Japanese Disasters Need-to-Know Glossary

Term

Definition

1.6 microseconds

Number of microseconds the Earth’s spin was increased by the quake

9.0 magnitude

The Japanese quake was 9.0 on the Richter Scale. This makes it about 700,000 times more powerful than last year’s Haitian earthquake.

900 kpm

The waves of the tsunami traveled traveled about as fast as of typical passenger jetliner (About 560 mph/900 km)

Casualties

Originally estimated at 1,000 and then 10,000, the estimatesnow2 range from 25,000 to 50,000 or more.

Cesium-137

Metal of the Alkali group that can signal the presence of a nuclear reaction. The half-life of Cesium 137 is 30 years. This means it would take about 200 years for something contaminated with it to lose all signs of radioactivity. Its name is derived from the Latin for a bluish-gray color

Chernobyl

The Chernobyl incident in Ukraine in 1986 was considered the world’s worst nuclear accident until now. A carbon-fed fire sent the radioactive elements high into the atmosphere affecting every country in Europe.

China Syndrome

Theory that a molten nuclear core breeches its containment vessel (in the US) and proceeds through the Earth’s core all the way to China. This is not actually possible. (See Tierra del Fuego syndrome.)

Containment Building

Sometimes called(or Vessel) Reinforced concrete structure made to serve as final barrier to entrap radioactive gases

Earthquake

Shaking of Earth’s crust due to underlying tectonic forces

Epicenter

The center of the earthquake, ofter miles underground.

Fuel Rods

The affected Japanese reactors have thousands of 12-foot long, zirconium-alloy fuel rods. Each contain thousands of uranium-oxide ceramic pellets. The fuel rods are densely packed into the reactor.

Fukushima 50

The fifty workers serving as the final defense against a catastrophic meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi.

Fukushima Daiichi

The nuclear reactors site with six boiling water reactors. 1, 2 and 6 were built by General Electric. 3, 4 and 5 were built by Toshiba. Fukushima Daiichi is 241 km (150 miles) from Tokyo.

Half-Life

The time it takes radioactive material to expend one half of its radioactivity. The longer the half-life, the more dangerous the material.

Indian Ocean Tsunami

The Indian Ocean Tsunami on Boxer Day in 2004 resulted in waves over 18 meters (50 feet) high. Over 250,000 people were killed, some 5,000 km (3000 m) away.

Iodine-131

Iodine-131 is a highly radioactive element that signifies at least a partial meltdown. The half-life of Iodine-131 is about 8 days, which means that it decays far faster than Cesium-137. The radioactive iodine is concentrated in the thyroid, however taking iodine potassium tablets fill the thyroid to capacity so the radioactive Iodine -131 is more likely to be excreted.

Krakatoa

Indonesian Volcano that exploded in 1883 with a force equivalent to 8.5 magnitude (and some 200 megatons). Purported to be the loudest sound ever heard up to 5,000 km (or about 3,000 miles). The sound waves were measured to circle the earth seven times.

Meltdown

When a core meltdown catastrophic melting of the core of a nuclear reactor due to a loss of cooling

No. 5

The earthquake was the fifth strongest since 1900.

Nuclear reactor

Devices that use chain reactions of fissionable materials to boil water to create steam. The steam runs through turbines to create power.

Plate tectonics

Theory that the continents rest on plates that drift into each other, causing earthquakes and mountain building

Prefecture

States or Provinces of Japan. There are 47 prefectures.

Richter scale

The logarithmic scale that measures the strength of an earthquake named after Charles Richter. The scale is open-ended. At 9.0 the Sendai earthquake is the fifth largest since 1900. The Hiroshima atomic bomb was the equivalent to a 6.2 quake. The Japan quake was equivalent to about 100,000 Hiroshima-class bombs.

Three Mile Island

In 1979 Unit No. 2 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania experienced a partial meltdown. Later it was found that the molten radioactive material penetrated within 1 centimeter of breaking through the containment barrier. Because of its location and the prevailing wind patterns, the fallout could have traveled over the heavily populated Eastern Seaboard, passing over Philadelphia, New York and possibly Boston with a population of more than 30,000,000.

Tierra del Fuego Syndrome

The China Syndrome when applied to the Far East (See China Syndrome.)

Tokyo

Capital of Japan with more than 30,000,000 people in its metropolitan area.

Tsar Bomba

The largest hydrogen bomb ever detonated, by the Soviet Union in 1961. It was about equal to a 7.8 magnitude quake in the general range of the San Francisco earthquake 0f 1908 and the Mount Saint Helen’s volcanic explosion in 1981.

Tsunami

From the Japanese tsu (harbor) and nami (wave); waves caused by undersea land movement; usually caused by earthquakes. A tsunami gathers destructive force as it nears land. Depending on the configuration of the shoreline, wave rise over ten-times in height.