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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.
A. G. Solomah, R. Odoj
Nuclear Technology | Volume 67 | Number 1 | October 1984 | Pages 102-106
Technical Paper | Radioactive Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT84-A33533
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Volatilizations of molybdenum and ruthenium during the fixation of simulated high-level radioactive waste in modified SYNROC-B crystalline ceramic waste forms have been studied using a radiotracer technique. The simulated waste loading was 20 wt%. The volatilization figures of merit (VFMs) for 99Mo and 103Ru have shown a behavior that depends on the type of sintering atmosphere, i.e., oxidizing versus reducing. The experimentally obtained VFMMo and VFMRu in an oxidizing atmosphere are 7.8 and 3.7% of the initial radioactivity of each nuclide per gram of sintered SYNROC-B product after sintering at 1510 K in air, while under reducing conditions (50% H2-50% Ar), VFMMo and VFMRu have been reduced to 2.8 and 1.8% g−1, respectively. Solidification of high-level radioactive waste in the proposed waste form or in glass matrices under reducing atmosphere is recommended to minimize the amounts of volatilization and, subsequently, to reduce the safety requirements of the off-gas treatment system of the vitrification and/or solidification plant.