Horror hides beneath reactor 4 of the infamous Chernobyl power plant. A huge mass of corium, a kind of already solidified radioactive lava, known as “elephant foot” because of its wrinkled shape. For years it has been known as the most radioactive point in Chernobyl and therefore one of the most dangerous in the world. It turns out that there is another one even worse, its name is “The China Syndrome.”
The Chorio Did Not Stop at the Elephant’s Foot
First of all, let’s see what corium is. The Spanish Nuclear Society defines it as a “mass, melted or solidified, formed by nuclear fuel, structural or control materials and reaction products thereof, which is produced by the total or partial meltdown of the core of a reactor, as a consequence of an accident with loss of cooling.”
While still burning, the Chernobyl corium reached temperatures of 2,600 degrees, more than twice as much as volcanic lava, which is usually between 850 and 1,200 degrees.
After the accident, corium accumulated in room 305/2, located just below reactor 4. From here, some flowed to the east, where the renowned “elephant’s foot” is located. Discovered in 1986, about eight months after the disaster, the radiation emitted at that time was 10,000 roentgens per hour. To provide context, the United States Nuclear Commission estimates that between 400 and 500 roentgens per hour are lethal for 50% of the population.
The radiation of the elephant’s foot has drastically decreased over the years. While recent data is unavailable, radiation specialist Artur Korneyev took a selfie with it in 1996 and survived for many years afterward, passing away in 2022 at the age of 73.
The corium is the red mass seen at the bottom. Image: Shredmash
However, the corium did not stop there; it continued descending and went through the ground of this room. It advanced through the cooling piping system and emerged through the steam ducts. This enormous mass is known among some Chernobyl enthusiasts as “The China Syndrome.”
The China Syndrome
The China Syndrome refers to a huge corium mass extending through the corridors of the steam distribution system. According to a user on Reddit who posted about it in 1997, the most radioactive part emitted 3,460 roentgens per hour, while the elephant’s foot emitted only about 700 roentgens at that time. Although current measurements are unclear, references suggest this mass is significantly larger than the so-called elephant’s foot.
The Reddit user ppitm coined the name, which has since gained popularity. The term ‘China Syndrome’ has its roots in a hyperbolic idea that emerged as a warning about the possible consequences of a nuclear meltdown. This concept, first associated with William K. Ergen, a German theoretical physicist, suggests that the resulting material could burn through the concrete and continue advancing for years, theoretically crossing the Earth to reach China.
To understand this exaggeration further, consider that Ergen’s report was published in 1967, long before any meltdown occurred. His prediction postulated a mass that could form and increase in size for about two years, potentially reaching a diameter of 30 meters and persisting for a decade. Thankfully, his worst-case scenario did not manifest.
Cover image | Chernobyl Chernobyl on Facebook.