[geeks] Global warming, was Mr Bill?

[Sandwich Maker]

" From: Shannon Hendrix <shannon at widomaker.com>
" 
" On Sep 23, 2008, at 15:34 , Sandwich Maker wrote:
" 
" > another: given the half-lives involved, the effects from high-level
" > waste would persist for millions, if not tens or even hundreds of
" > millions of years.
" 
" That's a little bit misleading though.
" 
" Half-life is non-linear, 

true, but --

" so it isn't going to be at lethal levels for millions of years.

while the half life of pu-239 is only 24Ky, u-238 [unfissionable in
current reactors] is 4.5Gy.  even u-235 half life is 0.71Gy.  and high
level 'waste' is essentially pure oxide, and while i admit i don't
know the analysis a large percentage has to be u-238; afaik even after
enrichment the bulk of the fuel load is u-238.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh at an.bradford.ma.us                       and think what none thought