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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.
C. A. Bisselle, John A. Wethington, Jr.
Nuclear Technology | Volume 5 | Number 6 | December 1968 | Pages 445-455
Technical Paper and Note | doi.org/10.13182/NT68-A27970
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A technique was developed for determining the previously unknown thermal-neutron diffusion parameters, ∑a and D, of a small amount of a moderating material, perfluorodimethylcyclohexane, C8F16. A two-region cylindrical system consisting of C8F16 in the core region and water in the reflector region was pulsed with neutrons to obtain the decay constants for several heights of the system. By comparing these results with those obtained from a similar water-graphite experiment and by utilizing one-group, two-region diffusion theory, it was possible to obtain the desired parameters for the fluoro-carbon, i.e., D(C8F16) = 1.02 cm, ∑a(C8F16) = 90 × 10−5/cm, and L(C8F16) = 33.6 cm. This technique offers a convenient method for determining the neutron diffusion parameters of small samples of rare materials.
