Pink sunset - has it been observed after Fukushima?

It was reported after Chernobyl, it was reported after Tsar Bomba. I'm curious wether the sky has some particularly pink tones in Japan or at the West coast of the United States when the sun is shining low. My assumption is that ionization, created by the radiation releases from Fukushima, can alter the way ligh filters through the atmosphere. To study this, I'd like people to post some photos, for example a pink cloud or a pink horizon, if it appears exceptional. And even if not, it's nice to have some reference.

Something like this:

(Taken in Finland)

Some theory:

Ions are atoms (or molecules) with an electric charge - they have lost (or gained) an electron. Radioactive materials give off ionizing radiation. There are several forms of it (like alpha, beta, gamma,) but they all produce ions. So there is a lot of ionization in irradiated air where oxygen and nitrogen molecules have been broken.

An the guess how this affects the sunset: especially nitrogen in its molecular form scatters the blue wavelenght filtering it out and forming the typical red and yellow palette. If more of the blue wavelenght comes through it shifts the red end of the spectrum towards magenta, a neon kind of pink. This is just a tought (hasn't been tested) to explain the phenomenon and the connection with radiation has been concluded from some eyewitness stories and photographs from the nuclear testing era and sparked altogether after seeing the sight above near a nuclear power plant.

So, more evidence is needed but also this could tell something about the presence of radiation. I already used ionization to prove how nuclear power plants in their standart operation emit more radiation that is admitted - simply by measuring the electricity in the air. Here - video. (Why else there would be a 100m high stack on a nuclear plant anyway?) Some say ionization in the lower atmosphere is short-lived and neutralizes quickly, but apparently not or at least it's a relative thing. (Thunder bolts are the result of ionization in a cloud.) So it accumulates until the production and the neutralization are in equalibriium - and these two phases may take place even a hundred kilometers apart.

There are more of these colorful secondary indicators of radiation. Red rain. That includes a species of algae, red in color, that launches spores in the air. It can dwell on droplets of humidity if it gets some fertilization too (sunlight is up there in abundance already). This too is a legendary phenomenon following some atomic blasts (and Cherno also) altought it's possible to appear otherwise too. I'm not going deeper into that at the moment, just for you to know.

Feel free to send a private message if you prefer, I'll be thankfull for any contributions!

here are the skies in southern california day of super moon arrival. ill post the link as im still new in posting vids..../"\ www.youtube.com...

I dont think a pink sunset means anything....I have seen a pink sunset nearly every day of my life, as it is always that way here in Tucson. I really do believe that its just where you are at But, if it does not normally have a pink color, and happens after a disaster like japan, that could be a different cause.

Pink/purple sunsets are pretty common.

Here in AZ we always get them, . So pretty

reply to post by thesoundofbass
Thanks for your quick report! Nothing out of ordinary, my curiosity has been satisfied for tonight. (And it is night already here so I'll head to bed.)

I think it's not just because I started observing the evening skies, but the pinkness may have become more common whatever the reason. Tracking down photographs in the internet has increased my confidence, but can be misleading too. Haven't found a time-lapse footage for a ten year period for example. Let's see if there will be any "peak" now.

reply to post by Styrge


pink sunsets are not uncommon on the west coast at all. pretty much regular during spring and summer

Typical in spring/summer - this is interesting note also.

reply to post by Styrge

found a site with time lapse..... so i will see if i can post the link . on my ats it is not showing any post past the 11th is anyone else having the same issue?

Older posts work for me!

So far I've found no increase in pink colour as I have browsed through some pictures from Japan. TEPCO's webcam for example:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/67dec50649af.jpg[/atsimg]

Something like this I was anticipating but with much more screaming in tone. Something that would be definitely out of ordinary. This is quite pale and commonplace.

Anyway I'm still interested in some colour history. I've found max 5 years of time lapse and couldn't distinguish change from that. Hopefully you get that link working!

This starts to look like it. Though if it was from vast emissions, it would've appeared earlier. I'll keep tracking TEPCO webcam footage.