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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.
Sergei Yu. Medvedev, Sergei E. Sharapov
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 22 | Number 4 | December 1992 | Pages 470-473
Alpha-Particle Special | doi.org/10.13182/FST92-A30082
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The stabilizing compressibility effect of trapped alpha particles on low-frequency magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) ballooning modes (Re ω ≪ Im ω) in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is investigated. It is found that this stabilization is the most effective one in the central region of the plasma column, where the unstable region of MHD ballooning modes is located for typical flat q(ψ) profiles in ITER. The alpha-particle distribution function is supposed to be isotropic and slowing down in energy. It has been found that the values of βα/βtotal ≅ 1.5 to 2.0% are sufficient to stabilize ballooning modes in the central low-shear region for the peaked pressure profiles [P(ψ) = P(0)(1 − ψ)γ] proposed for ITER. The value of βα/βtotal remains almost unchanged to suppress the instability for all γ = 1.0 to 2.0.