Mysterious Radiation

[Cdnwolf]

Trace amounts of the radioactive material iodine-131 have been detected across Europe over the past two weeks, according to nuclear officials there. The source of this radiation-spewing material is unknown.

Iodine-131 is a by-product of the type of nuclear fission reactions that occur in reactors and nuclear weapons; it emits radiation that can cause cancer when absorbed in high enough doses. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the levels of iodine-131 that have been detected in several locations across Europe are abnormally high, but not high enough to pose a public health risk, Reuters reported today (Nov. 11).

Austria's Environment Ministry said the small levels of radioactive iodine it detected would expose the population to a radiation dose equal to just one-40,000th of the dose received in a transatlantic flight.

Nonetheless, the IAEA is on the hunt for the source of this free-flying nuclear fission product, which the agency does not believe to be a remnant of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan, earlier this year. Iodine-131 decays quickly, with a half-life of just eight days.

The uptick in radioactive iodine was first detected in late October by the Czech Republic's Office of Nuclear Safety, and has since been measured elsewhere, the IAEA said.

[ArmySGT.]

Islamabomb ???

[Schone23666]

Someone tried to detonate a dirty bomb, perhaps?

You'd expect to hear a report of an explosion somewhere though, unless they were trying to distribute dirty radioactive material by some other method.

[raketenjagdpanzer]

A few thoughts, none particularly smart, but here they are...

The Soviets were notorious for poor nuclear power byproduct disposal and storage; I've heard of places in Eastern Europe and Russia that are no-go zones (beyond Chernobyl, mind you). Maybe something sprang a leak?

As mentioned, a dirty bomb that fizzled.

Something went poof in Iran - but would it drift that far? I'd imagine Iraq and Turkey would be fairly glowing in the dark if trace amounts of Iodine-131 were floating around Europe, given the distance between there and Iran...

Speaking of the Soviets, didn't they lose a nuclear submarine just off the coast of Norway in fairly shallow water? What are the odds something's leaking very, very heavily?

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Schone23666

Someone tried to detonate a dirty bomb, perhaps?

You'd expect to hear a report of an explosion somewhere though, unless they were trying to distribute dirty radioactive material by some other method.

Maybe not, but possibly someone building a dirty bomb?

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Most likely --- none of the above.
Iodine 131 has a half-life of about 8-10 days. It's used in the medical treatment of thyroid problems and regularly produced by specialist pharmaceutical companies. While under treatment it's present in the patient's stools. Their excrement is carefully controlled, i.e. collected and disposed of as dangerous goods.
Some people really do drop radioactive turds

The "mysterious radiation" is only "mysterious" for the media because nobody has nailed down where it's coming from but the latest media reports state that the experts are saying that it does not come from the Japanese reactor or any other reactor in Europe.
Paddy Regan, a professor of nuclear physics at Britain's University of Surrey, has said that the idea that it may have leaked from a radiopharmaceuticals maker is a strong possibility.

Other thoughts are that it's come from the normal transport of radioactive materials or it could even have been vented from a nuclear powered submarine.

Now while all that sounds like the typical reassurances they put on the media to keep the public content, the fact is, Iodine 131 is a damned poor choice for use in any sort of nuclear weapon because its half-life is so short. Although Iodine 131 is a product of uranium and plutonium fission, it would be accompanied by other radioactive isotopes and it appears that none of these have been detected. That's a strong argument against the idea that the radiation is from some sort of weapon.