We understand that the situation in Japan is complicated. There was an earthquake, then a tsunami, and now a nuclear disaster. We've created this page as a forum for our experts answer your questions about the crisis in Japan. We'll be updating the page as more information, and more questions, come in. You can always find up-to-date breaking news on Japan on our dedicated Wide Angle page as well.
Melissa Prado: How can, and has, this earthquake and tsunami in Japan affected the U.S., as in the tectonic plates?
A: Melissa, we've addressed your question in this week's vlog, below.
Michelle Lea Nicholson: It is true that part of the country is permanently under water?
A: Michelle, we've addressed your question in this week's vlog, below.
The area in Japan that was flooded by the tsunami will eventually recede. In the before and after pictures of the catastrophe you can see that some areas impacted by the wave are valleys that were once flood plains, but those flood plains were formed from ancient rivers. It is possible to map ancient tsunami deposits and the regions hit are likely to show past signs of these marine deposits upland as well. -Christina Reed, Earth Editor
Tim Foucher: I don't mean to sound insensitive, what happened in Japan is a tragedy without a doubt, but shouldn't more care have been taken on where this reactor was built? We are skeptical about building bridges near fault lines but a nuclear reactor we are all for?
A: Discovery News correspondent, Eric Niiler, has addressed many of your concerns in these articles:
Could U.S. Nuclear Plants Withstand a Tsunami?
What Makes New Nuclear Reactors Safer
Jack Larche: Is there any indication that this tectonic shift has weakened the Yellowstone dome?
A: Jack, here's more information about the Yellowstone tectonic plates.
Patty Baker: is there any way a tsunami could hit the eastern seaboard of USA ?
A: Patty, in one word, yes. But you can find more information about tsunamis here:
Tsunami Warning Center Uses Top Technology
Pacific Ocean Floor Guides Tsunami
Gary Speir: Could the Japanese have ever imagined that the waters would go that far inland? Could this have been better prevented. Or are waterfront towns just doomed to go under water one day. And what percent of the population lived in the disaster areas?
A: Gary, you can find a better understanding of these issues in the following articles:
What Makes New Nuclear Reactors Safer
Top Five Cities on Faults: Slide Show
Kirk Kirkwood: Given the current weather conditions threatening Japan (3 days of snowfall), what is the likelihood, and/or effects of radiation mixing with the condensation that produced the snowstorm? Are they looking at a potential nuclear snowfall?
A: Kirk, you are correct in that weather does have an effect on how radiation travels. Right now, meteoroligists are predicting that the West Coast of the U.S. is safe.
Sherri Frnka Sommerlatte: How long does radiation stay in the air?
A: Sherri, you can find more information in the following articles:
Contamination Cleanup a Daunting Prospect
Where the Winds Blow: Experts Ponder Fallout Risks
Raul Quijada: Is any chance to get radiation from the Japanese nuclear plant here in the U.S.?
Carlos Rojas H.: Just how far can radiation from a meltdown travel through the atmosphere or oceans with hazardous levels?
Lisa Campbell: If there's a nuclear meltdown, and it looks like it's well on its way to becoming one, what are the consequences for the island of Japan (as a whole)? Could the whole nation's population be at risk? As well as, is there a danger for nuclear fallout to the western U.S.?
James Richardson: In an absolute worst case scenario, if all the reactors that COULD meltdown, DID meltdown. What would the consequences be? Both locally for Japan and globally?
A: Kirk, Sherri, Raoul, Carlos, Lisa and James: We addressed this issue this week in our vlog.
You can find more information in this article: Where the Winds Blow: Experts Ponder Fallout Risk
Also, Technology Editor Tracy Staedter reached out to University of Maryland atmospheric scientist Russell Dickerson for more information:
"Some of the radioactive fallout would look like smoke or dust, other components are invisible."
"After Chernobyl the radiation traveled on air currents all the way around the world, but not is quantities harmful to humans. As far as we know there was much less radioactive material released in Japan. Hard numbers have been difficult to come by. Winds often carry air from East Asia to North America, but at the moment we do not have enough information to even guess how much might reach the U.S. It is conceivable that there could be a problem, and we need to keep an eye on the reactors, but harmful levels of radioactive substances this far away are highly unlikely."
Angie Smith: With all the nuclear experts from other countries said to be in Japan now, I'd like to know why we aren't getting clear answers and info on what the situation really is? Aren't they obligated somehow to keep the world informed?
