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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.
Rob P. Rechard
Nuclear Technology | Volume 190 | Number 2 | May 2015 | Pages 97-126
Technical Paper | Reactor Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT14-40
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper, Part I of two companion papers, reviews concepts underlying the basis for evaluating the criticality scenario for an assessment of performance after closure of a geologic repository for radioactive waste. In the United States, either a low-probability or low-consequence rationale can be the basis of excluding criticality, using the usual assumptions that (a) the interplay between the probability and consequence is not significant and (b) the mean of the epistemic uncertainty of the probability and consequence provides a sufficient approximation. Furthermore, the rationale can be based on either qualitative or quantitative arguments. For those situations with quantitative arguments, this paper provides additional perspective on evaluating the criticality scenario by combining quantitative estimates of low probability and low consequence as a complementary cumulative distribution function. As a demonstration, the low probability and low consequence of the criticality scenario for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (a repository for defense transuranic element waste) is presented.