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The Chernobyl nuclear power plant - an eyewitness (18 photos)
History eyewitness of those days.
We arrived at Chernobyl in mid-August 1986. By this time, the reactor was "pacified" the threat of "nuclear explosion" was excluded, the threat of thermal explosion was minimal emissions were absent over reactor was not even a vapor flows.
All of the most dangerous work has already been done by the liquidators. The photo clearly visible concrete pumps machines (then very rare unit for the USSR) and Concrete tankers, among them the white box, there were hiding motorists. Booth lead, it weakens the level of radiation. These drivers - heroes - or recklessness, or ignorance. They were paid five times the salary promised "Lada" jump the queue, I'm afraid, very few of them, these "Lada" managed to get in the place of the photographer was 2p / h, the driver's seat, at the base of the sarcophagus - I do not know, but I think - not less than 20 p / h, i.e. safe work could be 1:00, which is unrealistic in those conditions. Still, "our people", chasing after big money and "Lada" - left their dosimeters in a "clean zone" to their "chemical" is not deducted from the "hot zone" ahead of time. Here is the paradox of the Soviet era - "Lada" - the price of life. In the photo below - the liquidators in black overalls and white caps
down the stairs. Very much of a chance that they're gone ...
Sarcophagus. His heroic built to protect against new releases. Money and health nemerjanno throw it away. There are two views on this matter. First, the collapse of the left about 194 tons of fuel (200 tons), and the sarcophagus was needed. Second, the beginning of its construction all the fuel has burned out, ie such protection is not needed (this opinion was expressed in the journal "Youth" to the 20 anniversary of the accident one of the monitoring team, relying on personal experience). If the second opinion is correct, then the entire strategy for the elimination was wrong, as erroneously today's decision on the construction of another sarcophagus over the old.
Bags of lead shot (on top of the concrete pump boom seen their rags) were widely used in early May. Fraction was collected nationwide in hunting societies and dropped from the turntables directly to the collapse - goal: to shut emissions. But ... that accumulates gas and increasing the temperature leads to an additional thermal emission even greater pressure ceased to drop bags, on the ruins of the plates still could be seen and white cloth.
Mushrooms. How was your first fear from the environment, the people drawn to the exotic, apples and mushrooms. By that time, there were good foreign devices, allowing to measure the degree of radioactive contamination not only gamma rays, but the beta and alpha. Measurement of fungi showed - the excess above the general background - small, washed and better fire. When the smell of fried mushrooms echoed in the dorm - and pulled the most cautious, all two huge bag package picked ceps grind at a time. Most of us do not let go for mushrooms.
Curiosity. Like sfotkat reactor from the top. I go to the airport, no protection, turntables on the field, the trailer at the edge of the field. In the trailer - people helicopter. Who are you? Photographer, I want to remove the reactor from the top. Go to the yellow chopper, they often fly around the object. I went over, please take it. You're out of your mind, we are forcibly sent back, and you yourself you climb better sfotkatsya us, we have no pictures of the trip. Sfotkal crew. When the pictures are? Tonight I will do. Well, come tomorrow, hire you over the reactor. Came through the day before could not. Where yellow pinwheel? And you why - asked suspiciously. Brought the boys pictures, they promised to ride above the reactor. Crashed yesterday guys (How? Landing approach, a gust of wind, fell on the tail with 50 meters - ty. Alive? Alive! Lie in the infirmary, spinner clad lead sheets, controlled easily, even lightly. Yes, and they told me just to This flight was invited, I could not have been on duty. Lucky you. Photos are guys pass. Interest in the flight I took.
Medicine. We have 50 people had their own doctors and paramedics. Before leaving underwent a medical examination on her some "derailed" health. In the area of blood was collected twice per month, given iodine, multivitamins. Water for the kitchen were taken from the clean zone in jars, drinking in the boxes in the hallway stood a bottle of "Essentuki" and "Borjomi".
Protection against radiation. Post at the entrance to the hostel with the DP-5, all sniffed, "dirty" sent "to wash." Home protection: respirators RM-2 and "petals", linen (shirt and pants) every day, pomyvka (decontamination) every day, "sniffing" jackets and pants. Decontamination (pomyvka with soapy water) of our technology. Dorm window closed, the air is supplied FVUstanovkoy, 100 liter drums - filters.
Radiation survey instruments. There was only one, my dear DP-5. Other - was not. It protrudes from the machine and from the turntables, and then manually record readings in a notebook. All the time, all confused. Sends a group of health physicists from different departments - and averaged readings! There was a laboratory instrument from Leningrad, who with a pinwheel could scout band at 200 meters, with him turntable and cut circles over the area, and from the testimony recorded manually. I do not know whether there is now remote radiation survey instruments? Apparently, the troops were going to send forward "blind».
Well, a few more pictures. I was only 30 years old. I am fond of photography, a couple of shots, even at some show any prize won. But there were pictures and for themselves. As now say "to classmates».
Somehow declared - came with a concert Alla Pugacheva. Then for the Soviet people it was a megastar. We arrived at the UAZ - loaf, sat down on the fifth row, there were no tickets. The people, on arrival filled all the surrounding space and roof of the car, our UAZ, by the way, pushed through the entire roof. Pugacheva was with Kuzmin, singing - wonderful. Curious: she sang the song "invite a lady to dance ..." and shill all to dance, no one came, shy! Alla barely pulled the Good Man in black with kombeza tankistskimi tabs. Photo with Pugacheva something I can not find ...
Pugacheva performed in Cape Verde, so-called zone "White steamer" - river cruise ships, about 10 tubs, were approached and used to Moscow officials - the "clean" area in the vicinity.
