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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.
L. W. Weston, J. H. Todd
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 79 | Number 2 | October 1981 | Pages 184-196
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE81-A27407
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The neutron capture cross section of 237Np was measured from 0.01 eV to 200 keV. The capture cross section was normalized at 0.0253 eV to a value of 180 ± 6 b derived from previous total cross-section measurements in the resonance region of neutron energies and the shape of the present data from 0.0253 eV to the resonance region. Resonance parameters were derived for the neutron energy region from 0.01 to 100 eV. Agreement with ENDF/B-V is poor in the thermal region (6.4%), excellent in the resonance region (∼2%) except for the 0.491-eV resonance, and good (∼5%) in the keV neutron energy region. An uncertainty analysis including a correlation matrix for group-averaged cross sections is presented. These results are important both for thermal and fast reactor applications and the calculation of 238Pu production, an intense alpha emitter.