Investigation and calculation of dose coefficients for radionuclides produced in a spallation neutron source using the Ensdf and Nubase nuclear databases
Abstract
Dose coefficients are useful for risk assessment during the design and siting of accelerator-driven nuclear facilities including the Spallation Neutron Source. There are seventy-two radionuclides with half-lives equal to or greater than one minute that will be produced by the spallation of a mercury target for which no published dose coefficients exist. Out of these seventy-two, twenty-four currently have conflicting published nuclear data in the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data Files (ENSDF) and the NUBASE data files. In this research these twenty-four radionuclides have been studied. Because of missing ENSDF records, internal and external dose coefficients were determined for only six radionuclides using both ENSDF and NUBASE values, which had conflicting data. The methodology used was adopted from Federal Guidance Report 13. Information from this study will augment radiological data and be used to quantify the radiological risks to workers and members of public.