New Study: US state hit with up to 200 times more Fukushima fallout than expected — Over a Trillion becquerels of nuclear waste fell on Hawaii — Scientists: “Plume may have taken an alternative path… Greater than anticipated”

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University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Oct 31, 2017 (emphasis added):

  • Fukushima-derived radiocesium fallout in Hawaiian soils… This study estimated the magnitude of cesium deposition in soil, collected in 2015-2016, resulting from atmospheric fallout… Detectable, Fukushima-derived 134Cs inventories ranged from 30 to 630 Bq m-2 and 137Cs inventories ranged from 20 to 2200 Bq m-2… This research confirmed and quantified the presence of Fukushima-derived fallout in the state of Hawai’i in amounts higher than predicted by models and observed in the United States mainland…
  • The Hawaiian Islands were expected to get minimal, below 10 Bq m-2 or lower, of Fukushima-derived fallout…
  • …
  • …
  • Using the conservative values and integrating over the whole area with rainfall above 200 mm, we estimate that the island of Hawaii received 1.50 x 10^12 Bq [1.5 Trillion Bq] of 134Cs and 137Cs, each isotope contributing 50%, between March 19 and April 4, 2011…
  • Atmospheric dispersion models predicted the majority of the plume to travel a more northern route over the Aleutian Islands… however, suggesting that the Fukushima-derived aerosol plume may have taken an alternative southern path. Our radiocesium fallout inventories are comparatively higher than those estimated and measured in North America. Previous research that used whole-water wet deposition to predict ‘its fallout in North America estimated up to 180 Bq m -2 in Alaska, 46 Bq m -2 in California, and 29 Bq m -2 in Washington State…
  • This is the first study to our knowledge studying Fukushima-derived fallout in the Pacific Islands…

Full article: New Study: US state hit with up to 200 times more Fukushima fallout than expected — Over a Trillion becquerels of nuclear waste fell on Hawaii — Scientists: “Plume may have taken an alternative path… Greater than anticipated” (ENENEWS)

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