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Current Events -- week of March 11- 19. Supermoon March 18. Earthquakes and Tsunamis. Recent major earthquakes -- Haiti, Chile, New Zealand, -- Japan. Haiti – Jan 12 --7.0. Chile -- Feb 27, 2010 -- 8.8. New Zealand – Sep 3, 2010 – 7.2. Japan - Mar 11– 8.9.
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Current Events -- week of March 11- 19 Supermoon March 18
Earthquakes and Tsunamis • Recent major earthquakes • -- Haiti, Chile, New Zealand, • -- Japan Haiti – Jan 12 --7.0 Chile -- Feb 27, 2010 -- 8.8 New Zealand – Sep 3, 2010 – 7.2 Japan - Mar 11– 8.9
Nuclear Power and Radiation Fission Fusion
What is this “radiation” ? Is it electromagnetic ? Some gamma rays released but most is radioactive particles -- neutrons and daughter products – nuclei
Unit of measurement – Sievert m = milli = 0.001 m = micro = 0.000001 Everyday sources of radiation Natural /year Cosmic (avg) 0.39mSv Earth crust 0.46 mSv Radon 1.3 mSv Food & drink 0.23 mSv Total 2.4mSv Artificial chest CT scan 5.8mSv mammogram 3 mSv NYC LA flight 40m Sv Flight crews 9 mSv/yr 50 km of nuclear plant 0.09mSv/yr 50 km coal plant 0.30mSv/yr Increased cancer risk 100mSv/yr Fukishima workers 250mSv/yr
Increased cancer risk >100mSv/yr Fukishima workers 250mSv Dose limit radiation poisoning 400mSv short term Severe radiation poisoning 2000mSv = 2Sv short term Fatal 8Sv 3 Mile Island -- avg total dose was 80mSv within 10 mi ! California -- 3/19 < 1mSv from Fukushima fallout Has the US Media exaggerated the risk? --- YES SEE http://www.xkcd.com/radiation for a good illustration For comparative radiation levels around the world see also ---- http://scienceblogs.com/deanscorner/2011/03/are_you_getting_more_radiation.php
From http://www.weathertrends360.com/Blog/Post/You-Ate-More-Radiation-Than-Tokyo-Japan-836 And if you smoke see http://www.fatcat.com.au/news/home/Ask+an+Advisor/422_0.html