Space radiation dose analysis for solar flare of August 1989

Technical Report · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6106992

Nealy, J E; Simonsen, L C; Sauer, H H; Wilson, J W; Townsend, L W

Potential dose and dose rate levels to astronauts in deep space are predicted for the solar flare event which occurred during the week of August 13, 1989. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-7) monitored the temporal development and energy characteristics of the protons emitted during this event. From these data, differential fluence as a function of energy was obtained in order to analyze the flare using the Langley baryon transport code, BRYNTRN, which describes the interactions of incident protons in matter. Dose equivalent estimates for the skin, ocular lens, and vital organs for 0.5 to 20 g/sq cm of aluminum shielding were predicted. For relatively light shielding (less than 2 g/sq cm), the skin and ocular lens 30-day exposure limits are exceeded within several hours of flare onset. The vital organ (5 cm depth) dose equivalent is exceeded only for the thinnest shield (0.5 g/sq cm). Dose rates (rem/hr) for the skin, ocular lens, and vital organs are also computed.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA (USA). Langley Research Center
• OSTI ID: 6106992
• Report Number(s): N-91-14265; NASA-TM--4229; L--16812; NAS--1.15:4229
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560161* -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASTRONAUTS
COSMIC RADIATION
DATA
DOSES
FORECASTING
INFORMATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
PERSONNEL
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION FLUX
RADIATIONS
SHIELDING
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR FLARES
THEORETICAL DATA