Mass model of the LDEF satellite spacecraft and experiments for ionizing radiation analyses

A three-dimensional (3D) mass model of the LDEF spacecraft and selected experiments has been developed to allow the influence of material shielding on ionizing radiation measurements and analyses to be determined accurately. This computer model has been applied in a stand-alone mode to provide 3D shielding distributions around radiation dosimeters to aid data interpretation, and has been interfaced with radiation transport codes for a variety of different types of radiation predictions. This paper summarizes the methodology used, the level of detail incorporated, and some example model applications.     

Predictions of the nuclear activation of materials on LDEF produced by the space radiation environment and comparison with flight measurements

Model calculations have been made to compare with the induced radioactivity measured for materials on the LDEF satellite. Predictions and data comparisons are made for aluminum spacecraft components and for vanadium and nickel samples placed at multiple locations on the spacecraft. The calculated vs observed activations provide an indication of present model uncertainties in predicting nuclear activation as well as the magnitude and directionality of the trapped proton environment for low-Earth orbit missions. Environment model uncertainties based on the activation measurements are consistent with the uncertainties evaluated using other LDEF radiation dosimetry data.     

电离辐射环境下的部分耗尽绝缘体上硅n型金属氧化物半导体场效应晶体管可靠性研究

随着半导体技术的进步, 集成小尺寸绝缘体上硅器件的芯片开始应用到航空航天领域, 使得器件在使用中面临了深空辐射环境与自身常规可靠性的双重挑战. 进行小尺寸器件电离辐射环境下的可靠性试验有助于对器件综合可靠性进行评估. 参照国标GB2689.1-81恒定应力寿命试验与加速寿命试验方法总则进行电应力选取, 对部分耗尽绝缘体上硅n型金属氧化物半导体场效应晶体管进行了电离辐射环境下的常规可靠性研究. 通过试验对比, 定性地分析了氧化物陷阱电荷和界面态对器件敏感参数的影响, 得出了氧化物陷阱电荷和界面态随着时间参数的变化, 在不同阶段对器件参数的影响. 结果表明, 总剂量效应与电应力的共同作用将加剧器件敏感参数的退化, 二者的共同作用远大于单一影响因子.     

Advances towards using finger/toenail dosimetry to triage a large population after potential exposure to ionizing radiation

Rapid and accurate retrospective dosimetry is of critical importance and strategic value for the emergency medical response to a large-scale radiological/nuclear event. One technique that has the potential for rapid and accurate dosimetry measurements is electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of relatively stable radiation-induced signals (RIS) in fingernails and toenails. Two approaches are being developed for EPR nail dosimetry. In the approach using ex vivo measurements on nail clippings, accurate estimation of the dose-dependent amplitude of the RIS is complicated by the presence of mechanically-induced signals (MIS) that are generated during the nail clipping. Recent developments in ex vivo nail dosimetry, including a thorough characterization of the MIS and an appreciation of the role of hydration and the development of effective analytic techniques, have led to improvements in the accuracy and precision of this approach. An in vivo nail dosimetry approach is also very promising, as it eliminates the problems of MIS from the clipping and it has the potential to be an effective and efficient approach for field deployment. Two types of EPR resonators are being developed for in vivo measurements of fingernails and toenails.     

Ionoluminescence in the presence of ionizing radiation

An increase in the ionoluminescence intensity from a ZnS-CdS:Ag sample by a factor of more than 20 upon additional electronic excitation by UV light has been found. The effect decreases in magnitude with an increase in the energy of bombarding H₂⁺ ions and peaks at an energy below 175 eV. This effect manifests itself in samples having a system of shallow electron traps and is due to the relaxation of highly excited anharmonic atomic vibrations, caused by the ion impact, through the electronic channel. A mechanism is proposed and computed for the phenomenon revealed.     

Model calculations of the radiation dose and LET spectra on LDEF and comparisons with flight data

Ionizing radiation environment models, a 3-D spacecraft mass model, and radiation transport codes have been used to predict the radiation dose and linear energy transfer (LET) spectra measured at various locations on the LDEF satellite. The predictions are compared with thermoluminescent dosimeter measurements of the trapped proton and electron doses and with LET spectra measured by plastic nuclear track detectors. The predicted vs observed comparisons indicate some of the uncertainties of present ionizing radiation environment models for low Earth-orbit missions.     

