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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.
J. A. Ulseth, J. W. Helm
Nuclear Technology | Volume 3 | Number 4 | April 1967 | Pages 233-239
Technical Paper and Note | doi.org/10.13182/NT67-A27762
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A study was made to determine the changes in fast flux intensity and spectra in several irradiation positions of the General Electric Test Reactor caused by varying the material composition in an irradiation cell or in surrounding reactor positions. The material changes are typical of those that could be expected to occur during a long-term irradiation in a test reactor. It has been concluded that material changes within an irradiation cell do perturb the fast neutron spectrum and change the fast flux within that cell. Changes made in surrounding cells do not significantly alter the spectrum in the irradiation cell. Consequently, the fast flux based on the spectral-averaged cross section and the damage indexes used for correlation of data on materials are not altered significantly. Therefore, once a detailed spectral calculation has been made, a new calculation is not required for each change in core loading.