Bryce Canyon's radioactive rains Sept. 12, 2011
https://youtu.be/NZOZmWWjutc

One doesn’t expect to find radioactive rain in storm systems generated south of the Jet Stream funneling hot nuclear goo in the atmosphere from Fukushima across the Pacific into the United States and Canada. But that’s just what we found (though in the narration of the following clip I incorrectly speculate that that’s the case). Indeed, the storm system that brought this rain to Bryce Canyon National Park was from a series of week-long freak storms that trundled across Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and beyond from south of the Jet Stream which, at the same time, dropped hot rain on the region north of St. Louis 133 times background as reported by our colleague at Potrblog.com.

The rain tested here came in at 258% of background radiation higher than normal. the most disturbing part of this rain was the normal readings we got holding the Inspector up to the inside of the windshield which yielded no increase at all. This suggests that the rain we tested that fell on Bryce Canyon outside of the visitors center was alpha-dominant because alpha can certainly be stopped by glass (as well as less dense barriers like paper and human skin).

The problem is two-fold with this detection: First off, we did not expect to see any radiation in rains generated off of the Mexico/California coast that float eastward far south of the Jet Stream. Even at the half year mark since the ongoing and worsening Fukushima Daiichi triple nuclear reactor meltdowns, it was hoped that rains south of the Jet Stream were relatively uncontaminated by this airborne fallout (much like the crucial observation of Potrblog during his 4,000 road trip in July that “Storms moving East to West from Africa via the hurricane Corridor tended to have ZERO radioactivity.”) Secondly, since the rain we detected with our Inspector Alert nuclear radiation monitor seemed to indicate a strong alpha radiation presence, then the rain was far more dangerous that the 258% of previous background higher would indicate. That’s because alpha radiation is 60 to 1,000 times more dangerous than its beta or gamma counterparts.

For Denise and I to detect this alpha radiation in Bryce Canyon National Park at such high levels was especially depressing. Our national parks are America’s backyard. National parks are perhaps one of the greatest ideas this country has ever come up with. And there we were watching happy tourists from all over the globe, speaking a rainbow of foreign tongues, walking happily in the unusual late summer storm contaminated by alpha radiation that probably came from Japan and has worked its way south of the Jet Stream in increasing concentrations.

9/12/11 [RAIN CAME FROM SOUTH AS PART OF A NON-JET STREAM SYSTEM]

3:00 pm SPOT CHECK OF NEW RAIN in front of the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center after thunder burst = ~114 CPM or 258% OF PREVIOUS BACKGROUND HIGHER

2:50 pm SPOT CHECK OF AVERAGE in front of the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center near Lodge at Bryce Canyon, Bryce Canyon National Park, UT 84717; elevation 7,956 ft = ~43 CPM

11 Comments

  1. @ DanS.: This is your lucky day, Dan, “lucky” being a relative term.

    First off, radiationnetwork’s system is a pay-for system (where you have to buy their product to participate) and their graph seems off, is poorly organized and provides an inadequate legend.

    The Inspector can definitely tell the difference between alpha, beta and gamma if you can by a process of elimination. Alpha radiation, though by far the most dangerous kind of radiation, can be stopped by something as flimsy as a piece of paper or a layer of dead skin. Therefore, when I couldn’t detect any added radiation in the rain over background through our vehicle’s windshield aimed at rain on it, it suggested that what I was detecting was primarily alpha (because beta goes through glass as does gamma).

    It’s a process of deduction, counselor. Beta alone emits an inch or two so you can check between gamma and beta by pulling your detector off the subject media. Then use a piece of paper to separate the alpha and beta ionization results if there indeed is both alpha and beta in the medium you’re testing. By learning how these types of radiation work, one can use their Inspector much more effectively because otherwise it’s just an expensive toy.

  2. radiationnetwork.com updated by the minute. gives CPMs. I have an Inspector – one cannot measure alpha as distinct from beta or gamma. it measures amounts of radiation, but does not detail the incoming type.

  3. Is anybody testing rain in Southern Ca and specifically Los Angeles?

  4. Typhoon to give a snag to Fukushima; Reported on NPR webiste today:
    Japan was also struck by a 5.3 magnitude earthquake that was deep and caused no damage. CNN reports that officials are worried that as the typhoon moves northeast, it could affect the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant:

    TEPCO officials said they had outdoor construction canceled at the plant. There were also concerns about whether a strong downpour could wash radiation-contaminated waters out of the plant.

    At one point before the storm made landfall, about 1 million people were urged to evacuate from vulnerable areas as heavy rain pounded central and western Japan.

  5. http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-co

    Additional lsrge melt-through / melt-out releases courtesy of Fuku while you two were on your drive-about through the American Southwest (see above).

    Eddy current of Cs-137 spinning around off SW USA — notice how the land of beautiful national parks now ‘glows’ in hues of genocidal yellow-orange. View it here:

    http://cerea.enpc.fr/fr/fukushima.html

    Also…

    http://blog.alexanderhiggins.com/2011/09/01/frances-cerea-cesium-contamination-levels-exponentially-higher-parts-japan-66981/

    Below, notice elevated RadNet data (ie., several SW US cities) during the same time window you guys were away:

    http://blog.alexanderhiggins.com/2011/04/12/realtime-epa-radnet-japan-nuclear-radiation-monitoring-every-us-city-single-page-16511/

    Question is, are there local rad releases going on here? EPA’s Richland, WA station has been down for months now. Richland station is next to the highly contaminated Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Indeed, precisely what occurred during DOE Mighty Oak at the Nevada Test Site: a local nuclear release to environment disguised at the time in order to confuse the public with Chernobyl thereby deflecting attention from the NTS’ releases to local area neighborhoods.

  6. @Denise Anne: Indeed I am – roller bladers go down faster… and we’ve been skating together ever since. 😛

  7. @Chase – Oh yes that’s right, Mr. Brave didn’t flinch. That time. I do however recall another lightning strike around Echo Park Lake a few years back where a lightning bolt hit the water half a block away, and instead of flinching he dove straight for the ground…with no regards to me. Who, left standing there looking down at my future husband, then said to him, “I didn’t know you were a…roller blader.” 🙂

  8. @roger hansrote: I’d recommend the same Inspector Alert nuclear radiation monitor that Potrblog and I use. We certainly welcome your eyes and ears, Roger! Welcome to the Radiation Nation, fellow raddie.

    @Chase: Your kind words are most appreciated. Indeed, Denise and I were thinking of you and that Chapman Stick when we were driving up to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and were thankful for your friendship. Note that I didn’t flinch when that lightening hit. That alpha radiation in America’s backyard is more scary than any ol’ lightning…

  9. Excellent work! Somebody’s got to do it.

    Personally, I’m glad it’s you.

    Thank You.

  10. Heard you on Jeff’s program-finally somebody that’s checking this stuff out real time. I have been concerned to say the least about the Japan problem. We live in South Florida. there is zero info about any of this here. A lot of our food comes from Cal. and I want to be able to scan it before eating it – recommended meter for this? Also we get tons of rain and I want to monitor it as we move into winter and we come under influence of the jet stream. Also
    if you would like eyes and ears from South Florida let me know. Thanks for discussing alpha radiation it would explain a lot about “official” monitored levels. I am new to all this and would like to thank you for sharing the truth and information.

    Roger Hansrote

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