[ RadSafe ] Japan Debates Safety After Quake

[John Jacobus]

Just because fault lines do not exist in the immediate
area, does not mean earthquakes can occur. An
earthquake occurred near Charleston, SC, in 1886
resulting in widespead damage to the city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intraplate_earthquake
"Historic examples of intraplate earthquakes in North
America include those in Boston in 1755, New York City
in 1737 and 1884 (both quakes estimated at about 5.5
magnitude), and the Charleston earthquake in South
Carolina in 1886 (estimated magnitude 6.5 to 7.3). The
Charleston quake was particularly surprising because
unlike Boston and New York the area had almost no
history of even minor earthquakes (to put in
perspective, in addition to the three northeastern
U.S. events previously mentioned, a more moderate
magnitude 4 earthquake was recorded just north of New
York City in 1985).

"The cause of these earthquakes is often uncertain. In
many cases, the causative fault is deeply buried, and
sometimes cannot even be found. Under these
circumstances it is difficult to calculate the exact
seismic hazard for a given city, especially if there
was only one earthquake in historical times."

Interesting maps of this area starting on page 4
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/hazmaps/whats_new/workshops/CEUS-WORKSHP/Tuesday/Talwani-Boston_TALK_5-9-05.pdf

That being said, Jack is right about what we should
focus on.  Safety systems worked.


--- "Earley, Jack N" <Jack_N_Earley at RL.gov> wrote:

> "There's also uncertainty about where the next quake
> will strike. The
> Kashiwazaki facility underwent a tectonic survey
> last year to reevaluate
> the site's quake resistency and update it in
> accordance with new
> government guidelines. That survey concluded there
> were no active faults
> in the vicinity."
> 
> 
> I guess I just don't understand, but it seems to me
> that someone's
> missing the big picture here. The plants shut down
> as designed, so no
> "nuclear calamity" occurred, particulates in the
> exhaust, toppled
> barrels, and spent fuel pool spill notwithstanding. 
> 
> On the other hand (the economist in me tends to
> say), there might be a
> problem with the survey methodology that determined
> that there were no
> active faults in the vicinity. And last I heard, the
> only way we can
> know for sure that an earthquake is about to strike
> is to watch the
> animals--probably not the best way to run any
> industry, nuclear or
> otherwise. But I guess if you're "against"
> something, any excuse will
> do.
> 
>  
> Jack Earley
> Health Physicist
> 509.372.9532
> 
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+++++++++++++++++++
““Few of their children in the country learn English... The signs in our streets have inscriptions in both languages ... Unless the stream of their importation could be turned they will soon so outnumber us that all the advantages we have will not be able to preserve our language, and even our government will become precarious.”
-- Benjamin Franklin, circa 1750, on German immigration to Pennsylvania

-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com


       
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