[Phys-L] report of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission

[John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>]

I quote:

> Although triggered by these cataclysmic events, the subsequent 
> accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant cannot be regarded as a natural
> disaster. It was a profoundly manmade disaster – that could and should have been foreseen
> and prevented. And its effects could have been mitigated by a more effective human response.

The main NAAIC site is here, with links to the report that was released
today:
  http://naiic.go.jp/en/

The available English document is 88 pages long.  It contains the executive 
summary, the detailed conclusions and recommendations, plus a number of 
appendices:
  http://naiic.go.jp/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/NAIIC_report_lo_res.pdf

The rest of the report has not yet been translated into English.

As you might imagine, the actual report is incomparably more informative than 
what you can get from the media coverage.

The report does /not/ conform to the stereotype of Japanese politeness and
understatement.

I'm not sure I believe everything in this report ... but it paints a more
coherent and plausible picture than any of the previous reports, and confirms
some things that I had figured out on my own.  Although some of the details
are not known and will not be known for many years, some high-level conclusions 
are already clear:  
 *) The disaster was entirely foreseeable.
 *) TEPCO as well as the regulators failed to take action to defend against 
  the foreseeable threats.
 *) From the moment a complete station blackout (SBO) occurred, a major disaster 
  was unavoidable.
 *) OTOH it could have been worse.  Significantly worse.
 *) Many of the people in the affected area didn't know about the danger until
  later ... many hours or even days later.

==============

In case you are wondering what this has to do with physics, keep in mind that
a great deal of the prestige and funding given to physics over the last 70 
years is attributable, directly or indirectly, to the perceived importance of
nuclear power (peaceful and otherwise).  In particular, I reckon they never
would have gotten 10 billion dollars for the LHC at CERN if it were justified
on the basis of "scientific curiosity" alone.

Also the /alternatives/ to nuclear power involve a lot of physics.

Furthermore, it is a lesson in critical thinking and scientific integrity, and
the penalties for a lack thereof.