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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.
J. C. Young, G. D. Trimble, Y. D. Naliboff, D. H. Houston, J. R. Beyster
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 18 | Number 3 | March 1964 | Pages 376-399
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE64-A20058
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Neutron-spectrum measurements in several moderators have been made with geometrical conditions approximating an infinite medium. The moderators studied were water, polyethylene and benzene, and the absorbers dispersed in the moderators were boron, samarium, erbium and gadolinium. The measurements are compared with predictions of the neutron spectra utilizing scattering models which take into consideration chemical binding. Measurements of scalar and angular neutron-energy spectra were made in a slab geometry water-moderated multiplying assembly at room temperature. The measured spectra are compared with DSN transport-theory calculations utilizing the Nelkin bound-hydrogen scattering model for water.