Nuclear Emergency Tracking Center showing RADCON_4_Concern/Watch for Alabama

Just noticed this a few minutes ago and wanted everyone to know.

www.netc.com...

Montgomery, Alabama RADCON_4_Concern/Watch

"199
Station ID 4:408 Montgomery, AL, US
CPM: current 199 Low 10 High 213
Average 44, Deviation 32.6
(CPM of Beta particles)

Click here for data charts

Last updated: 2013-08-06 13:51:00 GMT+0000"

There is also this radiation network that shows no problems at all.

So whatever it is is either local, or a false alarm.

After looking a bit further, it seems the NETC network is comprised on *both* privately run sites, as well as pulling data from the government EPA run sites.

Now it happens that the location in question, Montgomery, happens to have an EPA site. So its likely thats where the NETC site got its data from.

NETC seem to take a 3 month average when considering if current values are above normal background levels, so... is the Montgomery EPA site high in value recently?
Yes, it is.



The dark red trace near the bottom. "Gamma Energy range 10". Its probably pushing up the value that is read by the NETC network, making is *appear* to have risen recently.

Larger gaps (>1 day) occasionally appear when RadNet monitors are taken offline for servicing.

When really what has happened is the instrument got taken offline for a few days, and now its back online (probably after recalibration), and NETC are freaking out about the new higher readings.

Nevermind.

Plant releases C02

A carbon dioxide leak has prompted an Alabama nuclear plant to declare an alert, though federal authorities say the issue does not threaten the public.

Southern Co. officials said the Joseph Farley nuclear plant in Columbia declared the alert at 5:20 a.m. Saturday because of a carbon dioxide leak. The Atlanta-based utility said the gas release has since been isolated. Both nuclear reactors at the site are operating.

reply to post by alfa1


So, when this government run site make it "appear" to have risen recently, people Google "Alabama" to look for news. They'll run into this article and get scared. Very convenient. "Plotting violent acts" and conspiracy, and all...

Suspect in Alabama terror plot changes plea to guilty

reply to post by alfa1

NETC seem to take a 3 month average when considering if current values are above normal background levels

Huh. Didn't know that's how they determined normal background levels. So if, say, Fukashima spoils were spreading our direction at an increasing rate (via jet stream or what-not) then increasing levels at the Alabama location would effectively raise the "normal background level." Sounds... sketchy. Shouldn't 'normal background levels' be a more constant number, and not the average of the past 3 months?

Originally posted by new_here
Huh. Didn't know that's how they determined normal background levels. So if, say, Fukashima spoils were spreading our direction at an increasing rate (via jet stream or what-not) then increasing levels at the Alabama location would effectively raise the "normal background level." Sounds... sketchy. Shouldn't 'normal background levels' be a more constant number, and not the average of the past 3 months?

Well, not technically an "average", but its a value based on the last three months to get a background level.

I will repeat, each site has its background level and it is revised every night. The alert level is the highest level over a three month range plus many different checks that are made to stop false alerts.

and

Alert Site - Alert conditions met, Reliable, Active and In your local area. RAM Radiation Alert Message email sent to clients to inform them that the radiation level has increased passed their highest level in a quarter of a year,

Thats what they consider an "alert" level, which the Montgomery site is currently at.

Right now, numerous spots all over the US are at RADCON_3 and RADCON_4. I'm not sure what is happening...

Still numerous spots with RadCon 4. It looks like it's more concentrated around the New Madrid faultline!

Originally posted by Hellmutt
Still numerous spots with RadCon 4. It looks like it's more concentrated around the New Madrid faultline!

I think you are not correct in that it being concentrated there. Here is an image showing the New Madrid seismic zone region.



Compared to today's chart a few moments ago.



To be truthful, there are not enough monitoring stations to determine the exact density of where the radiation is 'concentrated at'.

M.

Originally posted by Hellmutt
Still numerous spots with RadCon 4. It looks like it's more concentrated around the New Madrid faultline!

Like I said in the earlier post, that website just steals its data from the government EPA monitoring website for a lot of the sensors.

Heres an example: the Nashville, TN site.
The netc monitoring site currently says "CPM current 190"...

But here's the problem. It doesnt update very often, so if you go to the actual original source of the data, the EPA site, and use the RADNET query interface, you can see data for hours more recent than the netc has on its site.
Original sources are always the best.
190 was an abnormal spike, it is currently reading 121, which is quite close to netc's own admission of a 124 average.

Same with a few other sites I checked. Just a short spike. Gone now.

And the link to the EPA website is HERE if you want the original data, and not the delayed out of date smaller sample at netc that you're all freaking over.

reply to post by alfa1
Well, thanks alfa, but it is still an odd method (to me.) I mean, it seems like if the readings go up for ANY reason then the 'avg background radiation' will naturally go up by some amount, by this method.

That's ok in my book, if the sun is the cause. But IF Fukashima played into this in any way, then to me, it is a bit disingenuous to allow that to affect (raise) the average 'background' number whatsoever. To do so, implies something 'natural' in my opinion. (Like the sun or cosmic rays?) Fukashima is anything but!!!

What is the point really, to put that number out there and label it "average background radiation" when it seems anything, natural or nuclear disaster, can make it go UP UP UP? Why don't they simply call it what it is-- last 3 month's average!

Also, just throwing this out there for the good of the group:
I found it strange that just now at www.netc.com Orlando and Miami both have the same symbol (Radon 2 Rising) yet Miami's current value for "CPM of Gamma in energy range 600-800keV" is 401, while the same for Orlando is 139. Then I look and the average for Miami is 396, and the average for Orlando is 130. I just think that average calculation (which spawns the alert if the level surpasses it) is not helpful.

P.S... I know I can't spell Fukashima. I'm sorry for that.

Originally posted by new_here
That's ok in my book, if the sun is the cause. But IF Fukashima played into this in any way, ...

Unlikely.
I certainly cant concieve of any scenario where contamination comes across the pacific from Japan, and *only* affects about 5 places in the middle of the USA, and only for a few hours, and also leaving all the other sensors around and inbetween completely unaffected.

Originally posted by new_here
I just think that average calculation (which spawns the alert if the level surpasses it) is not helpful.

Agreed.
Whatever algorithm netc is using to determine a RADCON level 4 alert, really needs to be fine tuned to stop false alarms.