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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.
Yoshiko Harima, Kohtaro Ueki, Otohiko Aizawa
Nuclear Technology | Volume 71 | Number 3 | December 1985 | Pages 617-627
Technical Paper | Radiation Biology and Environment | doi.org/10.13182/NT85-A33684
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Measurements of thermal and nonthermal neutron streaming were taken throughout the medical irradiation room and the two-legged labyrinth of the Musashi Institute of Technology Research Reactor (the Musashi reactor) by using a rem counter. The length of the measured line was 8 m. The measurements were also analyzed by using the Monte Carlo coupling technique. The contribution of nonthermal neutrons was obtained with a cadmium-covered rem counter and that of thermal neutrons was obtained from the difference between the responses measured with and without the cadmium cover. The response ratio of total neutrons to nonthermal neutrons is constant for the straight part of the duct and increases rapidly around the bent portion. The constant values of the response ratio are 2, 3, and 5 for the first, second, and third legs, respectively. The value of 1.5 count / s = 1 mrem / h was used as the coefficient for conversion to the neutron dose rate. The discrepancies between the measured and calculated results are within ∼50% for the nonthermal neutron response, and within a factor of 2 for total neutron response. The fractional standard deviations of the Monte Carlo calculations are 0.07 to 0.12 and 0.13 to 0.24 in the first leg, 0.07 to 0.18 and 0.13 to 0.44 in the second leg, and 0.12 to 0.38 and 0.17 to 0.56 in the third leg for nonthermal and total neutron dose rates, respectively.