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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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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.
E. Starr, H. Honeck, J. DeVilliers†
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 18 | Number 2 | February 1964 | Pages 230-235
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE64-A18322
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This describes an experimental technique to determine the average velocity of the thermal-neutron spectrum as a function of time in a pulsed-neutron experiment. The measurement of the average velocity as a function of time is used to determine two parameters: the time necessary to establish an asymptotic spectrum, and the average velocity of the asymptotic spectrum. The variation in the asymptotic average velocity with material buckling is described by a “spectral-shift coefficient” which is related to the diffusion-cooling coefficient. It was found necessary to wait 2 milliseconds for the establishment of an equilibrium spectrum in graphite, and 0.6 milliseconds in heavy water, and that these values are insensitive to the geometric buckling. Values of the spectral-shift coefficient are given and compared with theoretical estimates.
