Nuclear Reactor Leak in Japan

A tragedy followed by a tragedy. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that crushed Northern Japan on March 11 killed over 10,000 people with more than 17,500 still reported as missing. The earthquake also caused damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant located on the northeastern coast of Japan.

The plant is currently spewing radiation at the rate of up to 1000 millisiervets (mSv) per hour. In relation, 250 mSv is the maximum limit for exposure during emergencies for nuclear plant workers. One thousand mSv can cause temporary radiation sickness including nausea and vomiting, according for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website. The nuclear radiation leak is causing people living within 12 miles of the site to evacuate their homes, or risk the debilitating effects of radiation sickness.

Pools of contaminated water have caused a major setback for stopping the fire burning at the plant. The water is fuel for the plants and hundreds of metric tons of sea water have been added to these pools because there has been a loss of water. This loss of water is another cause for concern for the Japanese because it is dangerous to the workers of the plant and inhabitants in the area.

Donald Mautner is a former Meteorologist for the Navy and is currently an Oceanography professor at Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB). According to Mautner, the upper level winds, also known as the jet streams, flow from Japan through California and back around the globe from west to east. California is about 5,000 miles away from Japan.

Also an expert in oceanography, Mautner also mentioned that the tides also flow from Japan to the California coast. "The ocean is a recycler of about anything," he retorted. In an interview with the Monterey Herald, Dr. Hugh Stallworth, county health officer, said the fear of radiation from Japan is needless worrying.

"From the communications we are getting from the (U.S.) Nuclear Regulatory Commission, there is nothing to worry about," Stallworth said.

The radiation is also entering the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan, causing the Japanese fishing market to be temporarily depleted. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently testing all products coming from certain regions in Japan for radiation. So far, all the fish tested by the FDA has come back negative for radiation.

Recent inventions and adaptations have shown a resiliency among the Japanese people. They are now spraying cool, fresh water into the plant rather than the seawater used earlier. They fear the salt in the seawater could block the pipes. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan stated that the condition at the plant remains doubtful. He then praised the emergency workers for putting their lives at stake while trying to cool the plant's reactors.

Professor Mautner lived in Japan for a total of five years during his career with the Navy. "I admire greatly the Japanese efforts. They are an amazing group of people that can overcome anything," Mautner said.