Originally Posted By: Pete
As the mass confusion goes on ...

I am now seeing reports that fuel rods are exposed, at least on one of these reactors. IF that's true, and who knows any more, it tends to shoot down the idea that we've still got containment around all of these reactors. So you've got to at least factor in the possibility that there is a serious radiation leak over there.

If we add in the fact that seawater has been pumped onto the reactors, that could imply that some radioactive material is making it into the ocean. Hopefully the Japanese navy is monitoring radiation levels near the coast in that area. Despite this - I still think that using the seawater was a very good idea.

other Pete



No, and no.

"exposed fuel rods" probably means that they are not fully covered in water inside the reactor vessel. Probably does NOT mean that they are seeing the sky.
What it actually means is probably unknown to the talking heads that are reading from their scripts hastily written by people who don't understand either. (even if the translation from nuke-operator-Japanese to nuke-operator-English was perfect)

Pumping sea water IN does not imply leaking sea water out.
They are using an available source of water to continue replacing water that is being boiled off by the fuel. They have a problem that there's not a turbine they can dump the steam to because everything is broken, nor is there likely to be an approved steam dump because they don't have condenser function. So they are probably just venting steam and replenishing liquid as best they can.

Keeping the core covered is the prime directive.

As time goes on the decay heat output will diminish as the fission products finish they job of decaying.

The confusion is massive in the media and among lay people. Add to the fact that these are boiling water reactors rather than pressurized water reactors and even we ex-nukes have to work to understand the differences.

Feel free to panic because it is certainly a serious situation but I won't jump up and down with you because I think there is far too much misinformation to draw real conclusions. Besides, there's not a thing either of us can do about it.