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Title: Regolith Biological Shield for a Lunar Outpost from High Energy Solar Protons

Abstract

Beyond Earth atmosphere, natural space radiation from Galactic Cosmic Rays and Solar Energetic Protons (SEPs) represents a significant hazard to both manned and robotic missions. For lunar settlements, protecting astronauts from SEPs is a key safety issue that needs to be addressed by identifying appropriate shielding materials. This paper investigates the interaction of SEPs with the lunar regolith, and quantifies the effectiveness of the regolith as a biological shield for a human habitat, compared to aluminum, presently the standard shielding material. Also calculated is the shielding thickness to reduce the dose in the habitat to those recommended by International Radiation Protection Committee and by NASA for operation on the international space station. The present calculations are for the most energetic solar event of February 1956, which included high energy protons up to 1000 MeV. Results show that the lunar regolith is as effective as aluminum for shielding lunar outposts. A large thickness of the regolith ({approx}30 g/cm{sup 2}) would be needed to reduce the dose in the habitat from high energy protons below the 30 days flight crew limit of 25 Rem (or 250 mSv) and significantly more shielding would be needed ({approx}150 g/cm{sup 2}) to reduce the dose downmore » to the limit for radiation workers of 5 Rem (or 50 mSv)« less

Authors:
;  [1]
  1. Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies and Dept. of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21049474
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 969; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: Space Technology and Applications International Forum-STAIF 2008: 12. conference on thermophysics applications in microgravity; 1. symposium on space resource utilization; 25. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion; 6. conference on human/robotic technology and the vision for space exploration; 6. symposium on space colonization; 5. symposium on new frontiers and future concept, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 10-14 Feb 2008; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2845005; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGANISMS AND BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS; ALUMINIUM; ASTRONAUTS; BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS; BIOLOGICAL SHIELDS; COSMIC RADIATION; DOSES; EARTH ATMOSPHERE; HABITAT; HUMAN POPULATIONS; INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION; MEV RANGE; NASA; RADIATION DOSE UNITS; RADIATION PROTECTION; SAFETY; SHIELDING; SHIELDING MATERIALS; SOLAR PROTONS; THICKNESS

Citation Formats

Pham, Tai T, and El-Genk, Mohamed S. Regolith Biological Shield for a Lunar Outpost from High Energy Solar Protons. United States: N. p., 2008. Web. doi:10.1063/1.2845005.
Pham, Tai T, & El-Genk, Mohamed S. Regolith Biological Shield for a Lunar Outpost from High Energy Solar Protons. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2845005
Pham, Tai T, and El-Genk, Mohamed S. 2008. "Regolith Biological Shield for a Lunar Outpost from High Energy Solar Protons". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2845005.
@article{osti_21049474,
title = {Regolith Biological Shield for a Lunar Outpost from High Energy Solar Protons},
author = {Pham, Tai T and El-Genk, Mohamed S},
abstractNote = {Beyond Earth atmosphere, natural space radiation from Galactic Cosmic Rays and Solar Energetic Protons (SEPs) represents a significant hazard to both manned and robotic missions. For lunar settlements, protecting astronauts from SEPs is a key safety issue that needs to be addressed by identifying appropriate shielding materials. This paper investigates the interaction of SEPs with the lunar regolith, and quantifies the effectiveness of the regolith as a biological shield for a human habitat, compared to aluminum, presently the standard shielding material. Also calculated is the shielding thickness to reduce the dose in the habitat to those recommended by International Radiation Protection Committee and by NASA for operation on the international space station. The present calculations are for the most energetic solar event of February 1956, which included high energy protons up to 1000 MeV. Results show that the lunar regolith is as effective as aluminum for shielding lunar outposts. A large thickness of the regolith ({approx}30 g/cm{sup 2}) would be needed to reduce the dose in the habitat from high energy protons below the 30 days flight crew limit of 25 Rem (or 250 mSv) and significantly more shielding would be needed ({approx}150 g/cm{sup 2}) to reduce the dose down to the limit for radiation workers of 5 Rem (or 50 mSv)},
doi = {10.1063/1.2845005},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21049474}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = 1,
volume = 969,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2008},
month = {Mon Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2008}
}