announcement with a pic - then back to old canned updates

Announcement saying a Global Hawk from the US military is taking photos and reading over the reactors now

edited to correct to Global Hawk.

[Fumesucker]

1. I think that's "Global Hawk".. a largish drone.. n/t

[Lucinda]

2. They showed a picture of it - It was hard to understand what she was calling it

Global Hawk makes sense :) Thank you!

[Statistical]

3. Just to clarify and add details they are spraying #3 spent fuel pond.

Attempts earlier were on the #4 spent fuel pond. The helicopters had to stop and the ground crews couldn't get close enough (either rads or heat) to use water cannons.

Looks like they are able to get close enough to spray water into the #3 spent fuel pond. Which is marginally good news.


Still #4 is the larger issue. Most of the fuel in the ponds is "old" and decay heat falls off exponentially. 200 fuel rods that are a year old have less thermal output than 1 fuel rod that is a month old. #4 spent fuel is very "fresh". Reactor shutdown about a month ago and all fuel was removed (there is no fuel at all in #4 reactor) to conduct maintenance on reactor. This means the #4 cooling pond has a very high thermal output (which is why it boiled dry first).