Long weekend in the Zone Bashny.Net

Radiation

We often hear that the area is safe. When you visit it with a guide, forbid you to go into any building - of course, there is no reason to worry. Ban on visiting the buildings formerly preceded by a ban on the climb to the roof, and it gradually became the norm for tourist groups. These requirements went into effect for a long time, but now they have performed more frequently. This is not surprising, if you look at the increasingly decrepit buildings.

Will be 34 photos and a lot of text. Source





School №1 Pripyat. At the center of the photo you can see traces of the collapse of 2005. At the rear of the building, as well as at the bottom right you can see the destruction of 2013.



Detail of spring fracture school.



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Before the school were completely destroyed, I was in the basement. I was there once, but this time I managed to find a place to cross-country skiing and many posters.



But not all over the deteriorating condition of the building is the greatest risk that we face in the region. Radiation levels significantly more serious. Despite the fact that the average background values ​​many times higher than in the cities where we live, expert area is still considered safe. What if some tourists, unaware of the danger, without protection, separated from the group on the tour, and fall into one of the contaminated premises? For example, in the basement of Pripyat hospital where he unwittingly raise first, and then inhale, radioactive dust, which is covered by a form of fire, wallowing there? In the area a lot of space. Most of you have probably heard about the "Jupiter" - factory, which officially produced radios and secret - military equipment. Perhaps you have also seen the first part of my reportage "Alone in the zone", where I was told how visited the underground laboratory, considering the hundreds of mysterious substances are there. At this time I learned of the basement to avoid my attention in the first visit, or rather focus my dosimeter. In the maze of narrow corridors and small spaces easily get disoriented and miss the place is still hiding secrets radioactive. Unfortunately, the spring flooded underground laboratory, and partially frozen. Fortunately, I am prepared to like, I have galoshes, I strapped adhesive tape to the protective clothing. Despite this, the water level in some areas is so high that water gets into galoshes. I was lucky, I think that in the room, where a metal mesh are some metal drawers and closet, I came relatively quickly. A few hundred meters dosimeter tells me to raise the level of radiation. It's a sign that I was on the spot.

One of the drawers open. The content looks like silvery dust, or some kind of metal grains. I'm intrigued because the dosimeter, held close at material going crazy. I have prepared in advance with a package that I collect samples of the mysterious substance. I intend to explore its origins with a spectrometer.



The radiation level of the mysterious silver dust reaches 1232 mSv / h.

Cellar in Jupiter. Frozen masks.



But do not think that a simple non-attendance of the basement is enough to protect you from radiation. There are far more dangerous radioactive places in the area. One of them directly at the power plant, where thousands of tons of radioactive material scattered by the disaster. After the explosion and fire formed lightweight materials reach the upper layers of the atmosphere and the air currents spread to much of Europe. Heavier materials settled near the power plant, contaminating tens of thousands of hectares of surrounding forests. The forests were divided into 4 zones, depending on the level of contamination. First, the smallest, but the most contaminated area covers 400 hectares of forest plantations, located in the immediate vicinity of the power plant. In this area, all the pine trees have died, and their needles red. Hence the name - Red Forest. Shortly after the accident it was decided to cut down and dispose of all dead trees. Leave them - which means to increase the risk of re-propagation, for example, in a fire. Radioactive contamination has created problems for nearby roads leading to the power plant. Felling and disposal of trees significantly reduced levels of radiation, which currently stands at around 20-30 mSv / h. Despite the fact that the trees are buried under the ground, the radionuclides contained in the biomass, the newly grown trees reach through their root system and cause internal radiation and mutation. Why radionuclides concentrated biomass consisting of buried old trees, is a source of such high radiation? I decided to go to the Red Forest and more carefully look for answers.

Temporary storage of radioactive waste - Red Forest



The first thing that surprised me is how easy it is to find a place where the radiation is very different (up) from the previously mentioned background radiation Red Forest (20-30 mSv / h). Just a few minutes of searching the radiation under one of the trees had reached 5,000 mSv / h, about 200 times higher than the background radiation in the forest. Good start, I thought, starting to dig a fragment of radioactive soil. This high level of radiation may be the result of a high concentration of biomass polluted (soil), and can also be a signal that a ground layer is a fragment of an inorganic material, such as a piece of metal. Regularly checking the dosimeter every piece of land, a few minutes later found a significantly higher readings. I found something. Quickly I get out of the woods, and then put a piece of land on the pavement, to facilitate the further search. I divide the piece in half and check what part of the more radioactive. Less contaminated is discarded to the side and once again share a radioactive half, again and again, repeating his actions while in a small piece of land do not notice small, gray grain size of a sunflower seed. Before I completely cleared all the land, I found a fragment of the radiation which is about 25 mSv / h (25 000 mSv / h), and thus, it is about 5 times higher than I had dug earlier and 1,000 times higher than the background radiation Red Forest (or approximately 100,000 times higher than the background radiation in the cities where we live). But when I am completely cleansed of the remaining fragment of the earth and attach the monitor, my blood pressure soared. Dosimeter zashkalilo. Initially very frequent beep dosimeter is turned into a continuous whistle. I double-checked, and I can not believe it - the dosimeter shows more than 500 mSv / h (500 000 mSv / h). Now dosimeter changes the threshold measurements from mSv to the Sound, but instead of numbers shows the four lines (----). In any case, I'll come back here and re-analyze the situation. Heck! - I can not cry. I've never seen anything so radioactive in my life! It looks like I accidentally bought a fragment of fuel from the reactor 4 (or a fragment of irradiated graphite). Nothing else can be so radioactive. Once the dosimeter shows 500 mSv / h, and then change the threshold and switched off on the Sound, the radiation in the fragment, probably measured in Sv / h!



