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drewkittyRadiation chart, translating doses to Plain English for the meanest understanding:
http://xkcd.com/radiation/
As I learned to read REMs instead of sieverts, I have to translate in my head:
- max dose for power plant workers: 5 REM (50 mSv)
- proven cancer risk / EPA permissible for saving "valuable property": 10 REM (100 mSv)
- EPA permissible for "lifesaving operations: 25 REM (250 mSv)
- if received in short time, potential radiation sickness: 40 REM (400 mSv)
- radiation sickness certain, ~10% death rate without treatment: 100 REM (1 Sv)
- severe radiation poisoning, 30% or more death rate: 200 REM (2 Sv)
- extreme, possibly survivable with extremely aggressive hospital treatment: 450 REM (4.5 Sv)
- certainly fatal dose: 800 REM (8 Sv)
One would have to live in a "hot spot" (i.e. near the damaged plant in Japan, or downwind in a spot where debris accumulated) for about two months (60 days) to manage to soak up 10 REM of exposure.
So don't worry about your friends in Japan or if you're on this side of the Pacific. Only those within 100km of the plant have to worry, and them only a little bit, either to make sure a radiation survey is being done, or that they stay indoors as opportunity permits. I'd cheerfully work in and around the plant site: they'd make me wear a film badge and I'd make sure to be in a safe location during non-duty hours.
http://xkcd.com/radiation/
As I learned to read REMs instead of sieverts, I have to translate in my head:
- max dose for power plant workers: 5 REM (50 mSv)
- proven cancer risk / EPA permissible for saving "valuable property": 10 REM (100 mSv)
- EPA permissible for "lifesaving operations: 25 REM (250 mSv)
- if received in short time, potential radiation sickness: 40 REM (400 mSv)
- radiation sickness certain, ~10% death rate without treatment: 100 REM (1 Sv)
- severe radiation poisoning, 30% or more death rate: 200 REM (2 Sv)
- extreme, possibly survivable with extremely aggressive hospital treatment: 450 REM (4.5 Sv)
- certainly fatal dose: 800 REM (8 Sv)
One would have to live in a "hot spot" (i.e. near the damaged plant in Japan, or downwind in a spot where debris accumulated) for about two months (60 days) to manage to soak up 10 REM of exposure.
So don't worry about your friends in Japan or if you're on this side of the Pacific. Only those within 100km of the plant have to worry, and them only a little bit, either to make sure a radiation survey is being done, or that they stay indoors as opportunity permits. I'd cheerfully work in and around the plant site: they'd make me wear a film badge and I'd make sure to be in a safe location during non-duty hours.
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having gone through it...
Date: 2011-03-21 11:06 am (UTC)it was neat to read it as i was leaving.. outsiders would be exposed to no more radiation than you get from day to day living in LA area, as long as you weren't in the room more than 10 minutes, and stayed behind the lead shields on either side of my bed.