Increasing background anyone?

[chrismb]

Of course, Fukushima wasn't the only event those few months back. Don't forget the bl**dy big earthquake - and what strange materials did that leach out into the sea, and/or bubble up to the atmosphere? It'd be an interesting point of 'information', if ever it could be determined - which contaminated the earth's surface more in radioactive substances, the earthquake itself, or the damaged power plant?

[Doug Coulter]

Truly. I *think* I started to notice before I posted and before that big earthquake, but yes, it would be interesting to know about any natural causes. People are so doggone self-panicking. And we know from experience that "natural causes" can be darned dangerous all by themselves without human help (or malfeasance). I don't think that excuses human error, understand, just that it's really not always all our fault! And it seems to me that a lot of people grab onto things to use as political input that just aren't appropriate because, humans are messed up, make no mistake about it. So I try to observe the facts on one hand, and what the silly humans do about them on the other -- it's instructive when you can find the doggone facts at all!

[Alex Biersack]

Doug, are you still measuring? I came across this video and thought maybe you know something about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... MOqFUOXqtA

Has there been an increase? Does anyone here know?

Alex

[chrismb]

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This seems quite quiet. It's usually averaging around a decade higher than this in the 0.5-0.8A range.

[Doug Coulter]

I get an inside-the-lab short term background every time I run the fusor (or nearly). It's been on the low side of late for what that's worth. Most of it is cosmic rays, but I see a little more on my ground floor (closer to the dirt, which here does have a bit of U in it) than upstairs. It seems to stay in a range, and be largely driven by space weather providing most of the daily (or hourly) changes.