It is proposed that for ground, metastable, and particle-unbound states in ENSDF decay datasets that there must be a continuation level record containing the decay modes of the state as given in the adopted dataset; this can be an "S L" record which will be suppressed in the publication. In addition, the adopted half-life must be given for ground and metastable states. At present, this information is often not given; in particular, the decay modes.
This will allow programs such as EDISTR, RadList, and SDF2NDF to properly process these decay datasets based on the given decay modes and comparison of the metastable T½'s to the parent T½. Inclusion of the decay modes would also allow for improved intensity balance comparisons in programs such as GTOL. Following a decay chain should also be easier if the decay modes and adopted T½ are given.