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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.
Weston M. Stacey, Jr.
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 45 | Number 2 | August 1971 | Pages 189-198
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE71-A20885
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A method is described for solving the energy-dependent neutron diffusion equation by first factorizing the flux into a spatial shape function with weak energy dependence and a spectral function, then developing coupled equations for these two functions which must be solved iteratively. Numerical procedures used to solve these equations combine internally, and in a self-consistent fashion, a fine-group spectrum calculation with a broad-group spatial calculation. Numerical examples, based on representative fast-reactor models, are presented to demonstrate that this space-energy factorization method constitutes an accurate and economical approximation.