Norman, now I really get angry

[Franz Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>]

At 10:49 10.08.2000 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi Jacques,
>When we had this discussion about the Tooth Fairy Project a few months
ago, this
>line of reasoning was brought up and rejected. 

Whoever brought up this reasoning was similarily untouched by any knowledge
about radioactivity and radiochemistry as Jacques - see my comment to
Jacques. Please do not tell us that Jacques is one of the "world renown
experts" of Edith. 


The fallout argument is not
>sufficient because Sr-90 levels in baby teeth should be going down if the
Sr-90 was
>from fallout. Sr-90 levels in teeth in the Toms River area are at levels
equivalent
>to teeth tested in the late 1950s, when above ground testing was at its
height. 

No, no, no, no, no!!!!! Now I really get angry. A rise in atmospheric
contamination started at about 1955, the height of testing was in the early
sixties. Testing stopped (with the Chinese and French exception, which
hardly did contribute anything to worldwide fallout) in 1962, but the
maximum values of Sr-90, tritium, C-14 and other fission products were
found in fallout during the years 1963 and 1964. 

I have already once corrected this. I have explained that it is very likely
that todays Sr-90 contamination is equal to levels found in the fifties.
But, Norm, you obviously do not read the answers to your postings and to
the ones related to the subject. There are probably dozens of publications,
dealing with Sr-90 in the atmosphere, in the environment, in milk, even in
baby teeth (yes!). I have myself conducted a rather large study on Sr-90 in
the Austrian environment, using red deer antlers as a bioindicator. A
similar study was done in Denmark. 
Norm, you prefer to repeat everything, which has already been clearly shown
to be wrong, again and again. I feel embarrassed, if somebody ignores any
argument and tries to distribute his queer ideas on a scientific newsgroup
to people who have studied these questions extensively and have accumulated
a large amount of profound knowledge. Would you please accept that at least
I am not paid by the nuclear industry? Would you please accept that I am a
radiochemist originally, that I have more than thirty years experience in
radiochemistry and radiation protection, that I was heavily involved with
the Chernobyl accident and was the leader of a survey of a former nuclear
test site and that I need not be tought by you or Edith about Sr-90 and
fission products. There even are much more knowledgable people on these
topics on RADSAFE, much more experienced than I am. So would you please
stop to repeat the same nonsense again and again? I am tired to politely
and patiently repeat my arguments. Read the ones already put forward and if
you or your "world renown experts" find an error, please tell me, but
otherwise accept it!


The
>point of the TFP is: if the Sr90 can not be attributed to
>fallout, because with half-lives, the amount of Sr90 should now be mininal, 

It is minimal, it is at the level of the late fifties and it must be so -
because of the removal from the environment into certain sinks and not only
because of radioactive decay - Norman, you have no idea about the fate of
radionuclides in the environment! I have explained that extensively in a post.


where
>is the rest of the Sr90 being found in teeth coming from? The only answer
I can see
>is that it comes from nuclear reactors, perhaps a little leakage from
underground >testing, 


So there were underground nuclear tests conducted in the area in question?
They must have been extremely secret. How can you mention something like
this as the source of additional Sr-90? How should Sr-90 leak from
underground testing, when at the most rare gases and I-131 make it to the
surface? Please note that I also participate in working groups of the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation and therefore know a little
about underground explosions.


and weapons labs


So you have weapons labs in the area? Again this must be extremely secret.


I repeat that I feel embarrassed and offended by your attitude to question
not only mine, but also all RADSAFErs scientific knowledge and how you want
us to believe your most unscientific speculations and your neglection of
all facts. I for myself will follow Sandy's advice, of how to let a thread
die and will not post anything on this topic any more.

Just one more remark: Take fifty grains of rice and let it fall from about
10 cm height to the table. I am sure that  y o u   will not see any
clusters, but all the grains will be totally evenly distributed - this has
nothing to do with science. Look in a mall down to the shoppers - I am sure
that  y o u   will only see people distributed evenly, with all distances
between them exactly the same. In case a few grains or a few people in the
mall will be a little closer, I am sure that it is the influence of nuclear
power generation, which causes these ugly clusters.


Franz
Franz Schoenhofer
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Vienna
Austria
Tel.: +43-1-495 53 08
Fax.: same number
mobile phone: +43-664-338 0 333
e-mail: schoenho@via.at


Please note my new telephone number at my office!

Office:
Ministerialrat Dr. Franz Schoenhofer
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management
Radiation Protection Department (BMLFUW I/8 U)
Radetzkystr. 2
A-1031 Vienna
AUSTRIA

phone: -43-1-71100-4458
fax: -43-1-7122331

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