Looks like we might not have to nuke Europe after all. 😉 The Russians might do it for us.
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1814646.ece
Kola "a nuclear bomb"
The vast amount of radioactive waste that is the legacy of Russia's nuclear-powered submarines has been known to be a looming environmental disaster - now it can be far worse.
Research now indicates that the enormous tanks holding discarded submarine fuel rods in the Andreeva Bay may explode at any time, creating a nuclear nightmare for Northern Europe.
Norway and other Western authorities have argued for years that the stockpile of highly radioactive nuclear waste on the Kola peninsula poses an environmental hazard to the local population and for Norway.
A new report from Rosatom, the Russian government's highest nuclear authority, shows that there is a grave danger that the stockpile can explode. For Norway the consequences could exceed the fallout from the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, and no one knows how imminent the danger is - if it is a question of years - or hours.
"In the best case a small, limited explosion in just one of the stored rods can lead to radioactive contamination in a five-kilometer (three-mile) radius. In the worst case, such a single explosion could cause the entire tank facility to explode. We have no calculations for what that could lead to," Aleksandr Nikitin of environmental group Bellona told Aftenposten.
"It will at least, at a careful estimate, hit Northern Europe. There are enormous amounts of radioactivity stored in these tanks," said Nils Bøhmer, nuclear physicist and head of Bellona's Russian division.
In 1982/83 radioactive contamination began to leak from used fuel rods from the nuclear submarine reactors. These were stored in flimsy warehouses in the old navy installation at Andreeva Bay. Three large cement tanks became a hurried solution, housing a series of large metal pipes encased in concrete. The rods were carefully placed in these pipes.
This measure was intended as a provisional solution for four to five years, but nothing has happened since. Norwegian authorities partially financed a study involving several of Russia's foremost experts and institutes. In the end of 2006 a conclusion was reached, but the research has not been made public until now.
Nikitin came across the conclusions in the course of compiling a new Bellona report on the state of Andreeva Bay.
Nikitin and Igor Kudrik translate from the reports and explain. The large tanks, each containing 21,000 rods, are near the sea. Salt water has entered the tanks and lead to the rapid disintegration of the metal pipes. The salt water has then entered the pipes, breaking down the rods, releasing small uranium particles that fall to the bottom of the metal pipes.
"The conclusion of Rosatom is that when the amount of particles on the bottom reaches five to ten percent in relation to the amount of water, potentially explosive critical mass will occur," Kudrik said.
Rosatom uses the term "uncontrolled chain reaction" for what will occur.
Nikitin has had a prison term and a five year battle to be totally cleared of espionage charges by the Russian Supreme Court as his price for compiling Bellona's first report on radioactive contamination at Kola.
"These stockpiles and what they contain have been known to the world for over 15 years. Nothing is done. But now something must be done or uncontrolled events will take place of their own accord. The consequences will be more dramatic than we can imagine. Inaction for all these years has put us on top of a large nuclear bomb. We know where the 'gunpowder' is, but we don't know how long the fuse is," Nikitin said.
"Significantly greater pressure on Russia from its neighbors - and the entire world - is needed. The day it goes wrong, no one can say any longer that we did not know what would happen," Nikitin said.
How should Europe deal with this? Should they handle it and bill Russia? Sanctions? Should they bring it up at G8?
Originally posted by MerkOr just ignore the whole thing, since the guy's hypothesis is bunk.
Looks like we might not have to nuke Europe after all. 😉 The Russians might do it for us.
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1814646.ece
Kola "a nuclear bomb"
The vast amount of radioactive waste that is the legacy of Russia's nuclear-powered submarines has been known to be a looming environmental disaster - now it can be far worse.
Rese they handle it and bill Russia? Sanctions? Should they bring it up at G8?
There is no possibility of creating a critical mass from spent fuel rods, as this article seems to assert.
Even if what the guy is dreaming up came true, and somehow enriched uranium particles "settled out" into a single critical mass, it would simply "fizzle", creating a tiny bang, not a real explosion in the same way a nuclear device does.
The term for what this guy is describing is known as a criticality accident (look it up on wiki, for instance), and while it would harm anyone in the direct vicinity, it is pure fiction to describe it as anything worse.
There are clearly environmental issues with having a bunch of spent nuclear fuel badly contained, but a massive explosion isn't one of them.
well, given that the rods are stored in a big tank of still water, and the worst of the uranium particles are the heavier, and sink, the degree of safety you suggest starts to wittle away somewhat like the rods. I agree that it probably isn't as much of a disaster as suggested, but even a fizzle would disturb the rest of the material.
This may not lead to a true explosion, but once the reaction starts, and gets hot, it becomes almost impossible to put out and presents at the very least a very significant health risk to whichever continent is unhappy enough to be downwind.
Probably shouldn't be ignored for much longer.
Russias done this before....one of their dumping grounds did end up going critical and produced a big smoldering cloud of hot radioactive waste that contaminated a large area, happened back in the 70's, I believe.
But yeah, an explosion is an impossiblity, the writer needed to check his "facts" a bit.
Originally posted by joneschrAlthough it will fizzle (as opposed to a regular nuclear bomb where explosive charges will focus the energy so that criticality will be kept for longer), the bang will still be quite significant, throwing nuclear waste all over the place. Will be almost the same as a dirty bomb.
Or just ignore the whole thing, since the guy's hypothesis is bunk.
There is no possibility of creating a critical mass from spent fuel rods, as this article seems to assert.
Even if what the guy is dreaming up came true, and somehow enriched uranium particles "settled out" into a single critical mass, it would simply "fizzle", creating a tiny bang, ...[text shortened]... a bunch of spent nuclear fuel badly contained, but a massive explosion isn't one of them.
You are right that he is making a mountain out of a mole hill though, but still, something has to be done about it soon. Even if a bang doesn't occur, uranium particles leaking into the sea isn't ideal.
EDIT: Actually, it settling into a critical mass is very unlikely, but leaking radioactive particles is still a problem.
Originally posted by MerkI really thought this was going to be a sexual post.
Looks like we might not have to nuke Europe after all. 😉 The Russians might do it for us.
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1814646.ece
Kola "a nuclear bomb"
The vast amount of radioactive waste that is the legacy of Russia's nuclear-powered submarines has been known to be a looming environmental disaster - now it can be far worse.
Rese ...[text shortened]... they handle it and bill Russia? Sanctions? Should they bring it up at G8?