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Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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Latest News
The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
D. Wojtowicz, T. Kammash
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 8 | Number 1 | July 1985 | Pages 637-640
Plasma Engineering | Proceedings of the Sixth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (San Francisco, California, March 3-7, 1985) | doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A40111
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The potential of the EBT plasma confinement device as a fusion reactor depends critically on its ability to support a sufficiently large power density which in turn means a large enough beta defined as the ratio of the plasma pressure to magnetic field pressure. The maximum allowable beta is generally dictated by the stability of the system to hydromagnetic (MHD) modes. In this paper we examine the stability of such modes for a D-T plasma and assess the effect of the alpha particles on these instabilities. We find that the alphas have the most destabilizing effect, as reflected in the drop of the ion beta, at the instant of birth and that recovery of stability is achieved as the alphas approach equilibration with the ions of the plasma. In short, there appears to be no serious adverse effects on the reactor beta resulting from alpha-induced instabilities.