Galactic cosmic ray environment predictions for the NASA BioSentinel mission.

BioSentinel is a nanosatellite deployed from Artemis-I designed to conduct in-situ biological measurements on yeast cells in the deep space radiation environment. Along with the primary goal of measuring damage and response in cells exposed during spaceflight, on-board active dosimetry will provide measurements of the radiation field encountered behind moderate shielding provided by the BioSentinel housing and internal components. The measurements are particularly important to enable interpretation of biological observations but also provide an opportunity to validate integrated computational models used to calculate radiation environments. In this work, models are used to predict the galactic cosmic ray exposure anticipated for the BioSentinel payload and on-board dosimeter. The model calculations presented herein were completed prior to the Artemis-I launch on November 16, 2022, and therefore represent actual predictions (i.e., unbiased by a priori knowledge of on-board measurements). Such time-forward predictions are rarely performed for space radiation applications due to limitations of environmental models, but truly independent model validation will be possible in the future when on-board measurements become available. The method used to facilitate future projections within an existing GCR (galactic cosmic ray) environmental model is described, and projection uncertainties are quantified and contextualized.

Testing the NASA BioSentinel Pixel Dosimeter Using Gamma-ray and Neutron Sources at the LLNL Calibration Lab.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this paper is to evaluate the accuracy of the NASA BioSentinel Pixel Dosimeter (BPD) using gamma-ray and neutron sources in a standard calibration lab. The dosimeter tested here is the ground-based version of the BPD that will be onboard the BioSentinel mission. The BPD was exposed to radiation from 60Co, 137Cs, and 252Cf at selected distances (dose rates) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Radiation Calibration Laboratory (RCL), and the results were compared with NIST traceable benchmark values. It is recognized that these sources are not analogs for the space environment but do provide direct comparisons between BPD response and well characterized calibration lab values. For gamma rays, the BPD measured absorbed dose agrees to ≤ 3.8% compared with RCL benchmark values. For neutrons, the results show that the BPD is insensitive, i.e., the BPD detected only the gamma-ray dose component from 252Cf. The LET spectra obtained for gamma rays from 60Co and 252Cf are consistent with expectations for these gamma-ray energies, but the LET spectrum from the 137Cs gamma rays differs substantially. The potential causes for this difference are the high dose rate from 137Cs and the lower secondary electron energy produced by 137Cs gamma rays. However, neither of these results in errors in the absorbed dose. Based on comparisons with NIST-traceable standards, it is evident that the BPD can measure absorbed dose accurately from low LET charged particles. The sensor's insensitivity to neutrons is unlikely to be a limitation for the BioSentinel mission due to the expected low secondary neutron fluence.

Cosmic-ray interaction data for designing biological experiments in space.

There is growing interest in flying biological experiments beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO) to measure biological responses potentially relevant to those expected during a human mission to Mars. Such experiments could be payloads onboard precursor missions, including unmanned private-public partnerships, as well as small low-cost spacecraft (satellites) designed specifically for biosentinel-type missions. It is the purpose of this paper to provide physical cosmic-ray interaction data and related information useful to biologists who may be planning such experiments. It is not the objective here to actually design such experiments or provide radiobiological response functions, which would be specific for each experiment and biological endpoint. Nuclide-specific flux and dose rates were calculated using OLTARIS and these results were used to determine particle traversal rates and doses in hypothetical biological targets. Comparisons are provided between GCR in interplanetary space and inside the ISS. Calculated probabilistic estimates of dose from solar particle events are also presented. Although the focus here is on biological experiments, the information provided may be useful for designing other payloads as well if the space radiation environment is a factor to be considered.

Compact Tissue-equivalent Proportional Counter for Deep Space Human Missions.

Effects on human health from the complex radiation environment in deep space have not been measured and can only be simulated here on Earth using experimental systems and beams of radiations produced by accelerators, usually one beam at a time. This makes it particularly important to develop instruments that can be used on deep-space missions to measure quantities that are known to be relatable to the biological effectiveness of space radiation. Tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCs) are such instruments. Unfortunately, present TEPCs are too large and power intensive to be used beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Here, the authors describe a prototype of a compact TEPC designed for deep space applications with the capability to detect both ambient galactic cosmic rays and intense solar particle event radiation. The device employs an approach that permits real-time determination of yD (and thus quality factor) using a single detector. This was accomplished by assigning sequential sampling intervals as detectors "1" and "2" and requiring the intervals to be brief compared to the change in dose rate. Tests with g rays show that the prototype instrument maintains linear response over the wide dose-rate range expected in space with an accuracy of better than 5% for dose rates above 3 mGy h(-1). Measurements of yD for 200 MeV n(-1) carbon ions were better than 10%. Limited tests with fission spectrum neutrons show absorbed dose-rate accuracy better than 15%.