Michelle Lea Nicholson: If iodine tablets are useful because they protect the thyroid from absorbing excessive radiation in the form of radioactive iodine. Then people who have no thyroid, like me, due to surgery or cancer..does it lessen the impact from radiation exposure on their body?
A: Michelle, this is a tough one! We're working on getting an answer to this specific question. But more information on preventing radiation poisoning can be found in this article: Nuclear Contamination: What to Do
Charles M Taylor: What is being done to minimize the harm and influence of pseudoscience groups (homeopaths, Church of Scientology, etc...) trying to offer their "aid" to the locals?
A: Charles, this is all we know so far: Japanese Radiation Victims Offered Worthless Treatment
Yash Shevde: I had watched on discovery itself of a scientist predicting earthquakes and volcanoes by the moon's movement (i.e. Apogee and perigee). Though so called hoax busters claim it to be false hasn’t this Japan crisis advocated it? And people there is more to the world than the USA think about the millions starving instead of what may happen in USA.
A: Although the motion of the moon creates tides on Earth (i.e. the raising and lowering of the oceans), there's no evidence to suggest that this tidal force can be linked with natural disasters on the scales that we saw in Japan. The change in force is minuscule when the moon is at its closest approach, other forces from the Earth's interior would far overwhelm any influence from the moon. -Dr. Ian O'Neill, Space Editor
Muhammad Yusaf: What is the proof that this earthquake has increased the earth rotation speed by about 1.6 nanosecond?
A: Muhammed, we've addressed your question in this week's vlog, which you can see above.
You can read more about it here: The Day the Earth Sped Up
Discovery News Space Editor Dr. Ian O'Neill also explains:
"Yes, our days got shorter by a millionth of a second shortly after the quake struck. A huge crack along the ocean floor off the coast of Japan pulled some of the crust into the Earth's interior. When this happened, the mass distribution of the Earth changed slightly. Like a spinning ice skater when she brings her arms in, her spin speeds up -- this what is known as the "conservation of angular momentum" and it will basically cause any spinning object (i.e. the Earth) to speed up if the mass distribution changes (i.e. the Earth's crust falls into the interior). If the Earth is spinning slightly faster, the days get shorter by a small amount."
"Proof? I'd guess that they can accurately measure the day shortening by using GPS satellites. Likewise, the shift in the tectonic plates can be measured by plotting the new locations of GPS ground stations in and around Japan -- shifts of only a meter or so can be detected. In fact, using this method, scientists now know that Japan has drifter 2 meters away from Korea!"
Shelly Dusang: Can a nuclear leak cause problems in the ozone layer?
A: "Potentially, but I doubt it would be measurable. Some coolants in nuclear reactors contain CFCs -- the banned chemical in aerosols and refrigerators that depletes the ozone layer. If that stuff burns in a nuclear incident, I dare say that could cause problems. But the impact is likely small, and besides, I have no clue if CFCs are used in this particular reactor. Other than that, other chemicals in the smoke being emitted from the reactor could cause damage if it reaches the stratosphere, but it is hard to tell." -Dr. Ian O'Neill, Space Editor
Eddie Sehota: "Even for a nuclear plant situated very close to sea level, the robust sealed containment structure around the reactor itself would prevent any damage to the nuclear part from a tsunami, though other parts of the plant might be damaged. No... radiological hazard would be likely."--World Nuclear Association. Should this be Updated...?
Doug Britton: How does the agency that's responsible to regulate the safety of nuclear power in Japan differ from the NRC? There are Back ups to back up the back up systems hear in the USA. The problems from what I have read stems from the primary power going down what happened to the UPS and auxiliary generators ?
Troy Boudreaux: Just as we were going to open up drilling in the Gulf Of Mexico - Deepwater Horizon. Just as we were going to issue permits for new nuclear power plants - Japan Tsunami. So, are the designs in Japan different from here? Were they built by U.S. companies with U.S. technologies? Are most nuclear power plants in Japan 30+ years old as they are here? Were the seismic surveys in Japan fudged to save costs? Could the negative stigma of nuclear power have prevented new, safer technology from being used in Japan, as it has here?
A: Eddie, Doug and Troy: You can find more about the U.S. nuclear plant system here:
Could U.S. Nuclear Plants Withstand a Tsunami?
Nuclear Reactors: A Look Inside: Slide Show
Tags: Earthquakes, Energy, Meteorology, Natural Disasters, Nuclear Accidents
comments ( )