DNA physics deactivates radioactive decay physics

Physics Lists
1

Hi all,

I’m reporting on some behavior which I’m not sure is expected or not.

I’m cross activating DNA Physics and EMStandardPhysics_Option4 as shown in examples/extended/medical/dna/dnaphysics. I am then simulating decay of Rn-220.

Use of the macro commands:
/gun/particle ion
/gun/ion 86 220
/run/beamOn 1

Will only generate Rn220 primary particles without radioactive decay. If I explicitly state the initial ion energy is 0 through (/gun/energy 0 keV) I can get 1 decay in the decay chain down to Po-216. However if I deactivate DNA physics I get full decay through the decay chain as expected.

I have tracked this behavior to the “DeactivateNuclearStopping” function in G4EmDNAPhysicsActivator.cc file. If I set the low energy limit for the nuclear stopping model to 0 rather than 1 MeV I get the standard decay behavior. Is anyone aware of an appropriate way to use DNA physics and radioactive decay physics at the same time? (As I’m sure the change I’ve suggested above is not a solution. I know the low energy limit is there for a good reason).

To test this behavior from the dnaphysics example:
1.) Add radioactive decay physics to the physics list
2.) G4cout the particle name in stepping action (Filter out alpha, alpha+, helium, and e- to only get information on radionuclides)
3.) Modify the macro input to generate Rn-220

Thanks for your input!

Joseph

2

Hello Joseph,

would you, please, make Bugzilla bug report (https://bugzilla-geant4.kek.jp/ ) with the same message, as you post here? It is likely some simple configuration problem which we should fix.

VI

3

Hi all
I am new to Geant4.
I am facing a similar problem so if anyone has the solution to this, kindly let me also know it.

Thanks

Daniel

4

Hi @nana.adjeidan. I have now filed a bug report on bugzilla (2412 – DNA physics deactivates radioactive decay physics) so we can both follow along to see if others have the same problem and if it is resolved.

As an alternative, if you are not modelling a complicated decay pathway you could simply try to model the decay particles of interest as your primary particles instead of using decay physics.

5

Dear All, this is the correct action. In addition, Sebastien Incerti, coordinator of Geant4-DNA, has been notified. Cheers
Susanna