Source
We arrived at Chernobyl in mid-August 1986. By this time, the reactor was "pacified" the threat of "nuclear explosion" was excluded, the threat of thermal explosion was minimal emissions were absent over reactor was not even a vapor flows.
All of the most dangerous work has already been done by the liquidators. The photo clearly visible concrete pumps machines (then very rare unit for the USSR) and Concrete tankers, among them the white box, there were hiding motorists. Booth lead, it weakens the level of radiation. These drivers - heroes - or recklessness, or ignorance. They were paid five times the salary promised "Lada" jump the queue, I'm afraid, very few of them, these "Lada" managed to get in the place of the photographer was 2p / h, the driver's seat, at the base of the sarcophagus - I do not know, but I think - not less than 20 p / h, i.e. safe work could be 1:00, which is unrealistic in those conditions. Still, "our people", chasing after big money and "Lada" - left their dosimeters in a "clean zone" to their "chemical" is not deducted from the "hot zone" ahead of time. Here is the paradox of the Soviet era - "Lada" - the price of life. In the photo below - the liquidators in black overalls and white caps
down the stairs. Very much of a chance that they're gone ...
Sarcophagus. His heroic built to protect against new releases. Money and health nemerjanno throw it away. There are two views on this matter. First, the collapse of the left about 194 tons of fuel (200 tons), and the sarcophagus was needed. Second, the beginning of its construction all the fuel has burned out, ie such protection is not needed (this opinion was expressed in the journal "Youth" to the 20 anniversary of the accident one of the monitoring team, relying on personal experience). If the second opinion is correct, then the entire strategy for the elimination was wrong, as erroneously today's decision on the construction of another sarcophagus over the old.
Bags of lead shot (on top of the concrete pump boom seen their rags) were widely used in early May. Fraction was collected nationwide in hunting societies and dropped from the turntables directly to the collapse - goal: to shut emissions. But ... that accumulates gas and increasing the temperature leads to an additional thermal emission even greater pressure ceased to drop bags, on the ruins of the plates still could be seen and white cloth.
Mushrooms. How was your first fear from the environment, the people drawn to the exotic, apples and mushrooms. By that time, there were good foreign devices, allowing to measure the degree of radioactive contamination not only gamma rays, but the beta and alpha. Measurement of fungi showed - the excess above the general background - small, washed and better fire. When the smell of fried mushrooms echoed in the dorm - and pulled the most cautious, all two huge bag package picked ceps grind at a time. Most of us do not let go for mushrooms.
Curiosity. Like sfotkat reactor from the top. I go to the airport, no protection, turntables on the field, the trailer at the edge of the field. In the trailer - people helicopter. Who are you? Photographer, I want to remove the reactor from the top. Go to the yellow chopper, they often fly around the object. I went over, please take it. You're out of your mind, we are forcibly sent back, and you yourself you climb better sfotkatsya us, we have no pictures of the trip. Sfotkal crew. When the pictures are? Tonight I will do. Well, come tomorrow, hire you over the reactor. Came through the day before could not. Where yellow pinwheel? And you why - asked suspiciously. Brought the boys pictures, they promised to ride above the reactor. Crashed yesterday guys (How? Landing approach, a gust of wind, fell on the tail with 50 meters - ty. Alive? Alive! Lie in the infirmary, spinner clad lead sheets, controlled easily, even lightly. Yes, and they told me just to This flight was invited, I could not have been on duty. Lucky you. Photos are guys pass. Interest in the flight I took.
Medicine. We have 50 people had their own doctors and paramedics. Before leaving underwent a medical examination on her some "derailed" health. In the area of blood was collected twice per month, given iodine, multivitamins. Water for the kitchen were taken from the clean zone in jars, drinking in the boxes in the hallway stood a bottle of "Essentuki" and "Borjomi".
Protection against radiation. Post at the entrance to the hostel with the DP-5, all sniffed, "dirty" sent "to wash." Home protection: respirators RM-2 and "petals", linen (shirt and pants) every day, pomyvka (decontamination) every day, "sniffing" jackets and pants. Decontamination (pomyvka with soapy water) of our technology. Dorm window closed, the air is supplied FVUstanovkoy, 100 liter drums - filters.
Radiation survey instruments. There was only one, my dear DP-5. Other - was not. It protrudes from the machine and from the turntables, and then manually record readings in a notebook. All the time, all confused. Sends a group of health physicists from different departments - and averaged readings! There was a laboratory instrument from Leningrad, who with a pinwheel could scout band at 200 meters, with him turntable and cut circles over the area, and from the testimony recorded manually. I do not know whether there is now remote radiation survey instruments? Apparently, the troops were going to send forward "blind».
Well, a few more pictures. I was only 30 years old. I am fond of photography, a couple of shots, even at some show any prize won. But there were pictures and for themselves. As now say "to classmates».
Somehow declared - came with a concert Alla Pugacheva. Then for the Soviet people it was a megastar. We arrived at the UAZ - loaf, sat down on the fifth row, there were no tickets. The people, on arrival filled all the surrounding space and roof of the car, our UAZ, by the way, pushed through the entire roof. Pugacheva was with Kuzmin, singing - wonderful. Curious: she sang the song "invite a lady to dance ..." and shill all to dance, no one came, shy! Alla barely pulled the Good Man in black with kombeza tankistskimi tabs. Photo with Pugacheva something I can not find ...
Pugacheva performed in Cape Verde, so-called zone "White steamer" - river cruise ships, about 10 tubs, were approached and used to Moscow officials - the "clean" area in the vicinity.
Source
