How Much Spent Nuclear Fuel Is At the Fukushima Daiichi Reactors?

Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 15:00 in Physics & Chemistry

Helicopters and fire trucks proved unsuccessful at replenishing damaged nuclear fuel pools at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant on Thursday. The fuel pools contain a large amount of radioactive material that is not contained as well as that in the reactor cores. And although information has been spotty, nuclear experts worry that this fuel--which should be submerged in circulating water to keep it from overheating--has been at least partly exposed in the pools belonging to Reactors No. 3 and No. 4. [More]

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