[JBaymore]

"The accumulated levels during the period starting March 23 stood at 9,850 microsieverts in Iitate and 495 microsieverts in Minamisoma, both near the plant, it said. The readings compare with the level of 1,000 microsieverts that ordinary people in Japan can expect to be exposed to over one year."


If I am reading what they are meaning about "accumulated levels" correctly (as in "accumulated dosage"), that means that if a person stood outside 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the total period from March 23 until April 16th (25 days ..... 600 hours), they'd receive a dosage of about 0.985 miliSieverts and 0.0496 miliSieverts respectively.

Taking out a typical normal background radiation dose of about 0.03 microSieverts per hour for that period (0.03 x 600 = 18) that leaves total dosages of 0.9832 and 0.477 miliSieverts respectively.

The allowable radiation dosage for a nuclear plant worker for a year (assuming a multi-year lifetime career path) is 50 miliSieverts. So the worst case number quoted there is just under 1/50th of the routinely allowable yearly dosage for someone to work (for their whole career) as a power plant worker.

IF the radiation levels there remain exactly the same for a whole year more (and over that roughkly one month timeframe measure above they have been decreasing), then a person who was standing outside 24/7 for the whole year (yeah right!) would hit about 11.798 miliSieverts total accumulated dosage. In rough numbers, about 1/4 of the allowable limits.

Now even going about a normal every day life...... you aren't standing outside in the open for 24/7. Lots of time is spent indoors and in trains, subways, and cars. So that above number is likely pretty darn high.... probably by about a minimum of 1/3. So the worst case is probably totaling more like 7.85 miliSieverts.

WAY over the typical 1 miliSievert per annum that the average person is normally exposed to........

BUT.........


Just sayin'.

best,

..............john