ABSTRACT
During the French-Soviet space mission "Aragatz," the experiment CIRCE (Compteur Integrateur de Rayonnement Complexe dans l'Espace) recorded the dose rate and quality factor values inside the MIR station. This paper presents results obtained with a new active dose equivalent meter based on microdosimetric techniques and using a low pressure tissue equivalent proportional counter. In terms of lineal energy CIRCE device works in the 0.2-1200 keV micrometer-1 range in tissue. Preliminary studies were performed in photon, neutron and heavy ion beams, and in the real stratosphere cosmic radiation field. Long term measurements on-board MIR station from December 1988 to April 1989 gave an average quality factor value equal to 1.9 +/- 0.3. Through the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), the quality factor was equal to 1.4. The temporal orbital variations of the dose rates and quality factors have been established in space dosimetry for the first time.
Subject(s)
Cosmic Radiation , Radiation Monitoring/instrumentation , Solar Activity , Space Flight , Spacecraft/instrumentation , Equipment Design , Linear Energy Transfer , Radiation Dosage , Radiation Monitoring/methods , Time FactorsSubject(s)
Radiation , Radiometry , Magnetics , Radiation Dosage , Radiation Protection , Space Flight , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Animals on the Cosmos 690 were exposed to Cs 137 gamma-radiation of 320 curies. The on board emitter was a spherical container made of tungsten alloy with a gamma source placed in the centre. A special dose filter provided a uniform +/-10% distribution of the dose field. Animal containers were equipped with thermoluminescent dosimeters. Radiation was monitored by an on-board dosimeter and displayed. The emitter was controlled by commands from the ground. On the tenth flight day the emitter was turned on and bio-objects were exposed for 24 hours. The dose received by bio-objects located in different areas of the biosatellite varied from 200 to 1000 rad. The flight experiment confirmed entirely the reliability of the radiation system.
Subject(s)
Gamma Rays , Radiation Monitoring/instrumentation , Space Flight/instrumentation , Thermoluminescent Dosimetry , Animals , Cesium Radioisotopes , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Fluorides , Housing, Animal , Lithium Compounds , Phantoms, Imaging , Radiation Dosage , Radiation Monitoring/methods , Radiometry , RatsABSTRACT
The report contains the description of the devices used for studying the radiation environment in space. They consist of passive dosimeters, a monitoring dosimeter and a spectrometer. Data were obtained with them over a long period of time. The analysis of these data permits one to conclude that radiation dose greatly depends on the apogee altitude and inclination; increasing the shield thickness does not greatly decrease the daily dose. The daily doses in orbits with an inclination of less than 65 degrees are 7 to 45 mrad day-1; the quality factor in those orbits was 1.2-1.4.