Experimental microdosimetry: history, applications and recent technical advances.

The invention of tissue-equivalent proportional counters simulating micrometre diameter volumes, intended to measure the linear energy transfer of a radiation field, resulted in a practical demonstration of the stochastic nature of energy deposition in small volumes. Besides contributing to a better understanding of the interactions between ionising radiation and biological systems, these detectors have had a significant impact on applied radiation dosimetry. The initial instruments were elegant but suitable only for laboratory experiments because of their sensitivity to environmental conditions and the complex support systems they required. However, their ability to separate the dose due to neutrons from that delivered by photons motivated detector design modifications that eventually resulted in robust detectors suitable for use as radiation survey instruments. Proportional counters simulating micrometre tissue volumes turned out to be the ideal detectors for monitoring the complex radiation environments, including on the space shuttle and International Space Station, and have served as the primary active dosimeters in space for nearly two decades. The need for more sophisticated measurements has led to further improvements in detector design, and the need for smaller and lighter dosimeters is motivating further developments in both detectors and data processing systems.

FLUKA capabilities for microdosimetric analysis.

Delta-ray transport is important in microdosimetric studies, and how Monte Carlo models handle delta electrons using condensed histories is important for accurate simulation. The purpose of this study was to determine how well FLUKA can simulate energy deposition spectra in a tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) and produce a reliable estimate of delta-ray events produced when a TEPC is exposed to high-energy heavy ions (HZE) like those in the galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) environment. A 1.27-cm spherical TEPC with a low-pressure gas simulating a 1-µm site, typical of the one flown on the ISS, was constructed in FLUKA, and its response was compared to experimental data for an (56)Fe-ion beam at 360 MeV/nucleon. Several narrow beams at different impact parameters were used to explain the response of the same detector exposed to a uniform field of radiation. Additionally, the effect that wall thickness had on the response of the TEPC and the range of delta rays in the tissue-equivalent (TE) wall material was investigated, and FLUKA produced the expected wall effect for primary particles passing outside the sensitive volume. A final comparison to experimental data was made for the simulated TEPCs exposed to various broad beams in the energy range of 200-1000 MeV/nucleon. FLUKA overestimated energy deposition in the gas volume in all cases. The FLUKA results differed from the experimental data by an average of 25.2% for y(F) and 12.4% for y(D). It is suggested that this difference can be reduced by adjusting the FLUKA default ionization potential and density correction factors. Accurate transport codes are desirable because of the high cost of beam time for experimental evaluation of energy deposition spectra produced by HZE ions and the flexibility that calculations offer in the TEPC engineering and design process.

Replacement tissue-equivalent proportional counter for the International Space Station.

The tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC)-based dosemeters used on the International Space Station have exceeded their planned useful lives, and are scheduled to be replaced with the new units taking advantage of improved technology. The original TEPC detectors used cylindrical geometry with field tubes to achieve good energy resolution and minimum sensitivity to noise created by vibration. The inside diameter of these detectors is 5.1 cm. The new detectors developed for this application produce the resolution and vibration resistance of the cylindrical detector with the isotropic response and compact size of a spherical detector. The cathode structure consists of conductive tissue-equivalent plastic A-150 layers separated by thin polyethylene layers perpendicular to the anode. Each conductive layer is held at the electrical potential needed to produce uniform electric field strength along the anode wire, and thus the same gas gain for electrons produced in different portions of the spherical volume. The new design contains the whole preamplifier inside the vacuum chamber to reduce electronic noise. Also the vacuum chamber has a novel design with a 0.020-inch-thick aluminium wall to allow a total wall thickness of 0.5 g cm(-2), which is typical of the shielding provided by a space suit. This feature will allow measuring the dose on the astronauts' skin due to low-energy electrons and protons produced during solar events. The vacuum chamber has a new bayonet clamping system that reduces the total detector weight to less than half that of the old TEPC.

