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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.
Guenther Kessler, Josef Eibl
Nuclear Technology | Volume 111 | Number 3 | September 1995 | Pages 358-368
Technical Paper | A New Light Water Reactor Safety Concept Special / Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT95-A15866
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The risk of present-day light water reactors is dominated by the consequences of core melt accidents followed by a failure of the outer containment. Although such events would have very low frequencies of occurrence, their risk cannot be neglected in the future. Therefore, specifications for mechanical loads and heat loads to the containment are analyzed, and design modifications are proposed, explaining how the containment can withstand the consequences of core melts. As a result, the radiological impact outside of the containment will be drastically decreased. Evacuation of the population outside of the reactor plant will no longer be necessary in the case of a core melt.