Radiation from Fukushima Plant “Measured Globally” and Blanketed Entire Northern Hemisphere

US states hit with “extremely large peaks” of Fukushima radioactive material – “Significant amount” of plutonium released for months – Radioactivity from plant “measured globally” and blanketed entire Northern Hemisphere

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster has been the second most serious crisis of a nuclear power plant in the human history[*].

The release period lasted over two months emitting a significant amount of radioiodine, radioxenon and radiocaesium as well as other isotopes such as plutonium. Besides the local to regional scale impacts of soil and water pollution, isotopes released into the atmosphere could be measured globally. Total atmospheric release was estimated to be 14000–15300 PBq of radioxenon and 340–800 PBq of other isotopes.

The radioactive plume in the atmosphere moved towards the Pacific, reached North America in five days and Europe in eight days… Fukushima-derived radioiodine and radiocaesium could be identified in the entire Northern Hemisphere… The zonal jet stream transported the plume across North America within one day in a narrow band over the Northern USA. This line as well as further Fukushima-derived plumes arriving at the West Coast were the initial state of the regional dispersion dominated by low and middle tropospheric winds. Early detections were reported between 17 and 19 March from three stations in Central and Southern USA: Ashland, KS, Chapel Hill, NC and Melbourne, FL. Kansas and North Carolina were reached by a fast moving cold front at the detection time, however, Florida was dominated by a subtropical high pressure system until 21 March. The plume arrived to Orlando, FL, located in a distance of 100 km from Melbourne, FL, only on 25 March with a much lower peak concentration. Other North American stations reported arrival times between 20 and 25 March except those located at the zonal jet stream path. During this period, the homogenization was driven by fast moving low pressure systems with strong horizontal and vertical turbulence as well as precipitation. These effects resulted in fast transport and dilution of the pollutants with arrival times ranging only 5 days but peak concentrations between 0.44 and 31.08 mBq m−3 for particulate 131I… The large regional variability of peak concentrations within the USA was captured, and model results remained in the same order of magnitude with measurements with the exception of two extremely large peaks in Utah and Indiana.

Watch the modeled 131I activity concentrations in the surface layer (0–100 m)

* Note: Many experts consider Fukushima as the “most serious crisis of a nuclear power plant in the human history”, for example:

• Magazine: Worst nuclear accident in history, like two Chernobyls
• Gov’t report reveals Fukushima radioactive release much larger than Chernobyl
• Japan Gov’t-funded Study: Fukushima has released up to 120 Quadrillion becquerels of radioactive cesium into North Pacific Ocean — Exceeds Chernobyl total
• NHK: Fukushima responsible for “largest-ever” amount of radioactive pollution
• Journal: Fukushima may have already released 90 quadrillion Bq of 137Cs — Much more than Chernobyl’s 70 quadrillion Bq
• Experts: Fukushima cesium release could be more than triple Chernobyl
• Study: Fukushima released 100 quadrillion becquerels of cesium into atmosphere… In just ONE day — About equal to Chernobyl’s total release
• EU-funded Research: Fukushima atmospheric release of 210 quadrillion becquerels of cesium-137 used as upper bound in simulation — Chernobyl estimated at 70 to 85 quadrillion
• US Analysis: Fukushima released 200% as much radioactive iodine as Chernobyl

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