Cellular track model of biological damage to mammalian cell cultures from galactic cosmic rays

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6006702

Cucinotta, F A; Katz, R; Wilson, J W; Townsend, L W; Nealy, J E; Shinn, J L

The assessment of biological damage from the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) is a current interest for exploratory class space missions where the highly ionizing, high-energy, high-charge ions (HZE) particles are the major concern. The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) values determined by ground-based experiments with HZE particles are well described by a parametric track theory of cell inactivation. Using the track model and a deterministic GCR transport code, the biological damage to mammalian cell cultures is considered for 1 year in free space at solar minimum for typical spacecraft shielding. Included are the effects of projectile and target fragmentation. The RBE values for the GCR spectrum which are fluence-dependent in the track model are found to be more severe than the quality factors identified by the International Commission on Radiological Protection publication 26 and seem to obey a simple scaling law with the duration period in free space.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA (USA). Langley Research Center
• OSTI ID: 6006702
• Report Number(s): N-91-16981; NASA-TP-3055; L-16831; NAS-1.60:3055; TRN: 91-014286
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
COSMIC RADIATION
RBE
HEAVY IONS
SCALING LAWS
SHIELDING
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SPACE FLIGHT
THEORETICAL DATA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DATA
INFORMATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IONS
NUMERICAL DATA
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
560120* - Radiation Effects on Biochemicals
Cells
& Tissue Culture