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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.
G. Haouat, J. Lachkar, Ch. Lagrange, J. Jary, J. Sigaud, Y. Patin
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 81 | Number 4 | August 1982 | Pages 491-511
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE82-A21439
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Differential cross sections for neutron elastic and inelastic scattering from the actinide nuclei 232Th, 233U, 235U, 238U, 239Pu, and 242Pu have been measured at incident energies ranging from 0.6 to 3.4 MeV using a multiangle time-of-flight spectrometer. The energy resolution of the spectrometer was high enough to experimentally resolve the elastic and first inelastic groups for 232Th, 233U, 238U, and 242Pu at all energies. Cross sections for groups of states have been obtained for 235U and 239Pu. Comparison of these measurements with evaluations in the latest evaluated data files shows substantial discrepancies, particularly at high energies. The present results for 232Th, 235U, 238U, and 239Pu have been combined with total cross-section measurements and low-energy scattering properties in an analysis based on the coupled-channel and compound-nucleus formalisms. Optical potential parameters and nuclear deformations have been derived and are discussed.