Harvey Mudd physics professors Peter Saeta and Gregory Lyzenga aim to curtail fears among the 5C community in the wake of the disasters in Japan through an educational presentation focusing on the earthquake, related geophysics questions, and nuclear safety. The event will take place in HMC’s Galileo-McAlister Hall today from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
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“The idea is to present a general information forum and opportunity for the audience to ask questions and gather accurate information,” Lyzenga said.
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Saeta said that the general public’s lack of education has caused a paranoid reaction in the U.S., as evidenced by the recent rush to purchase iodine pills.
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The March 11 earthquake and tsunami off the coast of Japan, and resulting damage to the Fukushima nuclear power plant, caused concern about possible radiation exposure in America, particularly on the west coast. News services that relayed information on radiation levels blowing across the Pacific Ocean led many California residents to hurry to stores last week to buy iodine pills, which can help prevent the thyroid gland from absorbing radioactive material.
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Saeta said this response is not warranted for Americans.
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“Taking iodine could cause more harm, and given the extremely small change in radiation it can’t do any good,” he said. “It risks overloading the thyroid and causing bigger problems than it would solve. For people in Japan, it makes sense, but here it doesn’t at all.”
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Dr. Jennie Ho, Interim Senior Physician at the CUC Health Center, said she is following directions from the Los Angeles Public Health Department to not hand out iodine pills.
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“There is no increased risk for the campus or area, but we are keeping updated on releases from the Centers for Disease Control,” Ho said. “If students want more information about the risk, we are referring them to the CDC’s website.”
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The California media has also questioned the safety of the state’s two nuclear power plants, the Diablo Canyon Power Plant and the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, which are built to withstand earthquakes of magnitudes 7.5 and 7.0, respectively. The San Onofre plant also happens to be less than 75 miles away from Claremont.
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However, Lyzenga said that the possibility of a disaster similar to Japan’s occurring in California is unlikely due to tectonic and geological differences.
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“The fault near Japan is a subversion fault where one plate is moving under the other, but the ones near here are all strike-slip, which means the plates are moving horizontal to each other,” he said. “It produces different outcomes, which means a 9.0 earthquake is not a credible threat here.”
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“However, there are scenarios involving smaller earthquakes that can cause great harm, so we would be well-advised to be always looking at unanticipated contingencies,” Lyzenga added.
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The professors acknowledged that unexpected possibilities should not be ruled out, and that avoiding all future disasters is not possible. However, they said that a small amount of information can make a big difference in how we approach the future of nuclear power, reduce public panic, and ensure a safer future for all.
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“We want to show people and talk about some of the science behind these events so that they can make informed decisions for themselves,” Saeta said.