[ RadSafe ] IMPACTS-BRC Code - How are short-lived decay products handled?

[Leo M. Lowe]

Hello all,

Does the IMPACTS-BRC code used for assessing potential radiological 
impacts automatically include short-lived decay products in its dose 
conversion factors?

For example, the manual (NUREG/CR-5517) lists 85 radionuclides that 
the code specifically considers, including U-238, U-234, Th-230, 
Ra-226, etc.  Do the external dose conversion factors (gamma) for 
U-238 automatically include the contributions from the relatively 
short-lived Th-234 and Pa-234m (not specifically listed in the 
code)?  Do the external dose conversion factors for Ra-226 include 
the contributions from Rn-222, and Pb-214 and Bi-214?

The manual says that radioactive decay corrections are made for the 
listed radionuclides but it also says that in-growth corrections are 
made for only certain decay chains (not including the U-238 series).

Feel free to respond directly to me.  Thank you.



Leo M. Lowe, Ph.D., P.Phys., CRadP