Japanska myndigheter standardiserar mätningar efter kritik. Finner nu föga förvånande att uppmätt radioaktivitet i vissa områden är dubbelt så hög nära marken.
Govt. releases radiation readings at 1-meter-high
Japan's science ministry has started releasing readings of radiation levels across the country measured at the same height -- one meter from the ground.
Since a series of accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March, the ministry has been making daily announcements of radiation levels.
But the height of monitoring posts has varied according to prefecture, ranging from 1.5 to 80 meters above ground. People have been calling for radiation levels to be measured at the same height -- one meter from the ground -- so data can be checked at a height close to human activity.
The science ministry has decided to measure radiation levels at a height of one meter nationwide with a portable radiation detector.
On Tuesday, the ministry started releasing such data in 35 out of the country's 47 prefectures.
It said radiation levels measured at a height of one meter on Monday in some prefectures, including Yamagata and Tochigi, were more than twice as high as those recorded at the monitoring posts.
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/15_30.html