Consideration of measurements and calculations involved in assessment of the effects of human exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation and other mutagens

Theoretical considerations previously presented are reviewed demonstrating that current methodologies designed to measure environmental mutagenesis contributing to human disease measure only a small fraction of such insults. In the absence of an adequate theoretical approach, a new experimental method has been developed which in the case of X-irradiation demonstrates approximately 100-fold more mutations than are detected by other approaches. There is reason to expect major contributions to preventive medicine from these developments.     

Secondary particle contribution to LET spectra on LDEF

Four experiments utilizing passive detectors (P0006, P0004, A0015, M0004) were flown on LDEF to study the radiation environment. These experiments have been summarized in a companion paper (Benton et al., 1996). One of the experimental goals was to measure LET spectra at different locations and shielding depths with plastic nuclear track detectors (PNTD). It was found that the LET spectra extended well above the LET cutoff imposed by the geomagnetic field on GCR particle penetration into LEO. The high LET particles detected were mostly short-range (range < 2000 μm), indicating that they were secondaries produced locally within the PNTD. The presence of these high LET particle fluences is important for the determination of dose equivalent because of the high Quality Factors (Q) involved. A relatively small fraction of particle fluence can contribute a large fraction of dose equivalent.

Short-range, inelastic secondary particles produced by trapped protons in the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) were found to be a major contributor to the LET spectra above 100 keV/μm. The LET spectra were found to extend beyond the 137 keV/μm relativistic GCR Fe peak to over 1000 keV/μm. The high LET tail of the LET spectra was measured in CR-39 and polycarbonate PNTDs using different techniques. GCR made a relatively modest contribution to the LET spectra as compared to the contributions from short-range secondary particles and stopping protons.

LET spectra intercomparisons were made between LDEF measurements and exposures to 154 MeV accelerated proton beams. The similarities support the role of nuclear interactions by trapped protons as the major source of secondary particles in the PNTDs. Also techniques were employed to reduce the range cutoff for detection of the short-range secondaries to 1 μm, so that essentially all secondary particles were included in the LET spectra. This has allowed a more realistic assessment of secondary contribution to dose equivalent.

Comparisons of measured and calculated LET spectra have been made that demonstrate the need for more accurate modeling of secondary particles in radiation transport codes. Comparisons include preliminary calculations in which attempts have been made to include secondary particles.     

控制器组件γ瞬时辐射效应研究

瞬时电离辐射在电子器件内部形成的光电流可引起器件输出扰动,导致电路中部分器件受电源、输入信号及自身产生光电流扰动的多重影响,而单独对器件进行试验无法反映瞬时辐射输出扰动在电子组件系统中的传递影响。为此对由DC/DC、稳压器、单片机CPU,FPGA等组成的控制器组件在2.8105~1.7107 Gy(Si)/s的范围内开展了瞬时辐射效应的试验研究。试验中对组件功能和器件参数的测试结果表明,在较小的瞬时剂量率下,部分器件输出受到影响,但组件功能正常;较大剂量率时,所有器件均受影响,且组件功能中断。同时观测到瞬时辐射形成的扰动信号在器件间传输现象。     

Ordering of crystal structure by ionizing radiation

We have studied the action of ionizing radiation on defect-containing semiconductor crystals, metals, and alloys. Using modern methods for investigation of solids, Rutherford back scattering of channeled charged particles, x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and also calorimetric methods, we have established: a) irradiation (by x-ray beams, gamma rays, and electrons) of metals and alloys with an equivalent radiation dose less than 10⁵ J/kg and of semiconductor crystals with a dose less than 10³ J/kg does not lead to additional accumulation of defects but conversely leads to elimination of defects and transition of the crystal to a more equilibrium state; b) ionization processes play a determining role in rearrangment of defects in crystals exhibiting both semiconductor and metallic conductivity. We show that rearrangment of the crystal occurs as a result of stored energy in the crystal which is liberated due to chain reactions of annihilation of defects, initiated by ionization. Transition of the crystal to the equilibrium state is accompanied by improvement of its physical properties.Deceased.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 12, pp. 58–67, December, 1994.     

