#Fukushima I Accident: Tellurium-132 Was Detected on March 12 Morning, 6 Kilometers from the Plant, NISA Now Admits

Telluriuim-132 was detected 6 kilometers northwest of Fukushima I Nuke Plant in Namie-machi in the morning of March 12.

That's before the Reactor 1's reactor building blew up (March 12 late afternoon), and even before TEPCO managed to do the venting (March 12 early afternoon) for the Reactor 1.

Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, regulator for the nuclear industry, decided to sit on the data for 2 months and 3 weeks. Agency spokesman Nishiyama's excuse? "It never occurred to us to disclose the data."

The Japanese government is doing "one heck of a job" indeed, as IAEA's over-the-top praise indicates (from IAEA's preliminary report):

"The Japanese government's longer term response to protect the public, including evacuation, has been impressive and extremely well organized."

Yomiuri Shinbun (11:09PM JST 6/3/2011; emphasis is mine):

東京電力福島第一原子力発電所から約６キロ離れた福島県浪江町で３月１２日朝、核燃料が１０００度以上の高温になったことを示す放射性物質が検出されていたことが分かった。

It was disclosed that the radionuclide that would indicate the nuclear fuel temperature exceeded 1,000 degrees Celsius was detected in the morning of March 12 in Namie-machi in Fukushima Prefecture, about 6 kilometers [north] from Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

　経済産業省原子力安全・保安院が３日、発表した。事故発生から２か月以上も経過してからの公表で、保安院の西山英彦審議官は「隠そうという意図はなかったが、国民に示すという発想がなかった。反省したい」と釈明した。政府の事故調査・検証委員会の検証対象になりそうだ。

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced on June 3. Asked about the disclosure after more than 2 months after the accident started, Agency spokesman Hidehiko Nishiyama defended his agency by saying "We didn't intend to hide the information, but it never occurred to us to disclose it to the public. We are sorry." The government's commission on the Fukushima I accident may investigate the incident further.

　検出された物質は「テルル１３２」で、大気中のちりに含まれていた。測定時間は、１号機で放射性物質の混じった蒸気が放出された「ベント」の前だった。

The radionuclide detected was "tellurium-132", and it was found in the dust particles in the air. It was detected before the venting of the Reactor 1, which released radioactive steam.

By the way, University of California Berkeley was detecting tellurium-132 in the air from March 18 to March 29. Is it any wonder that it was detected at a location 6 kilometers from the plant, when it was detected across the Pacific Ocean?

Tellurium-132's half-life is 3.2 days.

That seems to me to indicate that fission was ongoing long after the SCRAM (March 11). I'm still patiently waiting for NISA and the government to admit recriticality had occurred.

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