Study: Concentrated Fukushima radioactive plume staying on narrow path toward U.S. — Moving with surface water along 40 N — Same latitude as Northern California (MAP)

Published: May 17th, 2013 at 3:51 pm ET
By ENENews

[...] The main body of radioactive surface plume of which activity exceeded 10 Bq m−3 travelled along 40° N and reached the International Date Line on March 2012, one year after the accident. A distinct feature of the radioactive plume was that it stayed confined along 40° N when the plume reached the International Date Line. [...]

A distinct feature of the radioactive plume was that it stayed confined along 40 N when the plume reached the International Date Line, as stated in Sect. 3.2. The radioactive plume travelled 1800 km (from 160 E to 178 E) for 270 days (9 months) (Fig. 5); therefore, an average zonal speed (u) of the surface radioactive plume was calculated to be about 8 cm s−1 which was consistent with the speed of the reported surface current of 4–16 cm s−1 in the region (Maximenko et al., 2009). [...]

We can also assume that the Fukushima radioactive plume moved with surface water [...]

Full study

5.9 earthquake strikes Japan off Fukushima coast

An earthquake with a magnitude measured at 5.9 by Japan’s Meteorological Agency has struck the northeast of the country. The epicenter was close to the Fukushima coast and only 200km from Tokyo, causing buildings in the capital to shake.

The quake struck at 2:48 pm (05:48 GMT) in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 50km (31 miles) from land. The United States Geological Survey recorded the earthquake as being of magnitude 6.1, with a depth of 33km (20.5 miles).

No tsunami warning has been issued, despite the offshore quake’s close proximity to Fukushima prefecture, where the magnitude 9.0 quake in March 2011 instigated the Tsunami, which led to the deaths of at least 16,000 people and nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s two nuclear plants in the prefecture reported no immediate irregularities as a result of the quake, according to the local Kyodo news agency.

Miyagi prefecture, further north, suffered the strongest impact from the quake. No information has been released on potential injuries. However, its Onagawa nuclear plant also recorded no irregularities, according to its operator Tohoku Electric Power Co.

“We have received no reports of damage so far,” an official from Fukushima prefecture told AFP.

RT
http://rt.com/news/japan-fukushima-earthquake-tokyo-468/

Twilight Concert, April 27, 2013

On April 27, ZenPlay, the Edgewood Trio of (Beni Shinohara – violin, Margaret Moores – cello, and Marilyn Thompson – piano), and Himawari-kai co-hosted a fundraising concert in Tiburon, California.

Over 70 people came to celebrate beautiful music, friendship, food and wine in a true testament to the ZenPlay spirit: Play a little, give a lot.

We raised over $8000 in this event, and will send to Ichinoseki Fujinosono, over $6000 in donations (after expenses), to support over 40 children who live in the house. The children are looking forward to moving into their new home after having lived in temporary housing after the earthquake in 2011.
http://zenplay.org/projects/events/

Video: Yuko Inatsuki

Fujinosono images: Steve Yamaguma

Ichinoseki Fujinosono Children’s shelter – Tohoku rebuild

The Ichinoseki Fujinosono Children’s Shelter in Ichinoseki, Iwate prefecture, was damaged due to the earthquake of March 11, 2011. Malteser International raised monies to rebuild the shelter which will open in the summer of 2013. Designed with the most cutting-edge eco-design and technology this building will set new standards for sustainability and will be a model for global partnership and cooperation for the rebuild efforts in Tohoku. Sae Kani is the project coordinator for Malteser International.

More on Sae Kani
http://www.malteser-international.org/en/home/media-library/reportagen/asia/japan/portrait-of-our-help-sae-kani.html

7.0 Quake Hits Ocean off Japan, Russia; No Damage

ABC NEWS AP PRESS
TOKYO April 19, 2013 (AP)
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck in seas off far northern Japan and far eastern Russia on Friday, but no damage was expected.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said sea changes were possible. No tsunami warnings have been issued.

The tremor struck around midday in the Pacific Ocean at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). The U.S. Geological Survey measured a stronger 7.2 magnitude.

Japan and Russia both claim some of the sparsely populated islands in the remote region.

The epicenter was 58 kilometers (160 miles) east-northeast of Kuril’sk, Russia, and 528 kilometers (328 miles) northeast of Nemuro, Japan.

The nearest land is the volcanic islands of Urup, Iturup and Sumushir. Hokkaido officials said the islands were not under Japanese control.

The area is about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) northeast of Tokyo.

Ayaka Ogawa – Tomodachi Inititative

Ayaka Ogawa, who lost her entire family in the earthquake and tsunami of 3/11 speaks at the US Embassy in Tokyo as the guest of ambassador Roos.

Strong earthquake hits Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido; no injuries or danger of tsunami

By The Associated Press | Associated Press – 16 hrs ago

Feb. 2, 2013

TOKYO – A strong earthquake has struck Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, but authorities say there is no danger of a tsunami and there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency says the quake had a magnitude of 6.4 and hit at 11:17 p.m. (1417 GMT) Saturday in the Tokachi region in southern Hokkaido, at a depth of 120 kilometre (75 miles).

The agency says there is no danger of a tsunami from the quake.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake’s magnitude was 6.9.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK says nearby nuclear power plants, including Tomari and Higashidori, which are currently idled for safety inspections, have reported no abnormalities.

Strong quake hits off Japan near Fukushima

• Enlarge Gallery

  People crowd at Sendai railway station in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012 after trains were halted following a strong earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan. It is the same region …

• TOKYO (Reuters) – A strong quake centered off northeastern Japan shook buildings as far away as Tokyo on Friday and triggered a one-meter tsunami in an area devastated by last year’s Fukushima disaster, but there were no reports of deaths or serious damage.

Sstory

Major quake strikes off Japan, setting off small tsunami

CNN
By Alex Zolbert and Jethro Mullen, CNN
December 7, 2012 — Updated 1237 GMT (2037 HKT)

Tokyo (CNN) – A powerful earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Friday evening, rattling buildings in Tokyo and setting off a small tsunami.

Article

Masaru Akahane of Sendai Industrial Promotions

Masaru Akahane, of the Sendai Industrial Promotions, government office in the AER building near the Sendai shinkansen station, talks about the economic situation in Sendai City, Japan after the earthquake and tsunami of last year, and what they are doing to improve jobs and businesses. http://www.siip.city.sendai.jp/netu/english.html