Detection system built from commercial integrated circuits for real-time measurement of radiation dose and quality using the variance method.

A small, specialised amplifier using commercial integrated circuits (ICs) was developed to measure radiation dose and quality in real time using a microdosimetric ion chamber and the variance method. The charges from a microdosimetric ion chamber, operated in the current mode, were repeatedly collected for a fixed period of time for 20 cycles of 100 integrations, and processed by this specialised amplifier to produce signal pulse heights between 0 and 10 V. These signals were recorded by a multi-channel analyser coupled to a computer. FORTRAN programs were written to calculate the dose and dose variance. The dose variance produced in the ion chamber is a microdosimetric measure of radiation quality. Benchmark measurements of different brands of ICs were conducted. Results demonstrate that this specialised amplifier is capable of distinguishing differences of radiation quality in various high-dose-rate radiation fields including X rays, gamma rays and mixed neutron-gamma radiation from the research reactor at Texas A&M University Nuclear Science Center.

Dietary fish oil and pectin enhance colonocyte apoptosis in part through suppression of PPARdelta/PGE2 and elevation of PGE3.

We have shown that dietary fish oil and pectin (FP) protects against radiation-enhanced colon cancer by upregulating apoptosis in colonic mucosa. To investigate the mechanism of action, we provided rats (n = 40) with diets containing the combination of FP or corn oil and cellulose (CC) prior to exposure to 1 Gy, 1 GeV/nucleon Fe-ion. All rats were injected with a colon-specific carcinogen, azoxymethane (AOM; 15 mg/kg), 10 and 17 days after irradiation. Levels of colonocyte apoptosis, prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), PGE(3), microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-2 (mPGES-2), total beta-catenin, nuclear beta-catenin staining (%) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARdelta) expression were quantified 31 weeks after the last AOM injection. FP induced a higher (P < 0.01) apoptotic index in both treatment groups, which was associated with suppression (P < 0.05) of antiapoptotic mediators in the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway (mPGES-2 and PGE(2)) and the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway [total beta-catenin and nuclear beta-catenin staining (%); P < 0.01] compared with the CC diet. Downregulation of COX and Wnt/beta-catenin pathways was associated with a concurrent suppression (P < 0.05) of PPARdelta levels in FP-fed rats. In addition, colonic mucosa from FP animals contained (P < 0.05) a proapoptotic, eicosapentaenoic acid-derived COX metabolite, PGE(3). These results indicate that FP enhances colonocyte apoptosis in AOM-alone and irradiated AOM rats, in part through the suppression of PPARdelta and PGE(2) and elevation of PGE(3). These data suggest that the dietary FP combination may be used as a possible countermeasure to colon carcinogenesis, as apoptosis is enhanced even when colonocytes are exposed to radiation and/or an alkylating agent.

Lineal energy as a function of site size for HZE radiation.

Monte Carlo calculations have been used to estimate the frequency and magnitude of energy deposition events produced by delta rays originating with high atomic number, high-energy, primary particles. The results show that the spectrum of delta rays incident on small targets is relatively insensitive to primary particle velocity or distance to the primary track. They suggest that measurements of energy deposition in different size sites can be used to characterise the velocity of the incident particle.

Radiation responses of perfused tracheal tissue.

We are using a novel perfusion system to examine the effects of radiation on a model respiratory tissue. Tracheas taken from young adult male Fischer 344 rats are embedded in a growth factor-enriched agarose matrix that is mounted in a special apparatus designed to allow growth medium to periodically wash the epithelial surface of the lumen. A comparison of the microarray expression profiles of freshly harvested tracheas and tracheas maintained in perfusion culture for 24 h shows no significant difference except for an increase in expression of a few metabolism- and surfactant-related genes. Perfusion culture samples exposed to 4 Gy of X rays show a lower than expected increase in expression for some cell cycle- and repair-related genes.

Response of a tissue equivalent proportional counter to neutrons.

The absorbed dose as a function of lineal energy was measured at the CERN-EC Reference-field Facility (CERF) using a 512-channel tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC), and neutron dose equivalent response evaluated. Although there are some differences, the measured dose equivalent is in agreement with that measured by the 16-channel HANDI tissue equivalent counter. Comparison of TEPC measurements with those made by a silicon solid-state detector for low linear energy transfer particles produced by the same beam, is presented. The measurements show that about 4% of dose equivalent is delivered by particles heavier than protons generated in the conducting tissue equivalent plastic.

