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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 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.
V. Kumar, Nagendra Singh Raghaw, H. S. Palsania
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 172 | Number 2 | October 2012 | Pages 151-163
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE11-41
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A Monte Carlo code is developed in Visual Basic 6.0 for the study of radiation damage of pure metals irradiated by a neutron spectrum. At energies <10 MeV, development of cascades of elastic interactions of both primary neutrons and secondary recoiled atoms is incorporated. In a collision, kinetic energy given to an atom below or above the threshold displacement energy Ed (eV) is calculated along with the displacements. Displacements, defect production efficiency η, and damage energy Tdam are estimated to relate to the physical changes in the irradiated metal and to estimate the displacements per atom. The code is validated by determining the defect density on the surface of irradiated thin nickel foil and comparing with the hill-hock density of displaced atoms, using atomic force microscopy. In the case of irradiation of a niobium sample, stress-strain and I-V characteristics are measured before and after the irradiation by neutrons from an Am-Be source, and both stress and electrical resistance are shown to be enhanced after the irradiation.