While researching the Fukushima reactor thread I came across this interesting article....
http://www.chron.com/default/article...al-radiation-in-Europe-2263841.php
VIENNA (AP) — Very low levels of radiation, which are higher than normal but don't seem to pose a health hazard, are being registered in the Czech Republic and elsewhere in Europe, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday.
The agency said the cause was not known but was not the result of Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, which spread radiation across the globe in March.
The "very low levels of iodine-131 have been measured in the atmosphere," the agency said in a statement. It said such radioisotope will lose much of its radiation in about eight days.
However, an official familiar with the matter, who asked for anonymity because he was not authorized to comment, said the release appeared to be continuing.
Any ideas those of you in the European A.net community as to where it could be coming from? Seems that Chernobyl would not be a likely source as the Ukraine and Belarus monitor the exclusion zone pretty carefully.
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
I blame Judith! She must have a hidden reactor in that farm of hers...
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- connies4ever
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RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
It is curious, for sure, but bear in mind the levels are pretty low, and, as stated,the half-life of I-131 is 8 days (I think 8d1h, actually), so the public health risk is quite low. It is usually thought of as a fission product that would be released by failed fuel venting fission gases. However, I-131 can also be produced in an accelerator. I'm wondering if this is the source.
RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
| Quoting dxing (Thread starter): Any ideas those of you in the European A.net community as to where it could be coming from? |
According to the BBC, a spokesperson for the Czech environment ministry says that iodine-131 could not have come from a nuclear plant, and that it could have leaked from pharmaceutical production, most likely outside the Czech Republic.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15689555
Cheers
Mats
RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
| Quoting connies4ever (Reply 2): and, as stated,the half-life of I-131 is 8 days (I think 8d1h, actually), so the public health risk is quite low |
while quite low, it is rather intriguing. If it has such a short half-life, then it must have been released very recently...
RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
| Quoting nighthawk (Reply 4): Quoting connies4ever (Reply 2): and, as stated,the half-life of I-131 is 8 days (I think 8d1h, actually), so the public health risk is quite low while quite low, it is rather intriguing. If it has such a short half-life, then it must have been released very recently... |
Depends a bit on how much was released.
You would think if from Fukushima, someone else would have noticed it on its way round???
RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
| Quoting Baroque (Reply 5): You would think if from Fukushima, someone else would have noticed it on its way round??? |
I do not know how much relevance authorities are putting on finding the source.
I just remember Chernobyl when the event was not reported for days until the radiation was tracked back to the source.
Hopefully, someone will track the weather systems over the last few days and come up with a few idea's. On the other hand look how bad the computer models missed the dispersion of the ash cloud from the Iceland volcano from a known location.
| Quoting nighthawk (Reply 1): I blame Judith! She must have a hidden reactor in that farm of hers |
Probably an X-ray machine gone berserk at the airport.
Okie
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- airtrainer
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RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
Time for a new A.net meet there, maybe ?
RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
Normally they just blame Poland for things like this. 'It blows over the border', apparently.
There is lots of radiation all over Czech Republic. I remember talking to a guy at a nuclear power station in the south and he said there was more ambient radiation in my town than in the confines of the power station.
They also get loads of radon gas scares all over the place.
There is lots of radiation all over Czech Republic. I remember talking to a guy at a nuclear power station in the south and he said there was more ambient radiation in my town than in the confines of the power station.
They also get loads of radon gas scares all over the place.
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- connies4ever
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RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
| Quoting Babybus (Reply 9): They also get loads of radon gas scares all over the place. |
Radon emissions, however, are quite normal in most concrete structures - radium is present in the aggregate and decays into radon. Trace amounts, and only a problem if ventilation is poor. This was reported to death in Canada twenty years ago.
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- MadameConcorde
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RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
The leaks are all over Europe including France. This French magazine article on line says the leaked Iodine comes from Eastern Europe.
http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/env...te-detectes-en-france_1051352.html
Abnormal radioactivity levels detected in France
http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/env...te-detectes-en-france_1051352.html
Abnormal radioactivity levels detected in France
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- MD11Engineer
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RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
| Quoting Babybus (Reply 9): There is lots of radiation all over Czech Republic. I remember talking to a guy at a nuclear power station in the south and he said there was more ambient radiation in my town than in the confines of the power station. |
Don´t forget that the mountain range between the Czech Republic and Germany (Erzgebirge = Ore Mountains in German, I don´t know how it is being called in Czech) has plenty of unranium deposits and used to have a lot of uranium mines on both sides of the border. Radon gas is a decay product of Radium (which in turn is a decay product of uranium and was discovered first by the Curies in pitchblende (uranium ore) mined at Joachimstal in this mountain range.
Jan
RE: Mysterious Rise In Radiation Levels In Czech Rep.
| Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 11): Abnormal radioactivity levels detected in France |
No reason to be worried. In Northern Germany I-131 was detected in the atmosphere, too. Radiation levels were 100 x less than natural radiation levels, though.
pelican