Interactive: A Visual Guide Inside Japan's Reactors
Workers at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the northeastern coast of Japan have been struggling to keep reactors there from overheating. The troubles began March 11, when a massive earthquake and tsunami knocked out power at the facility, disabling cooling systems. Workers are now scrambling to cool the nuclear cores of three reactors, and there are new concerns about overheating in pools where spent nuclear fuel rods cool. Here's a visual guide to what's going inside the reactors.
Inside The Nuclear Reactors
![[Interactive:Inside The Nuclear Reactors]](http://media.npr.org/news/graphics/2011/03/japan-reactor/gr-normal-reactor-624.gif?t=1312740334&s=4)
This graphic requires version 10 or higher of the Adobe Flash Player.Get the latest Flash Player.
This interactive content is not supported by this device.
Nuclear Reactor
This graphic requires version 9 or higher of the Adobe Flash Player.Get the latest Flash Player.
This interactive content is not supported by this device.
Nuclear Concern
More From This Series
The Science Of Japan's Nuclear Crisis
Commission: U.S. Must Make Nuclear Plants Safer
American reactors need new safeguards to prevent the type of accident that crippled Japan's plants.
The Science Of Japan's Nuclear Crisis
What Went Wrong In Fukushima: The Human Factor
Different decisions early in the nuclear crisis likely could have reduced the accident's severity.
The Science Of Japan's Nuclear Crisis
Reports: Why Things Fell Apart At Fukushima Plant
A lack of power, communication and risky conditions made it difficult to prevent the meltdowns.
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.