So you deny any existing cracks and holes in the sarcophagus and obvious spreading of radiation into the ground wathers and atmosphere ?
I think it is much more serious than "repairs" somewhen in the future. They should have ben done "yesterday".
Ok , again from the above:
"The sarcophagus is so badly damaged that a small earthquake or severe wind could cause the roof to collapse."
plus random googling:
http://www.chernobyl-international.com/ ... s.470.html
"The scientists admit that the sarcophagus which encases the damaged nuclear reactor is now
cracking open and leaking out lethal doses of radiation. In 1988 Soviet scientists announced that the sarcophagus was only designed for lifetime of 20 to 30 years.
Holes and fissures in the structure now cover 100 square metres, some of which are large enough to drive a car through. These cracks and holes are further exacerbated by the intense heat inside the reactor, which is still over 200 degrees Celsius. The sarcophagus’s hastily and poorly built concrete walls, which are steadily sinking, act as a lid on the grave of the shattered reactor. "
http://library.thinkquest.org/3426/data ... tions.html
"Recent studies find the Sarcophagus covering Reactor No. 4 to be full of holes. An engineering report stated that the stone coffin would collapse in an earthquake measuring 6 or more on the Richter scale. It is estimated that an earthquake of that magnitude should hit the Chernobyl region once every century. If this were to happen, it would release large clouds of radioactive dust that could once again blow around the earth. [59]"
http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/02/18/chernobyl.shtml
"... after experts warned it was so old it could collapse at any minute. "
http://gis2.esri.com/library/userconf/p ... /p0658.htm
"Sixteen years after the accident of unit 4 of the Chernobyl NPP the Sarcophagus still remains one of the most dangerous nuclear facilities in the world."
http://en.pripyat.com.ua/category/sarcophagus/
"Shelter object. Current status
Actually it is possible to consider as established, that inside the Shelter object remains about 90% of fuel, which was in a reactor at the moment of accident. Its total activity makes about 18 mln curies. Destructive processes, occurring in fuel containing materials (FCM), every year increase their hazard. Lava-like FCM destructs spontaneously and radionuclides containing in them are transformed from the bound state in mobile dust particles capable to live the Shelter boundaries with air flows. The radioactive dust amount according to conservative estimations makes about 4 tons.
There is a potential risk of a radioactive dust releases in an environment during probable collapse of supporting constructions, and due to water migration.
At the site near the Shelter under the layer of the ground, sand and concrete there is significant quantity of radioactive substances, non-isolated from hydrogeological environment.
Object’s constructions don’t meet the requirements of the normative and technical documentation on Safety if the field of mechanical durability, structural integrity, constructive reliability and have undetermined operational term. "
http://www.insc.anl.gov/neisb/neisb4/NE ... .A1.2.html
"There is also a concern about earthquakes, which could topple an internal structure and--in the case of a 1990 quake--
create new vents in an already cracked structure. Since 1990, the Ukrainians have used a dust suppresser to periodically spray neutron absorbers inside the central hall, where much of the irradiated debris is located.
The Ukrainians reportedly admit that it is difficult for them to determine the stability of the structure using traditional monitoring instruments because some 40 percent of the reactor building within the sarcophagus is inaccessible owing to high radiation levels.
Water poses problems, too. The basement of the reactor building is reportedly flooded with 20,000-25,000 liters (5,283-6,604 gallons) of water, and outside burial pits containing debris from the accident are flooded. The leaching by water of radionuclides from the fuel-containing materials is a growing problem, and prevention of groundwater contamination is a high priority. Yet according to a Ukrainian nuclear industry official, the ground-water at the Chernobyl site is being contaminated.
Ukrainian authorities had planned to deal with the lack of leak tightness by eliminating about 70,000 square meters (83,720 square yards) of vents in the sarcophagus, but they have postponed the work for a year because of a lack of money.
According to an official from Germany's GRS, it is unlikely that a large portion of the mass of fuel inside the destroyed reactor would go critical. But the Chernobylite is apparently starting to be transformed into a water-soluble, pumice-like substance. As particles of this substance are lifted into the air by heat-generated convection currents, the amount of radioactive dust inside the reactor building will increase.
Two Ukrainian academicians reported in December 1994 that the possibility of explosion or fire within the sarcophagus is increasing. They said several fires have already occurred, and one--in 1993--burned for several hours and increased the radioactive discharge from the reactor building tenfold. The academicians concluded that a large fire could cause a radioactive release, in the form of fuel dust, on a scale similar to that of the 1986 accident. They urged the development and implementation of an integrated fire detection and suppression system for the sarcophagus."