Relative effectiveness of HZE iron-56 particles for the induction of cytogenetic damage in vivo.

One of the risks of prolonged manned space flight is the exposure of astronauts to radiation from galactic cosmic rays, which contain heavy ions such as (56)Fe. To study the effects of such exposures, experiments were conducted at the Brookhaven National Laboratory by exposing Wistar rats to high-mass, high-Z, high-energy (HZE) particles using the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS). The biological effectiveness of (56)Fe ions (1000 MeV/nucleon) relative to low-LET gamma rays and high-LET alpha particles for the induction of chromosome damage and micronuclei was determined. The mitotic index and the frequency of chromosome aberrations were evaluated in bone marrow cells, and the frequency of micronuclei was measured in cells isolated from the trachea and the deep lung. A marked delay in the entry of cells into mitosis was induced in the bone marrow cells that decreased as a function of time after the exposure. The frequencies of chromatid aberrations and micronuclei increased as linear functions of dose. The frequency of chromosome aberrations induced by HZE particles was about 3.2 times higher than that observed after exposure to (60)Co gamma rays. The frequency of micronuclei in rat lung fibroblasts, lung epithelial cells, and tracheal epithelial cells increased linearly, with slopes of 7 x 10(-4), 12 x 10(-4), and 11 x 10(-4) micronuclei/binucleated cell cGy(-1), respectively. When genetic damage induced by radiation from (56)Fe ions was compared to that from exposure to (60)Co gamma rays, (56)Fe-ion radiation was between 0.9 and 3.3 times more effective than (60)Co gamma rays. However, the HZE-particle exposures were only 10-20% as effective as radon in producing micronuclei in either deep lung or tracheal epithelial cells. Using microdosimetric techniques, we estimated that 32 cells were hit by delta rays for each cell that was traversed by the primary HZE (56)Fe particle. These calculations and the observed low relative effectiveness of the exposure to HZE particles suggest that at least part of the cytogenetic damage measured was caused by the delta rays. Much of the energy deposited by the primary HZE particles may result in cell killing and may therefore be "wasted" as far as production of detectable micronuclei is concerned. The role of wasted energy in studies of cancer induction may be important in risk estimates for exposure to HZE particles.

Microdosimetry of a 25 keV electron microbeam.

Electron microbeam experiments are planned or under way to explore in part the question regarding whether the bystander effect is a general phenomenon or is restricted to high-LET radiation. Since low-LET radiations scatter more readily compared to high-LET radiations, identifying bystander cells and assessing the potential dose that they may receive will be crucial to the interpretation of radiobiological results. This paper reports on initial calculations of the basic information needed for a stochastic model of the penetration of energetic electrons in tissue-like matter; the model will be used to predict doses delivered to adjacent regions in which bystander cells may reside. Results are presented of calculations of the stochastics of energy deposition by 25 keV electrons slowing down in a homogeneous water medium. Energy deposition distributions were scored for 1-micrometer spheres located at various penetration and radial distances up to 10 micrometer from the point of origin. The energy of 25 keV was selected because experiments are planned for that energy. At 25 keV there is a high probability that the entire electron track will be contained within a typical mammalian cell. Individual tracks are scored because of their primacy; data for higher doses can be obtained by convoluting single-track distributions. The event frequency decreases approximately exponentially after the first micrometer to 1% at about 8 micrometer of penetration. Radially, the 1% contour extends to 3.5 micrometer at a penetration of 5.5 micrometer. The frequency-mean energy deposited decreases from 1.5 to 1 keV/micrometer at a penetration of 3.5 micrometer, then increases back to about 1.5 at a penetration of 6.5 micrometer. The mean energy increases to about 3 keV/micrometer at a radial distance of 8.5 micrometer.

Induction and repair of HZE induced cytogenetic damage.

