ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Standards Program
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2025
Nuclear Technology
August 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
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.
Aku Itälä, Markus Olin
Nuclear Technology | Volume 174 | Number 3 | June 2011 | Pages 342-352
Technical Paper | TOUGH2 Symposium / Radioactive Waste Management and Disposal | doi.org/10.13182/NT11-A11744
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Finnish spent nuclear fuel final disposal is planned to be based on the Kärnbränslesäkerhet 3-Vertical concept, which was originally planned for fractured crystalline bedrock. Within this concept, the role of the bentonite buffer is considered central. The aim of the study was to model the evolution of the final repository during the thermal phase (heat-generating period of spent fuel) when the bentonite is initially only partially saturated. There is an essential need to determine how temperature influences saturation and how both of these factors affect the chemistry of bentonite.In this study the Long-Term Test of Buffer Materials A2 parcel test at the Äspö hard rock laboratory in Sweden was modeled using TOUGHREACT code. The results focused on the following phenomena occurring in the bentonite: cation exchange, changes of bentonite pore water, mineral alterations, saturation, and pressure changes in bentonite buffer.The results show similarity with experimental data. However, the results are open to questions, and further study is needed to confirm the validity of the results. Differences between modeled and experimental results can be explained, for example, so that the experimental results are not from the fracture position as our one-dimensional model assumes.