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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.
R. J. Cerbone, R. E. Slovacek, E. R. Gaerttner
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 30 | Number 1 | October 1967 | Pages 75-84
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE67-A17244
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Position-dependent thermal spectra have been measured in a paraffin-moderated 235U multiplying assembly using two independent methods. Steady-state spectra were obtained with the time-of-flight technique employing a 24.40-m flight in conjunction with the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute linear accelerator; asymptotic (in time) spectra were obtained with the pulsed-LINAC chopper technique. A new technique was developed to monitor the source intensity with a tracking reliability of ± 1.5%. The measured spectra are compared to a series of DTF-IV transport calculations using a P1 kernel and P1 source; the spatial source was obtained from a transport calculation. The spectrum calculations were performed with a polyethylene kernel utilizing either the Goldman model or the Koppel-Young four-oscillator model. The experimental spectra are generally in closer (better than 5%) agreement with calculations using the Goldman kernel than with those using the Koppel-Young kernel. This result is consistent with the total cross section of polyethylene measured by Armstrong.