461 mSv / h - the red arrow points to a fragment of the fuel from the reactor 4.



Only face to face with the fact that a small, unobtrusive grain can generate such a huge background radiation, I'm starting to wonder. It is small, but it can generate a huge amount of energy. And careless with him handling can cause great damage, even kill. Radiation is invisible, unnoticed, odorless, without sound - without dosimeter, we are blind, and indeed none of our senses can not detect it. Before I knew it in theory, now I have experienced it in my life.



More than a quarter of a century ago biorobots - volunteers, cleaned the roof of the station from the radioactive explosion products have experienced the same thing. They not only found one grain, and dragged full shovel even more radioactive materials. Iodine-131, which has collapsed or cesium-137, which activity is currently twice lower than that at the time (half-life of about 30 years).

A moment later, I begin to doubt. Dosimeter that I use (Gamma Scout), is one of the best on the market. But even he has his limits. First of all, it is not designed to measure high levels of radiation. It is calibrated to 1 mSv, so that readings above this value can not be fully trusted. In short, with such a huge overload, the dosimeter will exceed or underestimate the evidence? At the moment, I have no way to check it. So the next day I borrow another dosimeter, which is used by operators, checking the pollution of cars leaving the area. I spend measure again, but unfortunately, my doubts did not stop. So, before you come to a final conclusion, I decided to wait for his return, and carefully check the record, analyze readings of both instruments, in particular, the testimony at different distances from the sample, as well as to contact the manufacturer of the equipment. And I hope I can get it before the premiere of "A Zone 2».

Chernobyl-2

I love to go back to places I am especially interested. In places that have their secrets. One of these is the city of Chernobyl-2. The place where the Arc-3-horizon radar, which I have visited several times. But I've never seen it completely. This time, I decided to see it through and to be there for the third time. And you know what? To me this is still not enough!

Lecture Hall Complex Arc



One of the rooms in the main building where the control of radio telecommunications equipment.



One of the rooms generator control complex.



Chernobyl-2 - a huge complex consisting of two parts - a battle which were themselves radars and military buildings and civil, where soldiers serving radar, live with their families and children. And this part is the main reason for my return to these places. I did not just find houses, but also schools, kindergartens, hotels, a club with a cinema, gym and shops. These buildings are closed, guarded and inaccessible to most, it is still possible to find a really well-preserved objects. For example, a working piano. If only I knew how to play ...

The playground of the kindergarten in the complex of Chernobyl-2. Even toys have a military context.



The store, which holds the remains of military electronic equipment.



Multi-purpose hall, formerly used to display movies, concerts and other events.



Type in the opposite direction.



Between the military and civilian sectors have a football field, which the residents of the complex enjoy in your spare time. But imperceptible step hides a secret. Is there an underground shelter. But I could not determine where it lies, and where the entrance. Asylum may be flooded. But it's not a problem. The astute reader will notice that I have recently tried cave diving. And the cave is not the only place where you can dive, of course, having been trained and received a certificate. So, if I can find the entrance - it will be great.

This time, I decided to climb a small antenna, because it has not ever happen.



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Cooling towers

Since we are talking about climbing, certainly anyone who has visited the Chernobyl zone, have seen the tower. If you do not close, then at least with the road leading to the plant. I returned to this place many times, there is nothing better than to hear the excellent acoustics inside the towers. Crows, flying on many meters above the tower, you can hear perfectly at its foot. During trips in photographs or films, have all seen the tower. But no one saw the view from the tower, or, more precisely, with its upper part. At least since the time of the disaster. Dangerous task, but doable, provided proper training. The only way to get to the top of the tower is a staircase priereplennaya to its outer side. Climbing it is not a problem. A serious task - to pass on a wooden platform at the top, along the highest point of the whole building. I dedicated one of his previous visits detailed photographing decks to get a closer measure the success and the risk of the operation. This spring, I was ready.



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The film is about the exciting journey to the top will be released in the near future.



Rassokha

Remember my fall report on a trip to an area called "Heroes of the country's non-existent» (http://www.podniesinski.pl/portal/heroes-of-a-non-existant-country/)? In it I described the history of the pilots who participated in the aftermath of the disaster. Then I showed some unique photos. Unique because to get permission to enter the territory of the cemetery - a great success. But now they are truly unique, as all the helicopters disappeared. Yes, they disappeared. They cut, deactivated and buried. Rassokha itself officially ceased to exist. All. In autumn there are still several dozen other vehicles near several helicopters. They also disappeared. On the vast area of ​​more than ten hectares, where once stood more than 1,500 cars, now there is only one. Partially cut the helicopter. Truly a surreal look, if we imagine that there has recently been so many cars. Thus, the photos that I have made in the autumn, as well as pictures of barges in the river port of Chernobyl, acquired the status of historical photographs. From a business and a photographic point of view, I would be happy that from now on will become more valuable photos. But my feelings, and above all the desire to save these endangered places, objects, people and their tragic history from oblivion are the most important for me.



But this is not the end

As you can see, I have devoted a large part of this trip is not photographing and recording the second part of the film. That's why I can not write about everything I deliberately missed a few questions. In the end, I do not want to spoil the surprise! I'm getting more and more emails where people ask me about the date of the premiere of "One Zone 2". So what I will say in response: it is rapidly approaching. Maybe not as fast as you would like, but if someone asks you, what would you like for Christmas, you know what to say :) Of course, the only people who have the first part of the film. There are a few instances ...

Be sure this happens!

PS
If you are a photographer (over 25 years), and you want to join me in one of the next trips to the zone (in the autumn), send a few words about yourself to Arek (at) podniesinski (dot) pl.
 - That's all I wanted to say. For quality translation please do not kick - based on the results issued hromobrauzerom on its own modest knowledge.



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