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.
I. Savolainen, R. Tarjanne, S. Vuori
Nuclear Technology | Volume 38 | Number 1 | April 1978 | Pages 135-143
Technical Paper | Low-Temperature Nuclear Heat / Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT78-A16166
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Small single-purpose heating reactors [100 to 400 MW( thermal)] for district heat production would be economically feasible if they could be sited in the immediate vicinity of heat consumption areas. This close urban siting requires that the reactor plant be designed with an objective to make the most severe accidents extremely improbable. When this aim is assumed to be fulfilled, the probability of acute health effects will be insignificant. The expectation values of the potential delayed health effects caused by the collective doses brought about by accidents or normal operation will be very low as well, and will be clearly smaller than the excess mortality due to the other alternatives for district heat production.
