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Title: Radiation damage to DNA

Conference ·
OSTI ID:7234560

Our goal is to calculate the probability to eject electrons from DNA by charged particles that pass near the macromolecule as they slow down in an aqueous medium that contains DNA in low concentration. This process is illustrated for a particle of charge Ze and velocity v, where impact parameters b{sub 1}, b{sub 2}, and b{sub 3} indicate the distances between the trajectory and a phosphate group, a base, and a sugar moiety, respectively. In the present state of our theoretical development, we must treat each of these components of DNA as an independent impurity site occupied by electrons in a Slater-type orbital with a characteristic orbital radius and band gap. Determination of these parameters will be discussed below; however, before we turn to that part of the discussion, it is interesting to address the question of multiple ionizations of DNA by the passage of a single charged particle.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
7234560
Report Number(s):
PNL-SA-21039; CONF-9204144-2; ON: DE92015760
Resource Relation:
Conference: 14. Werner Brandt workshop on charged particle penetration phenomena, Oak Ridge, TN (United States), 30 Apr - 1 May 1992
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English