Quantum dosimetry and online visualization of X-ray and charged particle radiation in commercial aircraft at operational flight altitudes with the pixel detector Timepix

We investigate the application of the hybrid semiconductor pixel detector Timepix for precise characterization, quantum sensitivity dosimetry and visualization of the charged particle radiation and X-ray field inside commercial aircraft at operational flight altitudes. The quantum counting capability and granularity of Timepix provides the composition and spectral-characteristics of the X-ray and charged-particle field with high sensitivity, wide dynamic range, high spatial resolution and particle type resolving power. For energetic charged particles the direction of trajectory and linear energy transfer can be measured. The detector is operated by the integrated readout interface FITPix for power, control and data acquisition together with the software package Pixelman for online visualization and real-time data processing. The compact and portable radiation camera can be deployed remotely being controlled simply by a laptop computer. The device performs continuous monitoring and accurate time-dependent measurements in wide dynamic range of particle fluxes, deposited energy, absorbed dose and equivalent dose rates. Results are presented for in-flight measurements at altitudes up to 12 km in various flights selected in the period 2006–2013.     

On the stabilizing effect of Solar Radiation Pressure in the Earth-Moon system

Solar sails change the natural dynamics of systems: Trajectories that are driven by gravitational forces can be displaced and changed because of the effect of Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP). Moreover, if the lightness number of the sail is large enough, the instability of certain orbits can be diminished and even removed. In this paper we modify two models for the motion of a probe in the Earth-Moon system that include the effect of Sun’s gravity to take also into account the effect of SRP. These models, the Bicircular Problem (BCP) and the Quasi-Bicircular Problem (QBCP), are periodic perturbations of the Earth-Moon Restricted Three Body Problem (RTBP). The models are modified to consider the effect of the SRP upon a solar sail. We provide examples of periodic orbits that are stabilized (or made less unstable) due to the effect of SRP.     

Estimation of Galactic Cosmic Ray exposure inside and outside the Earth’s magnetosphere during the recent solar minimum between solar cycles 23 and 24

The evidently low solar activity observed between solar cycles 23 and 24 during the years 2008–2010 led to a substantial increase in the Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) intensity in comparison with preceding solar minima. As the GCRs consist of highly-ionizing charged particles having the potential to cause biological damage, they are a subject of concern for manned missions to space. With the enhanced particle fluxes observed between 2008 and 2010, it is reasonable to assume that the radiation exposure from GCR must have also increased to unusually high levels. In this paper, the GCR exposure outside and inside the Earth’s magnetosphere is numerically calculated for time periods starting from 1970 to the end of 2011 in order to investigate the increase in dose levels during the years 2008–2010 in comparison with the last three solar minima. The dose rates were calculated in a water sphere, used as a surrogate for the human body, either unshielded or surrounded by aluminium shielding of 0.3, 10 or 40 g/cm².     

A space radiation shielding model of the Martian radiation environment experiment (MARIE)

The 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft was launched towards Mars on April 7, 2001. Onboard the spacecraft is the Martian radiation environment experiment (MARIE), which is designed to measure the background radiation environment due to galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar protons in the 20–500 MeV/n energy range. We present an approach for developing a space radiation-shielding model of the spacecraft that includes the MARIE instrument in the current mapping phase orientation. A discussion is presented describing the development and methodology used to construct the shielding model. For a given GCR model environment, using the current MARIE shielding model and the high-energy particle transport codes, dose rate values are compared with MARIE measurements during the early mapping phase in Mars orbit. The results show good agreement between the model calculations and the MARIE measurements as presented for the March 2002 dataset.     

法拉第简法校准丙氨酸对质子吸收剂量技术研究

从低能质子入手,采用基于法拉第简的质子吸收剂量校准方法,满足空间辐射对质子吸收剂量的校准需求。建立了一套法拉第筒法对薄膜剂量计的质子吸收剂量校准系统,该系统由束斑观测单元、束流散射单元、束流监测单元、旋转靶室以及法拉第筒探测单元组成,同时开展了法拉第筒法对丙氨酸薄膜剂量计的质子吸收剂量校准技术研究。     

旋转形导体上任意取向线天线辐射场的探讨

对任意旋转平滑形导体上任意取向的线天线所辐射的扬进行探讨。采用了矩量法和傅里叶分析法,给出了导体感应电流谐量表示式,由此可求辐射场。进而以球体上任意取向赫芝振子为例求出辐射场,并与经典法公式计算结果比较,两者一致。     

环绕式微带共形天线辐射特性的研究

基于腔模理论和等效原理推导出环绕式微带共形天线远区场的表达式。根据该表达式算得的TM_(01)模天线方向图在相对介电常数较小时与文献〔3〕的结果相吻合。同时还研完了圆柱半径对天线方向图的影响。     

基于Space radiation 5.0软件平台分析典型GEO空间辐射环境

文章介绍了兰州空间技术物理研究所真空低温技术与物理国家重点实验室从美国引进的空间辐射环境及效应分析软件Space Radiation 5.0的结构功能模块,采用该软件计算分析了典型的GEO（地球同步轨道）空间辐射环境。计算表明:GEO的总剂量效应比较严重,主要是由捕获电子和太阳耀斑质子辐射引起的;GEO的带电粒子主要由质子、α粒子、碳离子、氮离子、氧离子等重核离子组成,此轨道上的单粒子效应主要由太阳宇宙射线中的高能质子和重离子以及银河宇宙射线的重离子引发。     

等离子体环境下圆柱开槽天线特性的研究

本文用磁流体力学的方法研究了等离子体环境下圆柱体开槽天线的辐射问题,推导了槽天线的方向图和阻抗的计算公式,计算了不同等离子体参量的横槽的方向图,并且把计算的结果与用不考虑纵波影响的复介电常数方法得到的结果进行了比较。