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Title: The effects of natural and enhanced Van Allen Belt radiation on a space based weapon platform

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5233137

Monte Carlo radiation transport calculations have been performed to estimate the effects of natural (protons and electrons) and weapon enhanced (electron) Van Allen Belt (VAB) radiation on a space deployed weapon platform. (The satellite configuration adopted for this study represents the authors' concept of such a system.) The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long term and transient effects of these radiation modes on the components of a satellite deployed in a circular orbit at an altitude of 500 km and inclination angle of 0-deg. These kinds of satellites must survive long-term (up to 10 years) exposure to the natural radiation environment and the effects of enhanced radiation introduced when nuclear weapons are detonated in space. This paper describes the platform/weapon system and its components, the Van Allen Belt spectra, the methods of calculation, and summarizes the radiation damage to platform components from VAB protons and electrons and enhanced electron belt radiation. 1 ref., 11 figs., 2 tabs.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOD
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
5233137
Report Number(s):
CONF-900216-2; ON: DE89016219
Resource Relation:
Conference: HEART conference, Monterey, CA (USA), 12-16 Feb 1990
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English