Track the Radiation Plume

I’ve been looking across the internet for good radiation plume tracking, and I found one website (click here) which posts hourly updates of the radiation numbers in each prefecture in Japan. Also, here are three images below from Austria’s Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics, which show a time-lapse estimated projection of the Japanese radiation exposure headed mostly east, over the Pacific. Please note that this is not actual radiation data, it is a meteorological estimation. I’ve heard that Livermore Lab’s National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center is starting to make radiation plume maps — but I still can’t find any on the internet. Winds can change anytime, of course, so please keep an eye on the news. Here is one time-lapse from Japan:

Japan radiation plume MArch 11-16
Japan radiation plume MArch 11-16

Here is another image showing the radiation plume as it crosses the Pacific, towards the US:

Radiation plume from Japan
Radiation plume from Japan

Here is yet another time-lapse map, showing the global impact:

Japan radiation plume global map
Japan radiation plume global map


Follow me on:
Twitter @RichardStCyrMD
Facebook @BainbridgeBabaDoc

5 thoughts on “Track the Radiation Plume”

  1. I have not heard an explanation of how much cumulative radiation our young children here in California will get over the weeks it will likely take to contain the plants. Why are we not hearing this described like: One week exposure at the current rate is equivalent to .14 mSv OR WHATEVER? I it because the levels are not detectable? We just keep hearing that the health risks are not significant. I’d love to know what the levels are, so I can make decisions about my children and how much time they spend outdoors.

  2. While I understand your want/need for actual information rather than they typical, “The Health Risks are not significant”, I really don’t think that it is important. I mean, yes, they should publish the actual numbers, however when I think of America as a whole, I think that exact numbers would just “Freak Out” the masses. In my experiences, I’ve found that Americans are Lazy, Ignorant, Rude and Uneducated. I don’t mean Uneducated in the sense of general school education. Take this matter for instance, people started buying up all of these Iodine Pills and giving them to their kids. They didn’t fully educate themselves on the situation, the pills or the level of harm. Those pills can be fatally harmful to children of certain ages. There was no need to even buy them. But hey, I get it, you want to be prepared. There is nothing wrong with that. People wouldn’t do the required research to educate themselves on the numbers, how they come up with those numbers and what it all means. They would make general assumptions, listen to anyone (that shares their opinion) and cause panic. People have no problem reading about their beloved celebrities and watching American Idol. Americans are more concerned with their beloved celebrities and entertainment world than they are concerned with the world. If they would just take a few moments a day and get good, quality information about what’s going on in the world, they wouldn’t sound like such idiots when they post comments on facebook and other websites. Everyone is entitled to the 1st Ammendment and an opinion. But do yourself a favor and make it an educated one. And before someone comments that I must not be an American, I AM. Born and raised in the US. Even did 8 years on Active Duty in the Army and two tours in Iraq. I love my country and am honored to have served it.

  3. @ Trevor:

    I find that as a valid concern and that she should be led to think critically about her situation with us providing facts and resources. Not digressing into how Americans are scared stupid.

    I’m not sure what warranted the response you gave. You stated, “I’ve found that Americans are Lazy, Ignorant, Rude and Uneducated.” What does that do to answer her question? It was in relation to her concern for her children. She stated, “…so I can make decisions about my children and how much time they spend outdoors.”

    Wouldn’t you have rather educated her by answering her concerns rather to digressions into generalizing a culture?

    I do share some of your observations based on bias and through experience. Especially when considering the educational system, political manipulation, and the commercial laden media. However, this does nothing to address the topic or facilitate the education you deem lacking in the United States. Your nationality isn’t of a concern, nor is validating your position based on your nationality vis-a-vis a director criticizing his own movie. However, your approach to answering her question is.

  4. I agree, that Trevor’s comments weren’t very constructive, nor appropriate to what Deborah had mentioned. It is indeed confusing as how to translate these sieverts and rem and all this data into a practical, real-life situation, and I don’t think any agency has been doing a stellar job explaining this. At least now, Deborah can see the actual readings from the new EPA website…I also don’t think it’s unreasonable at all to have some KI at home. Why not? If there were an actual issue, there would likely be mass panic and a very inefficient distribution of resources such as KI. But certainly there’s a tiny chance of needing this medicine at all, not with the winds dissipating the Japan radiation over the ocean to normal background levels…

  5. I get on little rants from time to time. I’m glad to see someone taking the time to educate themselves, do the research and make a decision based on facts. I commend her for that. My point was that they don’t publish these numbers for the reasons I listed above. The “masses” would freak and panic. I didn’t mean to come across the way I did. I actually formed my responses in Microsoft Word the pasted it in. I left out part of it apparently because it’s not there. This is where I commended her for her research and so on.

Leave a Reply