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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 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.
D. E. Wood, K. R. Birney, E. Z. Block
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 18 | Number 1 | January 1964 | Pages 116-125
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE64-A18148
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Lattice parameters have been measured for natural uranium concentric tubes and solid fuel elements of 2.5 inches outside diameter in the Physical Constants Testing Reactor (PCTR). The primary quantities measured are the mass of copper required to reduce k∞ to one, copper activations throughout the lattice, and cadmium ratios for U238 capture, U235 and U238 fission, copper, gold, and lutetium. The results derived from these measurements are k∞, ε, and the effective neutron temperature for the concentric tube in a 10.5-inch graphite lattice with both water and air in the coolant channels; k∞ and for the concentric tube in an 8.375-inch lattice, water cooled only; and k∞, , and for the solid fuel in a 10.5-inch graphite lattice, water and air cooled. The effective fraction of the internal surfaces for resonance capture was determined to be 0.50. The average value of η for natural uranium in these lattices was found to be 1.30.