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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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.
Jay F. Benesch, Roger D. Bengtson, George L. Cardwell, Stephen A. Eckstrand, Rex F. Gandy, Paul Wildi
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 2 | Number 3 | July 1982 | Pages 398-409
Technical Paper | Special Section Contents / Experimental Devices | doi.org/10.13182/FST82-A20772
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The PRETEXT tokamak was designed to investigate the initial stages of a tokamak discharge. The machine has a major radius of 53 cm, limiter radius of 15 cm, and a toroidal field (TF) of 8 kG. Plasma currents of 40 to 60 kA with durations of 40 to 70 ms are typical. Chord average density is of the order of 1013 cm−3, the electron temperature Te(0) ∼ 300 eV, and the effective charge Zeff ∼ 3. The ohmic-heating (OH) transformer is unique among operating machines, having an iron core and air return. Combinations of mechanical and electronic switches in the OH and TF power supplies provide good reliability at low jitter and low cost. The design and construction of the PRETEXT tokamak are discussed in enough detail to give a feeling for the compromises that must be made and the problems that will be encountered in the building of any controlled thermonuclear reactor device.
