This short primer was provided by PeakProsperity.com member Dogs_In_A_Pile in the comments to our ongoing post covering the developments in Japan. We are featuring it here given the many questions readers are asking on this topic and the importance at this time of clearly understanding risks we do (and don't) face. It is based on his expertise developed during his military service on nuclear-powered submarines.
Radiation and contamination are used interchangeably and they are not the same thing, nor are treatment methods. You can receive radiation exposure and not need any contamination control, and you can become contaminated and not need treatment for exposure to radiation. NOTE – I am not saying that if you get contaminated you won't receive any radiation exposure, because you will. What I am saying is that you may be contaminated with such a low level of contaminated particles that there will be no need for radiation exposure treatments. The difference is both subtle and vast.
Here is a quick primer on contamination control measures.
Quick Primer on Contamination Control Measures
This short primer was provided by PeakProsperity.com member Dogs_In_A_Pile in the comments to our ongoing post covering the developments in Japan. We are featuring it here given the many questions readers are asking on this topic and the importance at this time of clearly understanding risks we do (and don't) face. It is based on his expertise developed during his military service on nuclear-powered submarines.
Radiation and contamination are used interchangeably and they are not the same thing, nor are treatment methods. You can receive radiation exposure and not need any contamination control, and you can become contaminated and not need treatment for exposure to radiation. NOTE – I am not saying that if you get contaminated you won't receive any radiation exposure, because you will. What I am saying is that you may be contaminated with such a low level of contaminated particles that there will be no need for radiation exposure treatments. The difference is both subtle and vast.
Here is a quick primer on contamination control measures.
by blaggers 
