U.S. military orders ships back from Japan reactor

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HONG KONG (MarketWatch) - The U.S. Seventh fleet said Monday it was pulling its ships and aircraft back from a stricken Japanese nuclear power plant after detecting low levels of airborne radioactivity, according to a military statement. The aircraft carrier USSS Ronald Reagan was about 100 miles offshore from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant when three returning helicopter crews detected radioactive elements. Seventeen crew members suffered low levels of exposure from a radioactive plume released from the Fukushima nuclear facility, the statement said. Personnel aboard the carrier and support ships passing through the area would at maximum have been exposed about one month's natural background radiation such as that from the sun and rocks, the military said.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-military-orders-ships-back-from-japan-reactor-2011-03-14?reflink=MW_news_stmp

ABC News:

Most of the radiation was found on the crewmembers clothes, but radiation was detected on the skin of one of the crewmembers.

The low level radioactivity from affected personnel was removed by washing with soap and water. Their clothes were also discarded.

They were subsequently surveyed and no further contamination was detected.

A US official said the ship has now moved north, away from where the radiation was detected and the ship's helicopters are not flying until a mitigating strategy to reduce exposure to the ships' crews is determined.

Edited March 14, 2011 by \

[Ban Hammer 13,400]

The aircraft carrier USSS Ronald Reagan

[mawilson 2,133]

United Soviet Socialist States of America Ronald Reagan?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

OMFG!!! Skin contamination!!!! Soap and water saves the day again.

FWIW, you can't get radiation on you. That'd be like catching light from a light bulb.

[Zero Sum 305]

OMFG!!! Skin contamination!!!! Soap and water saves the day again.

FWIW, you can't get radiation on you. That'd be like catching light from a light bulb.

How long does it take to be actually contaminated (pathologically) by radiation?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

How long does it take to be actually contaminated (pathologically) by radiation?

Different types of radiation have different effects. Substances emitting radiation, however, can be ingested, or inhaled, which can aggravate the effects.

http://www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/faqs/radiationtypes.html

[Zero Sum 305]

I meant radiation that makes skin-contact.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I meant radiation that makes skin-contact.

There is no "safe" radiation dosage.

Current evidence suggests that any exposure to radiation poses some risk, however, risks at very low exposure levels have not been definitively demonstrated. While experts disagree over the definition of “low dose,”radiation protection measures are based on an assumption that even small amounts of radiation exposure may pose some small risk. Factoring in the entire dose of natural background radiation accumulated over a lifetime, the risk of developing cancer as a result of this exposure is estimated to be roughly 1 in 100. The additional contribution from all man-made sources of radiation is much smaller. It should be noted that all of the long-term health effects associated with exposure to radiation can also occur in people due to other causes.

http://www.epa.gov/radiation/docs/402-k-07-006.pdf

[Zero Sum 305]

Man

[Amby 490]

There is no "safe" radiation dosage.

whatever...radiation is just as safe as secondhand smoke and lead

[Zero Sum 305]

whatever...radiation is just as safe as secondhand smoke and lead

Its all good.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

whatever...radiation is just as safe as secondhand smoke and lead

Secondhand smoke is more dangerous to the smoker, especially with all the lead flying his way.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I meant radiation that makes skin-contact.

there is radiation and contamination.... two different things. when you get an x-ray you don't become radioactive, if you are injected with a radio isotope you are considered radioactive for 10 half lives (T1/2-eff (effective)),

http://www.radiationanswers.org/radiation-questions-answers/radiation-small-doses.html

also, taking potassium iodide tablets only protects you from the radioactive isotopes of iodine.

[Dan and Judy 614]

The radioactive plume in the OP would consist of radioactive particles.

radioactive means they are emitting xrays, If you get radioactive particles on your skin or clothes then they will be hitting you with xrays until you wash them off.

i

[Zero Sum 305]

there is radiation and contamination.... two different things. when you get an x-ray you don't become radioactive, if you are injected with a radio isotope you are considered radioactive for 10 half lives (T1/2-eff (effective)),

http://www.radiationanswers.org/radiation-questions-answers/radiation-small-doses.html

also, taking potassium iodide tablets only protects you from the radioactive isotopes of iodine.

Thanks. There's a point that radiation exposure becomes contaminating (pathological) radiation. That's what I wanted to know.