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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.
L. F. Hansen, T. Komoto, E. F. Plechaty, B. A. Pohl, G. S. Sidhu, C. Wong
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 62 | Number 3 | March 1977 | Pages 550-558
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE77-A26991
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The electron recoil spectra from gamma rays produced by the interaction of 14-MeV neutrons with 0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 7.0 mean-free-paths (mfps) of nitrogen have been measured with NE-213 scintillators positioned at 26, 30, and 120 deg at distances ranging between 7 and 10 m. Thin wall spherical Dewars filled with liquid nitrogen, with radii dimensions equivalent to the above number of mfp, were bombarded with a centered nominal 14-MeV neutron source. Calculations of the gamma and recoil electron spectra have been carried out with the ENDF/B-IV and ENDL neutron-gamma libraries. Comparison between the measured and calculated electron recoil spectra shows that the discrepancies are not larger than 10%. This agreement implies that the calculated gamma-ray spectra are expected to give a good description of the gamma transport in nitrogen from a 14-MeV neutron source.