8.4-9 Magnitude Quake Hits Japan!

[klystron]

geez, that's not good, and now there another fire on another reactor, freaking heck how many reactors do they got in there?? I have no idea on Nuclear reactors so when they say it's getting hotter and might meltdown ... cant' they cool it with like erm liquid nitrogen ? nothing's cooler than that I think?

Its the left over fissionable materials in the core of the reactors that are releasing massive amounts of heat due to radioactive decay that's causing the problems. With the damaged cooling and power systems of the plant, they can't circulate enough cooling water fast enough to reduce the heat build up. You can't drop liquid nitrogen on it because the material is housed inside the core of the reactor, which for obvious reasons, you can't get access to.

Mind you, I'm not an expert nor am I in possession of all the facts so I could be quite mistaken.

Am quite interested this now and will have to go google how radioactive decay heat is removed during a "normal" reactor shutdown.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Am quite interested this now and will have to go google how radioactive decay heat is removed during a "normal" reactor shutdown.

Apparently normal reactor shutdown takes a couple of weeks for cooling. I think one of them was in the process of being shutdown before the tsunami.

[Saintly]

I don't think we've seen the tail end of JP earthquakes... a 6.4M hit Sendai a couple of days ago.

Registered with UGS equivalent in JP and there are more eq activities in Northern JP.

Spoke to a good friend of mine that had geology interest, said that the tectonic plates are due for another major shift (the earth changing ones)

Really worried that I won't be able to visit that beautiful country.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

It's officially up to a Level 7 disaster.

[Skullcruncher]

I don't think we've seen the tail end of JP earthquakes... a 6.4M hit Sendai a couple of days ago.

Registered with UGS equivalent in JP and there are more eq activities in Northern JP.

Spoke to a good friend of mine that had geology interest, said that the tectonic plates are due for another major shift (the earth changing ones)

Really worried that I won't be able to visit that beautiful country.

When are you planning to go to Japan? With all the quakes around tokyo eventually the buildings must start showing some structual damage - even with the earthquake strengthening and their 'rubber feet'.