Wistar rats were exposed to high-mass, high energy (HZE) 56Fe particles (1000 GeV/AMU) using the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS). The animals were sacrificed at 1-5 hours or after a 30-day recovery period. The frequency of micronuclei in the tracheal and the deep lung epithelial cells were evaluated. The relative effectiveness of 56Fe, for the induction of initial chromosome damage in the form of micronuclei, was compared to damage produced in the same biological system exposed to other types of high and low-LET radiation. It was demonstrated that for animals sacrificed at short times after exposure, the tracheal and lung epithelial cells, the 56Fe particles were 3.3 and 1.3 times as effective as 60Co in production of micronuclei, respectively. The effectiveness was also compared to that for exposure to inhaled radon. With this comparison, the 56Fe exposure of the tracheal epithelial cells and the lung epithelial cells were only 0.18 and 0.20 times as effective as radon in the production of the initial cytogenetic damage. It was suggested that the low relative effectiveness was related to potential for 'wasted energy' from the core of the 56Fe particles. When the animals were sacrificed after 30 days, the slopes of the dose-response relationships, which reflect the remaining level of damage, decreased by a factor of 10 for both the tracheal and lung epithelial cells. In both cases, the slope of the dose-response lines were no longer significantly different from zero, and the r2 values were very high. Lung epithelial cells, isolated from the animals sacrificed hours after exposure, were maintained in culture, and the micronuclei frequency evaluated after 4 and 6 subcultures. These cells were harvested at 24 and 36 days after the exposure. There was no dose-response detected in these cultures and no signs of genomic instability at either sample time.

Proportional counter as neutron detector.

A technique to separate out the dose, and lineal energy spectra of neutrons and charged particles is described. It is based on using two proportional counters, one with a wall, and the other with similar characteristics but wall made from a non-hydrogen containing material. Results of a calibration in a neutron field are also shown.

Potential doses to passengers and crew of supersonic transports.

Data from a tissue equivalent proportional counter that was flown at altitudes ranging from 60,000 feet to 70,000 feet were used to estimate radiation quality factors at different latitudes. For high LET radiation, Q values of 11 to 14 were calculated for latitude 18 degrees north to 59 degrees north. Dose equivalent rates ranging from 5.2 microSv hr(-1) to 27 microSv hr(-1) were measured. These dose equivalent rates are about twice that computed using a computer code called CARI-4Q. The dose equivalent received during a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo was computed using CARI-4Q and the result doubled, based on the TEPC to CARI-4Q ratio. Members of the general public, including frequent flyers, would not exceed dose limits recommended by the ICRP. Air crew would not exceed the limits for occupationally exposed persons. However, pregnant air crew, based on a 2 mSv limit to concepti, would exceed the limit after 150 hours flying time.

Cellular effects of individual high-linear energy transfer particles and implications for tissue response at low doses.

The energy deposition patterns produced by the radiation environment in space can be quite different from those in conventional radiation environments. Furthermore, conventional radiation biological experiments, using randomly distributed particle tracks, cannot access some variables which may be important in determining the health effects of irradiation. Controlled microbeam irradiation provides the means to investigate the effects and unique energy deposition patterns and cell environment for a variety of end points.

Clastogenic effects of defined numbers of 3.2 MeV alpha particles on individual CHO-K1 cells.

Research to determine the effects of defined numbers of alpha particles on individual mammalian cells is helpful in understanding risks associated with exposure to radon. This paper reports the first biological data generated using the single-particle/single-cell irradiation system developed at Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Using this apparatus, CHO-K1 cells were exposed to controlled numbers of 3.2 MeV alpha particles, and biological responses of individual cells to these irradiations were quantified. Chromosomal damage, measured by the induction of micronuclei, was evaluated after no, one, two, three or five particle traversals. Exposures of up to five alpha particles had no influence on the total numbers of cells recovered for scoring. With increased numbers of alpha particles there was a decrease in the ratio of binucleated to mononucleated cells of 3.5%/hit, suggesting that alpha particles induced dose-dependent mitotic delay. A linear hit-response relationship was observed for micronucleus induction: Micronuclei/binucleated cell = 0.013 +/- 0.036 + (0.08 +/- 0.013) x D, where D is the number of particles. When the estimated dose per alpha-particle traversal was related to the frequency of induced micronuclei, the amount of chromosomal damage per unit dose was found to be similar to that resulting from exposures to alpha particles from other types of sources. Approximately 72% of the cells exposed to five alpha particles yield no micronuclei, suggesting the potential for differential sensitivity in the cell population. Additional studies are needed to control biological variables such as stage of the cell cycle and physical parameters to ensure that each cell scored received the same number of nuclear traversals.