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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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Latest News
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.
Seiki Ohnishi, Fumiyoshi Nobuhara, Yoshihiro Hirao
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 198 | Number 2 | February 2024 | Pages 517-526
Note | doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2023.2172309
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Photon deep penetration calculations were conducted to create a buildup factor database for a new point kernel code. The calculations included the effects of photonuclear reactions, which were not considered in previous buildup factor calculations, and the target energy was extended up to 30 MeV. For media with large photonuclear cross sections, the contribution of the neutron dose becomes significant. For example, in iron at 80 mean free paths, the total dose is 1024 times larger than when the photonuclear reactions are not considered. On the other hand, it was found that if photonuclear reactions are ignored, the calculation results are not necessarily conservative in media with a significant neutron shielding capacity, such as water.
