PN, you wrote
A Van, what you write usually makes sense even if some believe you work for Pravda, but why send an AIRCRAFT to detect MARINE pollution? A sniffer aircraft works best with air sampling.
You are right about a/c - I was actually thinking in a more general way, smth like "US probes" on all kinds of platforms (sea, undersea, air). In fact, though water is the main subject to be permanently monitored, things keep happening in Fukishima and surprisingly they are not given attention at all in "non-Asian" media. And during major leaks, it looks like traces could be found not only in the water...
E.g., just 3 weeks ago there was a new incident, which is described in an article as per the following URL:
Highest radiation reading since 3/11 detected at Fukushima No. 1 reactor | The Japan Times
Just a couple of excerpts:
"The radiation level in the containment vessel of reactor 2 at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 power plant has reached a maximum of 530 sieverts per hour, the highest since the triple core meltdown in March 2011, Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc. said."
"At 530 sieverts, a person could die from even brief exposure", "Also, given the extraordinary level of radiation, the robot would only be able to operate for less than two hours before it is destroyed."
I can imagine what cry would start if there was anything "bleeding" like this for years in Europe or US. Japanese are just lucky that they can hide everything in the Pacific.
P.S. Let me assure you that I do not work for Pravda :-) Was never subscribed to this crap even during SU times (I wonder if it's still alive?). After retirement from the AF I am in hi-tech biz (IT, modeling & simulation and likes) and never worked for the government.