[Leica] Nuclear radiation

[kanner at acm.org (Herbert Kanner)]

The inverse square law is a bit irrelevant here. What we're talking 
about is microscopic particles of solid radioactive elements carried 
by the prevailing winds from there to here. Nevertheless, although 
detectable with instrumentation, are now and probably will be in the 
future, no health risk whatsoever in the U.S., Canada, and South 
America.

Herb
Ex physicist


>Peter writes:
>
>Radiation, like the light we photograph in, reduces in
>
>intensity according to the inverse square law, so I think even a Nocti-
>
>Geiger-counter couldn't detect emissions from that plant.
>
>- - - - -
>
>Peter,
>
>That might be the case with gamma radiation. But radioactive particles are
>transported by the prevailing wind patterns. If you are downwind of a
>burning nuclear plant the particles could be carried for hundreds, even
>thousands of kilometers. Radioactive particles from the Japanese catastrophe
>were detected in California nearly 8000 km away. You are fortunate that the
>prevailing winds are from the west and carry the radiation mostly out to
>sea. Had they been from the north, I would not eat the fish.
>
>Larry Z (who lives about 5 km from the Indian Point Atomic energy plant
>which is adjacent to the Ramapo fault.)
>
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-- 
Herbert Kanner
kanner at acm.org
650-326-8204

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