I don't think the primary containment vessel's integrity has been compromised

[Saboburns]

Reports that the water level has remained stable and the pressure has not changed inside the primary containment vessel, AFTER THE LAST EXPLOSION.. I don't think either would be the case if the the vessel had cracked.

But I don't know the source of the last explosion.

[Atman]

1. Have not changed from what?

Before this they were saying the water level wasn't rising even though they were pumping seawater in. That statement you mentioned is very vague...just as it was intended to be. They've now moved people 20km away. That should tell you more than vague press releases.

[Saboburns]

3. They moved everybody three days ago..

There is going to be continuous venting of radioactive steam for the next few days as they try to cool down the reaction. Even in the best of circumstances this will be going on for days. The worst of circumstances a helluva lot longer.

[Atman]

10. No. That was 12km. Now evacuation to 20km. Up to 30km stay indoors.

And now...fire at #4. In the spent fuel storage area, which is in many ways WORSE.

[Fuddnik]

2. Breaking news on MSNBC.com says it has been.

[tahrir]

4. That has been the message from the nuke industry from day 0

Sounds like they have been going with their gut, too.

[Saboburns]

5. If the core was breached there would be much higher rad levels

Much, much, much higher. So far (luckily??) there have been low doses of radiation released.

[tahrir]

6. What's your GC reading?

U have no idea, like the rest of us.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. what would now 400 msverts now tell you?

and it is going up... we are now at human harm level

[Statistical]

16. A breech would be much higher. Chernobyl was 300,000 mSv per hour.

400 mSv is bad but it is not indicative of a core breach. Simply put the core contains much much much much much much much (and likely 20 more muchs) radioactive material than that.

[Saboburns]

17. Thank you

Thank you for the information. The containment vessel is not cracked.

[Saboburns]

18. Here's my guess

There was a stuck pressure relief valve stuck closed on reactor two. I think that valve was opened, or more probably the pressure inside opened it, which caused a flash hydrogen fire which may have occurred both inside and outside of this vent.

Purely my speculation.

But I know this: If the core were breached the rad levels would be way fucking higher, hundreds of thousands of milliservs per hour. Not merely hundreds of milliservs per hour.

[spanone]

7. it doesn't matter what anyone thinks. the truth matters.

[HuckleB]

20. +1

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. 3 ATM to 1 ATM is a change in pressure

from my basic Physics...

Moreover, yes they think they have breach

[Saboburns]

11. That's why they vent the steam

Which is what they've done since the beginning. That's why the pressure has gone down. To bring down the pressure inside the primary. And the amount of radiation released is still very minimal.

The cooling continues in all the risky reactors.

[originalpckelly]

12. No, after the explosion they saw this change in pressure.

Right after. Gee, it couldn't be related, now could it?

Hear no evil, see no evil.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. I recomend you try to keep up

they have a leak... and this sudden drop did not come from steam release.

THEY ARE SPEAKING OF DAMAGE TO THE MAIN CONTAINMENT. You know TEPCO is talking of this.

[Saboburns]

14. No they're not

You are.

Go back and re read your own post regarding the news conference.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. I am listening to them right now, have a good day

[TNLib]

19. Even the NEI has been saying that since 9:40 EDT

It looks like the primary containment unit has been damaged.

http://www.nei.org/newsandevents/information-on-the-japanese-earthquake-and-reactors-in-that-region/

[Saboburns]

21. I still see no evidence of a major radiaton release.

The amount of radiation remains low level. Certainly no primary containment failures.

But, My God, watching this place freak out is an eye opener.

[Incitatus]

22. I haven't seen it either, because I'm not there.

I don't think they would make all but 50 workers leave and tell people to stay indoors if they didn't think they had a very serious problem.

[Saboburns]

25. There was briefly a high level, but no more

Four times higher than the legal limit which would indeed cause some health problems, but just briefly. And not widespread. Not lethal by any stretch. Evacuating the non essential workers INSIDE the plant was the right thing to do.

I think the steam vented itself in very quick time span, seconds rather than minutes, and now the cooling water is being pumped back in. Of course there will be more steam evacs that contain small amounts of radiation, these steam evacs must occur to keep the thing from blowing.

But so far, no high level radiation leaks have occurred. Which means the primary containment has NOT been breached.

Moving the people back is just prudent at this juncture. So far I think the Japanese have done a helluva job to keep this contained. Hope it stays that way.

[Rex]

23. A few people disagree with you in your OP, but sure the entire DU

is 'freaking out'...all about you you you. :eyes:

[JCMach1]

24. NHK was reporting cesium in Tokyo...

..."Minute levels" of radiation have been detected in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, Kyodo news agency said, quoting the metropolitan government.

They had found iodine and cesium... http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/15/japan-quake-idUSTKB00735920110315