控制器组件γ瞬时辐射效应研究

瞬时电离辐射在电子器件内部形成的光电流可引起器件输出扰动,导致电路中部分器件受电源、输入信号及自身产生光电流扰动的多重影响,而单独对器件进行试验无法反映瞬时辐射输出扰动在电子组件系统中的传递影响。为此对由DC/DC、稳压器、单片机CPU,FPGA等组成的控制器组件在2.8105~1.7107 Gy(Si)/s的范围内开展了瞬时辐射效应的试验研究。试验中对组件功能和器件参数的测试结果表明,在较小的瞬时剂量率下,部分器件输出受到影响,但组件功能正常;较大剂量率时,所有器件均受影响,且组件功能中断。同时观测到瞬时辐射形成的扰动信号在器件间传输现象。     

Simulation of the radiation fields from ionizing radiation sources inside the containment in an accident

In the present work, a set of codes used for simulations of the radiation fields from ionizing radiation sources inside the containment in an accident is described. A method of evaluating the gamma dose rate from a space and energy distributed source is given. The dose rate is calculated by means of the design point kernel method and using buildup factors. The code MCU-REA with the ORIMCU module is used for the burnup calculations.     

Risk evaluation and protection against ionizing radiation

The advent of nuclear reactors ushered in an era of increasing number of sources of ionizing radiations. However, the potential of ionizing radiations to cause harmful effects was recognized soon after the discovery of x-rays and radioactivityi.e. long before the building of nuclear reactors. Therefore, protection against ionizing radiations has been of paramount concern and has guided the development of atomic energy and related fields. The advances in technology in general resulted in an increase in accidents causing injury and death. It was realised that even medicines, food additives and a host of other substances of daily use had injurious side effects. Smoking was found to be extremely harmful. From these emerged the concepts of quantitative and relative risks. This article discusses briefly the concept of riskvis-a-vis ionizing radiations and approaches to protection against them.     

Production of SO 3 − ion-radicals in barium dithionate exposed to ionizing radiation

Institute of Physicoorganic Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 13, Surganov Str., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 63, No. 2, pp. 258–263, March–April, 1996.     

MOS结构电离辐射效应模型研究

基于氧化层空穴俘获和质子诱导界面陷阱电荷形成物理机制的分析,分别建立了MOS结构电离辐射诱导氧化层陷阱电荷密度、界面陷阱电荷密度与辐射剂量相关性的物理模型.由模型可以得到,在低剂量辐照条件下辐射诱导产生的两种陷阱电荷密度与辐射剂量成线性关系,在中到高辐射剂量下诱导陷阱电荷密度趋于饱和,模型可以很好地描述这两种陷阱电荷与辐射剂量之间的关系.最后讨论了低剂量辐照下,两种辐射诱导陷阱电荷密度之间的关系,认为低辐射剂量下两者存在线性关系,并用实验验证了理论模型的正确性.该模型为辐射环境下MOS器件辐射损伤提供了更 关键词： MOS结构 辐射 界面陷阱 氧化层陷阱     

Morphological aspects of ionizing radiation response of small intestine

Knowledge of the acute and late ionizing radiation exposure damage to the gastrointestinal tract, particularly injury of the small intestine, is of great significance in radiotherapy, as is management of accidental radiation exposure. Irradiation (X-ray, neutron, cobalt gamma) induces a series of events in this rapidly renewing tissue resulting in the well-known symptoms of the gastrointestinal (GI) radiation syndrome, such as GI haemorrhage, endotoxemia, bacterial infection, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and loss of electrolytes and fluid. In spite of the significant advances that have occurred in research on underlying mechanisms over the last two decades, the overall etiology and pathogenesis of the GI-syndrome still remains unclear. Currently, to our knowledge, these symptoms are probably due to a rapid modification of the intestinal motility and to the structural alteration of the intestinal mucosa (cell loss and altered crypt integrity). Several evidences suggest that radiation-induced dysfunctions and structural changes of this organ (either changes in subcellular, cellular, and histological structure) are mediated by concerted and interrelated changes of a plethora of various extracellular mediators and their intracellular messengers. The aim of this review is to summarize our current knowledge about the pathomorphology and cell biology of the ionizing radiation response of the GI tract with a focus on the small intestine.     

Electromagnetic fields formed upon the interaction of ionizing radiation with matter

We propose a new approach to electromagnetic field calculations that involves the consecutive application of both quantum and classical electrodynamics methods. A current’s distribution is calculated via simulation modeling, using cross-section values obtained through quantum electrodynamics. The classical delayed potential of a current pulse of arbitrary form and duration, moving in a straight line at hyperlight velocity in the space-time representation, is calculated in an explicit form.